Local sports clubs enjoy pre-season training during the summer holiday’s at Eastern Leisure Centre.
Our summer holidays have been extremely busy this summer at Better Eastern Leisure Centre with an influx of junior members attending our holiday programme. In addition to our amazing junior free swim sessions that run every day of the holidays, our juniors from 4 to 16 years old also have had the opportunity to take part in activities such as Soft Play, Giant Inflatable, Junior Gym, Junior Group Fitness Classes, Starting Blocs Athletics and Multi-Sports sessions.
Our state of the art gyms and class instructors were also utilised by our local rugby clubs for pre-season training for their junior squads.
On Monday 24th July St Albans RFC were first to experience pre-season at Eastern. Instructor Jason put 20 of the U15’s squad through their paces. Jason said “for the first session we used everything, crash mat, tyres, weights, suspension straps, plyo boxes, slam balls. You name it we used it and the lads stepped up. It was an awesome session”.
On Thursday 10th August Old Illtydians RFC U14’s were next to train with Jason sampling similar equipment but with an emphasis on muscular endurance and stamina. “Old Illts U14’s work rate and focus was exceptional, they definitely earned a rest”.
On Sunday 13th August St Albans RFC U15’s were back. This time fitness instructor Ethan, set them a balanced strength and conditioning session challenging the player’s strength and cardio fitness with a range of body weight exercises, skill mill sprints and tyre pushes. The session didn’t stop there. The team were rewarded with a recovery session in the swimming pool led by Melissa, Lead Swim Coach for Eastern. Melissa took the lads through a mobility and stretching routine in the water to help aid the team’s recovery.
On Thursday 17th Old Illtydians RFC U14’s were back for another session with Jason. This time the team’s endurance and rate of recovery was tested in a Tabata style circuit session with only 10 seconds rest following each 20 second high intensity exercise lasting 8 rounds for 1 Tabata. “The lads did fab they smashed 5 Tabata’s in total, that’s a total of 40 rounds”.
Thursday 24th was the last session with Jason before the season starts for Old Illtidians U14’s squad. The session was a game of 2 half’s. First half focused on muscular endurance with the team completing a short HIIT session using the functional gym. The second half had a change of focus with an emphasis on cardio endurance with sprint drills out on the 3G pitch.
Over the summer holidays St Albans RFC and Old Illtidians RFC have made excellent use of the facilities at Eastern Leisure Centre and their instructor to assist the teams in their pre-season training.
If you’re a club and you are interested in booking a conditioning session for pre-season or during season training please contact the centre by email on eastern.gll.org.