Fitness!

[KBUCK]

For me everything comes down to conditioning, you can have all the skill in the world, but with no stamina it ain't guna happen. Wakefield look fitter than us.
With the new interchange system we need our forwards fitness levels high.
Who is the club conditioner by the way?

[toblerone]

Agree we faded in the last 20, but a large part of that must be due to the high number of penalties conceded; each one costs 20-30 metres. Also agree that Trinity looked far faster at the PTB, and attacked from much deeper positions. By contrast we were laboured around the pitch and played far too many flat passes to near stationary runners. Remarkable how we can sign 13 or so new players and still look the same.

[own brain]

good point KBUCK one i made previously... when we last hit this league we made up for lack of class with more fitness and there can be no excuse. we should have aimed to be the fittest side... i know when a game gets away from you it appears fitness is falling off and i could accept that against saints, but as said wakey looked better conditioned than us in my opinion. maybe we are developing for  afull season and will grind through the gears gradually... i hope so.

[KBUCK]

I'm wondering if Tim Holmes has anything to do with conditioning? He frequents a local gym in halebank, which teachers a fitness style called cross fit- high profile boxer Martin Murray trains there. All or most UFC fighters swear by this style of training.
Might be worth a look at?
I've recently tried cross fit- and noticed Tim training, I know he can't play rugby anymore... But can't be many at the Vikings as fit as him?

Check it out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzD9BkXGJ1M&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[BrenJM]

Of course wakefield looked quicker at the PTB cause we let them get up and play, where as they contstantly held us down for 8 to 10 seconds each tackle (i was counting). i personaly think it was a bad decision by the rfl to allow an official who supports one of the sides playing to ref the match or any for that matter. dont get me wrong we did go head hunting second half and was rightly penalised, but that second half they were no angels where they were offside, holding down and quite a few timrs they should of been done for crossing.

[rayvon]

I'm wondering if Tim Holmes has anything to do with conditioning? He frequents a local gym in halebank, which teachers a fitness style called cross fit- high profile boxer Martin Murray trains there. All or most UFC fighters swear by this style of training.
Might be worth a look at?
I've recently tried cross fit- and noticed Tim training, I know he can't play rugby anymore... But can't be many at the Vikings as fit as him?

Check it out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzD9BkXGJ1M&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.widnesvikings.co.uk/team.php?id=72

Clive Brewer is the head man regarding conditioning
Tim Holmes Is player welfare
http://www.widnesvikings.co.uk/team_member.php?id=1596

[Ratboy]

Maybe JT boot camp as Jon Towell is a good conditioner.

[KBUCK]

Maybe JT boot camp as Jon Towell is a good conditioner.

Yeah think it's similar to cross fit.

[Ratboy]

Mate fitness needs improving to last the final 20 mins.Good kicking game and turning players around and having more ball makes things easier.If fitter then not so many penalties.

[vikings 4 ever]

Personally I think us being tired was purely down to how much defending we did. IMO Wakefield dominated the whole 2nd half + our only points came off a Wakefield kick.

[homo erectus]

Maybe JT boot camp as Jon Towell is a good conditioner.

Jon offered his services to Cullen for a free trial last season at getting the crocks fit and Paul Cullen turned him down!!!!!

Then gave the job to Mick Cassidy - again jobs for the boys.

[reg warner]

There was a good article in last night's programme about Clive Brewer.  In it he says that it is going to take more than 10 weeks to get us where we need to be but that he is pleased with where we are but he is never satisfied and that something a little extra can always be done.  He also says we have introduced a GPS system to measure players' physical performances from one day to the next.   He  says that we are using science but that doesn't replace hard work from the players which is coming to fruition but that we need match fitness. I'm sure he knows exactly what he is doing.  

[Peter]

Agree we faded in the last 20, but a large part of that must be due to the high number of penalties conceded; each one costs 20-30 metres. Also agree that Trinity looked far faster at the PTB, and attacked from much deeper positions. By contrast we were laboured around the pitch and played far too many flat passes to near stationary runners. Remarkable how we can sign 13 or so new players and still look the same.

The reason that Wakefield were faster at the PTB was that we were not lying on the player that was tackled whereas they were. "Tackle and then count  to three, and you will get away with it" must have been Agar's instructions.

[Crew cut]

Well i dunno about u but ah van cross cahill wknterstein all looked fit. Dave allen looked a lot fitter than last year. I personally would say they didnt win the contact in defence after the first 2 mins they got sloppy. Wakefield tested the ref holding down and controlling the play the ball and it worked to their advantage we didnt we seemed to not want to win the floor and bounce back up. Only way we will be competative thjs year is to win the floor and slow teams down.

[JonM]

I'm wondering if Tim Holmes has anything to do with conditioning? He frequents a local gym in halebank, which teachers a fitness style called cross fit- high profile boxer Martin Murray trains there. All or most UFC fighters swear by this style of training.
Might be worth a look at?

Cross-fit is tough and does prepare you well for a wide range of sports  - but also has a load of hype & ridiculously exaggarated claims associated with it. I'd hope the club is using something with a bit more scientific backing and a bit less of the "before and after" fitness DVD stuff from tv shopping channels.

Don't see how anyone could conclude our fitness was worse than Wakefield. We had 8 or 9 consecutive penalties against us after Cahill's chargedown. Fittest team in the world couldn't cope with the other side being marched down the pitch by the ref 5 or 6 times on the trot.