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Courtesy of the official Wests Tigers website:
Sandhills prove to be a mental battle
By Wayne Cousins
Tuesday 4 December 2012 5:42 PM
Sandhills prove to be a mental battle
The sheer thought of climbing the gruelling Wanda Sandhills is enough to make any league player weak at the knees as the Wests Tigers found out recently.
Experienced NRL players, hardened NSW Cup men, to exciting NYC players were split into groups for another three hour session under the eye of NRL Coach Mick Potter and his conditioning team.
Players underwent wrestling and boxing drills, short sprints, to the painful ‘Mexican’ run consisting of two hill climbs – one being very steep.
CHECK OUT OUR WANDA SANDHILLS PHOTO GALLERY:
http://www.weststigers.com.au/photogallerydisplay/Pre-season-training–Wanda-Sandhills/4248
Wests Tigers NRL Strength and Conditioning Coach John Skandalis said it was no place for the faint hearted.
“It is 40 per cent physical and 60 per cent mental. It is just so hard and the players really do feel the
mental side of it,’’ Skandalis said.
“Some of the blokes who impressed me with their running were Marika Koroibete, Liam Fulton and Andy Fiagatusa. Marika started off slowly in a group at the back but then worked his way through to get to the front. It is not an easy thing to do running in such heavy sand.”
Premiership winning Wests Tigers NYC Coach Todd Payten said the sandhills challenges players in so many ways.
“It is not so much the physical side of it. The first thing that goes is your mind. Your legs are burning and you have the coaching staff screaming at you to keep going,’’ Payten said.
‘You quickly find out who likes to lead from the front and who gives in easily. It is also about mateship and not letting the guys in your group down at any stage. That’s the way it should be.”
Sandhills prove to be a mental battle
By Wayne Cousins
Tuesday 4 December 2012 5:42 PM
Sandhills prove to be a mental battle
The sheer thought of climbing the gruelling Wanda Sandhills is enough to make any league player weak at the knees as the Wests Tigers found out recently.
Experienced NRL players, hardened NSW Cup men, to exciting NYC players were split into groups for another three hour session under the eye of NRL Coach Mick Potter and his conditioning team.
Players underwent wrestling and boxing drills, short sprints, to the painful ‘Mexican’ run consisting of two hill climbs – one being very steep.
CHECK OUT OUR WANDA SANDHILLS PHOTO GALLERY:
http://www.weststigers.com.au/photogallerydisplay/Pre-season-training–Wanda-Sandhills/4248
Wests Tigers NRL Strength and Conditioning Coach John Skandalis said it was no place for the faint hearted.
“It is 40 per cent physical and 60 per cent mental. It is just so hard and the players really do feel the
mental side of it,’’ Skandalis said.
“Some of the blokes who impressed me with their running were Marika Koroibete, Liam Fulton and Andy Fiagatusa. Marika started off slowly in a group at the back but then worked his way through to get to the front. It is not an easy thing to do running in such heavy sand.”
Premiership winning Wests Tigers NYC Coach Todd Payten said the sandhills challenges players in so many ways.
“It is not so much the physical side of it. The first thing that goes is your mind. Your legs are burning and you have the coaching staff screaming at you to keep going,’’ Payten said.
‘You quickly find out who likes to lead from the front and who gives in easily. It is also about mateship and not letting the guys in your group down at any stage. That’s the way it should be.”
