How Žalgiris players regain strength in intensive period

2024-05-01 14:21 © fkzalgiris.lt

In an intense match period, it is extremely important for a professional football team to quickly regain strength after the match and prepare for new battles. Experienced members of "Žalgiris" revealed the backstage of how recovery after a match takes place both in the whole team and individually.

The last month was one of the busiest for "Žalgiris" - the team played 7 matches during this period, and it's not over yet - the 8th match awaits on Monday.

After each team's match, football players and team staff start preparing for the next ones.

"On the evening of the match, after the game, we start with special drinks, supplements, ice baths, special ointments. The main recovery takes place the next day - light massages, team recovery training by running, then a cold chamber. Before the training session, players individually perform exercises in the gym - usually these are stretching exercises to activate blood circulation and muscle relaxation. It is important not to overdo it: muscles are still tense several hours after the match, and pushing them too hard can cause more harm," said "Žalgiris" physiotherapist Dainius Pavilonis.

Determining the workload or additional measures for each player is also helped by an individual approach. "Before the season and during the season, in order to easily monitor the players' condition, we conduct tests with the help of our partners at Synlab Lithuania. Based on this, we determine what the player lacks, what his current condition is, whether the body is very acidic, how it affects the liver, which is responsible for all the activity in the body. By monitoring this, we evaluate whether to reduce the workload for him, how to regulate nutrition, what supplements to choose, etc.," said D. Pavilonis.

Each football player follows the instructions of the team coaches and medical staff, but they also have their own routine.

The oldest and most experienced team member - 34-year-old legionary from Romania Liviu Antalis - often arrives at the stadium before other players.

"I come to training at least an hour before it starts because I want to go to the gym, activate my body. I want to be ready for training on the field. Not only that, but also because when you work with your body every day, it is important to be healthy. When you do this, you activate your body and reduce the chances of getting injured. For a football player and all athletes, the most important thing is to be healthy first, and then to be better at what you do," he said.

After the match, he first undergoes ice procedures, drinks a protein and creatine cocktail to recover lost minerals during the match. When he returns home, he uses special leg massage "socks", which provide pressure on the muscles for better circulation.

The next day after the match, when he comes to the stadium, he activates the upper body in the gym. "I don't touch the legs because they had a lot of stress in the match. I work on the chest, arms, and abdominal area. After the match, I do everything at about 70 percent of the usual strength. I think this helps after intense running and other things in the match."

Later, the player participates in a team training session outside, where he performs certain exercises, jogs for a certain time. "It depends on what the coach wants. Sometimes you do something extra if you have a lighter week. If you play like now - every three days - it is important to recover quickly."

Another procedure that, like many footballers, he uses is massage. "I have been getting massages for a long time. Always after the match. Always two days before the match. The nature of the massage is different - after matches, it needs to be stronger because you ran a lot and had a heavy workload. Before matches, it needs to be milder."

Another advantage that Žalgiris players can take advantage of is the cold chamber procedure, which team members choose at "Oxyklinika." "When you go from hot to cold, your body and circulation activate. You stay there for a few minutes, depending on how much you can bear. Because the temperature reaches 150 degrees or more cold. This is good not only for recovery but also for immunity," L. Antalis assured.

According to the footballer, after all these procedures, he feels really good: "Everything comes together and works. You do all these things because they are important to your body. When you play, you use your body fully, one hundred percent, you try to play well, help the team win. After everything, you have to help your body recover."

According to L. Antalis, recovery is very important for him, especially because the player has avoided injuries in recent years. Last year, in just four matches upon returning to the team, the attacker suffered an injury after contact with a defender from "Panevėžys." He felt the effects of this injury until the end of the season, and at the end of the year, he underwent surgery. During rehabilitation, he missed part of the season.

Nevertheless, this season the legionary started successfully - with 4 goals and 2 assists, he is one of the main weapons of the team's attack.

"Now I feel better. Recovery is very important to me. Without doing it, you cannot feel good in the next matches. If you do everything correctly - in the next matches you will be fresher, more active, and able to make the right decision. Therefore, recovery is important. Not only for good play but for health. If you don't do well, your body can react and you may get injured."

On Monday, the "Žalgiris" team will start in the "FPRO LFF Cup" tournament - in the second round, a match against "Panevėžys" team awaits.