SPECIAL SECTION: HEALTH & FITNESS
1. Set your goals
People always ask me if I can write a program for them, and I always start in the same place before even thinking about creating a plan. First, you must have a clear goal in mind. If you know what you’ re trying to achieve, the rest becomes easy. Whether that goal is being pain-free, being able to lift your grandson or being able to run a little bit faster – it doesn ' t really matter. Without a clear goal and the motivation behind it, you’ re going to find it hard to get results.
2. Focus on sustainability
The second consideration is to find a way of building a training routine into your everyday life and making it sustainable. Part of that is being honest about what you can manage. If you can only do 10 minutes a day, that’ s fine, but structure your goals and training accordingly. Enjoyment is another factor – and it really is crucial for long-term motivation. You need to enjoy what you do and how it makes you feel.
3. Start small and progress
Whether you’ re running, weightlifting or playing football, you must start at an appropriate level. You can’ t go from sitting on the couch for years to running seven kilometres. Find the right entry level and make sure that you gradually progress to prevent stagnation. It could be running a little bit further, lifting a little bit heavier or having less rest time in between sets. If you always progress a little bit, you’ re going to improve and see results.
4. Leave space for recovery
The next key principle is recovery. If you don’ t allow your body to recover adequately, then you’ re not going to see the improvements you’ re after. We must replenish energy stores and heal muscle tissue damage after strenuous sessions before we can train again. Following several weeks of training, you should unload your body by taking it a little easier for a week. Gains don ' t happen while you are exercising, they are a reaction to exercising and happen when you’ re sleeping, eating and sitting on the couch. If you don’ t give your body a chance to recuperate, you risk injury, exhaustion and other setbacks.
5. Appreciate your individuality
Everyone is different and this applies to exercise and recovery too. No two people are going to react to the same exercise stimulus in the same way, and progress is always going to occur at different rates. It’ s exactly the same with the Socceroos. One of the team’ s big challenges is that every player comes from a different training background, and we must form a cohesive unit out of that a few days later. The solution is individualisation. Tailor your fitness routine to your needs, not someone else’ s.
6. Listen to your body
It’ s easy to look across at someone and wonder why you’ re not getting the same gains or doing as well. But you need to focus on your body and be kinder to yourself. The Socceroos do it too – they think if it works for another player it should work for them too, but that’ s not how our bodies function. If you want to succeed, you really need to listen to your body and understand your strengths and limitations. Always go at your own pace and give yourself a break if you don’ t feel up to exercising.
7. Look at your lifestyle
Beyond that, general lifestyle plays a massive part in your overall health, fitness and wellbeing. Look at your life and ask yourself how improved nutrition can support your goals or speak to your general practitioner. What can you do to live your life better? If you’ re not getting enough sleep, working long hours or feeling stressed, it will have a detrimental impact on other areas of your life, including mental health and wellbeing, your social life and your family. It also makes training unsustainable in the long term.
FABIAN EHRMANN
Fabian Ehrmann is the Head of Sports Science at Football Australia. He has worked with the Socceroos for the past 10 years.
34 | JAN / FEB 2024 COSTCO CONNECTION