Training muscles instead of movements
TOO MANY PLAYERS head straight into the gym and follow a bodybuilding style programme. This is fine if you are training for aesthetics but you don’t see medals handed out for the best front double bicep pose.
If you want to increase your performance and decrease your risk of injury then you need a specific programme tailored to the demands of your sport.
Don’t focus on a weakness
Bicep curls are not easy, but they are definitely not a muscle that needs to be trained every session if you want to prepare for the season ahead. We have no problem with players training biceps at the end of a session. The main focus of your session should be to improve your weaknesses.
For example, the majority of players we train have a weak mid-section, glutes and hamstrings. Bicep curls will not solve this problem so the best thing to do is identify your weakness and address it with appropriate exercises.
They neglect cardio
Off season does not mean that you do absolutely no cardio whatsoever. We will rarely advise players to go out and run a few laps. However, take the opportunity to get some “off feet” conditioning done.
This can be done by either cycling, rowing, or any other machine you have available at your gym. Try include at least 2 low-medium intensity cardio sessions into your training plan per week.
If you have a heart rate (HR) monitor try keep your HR between 130-150 beats per minute for 45-60 mins.
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