If you want to be good at Australian Rules football, you'll need to master a combination of kicking, handballing, and marking skills, and just the general staying alive stuff. That even sounds like a lot, so imagine actually doing it. The game is relentless, the competition is fierce, and if you want to make it, you need a strategic approach to your training, and this is where strength training comes in.ย 

Australian football players need strength training and there's no way around it. They need the ability to generate explosive power and take on all of the physical challenges, not to mention how important endurance is. All of this is directly linked to strength training, provided that the regimen is well-designed, of course.ย 

If you're still not totally on board with this, that's okay. We'll go into details on how strength training can help your performance and by the end, you'll have all the information you need to improve your performance.ย 

Strength Training for Australian Rules Football โ€“ Why?

Australian rules football is more about just bug muscles. You need to get strong, sure, but it's not because you need to look buff but because the players need to be agile, strong, speedy, and have good endurance. That oval field will need a lot more from you than just a bunch of muscles because this is a game that's always changing, so you have to be ready for anything.ย 

Big muscles aren't key โ€“ it's the functional strength you want. This means that you should have the right kind of strength for the game, and your training should focus more on moving well and being strong in a way that will actually help during the game.ย 

5 Key Principles of Strength Training

If you're a player, then your strength training program needs to be tweaked according to the game's dynamic structure. Let's break down all the essential concepts.

  • Functional Movement for Aussie Rules

You want your strength to work seamlessly during the game. This means that you should focus on movements that mimic those you do on the field โ€“ sprinting, jumping, and quickly changing direction.ย 

  • Training in All 3 Planes of Motion

Aussie rules football is multidirectional, so it needs strength in different directions, so you need well-rounded strength that help you improve your performance. Focus on training in the sagittal (forward and backward), frontal (side-to-side), and transverse (rotational) planes.ย 

  • Compound Movements

Instead of isolating specific muscles, do movements that engage a lot of different muscle groups at the same time. These can be squats, deadlifts, or bench presses. You need a coordinated effort during the game, and all of these exercises replicate that.

  • Heavy Lifting

If you lift heavy weights, you'll challenge your muscles to adapt and grow stronger. This will improve your strength in general, but it will also help you increase power, which is important for explosive movements like sprinting, jumping, and tackling.ย 

  • Olympic Weightlifting

Adding Olympic weightlifting to your routine, like cleans and snatches, will give your training an explosive, dynamic dimension. These movements will improve your power, coordination, and agility, which is what you need for the rapid, forceful actions on the field.ย 

Designing a Strength Training Program for Australian Football Players

When you think of strength training, huge weights are probably the first image that comes to your mind, but if you're a player, you'll need more than that. Your routine should be adjusted to your needs and your level of play, and you also need to combine it with football drills and skill sessions. Let's see how to do that.

Customized Training

Each player is unique, so a good program needs to consider factors like position, skill set, and level of fitness. When the training is adjusted according to the player's needs and goals, you get targeted development that will address specific strengths and weaknesses.ย 

Combining Strength & Skills

The harmony between strength training and on-field skills is more important than you think, so your sessions should include strength training into football drills and skill sessions. This will make it easier for you to translate strength into situations you find yourself during the game.ย 

Periodization

The program should be structured with periodization, meaning that it needs to be divided into phases that allow for gradual progression. This method will prevent burnout, reduce the risk of injury, and make sure you peak physically at the right times during the season.ย 

Balancing Volume and Intensity

It's all about the balance between the amount of work you do and the level of difficulty. When you have that, you'll build strength without overtraining.ย 

Recovery

Rest days and recovery are just as important as the training itself. Naturally, it goes hand in hand with good dieting and getting enough sleep. This way, you allow your body to adapt and grow stronger, and your performance is consistent over the course of the season.ย 

FAQ

How often should players strength train during the season?

2-3 times a week is fine if it's during the season. This frequency will allow you to improve and maintain your strength, but you'll also have enough time to recover and you won't compromise your performance.ย 

Can strength training improve my vertical leap and tackling ability?

Yes, it can do wonders for both! If you do targeted exercises, like squats and plyometrics, you'll improve the power in your lower body, which will help with getting a higher vertical jump. You'll also strengthen your core and lower body, and that will improve stability and tackling force.ย 

Conclusion

So, you see, it's not about just showing those muscles off. In fact, it's not about the muscles themselves at all. You need the right kind of strength that will translate into good performance on the field, not something you'll post on Instagram or TikTok.

Keep in mind that your program needs to be tailored to you. It's all about focusing on your problem areas, addressing any weaknesses, and supporting your strengths. This article gave you theoretical knowledge, but now you and your trainer need to work on the specifics of your training.ย 

How much attention do you pay to strength training? Did you know how important it is and how it can help your performance? Which functional movements do you think are most effective in your strength training routine?

We want to hear any of your tried-and-true tips, tricks, or shortcuts because you can never have too much help or information!ย 

References:

  1. Becks Shepherd โ€œWhy are rest days important?,โ€ LiveScience, https://www.livescience.com/why-are-rest-days-important (accessed March 7th, 2024)
  2. Lindsay V. Slater, Joseph M Hart โ€œMuscle Activation Patterns During Different Squat Techniques,โ€ J Strength Cond Res 31, no. 3 (2017): 667-676.