GAA Fitness

slingerz

Okey folks here is the thing. Been out of action for 2 years now due to injury but am looking forward to resuming training in January. I've lost a stone and now weigh 14st 7 but hoping to knock another stone off before January. The thing is when I do any kinda of running at all, be it soccer matches on a sunday or just on the threadmill i get twinges in my hamstring and a stiffness in my back for 2 days after. I'm convinced that its my back that is causing the problems with my hamstrings and that my lack of fitness isnt really helping me either so I know a physio may be able to assist this area. I also have special orthotdic insoles after my injury which my be upsetting the alignment of my back causing the stiffness. Working in an office sitting on one of these stupid chairs probably doesnt help either. If I'm standing for a long period of time my back gets stiff also. Bear in mind I'm only 25.

So with regards to fitness after that issue is settled out I'm currently doing 3 intensive weights sessions a week but I want to bring in some cardio also at twice a week. I was thinking that 20 mins on the threadmill adjusting the speed would be a good place to start and increase the times and duration at which i run at the higher paces as fitness improves. I was thinking that 15 mins on the bike and another 15 on the cross trainer would be good to complete the session.

Does anyone have a routine like this specific for GAA fitness I'd like to get some advice on it.

Colm_OReilly

CrossFit style training might suit you down to the ground. We've a number of GAA/Rugby players with us and they're feeling the difference now they're back in training.

What exactly is your weights routine atm?

--amadeus--

On the assumption that you have a medical green light to do cardio...

Cross training on teh bike and the stepper or whatever will give you improved CV fitness as well as burning cals to help with the weight loss.

It is however pretty pointless for GAA training. The Principle of Specificity says:

...to become better at a particular exercise or skill, you must perform that exercise or skill. A runner should train by running, a swimmer by swimming and a cyclist by cycling. While it's helpful to have a good base of fitness and to do general conditioning routines, if you want to be better at your sport, you need to train specifically for that sport.

(link)

Obviously that implies that you need ballwork to improve but you'll get that in the new year. What you need to replicate in training now are the non-skill, fitness demands of the sport. Essentially this is short sharp sprints in varied directions with longer slower (mainly) straight line running in between.

So that's what you should be doing. It's called Fartlek (Swedish for "Speedplay"). Specifically for GAA you should be running at easy pace (conversational, you should be able to talk at the speed you are running at) for a section then suddenly change direction and increase speed (perhaps to 75% of your max) and hold that speed for a period of time (maybe 20 - 30 secs), then back to an easy run. After a few minutes another rapid change of direction and this time sprint flat out for a shorter period of time, etc. Basically randomly change directions, speed and duration. Start off with as long a session as you can manage and add a few minutes each time. To build endurance lengthen the interval between sprints, to build speed add in more, longer and faster sprints.

slingerz

Cheers for that Amadeus. I understand about the Fartlek training all of which is pretty manageable except the changing of direction given that I'll have to do it on a threadmill over the winter.

I was thinking of beginning with some endurance runs to build up stamina going from 20 mins to 40 mins over a period of about a month and then once I have a base level of stamina to bring in the fartlek training, average pace then increase it for a spell and then drop it down again, increasing with levels as my fitness imrpoves before January. I also plan to keep doing my 3 nights a week weights sessions too over the winter so i'll have to get some stretching exercises in also.

I think with all that training and avoiding as many carbs as possible I should see myself lose the weight and be reasonably fit by the time pre season training comes around in January

metamorphosis

slingerz wrote: »

.

I think with all that training and avoiding as many carbs as possible I should see myself lose the weight and be reasonably fit by the time pre season training comes around in January

Maybe do a bit of both. instead of all endurance sessions maybe an endurance followed by a fartlek session the next time you go for a run. You would see quicker results than just doing all endurance

If you plan on a fair amount of training i would keep up some complex carbs like ryvita/oats/wholegrain rice/quinoa(which is also a good source of protein) along with some fruit and veg too.

slingerz

ULstudent wrote: »

Maybe do a bit of both. instead of all endurance sessions maybe an endurance followed by a fartlek session the next time you go for a run. You would see quicker results than just doing all endurance

If you plan on a fair amount of training i would keep up some complex carbs like ryvita/oats/wholegrain rice/quinoa(which is also a good source of protein) along with some fruit and veg too.

