ANDREW SWALLOW

AFL

What does your standard training week involve?
Standard week of in season training starts with a recovery and then a review of the game. Recovery involves a light run, bike and ice baths. Then early in the week we will do core work and cross training (boxing, swimming, bike) to keep off our feet, before we start skills on the track mid week coupled with our main weights session. Finally we will have a light skills session day before the game to get a bit of touch in.

Where is your favourite place to train?
Favourite training environment would have to be out on the ground having a kick with teammates.

What is your favourite 2XU garment? When do you use it and why?
Elite Compression tights because it allows my legs to feel great while out training on the track. Plus Melbourne is cold in winter so they add warmth.

What is your favourite training accessory?
Heart Rate Monitor.

What has been the toughest experience in your career and what did you learn from it?
A camp we went on in 2007 with the Victorian Special Operations Group. We were deprived of sleep and pushed to exhaustion over 3 days. I learnt to be able to control my mind and the thoughts it produced. Even though I wanted to quit at any moment, I taught my body to push to new limits.

What’s the most common training mistake you see on the circuit? Any suggestions on how to avoid it?
Most common mistake I see is guys who can not commit to what it takes to be a professional athlete. They are not able to sacrifice their own lifestyle to become the best they can be.

What motivates you to train and race harder?
To win a premiership and to be the best in my chosen profession.

Describe your diet/meal plan leading up to a big race:
I start to carbo load 2 days out from game day. So I will eat foods such as pasta and rice for the main meals. I combine this with hydrating to increase my electrolyte intake.

How do you balance your training and racing life with life outside the sport?
I try to live a balanced life. I attend University part time as well as train full time, so this can sometime be a struggle. It’s about being organized and making sure I have time away from training, so when I go to train I am fresh and in a good mindset.

What type of nutritional supplement do you find most helpful (either for training or competition)?
Multivitamins and probiotics.

Best and worst thing about being a professional athlete:
Best thing about being a professional athlete is getting to keep fit and train all day. Worst thing can be having to always think about how what you do will affect your training or game.

In five years time, I'll be:
In five years I hope to have finished my uni degree and still be playing football professionally.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Playing career - North Melbourne (100+ games)
• International team honours - 2011 Australia (2 games)
• Syd Barker Medal 2009, 2011, 2012