Category: SOCCER

HOW TO: PREVENT & MANAGE INJURY

Most teams are now at that stage of the season where every point counts – that extra point you earn now may go a long way to determine where you end up on the table this season, and it is important to stay injury-free.

A lot of injury prevention is common sense. Ensure that you are properly stretched and warmed up before training and matches, and keep your body warm. Do not cut corners.

If you already have an injury, ensure you properly treat it as soon as it is sustained to maximise your rehabilitation and recovery. Follow your physio’s advice and do all the extra strengthening and stretching work to get you back to full fitness before the end of the year. 

Gerrard Woods
Director, Sportsmart

Q&A: KEEPING WARM

with Sportsmart Clothing Manager, Liam Collins

Q. Why is it important to keep warm while training and playing?

A warm muscle is a strong muscle. Warming up before exercise and staying warm during exercise increases the movement of blood through the tissues and increases delivery of oxygen to muscles.

Once muscles are warm they become more limber, which helps prevent injury during exercise.

A warm-up prepares your heart for an increase in activity and prepares your muscles for stretching (note: stretching should be completed after or during the warm-up, not before). In general, a warm-up is essential to exercising safely.

Q. What is the best way to do warm up?

When exercising for general fitness, allow 5 to 10 minutes for your warm-up (or slightly longer in cold weather). This could consist of a light jog, working at 25–35% of maximum heart rate, which will increase body temperature. You should complete movements that gradually increase your heart rate.

As you warm up, your core temperature will increase. As this happens, you can ramp up your warm-up intensity to prepare your body to start your workout/training/game. For example, you might opt to do 6 sets x 40-metre strides at 70% of maximum heart rate.

An athlete, advanced exerciser or someone who is training for a particular sport may need a more advanced and longer warm-up.

Q. Are there any products that help to optimise body temperature?

Compression garments assist with preparation, performance, recovery and body temperature by accelerating blood flow and oxygen to muscles, which assists with eliminating lactic acid to allow you to compete at a higher rate for longer. They also draw moisture away from the skin and improve circulation to optimise body temperature in hot and cold environments.

Some of the options Sportsmart has on offer are:

Skins™ (compression)

Can be worn in either hot or cold environments. A common misconception is that skins can only be worn during winter as they will be too hot in summer, but this is incorrect. I personally like to wear my Skins™ sport long tights all year-round.

Skins™ also has a travel & recovery range, which can be worn after exercise/activity to aid recovery or during long travel.

Under Armour® (compression)

Includes the ColdGear® range, engineered to be worn in the cold/winter months, and also HeatGear®, designed for the warm/summer months.

 

Come in store to compare the different options that Sportsmart can offer you.

SOCCER TRAINING TIP: ENDURANCE

Soccer is played in short bursts separated by rest/walking periods. Endurance training is a vital component of soccer training as players cover a lot of ground – some elite players can cover up to 12km during one game! Here are two training exercises players can try to help improve endurance:

Interval training

This involves covering a certain distance with rest periods in between. For example, 4 x 400m sprints with one-minute rests, or 5 x 100m sprints with 10-second rests. You can vary both the distance and the rest period (the longer the distance the greater the rest period).

Fartlek (speed play) training

This consists of running, jogging and walking stairs and hills intermittently, and should be carried out for 20–30 minutes. This form of training improves overall aerobic fitness while also adding variety to the training program. Find a route that includes all these variations before beginning the session.

Personal trainer, Tavia Ambler
(0433 826 944)

Puma King XL

All football players will be familiar with this iconic boot from Puma. The Puma King range has been around for 40 years, with minimal changes due to its popularity. This boot has super soft leather for an extremely comfortable fit as well as having a traditional conical stud pattern. Available in 2 colours as well as a soft ground option, the legend that is the Puma King XL lives on.  

Sportsmart Footwear Manager, Ryan Meggs

Soccer for everyone

I am a big fan of soccer, though I’m much better at watching it than playing. It is such an international sport, and passions run deep. I went to Africa two years ago, and the people there – particularly the children – loved to play and follow their favourite teams (though I did notice that Arsenal supporters far outnumbered supporters for my favourite team, Chelsea, in the English Premier League!) Those playing competition soccer locally are approaching a critical time of the season, so good luck to all teams – and remember that playing your best and enjoying the game is what counts.

Gerrard Woods
Director, Sportsmart