Leinster Academy 23-24

[FLIP]

If he won't put on weight that's just more evidence of the poor standards of S&C down in Munster

[Lock9541]

He needs to watch this video. This is perfect advice on how to gain weight
https://youtu.be/11V7e4qNie8?si=c3JvpJlqo3oeP-w_

[Laighin Break]

Hollywood actors can put on weight easily .... some as fat, some as muscle mass

There's no excuse for a pro rugby player not to be able to do the same

Putting on fat = unfortunate or bad regime
Putting on muscle = job well done
Putting on zero weight whatsoever = you're in the wrong job

Hollywood actors commonly use steroids for muscle mass, not an option for Ahern

[Lock9541]

Hollywood actors can put on weight easily .... some as fat, some as muscle mass

There's no excuse for a pro rugby player not to be able to do the same

Putting on fat = unfortunate or bad regime
Putting on muscle = job well done
Putting on zero weight whatsoever = you're in the wrong job

In all seriousness it’s not as easy as you make it sound. Not everyone has the genetic ability to be 108kg while also doing a lot of cardio.

[arsebiscuits1]

It just doesn't agree with the facts of the matter where if you eat enough calories the size will stay no matter what you do. The player can say it's difficult but at the end of the day thermodynamics is king and there's no chance that Munster has 2 or 3 players who can't maintain muscle mass. Those players don't make it to the pros.

Gym sessions might increase appetite but if you're eating the same number of calories without a gym session you will gain more weight not lose it.

You're completely discounting ones natural ability to keep the mass on though. Anyone can put it on. Fewer can keep it on.

Not only that. As alluded to in the article, Earls kept breaking down when he tried to keep the mass on.

Peoples bodies are going to respond differently to different sizes.

[arsebiscuits1]

Hollywood actors can put on weight easily .... some as fat, some as muscle mass

There's no excuse for a pro rugby player not to be able to do the same

Putting on fat = unfortunate or bad regime
Putting on muscle = job well done
Putting on zero weight whatsoever = you're in the wrong job

In all seriousness it’s not as easy as you make it sound. Not everyone has the genetic ability to be 108kg while also doing a lot of cardio.

Precisely this.

Locks point is facetious but still wide of the mark. A Hollywood actor can put on weight "easily" for a role yes.

That role involves some light stunt work. Repeating a lot of lines over and over in different camera angles, and a lot of waiting around in a trailer.

A professional rugby player is subject to pitch sessions, cardio and matches. A much more arduous regimen than an actor

[propertymad]

If a pro rugby player with international aspirations, operating in a pro S&C environment, can't manage to ingest more calories than he burns, and gain a small number of kgs relative to his starting weight, during a period of targeted gains, at the behest of his coaching staff, then there's a fairly big failure taking place somewhere I'd suggest.

[Observingprop123]

It just doesn't agree with the facts of the matter where if you eat enough calories the size will stay no matter what you do. The player can say it's difficult but at the end of the day thermodynamics is king and there's no chance that Munster has 2 or 3 players who can't maintain muscle mass. Those players don't make it to the pros.

Gym sessions might increase appetite but if you're eating the same number of calories without a gym session you will gain more weight not lose it.

You're completely discounting ones natural ability to keep the mass on though. Anyone can put it on. Fewer can keep it on.

Not only that. As alluded to in the article, Earls kept breaking down when he tried to keep the mass on.

Peoples bodies are going to respond differently to different sizes.

There's one factor on keeping on the mass, eating enough to maintain the bodyweight, nothing else. There's not some magical factor that comes into it that causes your body to naturally reduce weight if you're over some magical number.

The breaking down of the body is a completely different point.

[Morf]

It just doesn't agree with the facts of the matter where if you eat enough calories the size will stay no matter what you do. The player can say it's difficult but at the end of the day thermodynamics is king and there's no chance that Munster has 2 or 3 players who can't maintain muscle mass. Those players don't make it to the pros.

Gym sessions might increase appetite but if you're eating the same number of calories without a gym session you will gain more weight not lose it.

You're completely discounting ones natural ability to keep the mass on though. Anyone can put it on. Fewer can keep it on.

Not only that. As alluded to in the article, Earls kept breaking down when he tried to keep the mass on.

Peoples bodies are going to respond differently to different sizes.

There's one factor on keeping on the mass, eating enough to maintain the bodyweight, nothing else. There's not some magical factor that comes into it that causes your body to naturally reduce weight if you're over some magical number.

The breaking down of the body is a completely different point.

Only focusing on calories in ignores what a) carbohydrates/fat/protein/glycogen is broken down, burned or retained b) to what extent those systems are more or less efficient/to what extent they are 'turned on' by an individual's dna, an expression of that dna that keeps changing due to internal and external stimuli.

