It’s finals time: Top tips for ensuring optimum performance during footy finals
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It’s that time of year again, where footy finals are almost upon us. Whether you play rugby, AFL or NRL, you definitely want to ensure that you are in top condition to perform during finals football. It’s important to ensure you are at the top of your game, both physically and mentally. Here are some of our top tips for ensuring you are at your best for finals football.
1. Keep up to speed with your regular program and ensure you get adequate rest
You are in the finals, that’s great! However, what’s not great is throwing yourself in to more training than usual to try and prepare. There should be no major changes to your program, and you coach should have a program that is periodised, meaning you should be peaking without throwing yourself in to more work. Allowing your body to rest is also important (as it always is), but ensuring you have a proper, regular sleeping pattern is crucial to perform.
2. Fuel your body
Ensure you are properly hydrating your body to avoid dehydration and stick to the game day foods that you know work. Don’t go trying new pre-game snacks, supplements and proteins before important games.
3. Take time to de-stress
Whenever the word ‘finals’ comes in to play, it generally means that a lot of players are going to start putting extra pressure on themselves. While this is good, too much can lead to increases in stress and declines in mental health. Being over anxious often leads to what we call ‘choking’, when a player is unable to perform under pressure. Ensure that you are taking enough time to de-stress and prepare mentally. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health.
4. Maintain your normal pre-game routine
You have probably been doing the same thing on game day all season, down to what you drink, eat and how you pump yourself up before the game, so why change It now? If you know what works for you, sticking to it is your best bet.
5. Don’t put off seeing a physio
Now is not the time to let your niggles or injuries go unnoticed. If something is bothering you, it is best to get in quick so that a physio can get you back to top health as soon as possible. Generally, football games in finals are played at increased speeds and intensities compared to games played in the regular season, which can increase your risk of injury if you aren’t trained for the increased intensity.
Book an appointment with one of our physiotherapists by calling 4356 2588 or book online via the button below.
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