SO YOU THINK KICKING FOR GOAL IN THE AFL IS ALL ABOUT "BALL-DROP"?

Many of the topics covered on this site are often directly or indirectly targeted at the greatly underrated issue of hip & pelvis stability, and the numerous negative consequences any instability in this pivotal area can produce. Specifically, this is explained as adaptations that develop and maintain the balance in the muscles that enable the various movements through the legs. An ingredient key to Bodii principles that both ensures athletes are better equipped to tackle chosen sports, and also a factor in helping to limit the incidence and severity of soft tissue injuries, and is therefore a very important, although largely ignored and misunderstood area in traditional strength and fitness training regimens. A carefully constructed view by this analyst and CEC Program presenter that has resulted from a recent unhealthy trend in strength training circles to place undue emphasis on the traditionally accepted powerlifting exercises of bench press, the squat and deadlifts, with the misconstrued purpose being to create more "power-centric" athletes. It is everywhere, … and presently doing the rounds as the "new" training Holy Grail! All modern gyms have an area devoted to these three lifts, as the focus to attaining maximum gains in strength and power. However,there are serious unexplored repercussions, with the main problems inherent to this trend being: 
                       
​                        1. Advancement is based solely on applied resistances.
                        2. Attention to posture and core inclusions are cursory.
                        3. Functional/stabilising abductor/adductor alignment principles in the thighs are not recognised.
                        4. Has little regard for all factors that determine true muscular power,
                                           ie. power= (force x distance)/time.
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The specific concepts and techniques to be outlined relate entirely to the balance between the four major and two lesser movement ranges of the thigh, and examines those which contribute to hip & pelvis stability, and those which hinder/detract. There is a distinct need for strength and fitness training to be built on sound functional reasoning, and for it to not compromise equality in contractile strength, range and endurance in flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal rotation and external rotation characteristics. It should not simply follow the herd. Because individuals predominantly move forward, and perform tasks through anterior/sagittal aspects, everyday movement, and most current strength and fitness enhancing scenarios make it impossible for this to occur naturally. Due to the predictable limitations brought about by the one-dimensional movement patterns of Joe Citizen, and even a great many athletes, a careful forensic assessment reveals that greatest emphasis and frequency as it relates to movement of the thighs is in flexion, with literally no deliberate time/training allotted to the capacity for thighs to also extend, abduct and adduct. Furthermore, this overstimulation of thighs in flexion, is being exacerbated by the dominance of a loaded Gluteus maximus when engaged in its rotational role. Therefore, and because of the relative mass of Gluteus maximus to the smaller muscles of abduction and adduction, the legs are forced to incidentally rotate externally to varying degrees along their entire length (Made even worse when loads are applied to deliberately externally rotated thighs). As a consequence, creating awkward, unstable, non-functional angles through the principal structures of ankles, knees and the hips/pelvis complex.

In Australian rules football, physical strength and endurance has become an ever increasing essential if the footballer-athlete wants to achieve any level of success. This is largely sought/achieved through training and practice of gross movement, often at the expense and neglect of those muscles that promote delivery of greater control and finesse, and is especially evident in the movement ranges of the thighs. Hence, if kicking for goal is to improve, a more thorough approach must be applied to create adaptations to provide greater stability and functional alignment in the structures that ultimately determine the line and trajectory of the ball. Once this has been accomplished, coaches and players can focus on ball drop and routine issues.