Steely approach to fitness reaps rewards - June 10, 2010

by Kate Buchanan

Just months after giving birth, Southern Steel defender Leana de Bruin is posting personal best times – testament to the rigorous training regime employed by the franchise this season.

Smiley bub Caleb is only seven months old and already his incredible mum is setting the standard at Steel fitness sessions – and it shows on court.

Spurred by her desire to reclaim her spot in the Silver Ferns, de Bruin has produced some of the best form of her career, relishing the opportunity to lead Steel's defensive charge.

“Obviously my body is responding very well to the training – I'm fitter and stronger than I've ever been,” she said. “Perhaps I should have had Caleb a long time ago.

“After kids you are mentally stronger – that plays a large part in getting physically stronger and helps you push harder.”

Experienced strength and conditioning coach Stephen Hill-Haas can be credited with the impressive results being achieved.

Due to the combination of competition demands and travel, aerobic fitness in team-sport athletes usually declines during the competitive season, but the Steel players were bucking the trend.

“We're not getting that so it's really positive. I'm more than pleasantly surprised with the gains in aerobic fitness we're getting late in the season,” Hill-Haas said.

“Aerobic power was the biggest concern coming into this season – they were way below what they needed to be so I red-flagged that straight away.

“We also must be realistic – these gains can't go on indefinitely ... human physical performance markers do eventually plateau.”

The players had made excellent gains in all facets of fitness, with zippy midcourter Liana Barrett-Chase the ”all-rounder”, de Bruin extremely quick over 20m for someone so tall, and young gun Julianna Naoupu – unfazed by 140kg weights – notably the strongest.

“The physical preparation of a team sport athlete is like being a juggler in the circus ... you think you've got one thing sorted and another thing pops up,” Hill-Haas said.

“There's a lot of science behind it now but it's still an art in terms of how you join it all together.”

He admits the gains have surprised even him.

“It was always going to depend on our training quality and efficiency ... it's ultimately the quality of the training that brings results. One of the things I try to instill is honesty of effort,” he said. “Diagnostics for me isn't the only scoreboard.”

Hill-Haas believed the competitive nature of the ANZ Championship demanded a concentrated approach to fitness.

“If you're physically weak or you've got any physical weaknesses, they're going to get exposed quickly in this competition,” he said.

“If you're simply not fit enough, you start making decisions under fatigue and that can definitely affect your judgment.

“Fatigue can be physical and mental ... mental stress also starts to build late in the season, especially if you're in finals contention.”

South African-born Hill-Haas, who has previously worked extensively with elite team and racquet sport athletes in Malaysia and Australia, was enjoying his new role.

“I've have the privilege of working with the caliber of athletes like Liana Barrett-Chase and Leana de Bruin which certainly makes a difference,” he said.

“The focus in future will be on trying to maintain the progress we've made ... after all, the competition is unlikely to get any slower or less physical.”

Photo Caption: Leana de Bruin in action under the watchful eye of strength and conditioning coach Stephen Hill-Haas, at an Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel training session.

Photo: Dianne Manson