GAA GYM workout

timberland

hi guys i was wondering if there were any GAA heads out there that do do pre season training in the gym. i used to play a few years back and plan on goin back playing this year. im not in good shape at the mo but could anybody please help me out and give me some advice on whats good to do in the gym and how to get in good shape for the coming season. thanks lads

showmedmoney

Hi Timberland,

I spent oct/nov building up in the gym, 4 days per week with upper/lowerbody splits. with 2 games of 5 aside thrown in.

the upperbody split looked like this: bench press/pull-up/dip/seated row/press-up/ dead lift/ sit-ups x 3

the lower body split looked like this, Squat/straight leg deadlift/calf raise/weighted lunges/hamstring curl/calf raise/Quad extensions.

I went to see a conditioning coacth at the end of november, and he siad my core strenght was still weak, so i worked on this by introducing excerses into my gym session, (kind of replaced situps realy) .i.e plank/side plank & Oblique cable twists.

that was the easy part in a nice warm gym....

We are now into week 2 of our normal football season, heavy running 3 times a week in hail/rain/snow/ice with some strength work thrown in (its madness really!!:eek:), but i still try and get 2 upperbodies in the gym.

I feel much fitter and stronger this year as a result of a good preseason
However my running is still just middle of the pack, and needs alot of work.
thanks.

Conditioned

OP Lots of cardio is what you'd need I'd imagine. Forget about the weights there of no value to you considering your trying to make a comeback rather than complement the a good level of aerobic fitness you have already obtained. If I was you I'd ask some of your team mates or the trainer what to expect. Traditionally most GAA teams start of with staminia work or circuit training. Find out what they'll be doing and get a head start. Post back here then and you'll get advice as there's plently of knowledgable people.

The reason I believe you should follow my advice above is that I've seen lots of lads come back after a year or more off and struggle and believe they'll alway be straggling behind so giving up. If you get a head start it won't seem as bad the first night and at least you won't have to get sick in front of a crowd

showmedmoney

Sorry but don’t agree,

the reason i see most people drop out early on is due to injury/ and or lack of interest. When you get injured you miss sessions, when you miss sessions you fall behind the rest in terms of progress, you then feel that you are not gaining/improving, you loose heart and drop out

It’s not the fact that they are off the pace at the start (its January your meant to be off the pace).

note All the trainer is looking for is gradual improvements in your fitness.

If you complete some kind of resistance training and focus on core strength it will help you stay injury free and then you will not miss sessions and will gradually improve. that will be all the motivation you will need.

I have seen countless times lads flying in training in January but when the hard ground comes, they cant take the bumps and knocks and spend much of the summer looking on, on doing 4 months of training.
good luck either way!

showmedmoney

Sorry but don’t agree,
The reason i see most people drop out early on is due to injury/ and or lack of interest. When you get injured you miss sessions, when you miss sessions you fall behind the rest in terms of progress, you then feel that you are not gaining/improving, you loose heart and drop out.
It’s not the fact that they are off the pace at the start (its January your meant to be off the pace).

note All the trainer is looking for is gradual improvements in your fitness.

If you complete some kind of resistance training and focus on core strength it will help you stay injury free and then you will not miss sessions and will gradually improve that will be all the motivation you will need.
I have seen countless times lads flying in training in January but when the hard ground comes, they cant take the bumps and knocks and spend much of the summer looking on, on doing 4 months of training wasted.

Conditioned

From my experience, I wouldn't even be able to count the amount of lads I've seen start of the season and give up because they think its too hard. I only seen one person give up because of injury and that was where two lads clashed and the lad who had started back training ended up needing an operation.

The main excuse I've heard from fellas who have given it up is its too hard. They've done nothing for ages and expect to keep up and because they're so far behind they get disillusioned and believe they'll never get fit. The trainer is generally not overly concerned about any new persons level of fitness that won't be a problem. The problem will lie in the mind of the person who came back.

I wouldn't exclude core work and depending on what the OP has been doing previous to this he'd be better of with some calistetics (press ups, pull upps, burpees etc) rather than actual weights and this can be done either before or after the cardio at this stage it won't really matter when. But if he turns up and has done no aerobic work on his own then it won't be injury but DOMS which will put him off.

timberland

i forgot to point out that i seemed to always pull my hammstring during the years campaign which means i become very unfit. i gave up for the last few years and only coming back now. need some good advice lol
thanks lads

showmedmoney

My Hamstrings were also always a problem me when i was younger and forced me out of the game for a while.

the below tips have helped me get through 2 full seasons unjuried thats 50 games in a row at senior club level.
so tips for hamstring problems.

1.At training always wear tracksuit bottoms untill fully warmed up, probably best to leave on for the entire training until March, I know it might slow you down but again its all about staying injury free and gradually progressing,

2.Complete a Dynamic stretch after a light warm up at the start of training and a good long static stretch after training.

3.Dont push it to much in the warm up, some club teams just go to town in the warm up, anything above 1/2 pace could stress/strain your hamstraing.

4.The lower body weights sessions really build strength in the hamstrings espically the straight leg dead lift, i would try fit a few of these sessions in before training starts.

cheers.