Poll: Footballers: Fit athlete's or big girls blouses?

[NuclearWinter]

I tend to follow Ice hockey more, Game on the Saturday night, and a game on the Sunday night.

Yes, but the average NHL player is on the ice for around 20 minutes per game (less than that for most forwards and up to around 25 minutes for defensemen).

Ice hockey games are 30 minutes shorter (unless OT), have two intervals instead of one and have unlimited substitutions which allow for lines to constantly shift in and out on the fly. A player is typically out on the ice for less than a minute at a time before coming off again to rest.

Which is not to say they are more or less fit (I wouldn't know), just that there's more to consider than frequency of games.

 

[ttaskmaster]

Hmm you are right as I am now 61 but when I ws in the Royal Marines some 30 odd years ago I suspect I was fitter than any footballer and know that I could run with full kit etc for longer than 90 minutes.

As those ******* PTIs used to keep telling us, "There's fit... and then there's Army fit"!!
We used to get all sorts turning up at martial arts class. Generally the 64-year-old senior instructor, who had a very 'less-talking-more-doing' way of explaining techniques, would run rings around all these supposedly fit young types, be it football, MMA, dance or whatever. The activities were a wide mix between endurance, speed, strength and short bursts - You kinda needed to be good at everything, but the only two types who could ever keep up on anything were the boxers and ex-military.

I do find it amusing that today's footballers, with their perfectly sculpted physiques backed by ultra-modern fitness science, might be far less fit than those from my Dad's day!

 

[mattyg]

If they do not need to be very fit then how come most Pro footballers end their careers in their 30's.

Its a very demanding sport. That takes its toll on the body and they still need time to recover from training etc.

I doubt very many marathon runners would have a long career if they ran 2 per week, Week in week out.

Now boxers They are fit and not big girls blouse's

I once trained with a runner up in Mr fitness Uk (third it think). I nearly killed him as he tried to keep up with me on bench press and arms. (not weight just rest between sets) however he could run like hell for ages whereas I'd get out of breath running up the stairs to the gym.

 

[mattyg]

Need an option for both.

However i've picked fit athletes, as they are physically fit no doubt about it (compared to an average human being). However I don't believe they are as fit as some people like to make out, running 12-13K in 90 minutes isn't overly taxing, you have lads doing that on a Sunday morning half cooked from the night before.

But they don't run for 90 mins. A lot of the time they don't bloody move at all and then you get some that are all over the place.

I bet if they actually had stats on time spent moving those 12k would seem pretty impressive.

 

[chroniclard]

Running in a straight line for 12k may not be that taxing however its not the same.

Of course they are very fit.

 

[mattyg]

Running in a straight line for 12k may not be that taxing however its not the same.

Of course they are very fit.

12K would put me in a coma

 

[nemtizz]

Big girls,


Rugby players put them to shame

 

[dacads]

No they're professional wrestlers.

 

[nemtizz]

Hmm you are right as I am now 61 but when I ws in the Royal Marines some 30 odd years ago I suspect I was fitter than any footballer and know that I could run with full kit etc for longer than 90 minutes.

Yeah but have you ever seen a marine hit one in the top corner from 40 yards with his weak foot?

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Back in 1999/2000 when I was running marathons I'd also join in 5 a side football and I'd be knackered after 10 minutes.
Horses for courses as they say.

 

[Evo8]

Footballers are much fitter than rugby players, to say otherwise is laughable.

It's not even just about the physical aspect of football, being mentally focused for 90 minutes is pretty tiring.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

Yeah but have you ever seen a marine hit one in the top corner from 40 yards with his weak foot?

Have you ever seen a footballer hit a Taliban soldier through the eye socket with a bullet from 400 yards?

 

[Clarkson]

Top level footballers are very fit yes. Annoyingly some are also disgusting divers like Ashley Young and I find that infuriating. However you do get people like John terry who will take a kick to the head and dive face first in front of a shot to try and block it, so it's not all of them.

It is a very dynamic sport that really does use the whole body and a continuous combination of aerobic and anaerobic work.

 

[Caseh]

Have you ever seen a footballer hit a Taliban soldier through the eye socket with a bullet from 400 yards?

I think that's pretty much the point he was making...

 

[mattyg]

Have you ever seen a footballer hit a Taliban soldier through the eye socket with a bullet from 400 yards?

Nope but how fit do you have to be to pull the trigger on a sniper rifle.

 

[Dis86]

Yeah but have you ever seen a marine hit one in the top corner from 40 yards with his weak foot?

I've seen loads of footballers miss an open goal from five yards. Does that count?

 

[Terminal_Boy]

Nope but how fit do you have to be to pull the trigger on a sniper rifle.

I think it's the lugging the rifle and all their other 30 odd kilograms of kit up and down mountains that requires the fitness.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I think it's the lugging the rifle and all their other 30 odd kilograms of kit up and down mountains that requires the fitness.

That bloke in American Sniper didn't.
They drove him to a building and his sight man probably carried his gear because he was a big girls blouse.

Probably.

 

[McBain]

I've seen loads of footballers miss an open goal from five yards. Does that count?

Chris Iwelumo says hi.

Bet he's a mean shot though.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

This is probably the best miss EVER.
I remember watching this live.
It was the last kick and all he had to do was convert.