Gym

[gallsman]

I plan on trying to start the preseason at the weekend.  I haven't played seriously for  about4  years and as someone the wrong side of 35 I'm not aiming for supreme fitness.  Just want to keep the weight off and hopefully be fit enough to play some reserve football.

I travel a lot with work so going to try a programme of 2 runs per week of about 7 miles and 3 days a week a hiit circuit regime I can do in the garage that takes about 45 minutes. With work and family commitments 3 days a week in the gym or classes is not realistic.

The diet side will be the hardest.  The freezer had been getting cleared over the last few weeks.  All the southern fried chicken, sausages etc are going and getting replaced by pork chops and chicken. One piece of advice, anyone who tells you turkey bacon is just the same as the real thing is a lying b**tard! 

If you can find turkey sausages, they're really not too bad at all!

[TabClear]

Mo farah is on the hit list as well with his quorn sausages!

[oakleaflad]

I plan on trying to start the preseason at the weekend.  I haven't played seriously for  about4  years and as someone the wrong side of 35 I'm not aiming for supreme fitness.  Just want to keep the weight off and hopefully be fit enough to play some reserve football.

I travel a lot with work so going to try a programme of 2 runs per week of about 7 miles and 3 days a week a hiit circuit regime I can do in the garage that takes about 45 minutes. With work and family commitments 3 days a week in the gym or classes is not realistic.

The diet side will be the hardest.  The freezer had been getting cleared over the last few weeks.  All the southern fried chicken, sausages etc are going and getting replaced by pork chops and chicken. One piece of advice, anyone who tells you turkey bacon is just the same as the real thing is a lying b**tard! 

If you can run 7 miles twice a week you're fit enough for reserve football already lol

[square_ball]

Agree with a lot of what is being said. Diet is definitely key. Get the batch of chicken fillets bought from the butcher and prep your meals every few days as it makes life so much easier. If your working in an office its actually ideal as you can bring in your fruit, nuts & lunches etc and you have no excuses really. Also get the water right as well - 2 or 3 litres a day minimum. Myfitnesspal is a good app to use initially just to understand exactly what you are eating.

As the lads have said getting a good strength based gym programme will do you wonders. I'd suggest something like Crossfit as an excellent form of conditioning even though it gets a bad rap (unjustified in my opinion). This time a year you are wasting your time running on roads and treadmills.

I actually enjoy this time of year when you can get on with your own thing before team training begins again in the new year.

[gallsman]

Agree with a lot of what is being said. Diet is definitely key. Get the batch of chicken fillets bought from the butcher and prep your meals every few days as it makes life so much easier. If your working in an office its actually ideal as you can bring in your fruit, nuts & lunches etc and you have no excuses really. Also get the water right as well - 2 or 3 litres a day minimum. Myfitnesspal is a good app to use initially just to understand exactly what you are eating.

As the lads have said getting a good strength based gym programme will do you wonders. I'd suggest something like Crossfit as an excellent form of conditioning even though it gets a bad rap (unjustified in my opinion). This time a year you are wasting your time running on roads and treadmills.

I actually enjoy this time of year when you can get on with your own thing before team training begins again in the new year.

Very justified in my opinion. Anything that encourages people to do power or Olympic lifts as quickly as possible in the name of competition is a no no in my books.

[TabClear]

I plan on trying to start the preseason at the weekend.  I haven't played seriously for  about4  years and as someone the wrong side of 35 I'm not aiming for supreme fitness.  Just want to keep the weight off and hopefully be fit enough to play some reserve football.

I travel a lot with work so going to try a programme of 2 runs per week of about 7 miles and 3 days a week a hiit circuit regime I can do in the garage that takes about 45 minutes. With work and family commitments 3 days a week in the gym or classes is not realistic.

The diet side will be the hardest.  The freezer had been getting cleared over the last few weeks.  All the southern fried chicken, sausages etc are going and getting replaced by pork chops and chicken. One piece of advice, anyone who tells you turkey bacon is just the same as the real thing is a lying b**tard! 

