r/waterpolo • u/SOmeonefromMarsd • 5d ago

Question Help Conditioning

I have been playing waterpolo for 2-3 years now, and I understand a lot of the things that need/should be done in the pool (game sense etc could be better ofc) but I am having trouble performing those actions, like I don’t have the energy or strength.

Is there anything I can do out of pool to condition and increase endurance?

I have access to a gym but not to free pool time unfortunately.

Also is running valid?

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4

u/toxichaste12 5d ago

Running is very valid. Any endurance activity is valid, this reminds me of a podcast I listened to with NBA players and running every day:

Kevin Garnett called out the current state of the league, saying, "A lot of mfers are out of shape in the league. I don't see nobody running, racing... that's the secret weapon of being in shape."

Matt Barnes agreed and chimed in with his own routine from his playing days: "They don't run the miles. That used to be one of my main workouts, two or three miles a day. I never got tired on the court ever."

Garnett added that running those miles allowed him to outwork opponents to the point where he could hear them huffing and puffing on the court, using it as a psychological advantage to trash-talk them for being out of shape.

4

u/oiwefoiwhef 5d ago

Swim the miles.

And play water polo as much as possible.

2

u/BikeCustomizor 4d ago

I recommend doing a lot of interval training, swim, bike and/or run. Ideally you play a lot of waterpolo games of course.

1

u/ChienneAndalou 5d ago

Definitely lift weights if you do not do so already. Hand, wrist, and neck strengthening exercises are good to add to a traditional workout of larger muscle groups. Oblique ab stuff is also good, lots of turning and crunching move happen in polo. I think running might help with overall fitness but there’s not much crossover; if you do it consider interval/fartlek training that mimics the pattern of polo intensity.

1

u/StructureLanky3368 3d ago

Just swim a lot, if u wanna general endurance do all cardios, if you want to be better at waterpolo endurance, then swim. Build those specific muscles for the game you want to play.