The Swans have been varying their strength-building regime in the gym, taking orders from a former member of the Royal Marine Commandos, Scott Howe.

Defender Ted Richards jokingly called Scotty ‘”an angry Englishman’’ in The Richards Report on the website this week, but Howe says that couldn’t be further from the truth.

He has set up a business called Real Commando Fitness and says he absolutely loves his work with the Swans and other clients.

Howe was invited to help out in the gym by the Swans strength and rehabilitation coach, Bryce Cavanagh.

“I’m an Englishman who doesn’t know much about AFL but I think I can help the players get stronger in some of the areas where they really need it, such as their shoulders and core,’’ Howe said.

Howe, who spent nearly 18 years with the Royal Marines until moving to Australia in September 2009, has introduced Indian clubs and kettle bells to the players’ weights workouts.

Both the clubs and the bells are traditional ‘strongman’ weights that were out of fashion in most gyms, but Howe raves about their benefits.

It looks a little frightening seeing the players swinging the Indian clubs around their heads in the gym but Howe says they do wonders for the players’ rotational strength.

“In AFL there is so much rotational movement of the shoulders as playing go for overhead marks, take knocks and try to punch the ball,’’ Howe said.

“Traditional weights such as bench press can be over-used. But swinging the Indian clubs and kettle bells more closely mimics the movements in football,’’ Howe said.

Cavanagh says the aim is to make the players stronger and more powerful so they can jump higher and run more quickly.
“The guys are not getting bigger but we’re changing their structure and trying to get the benefit in the places they need it,’’ Cavanagh said.

Howe has been involved in many different sports at a high level, from golf to bobsleigh, and says AFL players are amazing athletes.

“The spectrum of their ability and conditioning is incredible. They have to be able to run for 17km in a game, to sprint quickly in between and they have to be able to jump and tackle and kick and handpass and read the game. Hats off to them.’’

Cavanagh says Howe’s experience has added to the Swans’ weights program.

“Having been a military officer in the Royal Marines, he brings a different background, and different ideas and exercises,’’ Cavanagh.

“That helps to keep things fresh for the players, and his knowledge of the Indian clubs and bells is helping their multi-dimensional strength, which is an area that traditional exercises struggle to cater for.

“A number of players had shoulder operations at the end of the season so if we can reduce the risk of shoulder injuries that will really help the team.’’

Cavanagh says the feedback from the players on the new regime has been good. “They’re loving the new challenges.’’