The footy season may be coming to an end but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep up the off season training. After all, whilst your teammates may be kicking back and enjoying a few frothies you can level up your game to come back fitter, stronger and more skillful than the season just past!
There are many benefits to off-season training that go beyond the footy field and we are here to talk about them both:
1. You Will Elevate Your Game
Grab your best AFL official merchandise because it’s time to take your game to the next level for the season to come. Maintaining off-season training is the best way to elevate your game for the season to come. Many players like to take it easy in the off-season and this can impede on their match ability in the upcoming season.
But by ensuring that you maintain a level of fitness and match ready skill you will put yourself ahead of the competition and this will inevitably help your team and give them a leg up early on in the season (something that’s imperative for getting ahead later on in the season!).
2. You Will Maintain A High Level Of Fitness
Sure, the footy season is gruelling, and every player needs a little off time to rest and recuperate after what could have been a tough few months in inclement conditions. You naturally want to chill out and have a good time with friends and family whether you made finals or not.
But there is nothing wrong with getting back into the gym after a week or two away from the game. You can maintain a higher level of fitness that will also help put you ahead of the competition who also likely enjoyed a few frothies and some downtime in the off-season!
3. Your Coaches Will Take Notice
Coaches always notice when a player has put in the hard work in the off-season. They understand that you are a committed team member and they will reward you accordingly. By training in the off-season and maintaining a higher standard of fitness it will be obvious to your coaches that you didn’t spend the off-season bumming around and neglecting your performance.
Coaches have a high level of respect for players who put in work away from their training sessions. If you put in a lot of work in the off-season you will likely be rewarded with more game time as your game will be taken to a higher level!
4. It’s Just Good For Your General Fitness
And there’s nothing wrong with maintaining a high level of general fitness! It’s one of the most important things we can do for ourselves and this is imperative as we get older. By maintaining a regular off-season training and fitness regime that includes both gym and skill-based training you will be keeping up a level of fitness that is good for your general health.
5. You Can Work On New Skills
Is there something about your game that you’re not quite happy about? Is there a particular skill, whether it be shooting, handballing, tackling or marking, that you want to improve for the season to come? Well, sometimes it can be tough to find the time to work on your individual skills in team training, so training solo in the off-season is the perfect way to work on that particular part of your game you want to take to the next level!
