sports
conditioning series
sports
conditioning
series
a sporting
chance
There are some seven million
footballers in England, as well
In the first part of a new sports conditioning series,
as more than two million
Vicky Kiernander looks at the opportunities for fitness
rugby players across the UK
facilities to work with football and rugby enthusiasts
capabilities, while football players
require an ability to perform high
intensity, intermittent exercise over 90
A
ccording to the Football did! Many health clubs already cater for minutes of play, which requires a high
Association (FA), the niche groups within their membership – aerobic capacity as well as the ability
nation’s favourite game pregnant women or those with specifi c to perform frequent bouts of high
has some seven million health needs, for example – so why intensity repeated sprints.
participants and 37,500 clubs in England not target their offering to rugby and As former head strength and
alone. And figures from the Rugby football players too? conditioning coach at Fulham and
Football Union (RFU) suggest that the Tottenham Hotspur, and as consultant
sport has 2.25 million players across the sport-specific needs for the FA as well as a number of sports
country. These figures are set to rise, Rugby and football are extremely teams – including rugby – Alex Reid of
with the RFU currently employing a raft demanding sports, even at amateur level. Perform Fitness is used to preparing
of measures to create a new adult team Players of both games require speed, performance athletes for their game.
in every club, to bring the total to more strength, agility, power and endurance, When training players, she focuses
than 5,300 players by 2015/16. and both sports include multi- on three main areas: general aerobic
It’s likely that many of these non- directional work with changes of pace and anaerobic conditioning, strength
professional sports players belong to and direction. However, generally work and injury prevention.
a health club, leisure centre or gym; speaking, rugby players need more The key, she says, is to keep the
if they don’t – particularly given the strength and power due to the physical training relevant: “Whatever you do
signifi cant participant numbers noted nature of the game, combined with good in the gym has to transfer to your
above – then perhaps it’s time they endurance and repeated workload performance on the fi eld.”.
march 2010 © cybertrek 2010 Read Health Club Management online 51
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
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