EVERY winter, Gaelic football teams hit preseason with the same problem: everyone knows conditioning matters, but not everyone agrees what conditioning should look like. Some coaches love long steady runs. Others want to do everything through small-sided games. And then there’s the tempo crowd, 100–200m reps on a whistle because it feels like proper work. Here’s the […]
COACHES play a pivotal role in the development of athletes and understanding how to tailor training programs for different age groups is essential for fostering skill development, physical growth, and mental resilience. Here are five strategies for coaches to effectively customise training for various age categories: 1. Understand Developmental Stages Each age group corresponds to specific […]
PRE-SEASON in Gaelic football is about charging the battery, building enough running, strength, and repeat-effort capacity so players can handle the long haul without breaking down. When that battery is full, availability goes up and soft-tissue injuries go down. So our plan is simple: stack smart volume early, keep intensity where it needs to be, and track it all […]
John McMahon I HAVE been lucky enough to work with coaches, administrators, and talent identification and development ‘experts’ here in Ireland and in America. The single biggest concern at present is the early specialisation of our youth athletes. Early specialisation is quite simply a race to the bottom, to do more, more, more at younger […]
IN Gaelic football, running is at the heart of the game, but that doesn’t mean all conditioning has to be done on the pitch. Off-feet conditioning, also known as cross-training, is an effective way to build fitness without adding unnecessary running load. When used correctly, it can help players improve endurance, maintain fitness during injury, […]
SPEED is a crucial element in Gaelic football, and how you train for it in the off-season can make all the difference when the season kicks off. Off-season speed training isn’t just about running fast; it’s about preparing players to meet the demands of the game, reducing injury risk, and improving overall fitness. Here’s how […]
THE off-season brings a welcome rest from the demands of a long competitive season in GAA. It’s a time to recover from a tough and long season, allow the body and mind to recover and generally enjoy some time off. The GAA season is arguably one of the most demanding sports in the world with […]
By Michael McMullan DERRY manager Paddy Tally has added Strength and Conditioning coach Cairbre Ó Cairealláin to his backroom team. A former Antrim hurler, he was part of both Tipperary and Limerick hurlers’ All-Ireland winning formula. Ó Cairealláin, from St Paul’s on Belfast’s Shaws Road, also had a spell at Arsenal where he looked after the academy […]
FOR most clubs their players they are now finished all competitions and their seasons have now ended. What should the GAA player focus be now? The off-season brings a welcome rest from the demands of a long competitive season in GAA. It’s a time to recover from a tough and long season, allow the body and mind […]
OVER the last 10 years, the development and growth of club facilities around the country has exploded. The addition of new gym facilities for most clubs now has become the norm with state-of-the-art equipment, layout and buildings. Serious investment, time and expertise has been utilised within clubs to deliver these high-quality facilities for their teams […]
