ACE PERFORMANCE BLOGS

Melbourne has no shortage of gyms. But for athletes who need more than general fitness training — who need structured, periodised programming built around their sport, with qualified coaches and measurable outcomes — the options narrow quickly. Here is what to look for when choosing a strength and conditioning facility as a competitive athlete. QUALIFIED COACHING STAFF The most important factor in any S&C gym is the qualification and experience of the coaches. Look for ASCA (

Pre-season is the most important training period of the year. The physical foundation you build between October and February will determine how you hold up across a twenty-plus game season. Done correctly, pre-season training produces peak performance at finals time. Done incorrectly, it produces the first soft tissue injury of the year before Round 1. THE PURPOSE OF PRE-SEASON Pre-season has two goals that must be balanced carefully: building physical capacity and managing i

Most athletes train by feel. They work hard, they follow a program, and they hope the results will come. Sports performance testing replaces hope with data. It tells you exactly where you are, exactly where you need to be, and exactly what needs to change to get there. WHAT DOES SPORTS PERFORMANCE TESTING MEASURE? At ACE Performance, our testing battery is tailored to the athlete and their sport. Standard measures include: Sprint Speed and Acceleration — Timed over 5m, 10m, a

Speed is the most sought-after quality in Australian football. It determines whether you beat a player to the contest, whether you run past a defender, whether you get back in time to smother. And unlike most physical qualities, genuine sprint speed is highly trainable — if you train it correctly. Most footballers do not train speed. They train fitness. There is a significant difference. WHAT AFL SPEED ACTUALLY REQUIRES True speed in AFL comes from three components working to