Stay fit in London for Netball with these tips.
For Netball, as in any sport, it is important to properly train your body so that you can perform at your maximum potential. Speed, endurance, strength, and skills are very important aspects of the sport.
It is sometimes hard to fit a regular exercise program into the busy, and hectic lifestyle of a Londoner so here is a simple fitness plan to help guide you along in the weeks leading up to, and during your London Netball Leagues.
Remember that it is necessary to stretch properly, before any exercise in order to maximize benefit and minimize the chances of injury.
Day 1
The first day of training would occur 5 days before a match. (Assuming you have a match on Saturday, the first day of training would be on a Monday.) Since this first day is the farthest from competition, it can be your most challenging day, allowing for recovery throughout the remainder of the week. Focus on more strenuous cardiovascular exercises, and speed building. One possible exercise is running up and down stadium steps or a hill for roughly twenty minutes. This exercise can be broken up if desired into 10 and 10 or 7 and 13-minute intervals. After this exercise, take a break for about 5-7 minutes, and then run a sprint drill. Suicide runs are a good choice. Make sure to reach a full out sprint and maintain it as long as possible. Make sure to traverse the entire court by the end of drill. Only 2 sets are needed. Take another short break and then begin walking lunges to the half court line. At the half court line, take a short break (30 seconds to a minute) and then make your way back to the base line. Try to close out your workout with around 50 ladies push-ups (in intervals of 10), and 100 crunches (in intervals of 10). These exercises will help to develop speed, and cardiovascular endurance.
Day 3
Two days before a match comes the second day of training. This day will focus on strength training of the arms. First of all, begin with a mile jog as a warm-up. Netball is not a sport where it is necessary to build bulk, so there is no need to focus on heavy lifting. Instead focus on lighter weights with higher reps. Try three sets of 15 repetitions of a lighter weight for bicep curls, triceps curls, lateral pull-downs, and pectoral-flys. Follow up this workout with another 100 crunches (in intervals of 10 as well).
Day 5
The day prior to a match, Spend a day on the court, or any local London Netball post working on skills. Take a multitude of shots from different areas of the circle. Work on running around the court while maintaining proper positioning. If at all possible, take friends/team members with you and work on passing, shooting, and defensive drills together. This is just a skills and cool down day. Do not do anything too strenuous, after all there is a match the next day.
Notes to Remember
In addition, given enough time during the week, attempt to go to the courts or local Netball post on days between workouts, and continue to hone skills through skills practices. Taking a multitude of shots, from all different areas of the circle, is necessary to maintain and improve shot accuracy.
Healthy Eating is important to the development and maintenance of Netball fitness. Eat lean meats, such as fish and chicken, and seek proteins in eggs and beans. Avoid fried preparation of these foods. Baking and sautéing these foods are great alternatives. Vegetables (both raw and cooked) and fruits are healthy foods that help to maintain fitness, and can act as great snacks.