Pre-Season...The worse part of being a footballer. No matter how many you do in your career they never get easier. When I was 21 I didn't think it really mattered to train in the Off-Season break but as time as gone on I've realised and appreciate that you need to look after your body all year round.
My holiday period started on the 28th April which is extremely early. That gave me just under 8 weeks off until I was back come 21st June. We were told to rest up for the first 7-10 days which is the norm at most clubs as our bodies had been through an intense season. Trouble was I had the bug to kick on. Crawley Sports Scientist Niall Clark had given us all individual programmes to help keep fit over this period but I wanted to start straight away. I knew my leg strength needed improving and I'm one of those people that likes to keep their fitness ticking over all the time. If i had near 2 weeks of nothing I'd of felt dreadful and probably need a lot of catching up. Instead I started straight away.
Here's a peak at my personal programme...
I near enough copied the weights sheet as much as possible doing 2-3 sessions a week and eventually raising my squat weight to 90kg.
As for the running I'm pretty particular when it comes to this, I tend to stick to one run which has suited me for the past few years. The first couple weeks I do a 20 minute plod at level 11kph twice a week and then I step it up to 4 minutes at level 15kph with 3 minutes recovery at level 11kph and do this 4 times through. By the end im quite tired and I'm not gonna lie, the first session of my 11kph plod I ended up hanging off the end of the treadmill with the personal trainers sprinting to my aid. I nearly ended up on my arse because I hadn't realised the machine was set in mph. I was running at 11mph which is a big difference. In a way I'm glad because as I was increasing the speed I got to 8mph and thought jesus I'm so unfit as it seemed nowhere near as easy as it normally would. Lesson learnt.
During my seven day holiday in Cyprus I managed to get two gym sessions in which wasn't the most pleasant of environments what with it being in the basement where the outdoor temperature was over the thirty degrees mark and the air conditioning was broken.
Once my holiday was over I near enough signed for Oxford United and straight away continued my fitness regime knowing I want to hit the ground running at my new club. It also helped that I had worked with Oxfords Sports Scientist Al Lane before at Brentford so I knew I was in safe hands. He let me know what was expected of the players for when they returned so I didn't feel left behind.
21st June was the first day at my new club. It can be quite daunting When You walk into the dressing room for the first time but at Oxford I couldn't of felt more welcome. The staff and the players straight away made an effort to greet myself and the other new boys. I was lucky enough to already know a few lads like James Constable from our not so fun Shrewsbury days and also Hovis aka Scott Davies who I must add had a big influence in me signing. He sold the club to me like no other and for that I owe him a lot. With that there was Jake Wright who made his presence known that he was the skipper, if I needed anything at all to come to him. From the first minute I felt a real togetherness. I knew quite a few players had been let go from last season so getting that togetherness straight away can be tough but Jake has made sure that this isn't the case.
Al Lane gave me my nutritional supplements, heart rate strap and training kit of which I asked for squad number 13. I'm not one for superstitions but reason being my first daughter was born on the 13th, since then it's been my lucky number.
Onto Pre-Season!!!! We've done the body fats (10.5%), the strength tests (max squat rep 155kg), the jump tests, the concussion tests and even the pee tests, now to the running. Everything at this club is structured so that they know the players will be in prime condition once the first game of the season arrives.
We had a full week of training and then as many of you already know we had an 'interesting' trip to a Marine Boot Camp. This was the toughest thing I had ever done in my life.
Before Boot Camp we had the privilege of staying in Wigan not only to Watch Wigan Warriors train but use their facilities and attend a match. Our Owner and Chairman Ian Lenagan also owns the Warriors and thought it would be a great opportunity to see how the best team in Rugby League train. It was real eye opener, yes these boys are playing a totally different sport but their work ethic, determination and team togetherness was something that the boys straight away acknowledged and i think learnt from. We managed to have a chat with a few of them and when one of our boys asked if they'd been to this Marine Camp they looked at us and pulled a face which could only be interpreted as 'pain', they hadn't done anything as hard as that! I think this was when the boys started to get a bit worried.
Here's us watching the Warriors train and also using their facilities ourselves...
We were treated to the Wigan vs Castleford game. We got to see how the team prepared before the game in their dressing room...
Unfortunately the result didn't go to plan but all in all it was a great experience.
And so to Boot Camp. For myslef and the majority of the boys we had never done anything like this before and didn't know what to expect which in hindsight was a good thing. If I'd known what I do now I reckon I would of been a nervous wreck!
No matter how much I explain the experience you seriously won't understand how hard it was unless you do it yourself. for 27 hours the majority of us didn't sleep, not for the want of trying but the fact that you couldn't because of the anticipation of not knowing what's next.
