Oh Jaysus ..Me Chest.

Yavvy

I havent been playing regular football for well over a year and a half now. I have played a few games in goal and a few minutes at corner forward here and there.... but nothing serious.

But I think the 'ol knee is up to it again and I have just started training with my new club (St Marys Athenry).

The Training was very light and my knee was fine but I thought I was going to have a heart attack ! Seriously I got a pain in my right shoulder that spread across my chest. I have just given up smoking so I expect the lungs to struggle and I know it will take a few weeks of hard work to get into the swing of things. Also I have lost all of the speed I used to have, I cant kick a ball straight anymore and i can't make an accurate handpass. I put this all down to beig unfit and out of practice.

Im hoping things will start to come right over the next few weeks but has anyone got any advice for building up the strenght of my lungs and my ability to recover form being out of breath. I here swimming is good for the breathing ... Also if there are any good tips for building up speed (sprinting) That would be appriciated.

Alan

Waylander

Just keep pl;aying away Al. I gave up the fags about a year and a half ago. Within a few weeks I was amazed at how much my engine had improved. You will still get out of breath but you will find you can dig deeper and deeper as time goes by.

cournioni

Yeah, it always takes time to get into the swing of things, especially if you are a goalkeeper. You don't get the necessary running around in a training match that outfield players do. The only thing that knackers you out is running to get the ball from behind the goals! I'm currently struggling with my fitness too and need to put a string of training sessions in to get the fitness back.

Hopefully I'll sort it out in a few weeks.

kaimera

jogging.

do a run in the morning/evenings for a few weeks. Get the lungs used to something other than fag smoke

Villain

more sex.

Not joking its meant to be very good for exercising the heart.

Other than that do some weigths on your upper leg, it will take the pressure off you knees.

Use an oven glove with a weigth in each side and put the middle of it over your foot then raise it about 16"'s off the ground slowly

The Muppet

Originally posted by irish1
more sex.

Good advice once the partner doesn't suffer from headaches.



Seriously, if the knees are bad swimming and or cycling should improve your lung capacity without exerting the joints too much.

Waylander

Still off the fags Al? Any improvement in your general fitness two weeks on?

Yavvy

well I was a bit cheeky at the weekend but yeah, for the most part off the fags.

I havent been able to do the level of training I wanted so far but already im feeling better, after only two weeks I can feel some of my speed and cordination coming back ...

However Im still having problems getting fit. One concern is that when Im jogging after about 2 laps of the pitch my lower back fùcking kills ..its like its cramping up.
I think i need to work on my lower back a lot now.

Im going to stick at it but I dont know if this back thing is going to be an issue ??

kaimera

if you are worried about yore back Alan, go see a physio and get him to check it out.

you could have just tweaked something in the oul back from the sudden return of training.

Yavvy

yeah but its not a tweak or strain cause it feels just fine whne I stop and when im not training. It a pain directly cuased by running.

I have a feeling that the musle in my lower back is extreamly weak and because I have fallen arches im possible putting more strain than i used to. One of the reasons i stoped playing in the first place was because of a knee injury and cause I had fallen arches. Im looking into geting soem arch supports to see if that helps. And I will be working on building up the strenght in my back and stomach... I just hope that will be enough.

Cant really afford to be seeing a physio right now, but maybe a quick visit to atleast identify the problem would be a good idea ?

Yavvy

I think This http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/general/pronate.html may be the problem with my back

Waylander

Al i used to have problems with my arches when I was a teenager. two of the things I was told I should do were, 1) buy supports to stick in my shoes, any local pharmacy should have these. 2) As an exercise practice picking things up and releasing them again with your toes. Now I was younger then so maybe it was easier to fix as I was still growing etc.

thirdmantackle

go down to Sports Med West in Henry Street in Galway for physio- James O'Toole. He's very good and reasonably priced.

If you want to improve your fitness, then a bit of jogging two nights a week (take it easy though) will help. Then you need to do a few sprints yourself.

I would also recommend taking up something else where u don't have to go doing training. Indoor soccer or astroturf is good for the fitness as long as u push yourself and u don't play with superstars. Handball/racquetball or squash are also good as long as u know the rules and push yourself and have a decent opponent.

Vader

would you consider it too late to start playing serious football?

If not when would you?

Yavvy

Personally I think is too late for me ever to play at the level I was one at. the only reason for that is I dont have the time and the comittment.

Im 25, I reckon if i worked at it and fixed all my injuries I could be as good as I ever was.... I guess once you hit your 30's you have to wonder if you can ever be as fit as you used to be .. but I dont know for sure, I have never been in my 30's

thirdmantackle

sure you are only a year off me so, and I'm only back into the football and hurling myself. Took me a while, and I eased myself into it - but I'd say I'm about 65% fit at the moment with a good bit of weight lost, and well able to run. You are never too late to take up football again.

It just depends what level you want to play it at.

Yavvy

oh yeah I agree.. I think you can always get back into football, there will always be a level for you to play at... The hard part is getting back to your best !

Hopefully I will be back to 65% in a few weeks, I love playing foorball..but I hate feelign like my chest is going to explode cause im so unfit !!

thirdmantackle

doing the little extra bit on you own is alway a good idea, especially if you have a few days between training/matches.

The chest being sore is down to the fags. But give it time. Very hard training would NOT be good for you. Repeated bursts of running, improve your breath recovery time and clear out the ****e from the lungs. Do that when jogging - a little sprint here and there followed by a small walk.

Yavvy

thats pretty much what I have been doing, thanks for the advice.

PS. I found soe great stretches for the lower back and its really made an improvment in jogging !

Vader

ah well I was never good. Strangely enough though I was tempted to give football a shot when I was in my leaving cert year, just to be in the year book for something, but decided against it cause id probably just make a show of myself

thirdmantackle

Making a show of yourself? Everyone has to experience that at some stage!! Whether its at 12, 15, 19 or 25...

It takes a while to get competent at any sport, to 'find your feet' as it were