The Fitness Mistakes Players Make the Night Before a Match
CREATED BY: The Non-League Network
Intro
The night before a game is like loading your gun before battle.
Get it right — you’re sharp, fresh, and ready to cause problems.
Get it wrong — you’re chasing shadows after 20 minutes.
Mistake 1 – Going Full Rocky Balboa in the Gym
People… it’s not the day for PBs.
You’re not building muscle — you’re burning energy and battering your legs.
Save the big lifts for Monday.
Mistake 2 – “It’s Only One Pint”
One pint turns into three. Three turns into mixed grill at 11pm.
Alcohol wrecks hydration, messes with sleep, and slows reaction time.
You might feel fine, but your body’s running on flat tyres.
Mistake 3 – Eating Like You’re Carb-Loading for a Marathon
Yes, you need carbs — no, you don’t need 3 plates of pasta drowning in cheese.
Overeating = sluggish start, dodgy stomach, heavy legs.
Aim for a balanced dinner: carbs, lean protein, bit of veg. Done.
Mistake 4 – Staying Up Binge-Watching Netflix
You think “I’ll just watch one more…”
Suddenly it’s 1am, and you’re up in 7 hours.
Sleep is your recovery superpower — protect it like your place in the starting XI.
Mistake 5 – Ignoring Recovery
Foam roll, stretch, hydrate.
Even if you feel fine, you’re setting your body up to be loose, mobile, and ready to explode tomorrow.
Bottom Line:
You don’t win games on Saturday night — but you can definitely lose them.
Play smart the night before, and you’ll turn up on matchday feeling two steps ahead before the ball’s even kicked.