Physical Preparation

‘Aussie Rules’ is a fast moving dynamic sport which players’ aerobic fitness, speed, agility, power and skill are all tested. Being involved in the game is a great way to stay fit and can have great health benefits. Below are some general tips on preparation for our great game.

Fitness

Aussie Rules is all about short, high intensity repeated efforts.  Luckily, this type of exercise also has great cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits. So when you get out to Crows training and enjoy yourself whilst kicking the footy around, you are also improving your general health.

A solid cardiovascular fitness base is a good start for Aussie Rules (and your health). Once you have a good base to work from, short, higher intensity repeated efforts are what is required to perform well in the game (and this type of exercise brings even more health benefits).  Come out to Crows training and you too can reap the benefits of training hard.

Hydration

‘Everything is hotter in Texas’ (isn’t that how it goes?). The Austin heat provides a great challenge for the Crows faithful, and even a bigger challenge for visiting teams from the north. It is crucial to stay hydrated throughout training sessions and matches, both for you performance and your health. Make sure you bring out a water bottle to training; we stop regularly for drinks breaks to keep ourselves hydrated throughout.

Drinks that include electrolytes (e.g. Gatorade – normal or G2) also enhance how much fluid your body can take up and replace the salts that we sweat out. So these types of drinks are a great idea for those hot days. Drinks with carbohydrates (e.g. normal Gatorade) are also a good idea to keep you feeling good on game day. Footy games can last over 2 hours (depending on the format) and the little bit of energy provided by these drinks will keep you feeling good and performing at your best.

Stretching and Warm-up

Every Crows training session starts out with a good warm-up and dynamic stretch. A good warm-up aims to increase your body temperature and prime your muscles for the explosive movements involved in Aussie Rules. This will help reduce injury risk during practice and games whilst also enhancing performance.

We end each of our sessions with a good static stretch. This helps maintain/improve flexibility, which is essential in avoiding injury and performing the skills of the game.

Game Day

Hydration, nutrition and physical preparation are all important to performing well on game day. Hydration in the days before, morning of, and throughout matches is essential. Meals with a good portion of carbohydrates in the days leading up to the game will help increase your muscle glycogen – the main fuel we use during high intensity exercise, such as Aussie Rules. A combination of carbohydrates and protein post-game will help re-fuel your body and repair your muscles after the match. Game day is a great physical and mental challenge and a good preparation will help you perform at your best.