NSW Blues captain Boyd Cordner on how he is staying motivated in isolation
Roosters superstar Boyd Cordner warns NRL lockdown could be cruel to some players. Here’s how he is coping with the enforced break.
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Boyd Cordner spends a chunk of each day now over the back fence, running sprints in a neighbouring nature reserve.
Or if not there, on his veranda.
Which isn’t too much bigger than, say, your average prison cell.
“But still, it’s big enough,” he will tell you.
Has to be.
“Because this NRL lockdown, it’s a dangerous time,” the Australian Test captain said Friday morning, a backyard weights session just completed.
“One that could find players out, too.
“Because it will be very easy for guys to wake up and say ‘OK, I’ll just have an easy one today’. Then next day, do the same thing again.
“That’s a very real trap.”
Which is why before the start of every week, this reigning NRL premiership star maps out the ensuing seven days in detail.
Not only scheduling in every training session, or the time it has to be completed by, but also what he wants to get out of them.
Elsewhere, the Roosters backrower has also set up a makeshift home gym complete with weights bench and exercise bike, while all running sessions are done either at Centennial Park or over the back fence, in a nature reserve.
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“Given our big weights days are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, the strength coach will contact us in a group chat, explaining the session he wants done,” Cordner continued.
“Then every player will modify that depending on what equipment they have at home.
“Other days, our speed coach puts up session for sprints and light running, while our physios will post the pilates sessions.”
Yet Cordner, he goes further again.
Not only writing goals daily, or planning out his training week, but also continually reflecting on those bigger promises he’s made for however long this COVID-19 shutdown lasts.
“Which is why staying motivated is easy for me,” he said. “Because that’s what I’ve identified as the biggest challenge.
“So I’ve already sat down and written some personal goals about what I want to achieve out of this time.
“About not only coming out of this as a better person, but a better athlete.
“I’ll also start each week by writing down my training program, the times I have to train and what I want to get out of each session.
“Then each morning, I’ll work out what my short-term goals are for that day.”
Which again, is key.
“Especially given now, everything is pretty fresh,” Cordner said.
“But what will things look like one month from now?
“What will players look like two months from now, if they’re still locked down and doing the same thing?
“That’s why you have to stay accountable.
“Keep your mind going.
“It’ll be dangerous if you don’t.”