I’M currently training a player who I’ve wanted to help through his pre-season for a life time.

He’s got so much ability on the ball but over the years he’s struggled to buy into the benefits of implementing a structured strength and conditioning program, especially in the off-season. But this year he reached out in September and he hasn’t looked back. He’s in the best shape he’s ever been going into pre-season and is leading from the front as the boys have been prepping for the league.

Although overwhelmingly positive he said he did notice a few things that could be seen as negatives. The focus of the last few months, for both him and the team, has been about getting stronger, fitter and in better shape for the league but he thinks that for some it’s been to the detriment of their actual ability on the ball.

There’s not only been a sloppiness in some of the most basic handling and kicking skills but he found that men, not only in his team but the teams he’d played against in challenge games, were really off the pace.

Their decision making was poor, the timing of their runs, the less obvious nuances of the game that can’t be worked upon anywhere but the pitch.

Of course that’s what challenge games are for – to knock off the rust and get yourself up to speed for competitive ball when it swings around.

But just like maintaining your fitness all year round so that you don’t have too much work to do once pre-season kicks in, perhaps there’s merit behind the inclusion of some sort of game based/ball work throughout the year as to not lose the feel of the game.

There’s an argument out there at the minute that things have gone too far in the direction of strength and conditioning – that the expectations on amateurs has grown exponentially and currently stand at an unsustainable level.

Maybe it’s because I work in the fitness industry but I have to disagree. Being fit and healthy is a lifestyle choice. If you’re training regularly and eating well the step up to being match ready is a much smaller one compared to the guys who go off the rails from November to February.

It’s down to not only the coaches but the players to understand that the extra effort they’re putting in is so they are better athletes to play the game. The end goal can’t be lost, so the actual playing – skill development, etc – can’t be an afterthought at the other side of ‘fitness’.

You’ve your whole life to concentrate on fitness goals but you’ve a small window to focus on sports goals – get that right in your head and you’ll not go too far wrong!

For more training and nutritional advice you can catch me on Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook by simply searching PGthePT.

comment@gaeliclife.com