JOHN McMAHON: Off-season: Off means off

FOR most clubs, their players 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 to recover and generally enjoy some time off.

Of course, at the end of the season, you SHOULD take a break from training but try to limit yourself to just three to four weeks off. Don’t be completely idle during this time otherwise getting back into routine will be much harder for you than it needs to be.

The key thing is to give your body a complete rest from the specifics of Gaelic games. In other words, you want to be doing other activities that are not related to your sport. Overuse injuries are an epidemic in Gaelic games currently. Why? Very few players take a complete break from their specific sport. As a result, all those muscles, tendons and ligaments used to perform your sporting actions get totally overused.

Hike, swim, jog, do some lightweight training, and just keep your body moving and mentally recover from a tough season during this well-earned break. I always advise the athletes I coach in this initial downtime period to enjoy activities that refresh and re-energise them.

The off-season itself is all about GPP = short for general physical preparedness. During this time, your training is mainly non-GAA specific but is designed to prepare your body for pre-season training.

4 key areas to consider during your off-season period:

Rehab & Prehab: Those niggling injuries you incurred during the season? It’s time to get assessed and see what’s going on. Upon assessment you then will begin a prehab programme to work on these areas. Important this prehab program is followed throughout the year.

Aerobic Fitness: Maintaining and developing your aerobic energy system is key. Hike, swim, off-feet conditioning. Be as active as you can and maintain/develop your aerobic base.

Basic Strength: Develop a solid base of full-body strength and full range of movements upon which you can develop more advanced strength qualities and restore movement quality.

Functional Hypertrophy: Increasing your physical size (If needed) and foraging some body armour to help develop and protect you in the season ahead.

One of the key concerns of your off-season is that you give your body and mind the rest from the specifics of your sport. Overuse and repetitive injuries as I have stated with female and male players are an ever-increasing epidemic.

I can assure you not taking a considerable break from the specific skills and movements of Gaelic games. You will eventually breakdown with an overuse/repetitive injury.

In your off-season period this year give your body and mind the break it needs.

Be active, work on other physical qualities and when your pre-season arrives you are fresh, healthy and ready to go injury free.