MIKE:
Three months ago I contacted Richard and
asked him to provide me with a training plan
so that I could improve my fitness for airsoft.
Although I knew that I was nowhere near
the fitness levels that I attained at my peak, I
was certain that running around at airsoft for
six hours a week while carrying 15lb of kit
had helped to improve my fitness. Boy, was I
wrong!
In my first session with Richard I trained
so hard that I vomited. This may put some of
you off but it made me realise how unfit I had
become and that airsoft had not actually done a
great deal to improve my fitness. I persevered
and by the second session I was already
feeling the benefits of exercising in a clear and
methodical manner. By the third session I was
feeling the benefits of increased endorphin
levels.
You may struggle to see how the exercises
that Richard has suggested can have a practical
impact upon airsoft, but the main difference
(and the one that is easiest to spot) is improved
cardiovascular fitness. In airsoft terms this can
show real dividends as you will be more likely
to outpace your opponents when sprinting to
objectives, or evade large groups of rival players
who are advancing upon your position.
Lunges work to enhance the leg
muscles and improve posture
Sit up with twist
Lunges can be tiring on the leg and back
muscles but they have a simple effect upon
your skirmishing; when you consider that you
may spend a lot of time kneeling and shooting
it is actually quite easy to pull a muscle when
getting up and moving quickly. However, by
regularly training with lunges you will develop
effective posture and muscle memory, which
will encourage you to move correctly when
manoeuvring from kneeling to walking or
running in future. Through this simple but
effective exercise you will give yourself an
advantage over other players who will not be
able to get up and move from a kneeling start
as quickly as you.
Push-ups and sit-ups will improve your
general upper body strength, and this in turn
will allow you to carry more kit for longer
and at a greater pace – allied to good tactics
and effective airsoft kit this could make you
much harder to beat, and also able to pull
off surprising manoeuvres on your slower
opponents.
All of these exercises and regimes take a
great deal of effort and physical investment
but they will pay dividends quickly. Aside from
improving your fitness for airsoft, the regular
improvement in endorphins can become
addictive and each session will give you a buzz
that will leave you craving more – this of course
will also help improve your mood. But whatever
you take from the advice given please take
this…
When you do try to get fit, make sure that
you enjoy yourself and make the most of the
time you dedicate to it. In the hectic pace
of life it can be nice to have some solitary
exercise time which allows you to marshal your
thoughts and feelings.
Physical and psychological health go hand in
glove and an all-round healthy human being is a
far more effective human being! ■
Richard Hewitt Personal Training
For further advice, or to have a personal
fitness regime created for your specific
needs, contact Richard:
www.richardhpt.co.uk or
www.facebook.com/richardhewittpt
070
February 2012