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The World Cup Season is Finally Here!

With the World Cup kick-starting this week, many of us will have our social calendars planned around the games taking place over the course of the next month.

However, it’s important that you don’t swerve the gym for a pint every time a game is on (well, maybe a few cheeky ones won’t hurt). This is why at SimplyGym, we are here to motivate you and keep you focused, steering you towards the barbells rather than thebar snacks!

Know Your Opposition

The key to any football match is knowing your opposition and how they work. Kick off by watching the games on our TVs around the gym while you achieve your fitness goals on our first class training equipment.

Pre-game Ritual

Whether you’re hitting the gym or getting ready for a 90-minute football match, preparation is vital. A warm up and warm down will help you avoid any unwanted muscle injuries. Picking up niggling injuries can set you back and just like Beckham and his infamous metatarsal injury, you could come back too soon.

Team Work Makes the Dream Work

Think Xavi and Iniesta or Maldini and Baresi, all great teams are built around rock-solid relationships. Having a player beside you that you trust wholly and communicate with in a telepathic-like manner can help you get to the next level. Working out in the gym is no different. Appointing a partner, or ‘buddying up’, can help you hit levels you could not reach working out on your Jack Jones. If you can forge a great relationship with your gym partner they can push you on to achieve greater things. Harry Kane and Dele Alli, it’s over to you boys!

Video Technology

During the World Cup you are inevitably going to hear people harping on about VAR (Video Assistant Referee) but video technology has been around in football for decades. Coaches not only use video footage to size up opponents but also to offer critique on their own team.

If used correctly, video technology can do wonders for your fitness regime. Record yourself, watch it back, improve and share your results. You may even choose to show off your latest workout hacks on social media.

(P.S. Filters are optional but certainly recommended. We at SimplyGym are particularly fond of the bunny ears.)

Make Use of Our Tracksuit Managers (Aka Personal Trainers)

All the greatest football managers have that ability to get an extra 10% out of their players. The likes of Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson are celebrated for their man-management skills. Personal Trainers can be equally as beneficial. These professionals understand what it takes to achieve the results you strive for and how to push you on to reach new levels.

Remember, if Sir Alex Ferguson can win the Champions League with Wes Brown and John O’Shea then you can accomplish anything with the right support!

Make the Most of Half Time

No matter how hard a footballer trains, the 15-minute Half Time interval is critical if they are to see out the full 90 minutes. Rest periods are crucial. However, once Half Time is over and the second half begins, you have to ready to go again.

You can take this practice into the gym with you with interval training being a great way to burn calories and lose weight fast. So, if you want to be more Maradona than Lamb Donna, get on your bike!

Squad Goals

If you were Gareth Southgate you’d ensure every member of England’s World Cup squad were kept active, seeing all team members take part in training to keep the squad in peak condition. You should treat your body as a World Cup squad. Don’t over-train certain muscle groups and don’t skip leg day!

Don’t Peak Too Soon

The winner of this year’s World Cup is anybody’s guess at this point but one thing is for sure, it will not be won on match day one. All 32 nations taking part have taken a squad of 23 players to Russia with them and could have as many as seven games over a gruelling four-week period. The coaching team will be tasked with utilising the squad, rotating their starting line-up and resting players when necessary. In a nutshell, game management will be vital to any side hoping to be crowned world champions this summer.

Likewise, you should not expect to see instant results in the gym. Create a long-term plan, put targets in place and only then can you smash them!

To keep fit during World Cup season, start making use of the facilities and classes at Simply Gym. For more details, get in touch.



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