EVER wondered how much time a ‘modern’ GAA player dictates to their sport? The time they invest to be at the top of their game? Below I have outlined some of these demands our GAA players face and the time they invest. I believe it’s worth reminding ourselves & be mindful of the commitment & sacrifice our […]
IN the last 10 years the evolution of sports science and information in Gaelic games and how teams prepare and recover has improved greatly. However, with all this information available for coaches and players on this can in fact be sometimes very overwhelming. The consultation work I do with clubs and organisations helping them to fit the […]
THE majority of GAA clubs are now starting to formulate plans for their pre-season. Coaches and players are looking forward to the season ahead and planning is in full flow. Here are five key considerations for players and coaches as they approach their preseason planning: Increasing training load too early The number one mistake I […]
THE GAA athlete, I’m sure, is very familiar with recovery strategies from ice baths, compression, massage, foam rolling ete, but the importance of sleep in your recovery is key. There are many examples of recovery pyramids outlining the main recovery strategies currently being used in high-performance sport. However, all the best examples have sleep as […]
If a Gaelic athlete is not ready for training, there is no point in putting the athlete through a workout session. NONE! This statement is not a popular stance to take with both players and coaches, indeed in this situation as a Strength & Conditioning Coach you can find yourself as a lone voice. However, […]
By John McMahon THE business end of the Gaelic club season is reaching the pinnacle with county finals fast approaching. For those clubs that have exited the championship and their seasons have now ended, what should their focus be? The off-season brings a welcome rest from the demands of a long competitive season in GAA. […]
GAELIC games has a gruellingly long season, which includes league, championship campaigns and trial games. The body is beaten up and players are in a constant state of recovery. The in-season therefore becomes the dominant training period of the year. It is therefore imperative that players have a proper strength program in place if they want to improve/maintain […]
By John McMahon WITHOUT doubt, the most popular topic area I have during Strength & Conditioning workshops I deliver to clubs is – What is the best way to condition our players? A few articles back I discussed how to structure your training week and monitor and manage your training loads with your teams. This […]
THE goal of training in general should be to do as much as possible, as often as possible and keep improving. Unfortunately, the reality of training is not so simple. While training does trigger positive adaptations and benefits performance in the long-term, this comes at the price of the breakdown of the body and impaired […]