[Morf]

Hollywood actors can put on weight easily .... some as fat, some as muscle mass

There's no excuse for a pro rugby player not to be able to do the same

Putting on fat = unfortunate or bad regime
Putting on muscle = job well done
Putting on zero weight whatsoever = you're in the wrong job

Hollywood actors commonly use steroids for muscle mass, not an option for Ahern

By common do you mean always? You don't become a famous Hollywood personal trainer with OTT exercises or intelligent programming.

There's also a reason the men's topless scenes are always some of the first shot in a movie. The actor is sick to death of the workouts, diet, steroids etc

[Morf]

Sounds like he isnt doing the ideal preparation to be a pro, I'd accept that nonsense if he gained excess body fat but "not being able to bulk up" is nonsense and not backed by science.

What part of science do you feel doesn't back this up? Exercise science and S&C is full of responders and non-responders for every stimulus.

The fact he hasn't bulked up, if he was bulking up which was clearly his issue and not gaining muscle I'd understand it but how a skinny guy can say he doesn't respond to bulking up when they haven't put on excess body fat.

If you're a powerlifter you can eat like an 8 year old. For them it seem to doesn't matter the quality of nutrition so much.

For a rugby player you're going to want to bulk up with greater calories but still high quality nutrition.

I can absolutely imagine rugby players have tried to bulk up but the extra intake has caused gastric distress. It's pretty hard to gain the full caloric value of food if it's shooting out your rear end in jig time. Especially if you're heavy on the protein powder too.

[AndrewT]

People assuming a lot and being very speculative on ahern.
It's not like Munster wouldn't have nutritionists and S&C coaches all over this!

[propertymad]

People assuming a lot and being very speculative on ahern.
It's not like Munster wouldn't have nutritionists and S&C coaches all over this!

And yet ....

Give me Edogbo every day, if we're talking about who's Ireland's next uncapped prospect at lock

[leinsterforever]

People assuming a lot and being very speculative on ahern.
It's not like Munster wouldn't have nutritionists and S&C coaches all over this!

And yet ....

Give me Edogbo every day, if we're talking about who's Ireland's next uncapped prospect at lock

Depends if you want a bruiser tighthead lock or an athletic lineout lock. They probably complement each other pretty well. I can see them both starting that Ireland 'A' game next February.

[AndrewT]

People assuming a lot and being very speculative on ahern.
It's not like Munster wouldn't have nutritionists and S&C coaches all over this!

And yet ....

Give me Edogbo every day, if we're talking about who's Ireland's next uncapped prospect at lock

Super prospect. Hope injury doesn't finish him.
Ahern might be a 6 who builds up over time and moves into lock later in career

[ronk]

People assuming a lot and being very speculative on ahern.
It's not like Munster wouldn't have nutritionists and S&C coaches all over this!

And yet ....

Give me Edogbo every day, if we're talking about who's Ireland's next uncapped prospect at lock

Depends if you want a bruiser tighthead lock or an athletic lineout lock. They probably complement each other pretty well. I can see them both starting that Ireland 'A' game next February.

It's better to be debating which Munster player will be capped than how they got another contract without a prospect of gametime. Nice progress to see.

[Observingprop123]

Is there a dispute ongoing or are we just painfully slow at announcing our academy.

[OneLungDavy]

Sounds like he isnt doing the ideal preparation to be a pro, I'd accept that nonsense if he gained excess body fat but "not being able to bulk up" is nonsense and not backed by science.

An oversimplification at its finest

With the right diet and exercises one can amass a pretty impressive size

Many athletes struggle to keep it on.

I got talking to the ex Munster academy Nutritionist (who would have worked with Ahern in the academy)

While I can't speak to Ahern, he did make reference to Jack O'Donoghue. Underage that fella was neck and neck with Doris at 8. Both had a great tussle for the number 8 jersey during the Ireland Under20s days

A big difference for them as they progressed to senior level, Doris could keep the size on. O'Sullivan couldn't.

He'd get to 103kg or so absolutely no bother. Putting on any more and it would "fall off him" (direct quote). Keeping the size on during the rigours of a season was an extremely difficult task for him. If he ever had to manage an injury or a niggle and compromise his gym routine, he couldn't keep the size on.

Earls made a similar reference to trying to keep size on and his body constantly breaking down. One might remember how injury prone he was in his earlier career https://www.the42.ie/keith-earls-munste ... 2-Aug2016/

Jack O'Donoghue is about five years older than Doris. You mean Jack O'sullivan?

[AndrewT]

Is there a dispute ongoing or are we just painfully slow at announcing our academy.

Usanov
Smith
Smith
Sparrow
Spicer
Coffey
Casper Gabriel
Mcloughlin
Query Ruben Maloney

[Observingprop123]

Is there a dispute ongoing or are we just painfully slow at announcing our academy.

Usanov
Smith
Smith
Sparrow
Spicer
Coffey
Casper Gabriel
Mcloughlin
Query Ruben Maloney

That's what I've heard but it seems very very late and the only reason for that would be a dispute?