Physical Subculture

Off-broom training for Quidditch is no longer reserved for the elite teams. Although force development training was always a much lower priority than keeping the Nimbus clean and shiny or reciting protection incantations against the dark arts, the gym is starting to have a greater roll for players of all positions.

A seeker or keeper may have a slightly different periodized program compared to a beater or chaser, but the same concepts of speed, agility and the all important stability, not to mention outright power, apply to all positions.

So academies are starting to adopt more rigorous training programs on and off the broom. With strict adherence to a ‘no levitation’ rule inside gyms, players are discovering the abilities of their bodies, learning to apply the same dedication, focus and concentration that they would for increasing the skills and abilities of their minds.

Today’s workout will work towards upper body power development and explosiveness, as well as increasing workload capacity for the stabilization and constant action during the match.

DB or KB bench press. Heavy. After several warm-up sets work into some heavy triples, even doubles or singles. 6 working sets. Added bonus: use KB’s with bands attached.

Jerk press/ring pushups/dips. Make these hard. We’re doing 5 reps of each, as many times as we can in 10, 15 or 20 minutes. Keep the jerk press bar on the ground, not on a rack, having to clean it into position before each set. If the pushups are easy, put the feet on a ball. If the dips are easy, add some weight.

If you do the 20 minute version, then your w0rkout is done. Anything less requires 30-50 burpees to finish the day.

Don’t forget your after-workout recovery potion!

Former Hufflepuff Seeker Allyson demonstrating the jerk press.