If you can run 7 miles twice a week you're fit enough for reserve football already lol

"Run" might be a bit of artistic license lol.

I want to be in reasonable shape when I go back to training with the club.  More because if I'm unfit I won't enjoy it and am likely to throw the head up and decide I'm too old. Your a long time retired!

[No1]

Gallsman & square_ball, I'd be interested in hearing more of your views on Crossfit. I've heard a few different opinions and am still unsure. The only thing I know for sure is that it's expensive!

[Soup an Samajiz]

Agree with a lot of what is being said. Diet is definitely key. Get the batch of chicken fillets bought from the butcher and prep your meals every few days as it makes life so much easier. If your working in an office its actually ideal as you can bring in your fruit, nuts & lunches etc and you have no excuses really. Also get the water right as well - 2 or 3 litres a day minimum. Myfitnesspal is a good app to use initially just to understand exactly what you are eating.

As the lads have said getting a good strength based gym programme will do you wonders. I'd suggest something like Crossfit as an excellent form of conditioning even though it gets a bad rap (unjustified in my opinion). This time a year you are wasting your time running on roads and treadmills.

I actually enjoy this time of year when you can get on with your own thing before team training begins again in the new year.

Very justified in my opinion. Anything that encourages people to do power or Olympic lifts as quickly as possible in the name of competition is a no no in my books.

Always had an issue with this.. the thing about Crossfit is that it is a sport... this is where people go wrong from what I can see. You should use whatever millions of training regimes that are out there - to then go and compete at Crossfit, just like a Pro Weight lifter would train to then go out on competition day and push to the limit with very real chance of doin damage... but to use Crossfit as a training tool is not smart in my opinion... Absolutely train for Crossfit and then compete if that's your thing, but I wouldn't use Crossfit as a training regime... Unless ur Rich Froning.. then u can do whatever the frig you want

[square_ball]

Agree with a lot of what is being said. Diet is definitely key. Get the batch of chicken fillets bought from the butcher and prep your meals every few days as it makes life so much easier. If your working in an office its actually ideal as you can bring in your fruit, nuts & lunches etc and you have no excuses really. Also get the water right as well - 2 or 3 litres a day minimum. Myfitnesspal is a good app to use initially just to understand exactly what you are eating.

As the lads have said getting a good strength based gym programme will do you wonders. I'd suggest something like Crossfit as an excellent form of conditioning even though it gets a bad rap (unjustified in my opinion). This time a year you are wasting your time running on roads and treadmills.

I actually enjoy this time of year when you can get on with your own thing before team training begins again in the new year.

Very justified in my opinion. Anything that encourages people to do power or Olympic lifts as quickly as possible in the name of competition is a no no in my books.

That seems to be the stick that Crossfit gets beat with. People seem to have this notion that every workout involves 50 x snatch and 50 x clean & jerk where the experience that i have had with it couldnt be any different. Those lifts are coached and coached very well might I add. Very rarely are they used in a workout and if they are they are very low reps. For things like squat, deadlift and other lifts you are actually coached as well as placing a high emphasis on flexibility and mobility. As i say in my experience it is an excellent form conditioning and for me I was never fitter when I did it.

Out of interest Gallsman have you tried it before? Don't get me wrong I'm not saying CrossFit is the be all and end all by any means just interested in your views on it if you have tried it?

[square_ball]

Agree with a lot of what is being said. Diet is definitely key. Get the batch of chicken fillets bought from the butcher and prep your meals every few days as it makes life so much easier. If your working in an office its actually ideal as you can bring in your fruit, nuts & lunches etc and you have no excuses really. Also get the water right as well - 2 or 3 litres a day minimum. Myfitnesspal is a good app to use initially just to understand exactly what you are eating.