Ok cheers for that. I'm only coming back from a long lay off so i thought i should work on my base fitness first. I think there would be a large number of people interested in the best methods for preparing for the GAA season on here though and hopefully people can add to the thread.

In reality I think you have to train specific to the sport. Thats why I'm avoiding the bike, cross trainer, rower and just focusing on the threadmill. I aim to go for a run outdoors once I have built up a reasonable level of fitness as I think that will be a good goal to have once my month of endurance runs is up and should show me where my progress is.

With 3 nights a week for weights and bearing in mind I'm still available to our junior B team who are still in championship so play the odd game each week would 2 nights a week be sufficent amount of training to bring the fitness up?

At the moment the training schedule would be

Monday - Weights - Chest and Back
Tuesday - Cardio - 25 mins endurance
Wednesday - Training/Match
Thursday - Cardio - 25 mins endurance
Friday - Weights - Legs
Saturday - Weights - Arms and Shoulders
Sunday - Match/Cardio
T

--amadeus--

slingerz wrote: »

I'll have to do it on a threadmill over the winter.

Why?

Qwerty27

You may be suffering from (edit by Khannie) any number of things, which only a medical professional can determine after a consultation.

slingerz

Qwerty27 wrote: »

You may be suffering from (edit by Khannie) any number of things, which only a medical professional can determine after a consultation.

Ha?

slingerz

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Why?

Well work commitments, weather and general ease of use means the threadmill would be better bet for my training in the run up the xmas.

I have a run in my head that I want to complete once 4 weeks of this training so I can judge where my base fitness is at. I probably wouldnt be able to do this run when I was fit so it'll be interesting to see how I get on

--amadeus--

Fair enough but the roads are open 24/7 making it easier to fit road running in around work / family compared to a gym. Weather? Either the GAA has gone soft since I played or you must be used to a bit of rain! Skin is waterproof and there is no such thing as the wrong weather to train, only the wrong clothing. Ease of use? There is a road right outside your front door!

Seriously treadmills are death for runners - boring isn't the word and it won't replicate what you want it to replicate. Remember specificity of training? Unless you play ball on a treadmill you're better off running outside, imo.

slingerz

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Fair enough but the roads are open 24/7 making it easier to fit road running in around work / family compared to a gym. Weather? Either the GAA has gone soft since I played or you must be used to a bit of rain! Skin is waterproof and there is no such thing as the wrong weather to train, only the wrong clothing. Ease of use? There is a road right outside your front door!

Seriously treadmills are death for runners - boring isn't the word and it won't replicate what you want it to replicate. Remember specificity of training? Unless you play ball on a treadmill you're better off running outside, imo.

I've heard for years that road running is bad for your joints and general flexibilty though?!

In my book running is running if your on the field, road, threadmill or wherever its all the same to me really.

benefuts of threadmill is abilty to watch matches while training like the irish game last night, obvious eye candy while training and of course a relaxing swim/steam afterwards!

metamorphosis

Then again - why not use a mix maybe? The dreadmill propels you forward so it does not fully replicate outdoor running. not to mention outdoors you have wind, gradient and criss crossing and so outdoor would be the better option for training specificity. maybe 1 night dreadmill and one night outdoors ?

Be carefull not to fall when skalkin all the talent though

slingerz

ULstudent wrote: »

Then again - why not use a mix maybe? The dreadmill propels you forward so it does not fully replicate outdoor running. not to mention outdoors you have wind, gradient and criss crossing and so outdoor would be the better option for training specificity. maybe 1 night dreadmill and one night outdoors ?

Be carefull not to fall when skalkin all the talent though

has almost happened already.!!

i get what your saying bout outdoor might do that on Sundays it'd be good to change things up a bit