We tried to work out how many different sessions we did and I think we came up with 8 or 9. We literally were amateur Marines for that period of time. The whole process wasn't about physically battering us until we had no more (of which they near enough did mind) it was about testing the teams mental strength, bringing us together, making sure no one quits and that we help each other out if need be. People that don't normally like to take control were thrown to the front and told to organise, talk, order, lead.
Sessions varied from 4 mile road runs with 25kg power bags on your neck, to hill runs on hands and feet, army crawls for 50 meters, 500m minibus pushes, 300m fireman carries and many more.
We arrived at the camp around 12.30pm on Saturday afternoon and the sessions started near enough straight away. We were treated like Marines and with that we had to treat them with respect. There were rules:
- No hands on hips
- No touching your face
- No talking in certain areas
If these were broken then it was an instant 20 press ups. By the end of the trip I think I'd done well over 1000 press ups!!!
1.00pm was an introductory session along with the 4 mile road run with power bags until we came to a grass hill where we'd have to do a number of drills like dragging your partner backwards up a hill and then piggy back run him down again.
All this and it was only our first session!!! Once it was over the boys didn't know what had hit them. We were taken back to our rooms where we had to shower and then be back out in the same army trousers as before along with the sweaty top and all within 8 minutes. When back out we had to be in ranks of three and stand appropriately.
I'd say roughly 2.30pm was the next session which incorporated combat on mats. You lied on the floor and had to wrestle someone off of you for 1 minute, once that's up someone else gets on you and you do the same until you've been through 6 of your team members, after that you switch and one of them goes on the floor. By the time I'd wrestled 3 of my team for 3 minutes and then someone like Jake gets on top of you and you can hardly breath you start to understand that this is gonna be the longest day of your life! I was shattered and only 2 sessions were done.
As there were so many sessions I may be slightly wrong but this is how I remember it. Every time you're in your room you don't know when the next one will be so you sit there waiting/hoping it's not going to be for a while. The Marine would turn up out of nowhere blowing a whistle and banging on your door. You'd have 1 Minute to get your army trousers on along with your same sweaty top. If you weren't out in time you'd be punished (which you'll soon see). I think both the 1am & 3am sessions we had people late. You're stood there freezing cold in formation looking around praying the other lads turn up whilst watching the Marine pace up and down looking at their glow in the dark watch gritting his teeth thinking of how to punish us. It was brutal to say the least.
5pm - Outdoor Circuit (power bags, boxing, core)
7pm - Dinner, after dinner we were told that the work for the night was done and to go and get some rest. Stupidly we believed them and by 9.30pm we had finally gone back to our rooms only to be woken (If could sleep)...
11pm - Minibus push race up the 500m humped hill with piggy back carry return.
1am - Was the dreaded reservoir introduction!!! head had to go fully under the freezing yet quite refreshing water. Probably did this 3 times then had a 150m hill race. 3 teams, 2 road cones, first team to fill up their wheely bin twice using only the cones.
3am - First was punishment for being late which was 3 times in the reservoir and then into tiny heated room where it was really dark. 21 circuit stations laid out and we had to go round it twice for around 45mins on each one with no rest in between! Burpees, squat thrusts, wide arm press ups, close arm press ups, gladiator power bag drills, boxing, kneeing, you name it we did it. That for me was the toughest.
6am - Was the fireman carry drills up the inclined driveway. 100m carry and then 300m carry which again was so tough especially as most had had no sleep and fatigue was kicking in. The boys dug in together to help drive each other on as you can see here...
I've missed some out but don't really wanna think about them so hopefully they're erased from my memory for good.
After this we finally had breakfast which is when you could see a few of the boys hurting. A couple needed to get seen by a doctor for precaution.
9.30am - Came the final session where we went into a room and were told we would be going on a 24hr hike with tents...but as we were getting ready to go the Marine told us that he was happy with what he'd seen and that our work had come to an end. The boys all stood there in disbelief and no one said anything thinking it was a joke. Then the Marine repeated himself and the boys started celebrating like we'd won the League! The relief of not having to do anymore was unbelievable. I'm so glad the staff filmed everything of which I'm sure you'll one day get to see. We will be able to look back and say we did that.
Not one player moaned about the whole process, not one player gave up and not one player didn't take something from that experience. It was great way to bond with the boys in a testing weird way.
My sleeping/anticipation Quarters...
Myself and the boys want to thank Wigan Warriors player Paul Prescott for being a great Ambassador for the Rugby team. He was with us from the day we arrived to the day we left the Marine Camp and gave us some great advise.
And thanks to the Marines of who I never want to see again!!!
Banter was flying on the way home...
Since being back we've been heavily into the Pre-Season programme. Last week we had the VO2 Max tests at the Oxford University...
Followed by a special moment for the new boys to get our first 45 minutes under our belts. It Wasn't the prettiest of performances but with the heat and conditions in mind we start the campaign with a win. Next on the agenda is a week in Scotland. So until then...
