What I don't understand

[saj_21]

What are your qualifications or training background?

No training qualifications, just a lot of reading. I’m 32 in July, ive been playing footy since I was 5 and since about the age of 14 I’ve programmed my own pre season training.

Gym wise the last 5-6 years I’ve really got back into things and I will offer my advice on what works for me from my experiences.

I’ve competed in a couple of natural body building shows so when it comes to fat loss and dieting down to low levels of bodyfat I’m going to say I’m the most qualified on this board - from experience

There a few on here science wise who are much more knowledgeable than me

 

[demondavey]

No training qualifications, just a lot of reading. I’m 32 in July, ive been playing footy since I was 5 and since about the age of 14 I’ve programmed my own pre season training.

Gym wise the last 5-6 years I’ve really got back into things and I will offer my advice on what works for me from my experiences.

I’ve competed in a couple of natural body building shows so when it comes to fat loss and dieting down to low levels of bodyfat I’m going to say I’m the most qualified on this board - from experience

There a few on here science wise who are much more knowledgeable than me

Unless others have also competed?

 

[saj_21]

Unless others have also competed?

From the regulars on here I don’t think anyone has....but I stand to be corrected

 

[Gralin]

I think it's fair to say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder

If you are looking at a footy player's physique through the eyes of a body builder you're going to have a different view than someone who is comparing them to the average joe walking down the street

Some people like the larger bulk or the more defined muscle striations vs the classic swimmer look, dad bod vs calvin klein model etc

I'd say most footy players look fit but they don't look like gym rat

 

[Dr Tigris]

I remember Josh Hunt was banned from the gym, enormous frame.

What's interesting though, the taller guys with the more lean, athletic physiques are usually the strongest. I find this consistent with what I see in the gym also.

Remember Max Rooke? I reckon he wasn't allowed to even sniff the gym. He seemed the type that was naturally strong and powerful. Loved watching him play - everywhere. Just put his body and the line and outmuscled bigger guys regularly. There are just some guys that put on muscle naturally.

There was once a study in a prison where they gave them extra calories. Most guys put on fat, some stayed the same, and a small group put on muscle. Just the way it is.

 

[phantom13]

From the regulars on here I don’t think anyone has....but I stand to be corrected

I played high level aussie rules (not AFL) when I was younger and was often told I was the hardest worker in the room (mostly cause I was the least talented). So ive got some insight into training and dieting for footy.

 

[SnakeMan86]

Your average AFL player runs what, 13-18kms per game. So thats a 13-18km run per week, plus all the cardio that comes with training sessions 2/3 x per week.
Its gotta be almost impossible to get a decent rig with a good amount of muscle doing all that cardio. Hence the more Skinny bod looks. Plus More emphasis when they are in the gym on building power and core/hip strength as opposed to the look you get through aesthitics training.
But Of course there are exceptions to the rule.

 

[saj_21]

I played high level aussie rules (not AFL) when I was younger and was often told I was the hardest worker in the room (mostly cause I was the least talented). So ive got some insight into training and dieting for footy.

We were talking about bodybuilding/physique competitions.

 

[phantom13]

We were talking about bodybuilding/physique competitions.

Realize that, original question was about running vs lean muscle and the afl player paradox.

 

[PoppedCorn]

Running?
WTF is that? Lol

 

[Aeglos]

For those that still think AFL players are big; here’s Tom Lynch and Jack Riewoldt getting out angled by a small female recreational gym goer

 

[phantom13]

I’m not sure what that was supposed to show but Lynch is 2m tall and 100kgs... he’s big by any standards...

 

[saj_21]

I saw Jayden Short and Kane Lambert in Richmond trying on suit before the Brownlow. Short had the muscle mass of a 16 year old but was super lean, fit and I bet can run like a whippet.

 

[Aeglos]

I’m not sure what that was supposed to show but Lynch is 2m tall and 100kgs... he’s big by any standards...

1) a 60-70kg female has bigger arms than him
2) Brian Shaw (strongman) at 203cm weighs twice as much as Lynch

I saw Jayden Short and Kane Lambert in Richmond trying on suit before the Brownlow. Short had the muscle mass of a 16 year old but was super lean, fit and I bet can run like a whippet.

I’ve been in the gym with, or played against, Spud Firrito, Josh Fraser, Tarkyn Locker, Lachlan Keeffe, Josh Thomas, Ben Reid, Harry O’Brien and Mark Baguely and I’d only call Spud “big” and for him it’s more that his hips/torso are wide rather than being super muscly. There were a few Storm guys coming through the gym as well (Slade Griffin, Matt Duffie and some other guy with dreads) who were definitely bigger than the AFL boys but we’re about my size and got dwarfed by the bigger powerlifters.

 

[raskolnikov]

Most AFL players I have met have been pretty underwhelming in terms of physique. I swear I could have knocked Marty Gleeson over if I had blown on him. Wafer thin.

 

[phantom13]

1) on that angle, with her flexing and in a singlet and him in a polo not caring I still don’t think she does but sure. Run with that.

2) well yeh... he’s a strongman one would expect he’s insanely big. Lynch is sizably bigger than the average person and by any standard outside of “strongman” “nba player” or some other arbitrary measure he’s a big dude.

 

[Aeglos]

1) on that angle, with her flexing and in a singlet and him in a polo not caring I still don’t think she does but sure. Run with that.

2) well yeh... he’s a strongman one would expect he’s insanely big. Lynch is sizably bigger than the average person and by any standard outside of “strongman” “nba player” or some other arbitrary measure he’s a big dude.

The average height and weight of an Australian adult male is 175.6m and 85.6kg so if we’re going off that than I guess 90% of AFL players are “big” but it’s a pretty low benchmark.
And yes Brian Shaw is inhumanly big. But wasn’t that the point of the OP? That he was complaining AFL players were packing a lot of muscle (they don’t) and could still run?

 

[phantom13]

Most AFL players I have met have been pretty underwhelming in terms of physique. I swear I could have knocked Marty Gleeson over if I had blown on him. Wafer thin.

He’s 6’1” and about 70kgs so not that surprising.

 

[phantom13]

The average height and weight of an Australian adult male is 175.6m and 85.6kg so if we’re going off that than I guess 90% of AFL players are “big” but it’s a pretty low benchmark.
And yes Brian Shaw is inhumanly big. But wasn’t that the point of the OP? That he was complaining AFL players were packing a lot of muscle (they don’t) and could still run?

Lynch is 15kgs heavier (and would be running a pretty healthy fat percentage) and nearly a foot taller. He’s not just a little bigger he monsters the average Australian. He’d monster most Aussie or international males.

He’s a big guy, he’s just a poor example of a footballer being “small”.

He’s also a poor example of a footballer packing on muscle and therefore not being able to run. He’s doing both pretty well. Sure he’s not strongman big, he’s also not marathon runner “fit” bit smokes the vaaaaaast majority of the population in big and running.

 

[saj_21]

Footballers are unique, they need to have speed, power and endurance. You can’t be to slight that you constantly get pushed off the ball, but not to heavy you are constantly run off your feet.

But today’s game demands better runners and at higher intensity than even 10 years ago when rotations really took off. Having an elite 2km, repeat middle distance time is much preferred over a big bench press.

In regards to players physiques they get stuck at an awkward shape, their training recovery demands higher than average energy intake but you can’t be constantly low calories which is required to be at sub 8-10% BF.

 

[Brad Goodman]

Tom Mitchell is just about the best in the comp and he's tiny in person, but I'd rather be him than Carrot Top's sister.