As the lads have said getting a good strength based gym programme will do you wonders. I'd suggest something like Crossfit as an excellent form of conditioning even though it gets a bad rap (unjustified in my opinion). This time a year you are wasting your time running on roads and treadmills.

I actually enjoy this time of year when you can get on with your own thing before team training begins again in the new year.

Very justified in my opinion. Anything that encourages people to do power or Olympic lifts as quickly as possible in the name of competition is a no no in my books.

Always had an issue with this.. the thing about Crossfit is that it is a sport... this is where people go wrong from what I can see. You should use whatever millions of training regimes that are out there - to then go and compete at Crossfit, just like a Pro Weight lifter would train to then go out on competition day and push to the limit with very real chance of doin damage... but to use Crossfit as a training tool is not smart in my opinion... Absolutely train for Crossfit and then compete if that's your thing, but I wouldn't use Crossfit as a training regime... Unless ur Rich Froning.. then u can do whatever the frig you want

Again I would tend to disagree with that. The crossfit gym that I go to very few of them compete - its a form of exercise they enjoy doing. And I think that's what it is ultimately all about - if you enjoy Crossfit do it, if you enjoy bums and tums class do that or if you enjoy pounding a treadmill for an hour do that. In my experience from a GAA background I found it to be an excellent conditioning tool for getting fitter, faster and stronger. But i would recommend trying it rather than going on what you read and watch on the internet - i think you will find its a lot different that what you might imagine.

[square_ball]

Gallsman & square_ball, I'd be interested in hearing more of your views on Crossfit. I've heard a few different opinions and am still unsure. The only thing I know for sure is that it's expensive!

See my responses to the other posts. As i said its not the be all and end all of fitness but its something I enjoy and worked for me. It does come down to quality of coaching but that goes for anything fitness related. In terms of being expenses yeah i guess it is if you take the figures on their own but compare it to PTs who are charge £20 to £30 per session as well as gym membership on top of that then it isn't really.

[Soup an Samajiz]

Agree with a lot of what is being said. Diet is definitely key. Get the batch of chicken fillets bought from the butcher and prep your meals every few days as it makes life so much easier. If your working in an office its actually ideal as you can bring in your fruit, nuts & lunches etc and you have no excuses really. Also get the water right as well - 2 or 3 litres a day minimum. Myfitnesspal is a good app to use initially just to understand exactly what you are eating.

As the lads have said getting a good strength based gym programme will do you wonders. I'd suggest something like Crossfit as an excellent form of conditioning even though it gets a bad rap (unjustified in my opinion). This time a year you are wasting your time running on roads and treadmills.

I actually enjoy this time of year when you can get on with your own thing before team training begins again in the new year.

Very justified in my opinion. Anything that encourages people to do power or Olympic lifts as quickly as possible in the name of competition is a no no in my books.

Always had an issue with this.. the thing about Crossfit is that it is a sport... this is where people go wrong from what I can see. You should use whatever millions of training regimes that are out there - to then go and compete at Crossfit, just like a Pro Weight lifter would train to then go out on competition day and push to the limit with very real chance of doin damage... but to use Crossfit as a training tool is not smart in my opinion... Absolutely train for Crossfit and then compete if that's your thing, but I wouldn't use Crossfit as a training regime... Unless ur Rich Froning.. then u can do whatever the frig you want

Again I would tend to disagree with that. The crossfit gym that I go to very few of them compete - its a form of exercise they enjoy doing. And I think that's what it is ultimately all about - if you enjoy Crossfit do it, if you enjoy bums and tums class do that or if you enjoy pounding a treadmill for an hour do that. In my experience from a GAA background I found it to be an excellent conditioning tool for getting fitter, faster and stronger. But i would recommend trying it rather than going on what you read and watch on the internet - i think you will find its a lot different that what you might imagine.

I'm actually a fan of Crossfit too, it's just as you say, if the coaching is poor where you have beginners being asked to perform Olympic lifts it is an absolute recipe for disaster. If your going to take part in Crossfit you need a solid background in lifting before going I think.

