Ben Butler Training Diary 2018 Entry No. 4: Transferring skills – From the gym to the pitch

Some people love going to the gym. And that’s great. But, if you’re like me, that’s just not the case. Don’t get me wrong, DSC is class, and it’s as good as a gym gets for me – but it’s still a gym. Going to the gym, for me, is a means to an end: look good, move better, and – particularly with the early morning classes – feel smug for the rest of the day.

But, I’ve started to realise that the gym isn’t just a means to an end, it’s a means to a means. I’ve been supplementing the gym with things like five-a-side football during the week, and it’s been great.

Now, I’m not sure if you realise this, but you’re actually hearing from the 2005’s Under 13C St Joseph’s Player of the Year. I know. If you see me in the gym, please wait until after my workout before asking for an autograph.

Although a few barstool pundits would say otherwise, I’ll be the first to admit that my football glory days are likely behind me. The national call up is just seeming less and less likely. But, yes, while my hay days are over, I still show up at work’s lunchtime five-a-side.

They say football’s a game of two halves – and that’s particularly apparent when you’re a group of relatively unfit techies pegging it up and down the pitch for an hour. In the first thirty, it’s all pistons firing, and the tempo is 90: darting runs, quick pass and moving, football at its finest. In the second half, I’m wrecked, almost wishing the other team would score a goal just so I can take a break.

After a few weeks of training with DSC, however, I’ve found I can make it through the full sixty. The functional movements in the gym have transferred to the pitch. I could run faster, for longer, and felt stronger. I’ve been feeling good, and that feels great. Who knows, maybe I’ll get that national call up after all. If any scouts are reading this, we play at Sportsco on Wednesdays.

Blog by Ben Butler.

Catch up on Ben’s first, second and third fitness diary entries here.

Staying on Track in December

Around Christmas time we have more work dinners, catch up with old friends, friends come home for the holidays and there’s a more family gatherings.

Member of the Month

Stephanie has been one of the most consistent and motivated clients I have ever trained. After ankle surgery a few years ago, our training journey

Top 10 Q’s October

How often should I train in a week? Easy – at least 4 times a week to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Your weekly exercise routine