Aussie rules: it’s a tough game for fit athletes. It’s 80 minutes of gruelling bumping, kicking, marking, tackling and more, meaning players have to be in peak physical condition to handle its rough and tumble nature. After all, people just seeing the game for the first time don’t comment on how tough it is for no reason – it’s a serious slog that takes guts and determination to master!
It’s for this reason that many players choose to put in overtime to advance their performance and physical condition. Because, sure, training with the club is imperative, but extra training is vital for fine-tuning your game and optimising your fitness.
With this in mind, here are five reasons to include extra training in your game:
- It fine tunes your game
Training at the park with your best Carlton, Collingwood or GWS AFL merchandise is the ultimate way to fine tune your game in ways that can be difficult at club training. After all, club training sessions often focus on broader group drills and skill components, and whilst this trains players in a team setting, it may not necessarily give you the opportunity to work on specific parts of your game.
For example, you might be having an off year in front of the big sticks and want to level up your set shot. As a forward, you will naturally do some goal kicking practice at training, but are you able to take the time to fine tune the parts of your shot that are letting you down? This is where the ability to train outside of your club is perfect for optimising your skills!
- It helps with your fitness
Any serious footy player will tell you that physical fitness is as important as playing skills. You need a high combination of both skill and fitness to become a top player and one who your teammates can always rely on to come through for them. Therefore, taking the time to train outside of your club training sessions is an incredible way to enhance your physical fitness.
What’s more, this doesn’t have to just include footy practice – you can also schedule in your weekly gym sessions as part of extra training. Whichever way you choose to optimise your fitness outside of club training will be healthy for you both mentally and physically and it’s therefore a fantastic thing to do!
- It builds confidence
Any player that has taken the time to work on their skills outside of their club will feel more confident in their on field abilities. Because, after all, you’ve taken the time to amplify your skill set and become a better player – you deserve to feel more confident in your game. What’s more, any extra training is good for your game and this instils a greater level of confidence.
- It makes you a reliable teammate
Players love a teammate that they know puts in the yards to optimise their game. The time you take to fine tune your skills and fitness outside of the club will pay dividends with teammates who respect and even look up to your commitment to levelling-up your game outside of the club. With each passing match your skills will be multiplied and your coach, teammates and other club members will see this and you will enjoy a better game as a result.
So, is it time you took your game to the next level with some out-of-club training?