Gallsman & square_ball, I'd be interested in hearing more of your views on Crossfit. I've heard a few different opinions and am still unsure. The only thing I know for sure is that it's expensive!

See my responses to the other posts. As i said its not the be all and end all of fitness but its something I enjoy and worked for me. It does come down to quality of coaching but that goes for anything fitness related. In terms of being expenses yeah i guess it is if you take the figures on their own but compare it to PTs who are charge £20 to £30 per session as well as gym membership on top of that then it isn't really.

I can't get over the prices some PT's are charging to be honest, they range from the extreme to the ridiculous, I was maybe lucky in that I had a few friends that started lifting before me and studied it and I got the benefit from that but I see a lot of people paying crazy money, £15 per person for a 1 on 3 45min session was one such example, which was for a group of relative beginners.. unreal

[square_ball]

Oh definitely Olympic lifts can be a recipe for disaster they are very technical and very difficult to master. Give me a squat or deadlift any day of the week.

Everyone seems to be turning their hand to personal training these days and the prices can be  extortionate for what you actually get.

there does seem to be a serious amount of gym work being done by GAA club teams. I personally think it's great compared to years gone by when it was laps of the pitch etc!

[gallsman]

Agree with a lot of what is being said. Diet is definitely key. Get the batch of chicken fillets bought from the butcher and prep your meals every few days as it makes life so much easier. If your working in an office its actually ideal as you can bring in your fruit, nuts & lunches etc and you have no excuses really. Also get the water right as well - 2 or 3 litres a day minimum. Myfitnesspal is a good app to use initially just to understand exactly what you are eating.

As the lads have said getting a good strength based gym programme will do you wonders. I'd suggest something like Crossfit as an excellent form of conditioning even though it gets a bad rap (unjustified in my opinion). This time a year you are wasting your time running on roads and treadmills.

I actually enjoy this time of year when you can get on with your own thing before team training begins again in the new year.

Very justified in my opinion. Anything that encourages people to do power or Olympic lifts as quickly as possible in the name of competition is a no no in my books.

That seems to be the stick that Crossfit gets beat with. People seem to have this notion that every workout involves 50 x snatch and 50 x clean & jerk where the experience that i have had with it couldnt be any different. Those lifts are coached and coached very well might I add. Very rarely are they used in a workout and if they are they are very low reps. For things like squat, deadlift and other lifts you are actually coached as well as placing a high emphasis on flexibility and mobility. As i say in my experience it is an excellent form conditioning and for me I was never fitter when I did it.

Out of interest Gallsman have you tried it before? Don't get me wrong I'm not saying CrossFit is the be all and end all by any means just interested in your views on it if you have tried it?

Yes, I have tried it before and I don't like it for the reasons stated above. Coaching varies wildly - perhaps you've hit the jackpot and had a great coach, but plenty of others haven't. I'm not aure about now, but at least up until last year you could become an accredited CrossFit coach in absolutely no time at all.

Not all WODs have mad numbers of reps on dangerous lifts, but plenty of them do and the (encouraged) competitive aspect of it (trying to do things as quickly as possible, or establish a max within a time limit) risks people not preparing properly for lifts and consequently risking serious injury.

On top of all that, it's an absolute f**king rip off.

[gallsman]

Gallsman & square_ball, I'd be interested in hearing more of your views on Crossfit. I've heard a few different opinions and am still unsure. The only thing I know for sure is that it's expensive!

Crossfit has plenty of benefits. Obviously it's so broad it'll cover almost all aspects of fitness - particularly strength, flexibility and speed and, to a slightly lesser extent, stamina. As they're high intensity workouts, it can be compared to HIIT to an extent and would be good prep for team sports like football, hurling, soccer etc.

I don't like it becasue of the reasons I mentioned about encouraging people to do weights at speed and the huge variability in coaching standards. I'm also not overly fond of handing over cash to turn up on a day when half a WOD might be to go for a 2 mile run.