Winter sport in Melbourne's north: managing training load and niggles

The mid-season picture

By July, many footy, soccer and netball players across Melbourne's north have months of games and training in their legs. Accumulated load, interrupted sleep, work demands and winter illness can all reduce how much training your body comfortably tolerates, even when your fitness feels good.

Cold-weather preparation

Colder muscles generally tolerate sudden, high-intensity efforts less well. A few adjustments can help you get more out of winter sessions.

• Allow a longer, progressively harder warm-up before games and training
• Keep warm layers on between warm-up and start time where practical
• Build up sprinting and kicking intensity gradually within a session
• Stay moving during breaks rather than standing still

When a niggle stops being 'just a niggle'

General training soreness that settles within a day or two is common. A symptom that keeps returning each week, is changing how you play, or is gradually worsening is worth assessing. An appointment can clarify what is involved and how to manage the rest of your season — which may mean adjusting training rather than stopping.