Weight Training for GAA player

stellios

Came across this while googeling. hope ppl dont mind. I dont think this matter was resolved and i think it would be of benifit to a lot of people here. Could someone here give some advice on this for a gaa player who wants to get an edge on their fitness. most managers talk about how player should be doing an extra bit on their own but never advise on what they should be doing (obviously because they dont know) Even gym instructors give programmes that are not much good (judging by some of the advice already given on this site)

So here is the criteria, i think this applies to most non intercounty Gaa players.

Obviously diet is a major factor but that is a matter for another day

Have done about a month of running/sprinting at this stage. training twice a week. say a game every second weekend. So regrads results required from gym work

Lose body fat
Increase strenght in legs/arms/chest/back/core

Advice would be greatly appreciated

BlueIsland

I genuinely think the quesiton is way too vague. I oftenm here people asking what should a g.a.a player be doing. think it all depends on time of year, past experience lifting, goals, postions, training volume (of your team)......I hate when a manager says oh do your own bit...the only thing 70% of guys do is hammer out 3-4 miles once a week extra even though they be playing corner forward and never go near their slow twitch muscles generally in a match..after looking at numerous programmes given by trainers stick to compound major lifts - bench, squat, deadlifts, power cleans, rows.....again i weite this and get stuck....5x5,4x10 etc...ya have some idiots who will go oh god no ya should only lift the bar cos your a footballer and not an olympian power lifter. Ah this topic always manages to frustrate me!!!!!!!!

stellios

BlueIsland wrote: »

I genuinely think the quesiton is way too vague. I oftenm here people asking what should a g.a.a player be doing. think it all depends on time of year, past experience lifting, goals, postions, training volume (of your team)......I hate when a manager says oh do your own bit...the only thing 70% of guys do is hammer out 3-4 miles once a week extra even though they be playing corner forward and never go near their slow twitch muscles generally in a match..after looking at numerous programmes given by trainers stick to compound major lifts - bench, squat, deadlifts, power cleans, rows.....again i weite this and get stuck....5x5,4x10 etc...ya have some idiots who will go oh god no ya should only lift the bar cos your a footballer and not an olympian power lifter. Ah this topic always manages to frustrate me!!!!!!!!

I understand your frustration and i agree it is a vague question. So i suppose i can only narrow it down personally, although it may apply to some other people.

m 25
185 pounds
6 ft
position: full back/center back/midfield

Goals:
To have a low body fat as possible
Be physically strong ie to be able to hold someone off the ball
Have the power in the legs to sprint for 40 metres several times in 60 min. Have the stamina to run constantly for 60 min

Past experience lifting
5x5 Squats, BP, Shoulder press for 6 weeks, 3 times a week (preseason)

Training volume
Since Jan, twice a week running/sprints, some circuits..

Think that is the best i can do!

FastFullBack

stellios wrote: »

Goals:
Have the power in the legs to sprint for 40 metres several times in 60 min.

Past experience lifting
5x5 Squats, BP, Shoulder press for 6 weeks, 3 times a week (preseason)
!

To improve speed and power look into including some powercleans in your workouts. Brilliant exercise for improving speed. I've noticed a big difference in the last 2 years since I've been doing them. In-season I'll be aiming to get them done once a week.

stellios

FastFullBack wrote: »

To improve speed and power look into including some powercleans in your workouts. Brilliant exercise for improving speed. I've noticed a big difference in the last 2 years since I've been doing them. In-season I'll be aiming to get them done once a week.

Have never done them before, what weight would i start at?

BlueIsland

I dont wanna be saying this or that the definite thing you need to be doing etc etc.but I cant imagine any g.a.a player not benefiting from power cleans. start off as light as you need to get proper technique! if thats means 5-10kg either side that means 5-10kg either side.
I tend to give myself one full rest day a week, no lifting on days I train and lift every other day. so might look as follows,
Monday- weights
Tuesday- training
wednesday- weights
Thursday- training
Friday- weights
Saturday-off
Sunday- cardio/training/match etc.
For next month I gonna do the following routine on weights days,
Main Lifts
Squats 3x6
Bent Over Rows 3x6
Bench Press 3x6
Shoulder Press 3x6
Deadlift 3x6/ power cleans (alternating every other day)

Just trying to keep it simple. will thrown in some curls and that aswell at end but these main ones. Is it perfect??no its prob a mile off. Will it help??dunno but it certainly wont hinder.

FastFullBack

stellios wrote: »

Have never done them before, what weight would i start at?

I guess to learn the correct form and technique you should be starting with low weights. I personally think the empty bar is too light to start with for powercleans, as it is a fast power exercise, the empty bar is too light. I would maybe start with 30KG. Depending on your strength levels you should be able to move this upto 45-50KG pretty quick. Once you start doing 3x5 at about 50KG powercleans will really tire you out.

FastFullBack

BlueIsland wrote: »

so might look as follows,
Monday- weights
Tuesday- training
wednesday- weights
Thursday- training
Friday- weights
Saturday-off
Sunday- cardio/training/match etc.
For next month I gonna do the following routine on weights days,
Main Lifts
Squats 3x6
Bent Over Rows 3x6
Bench Press 3x6
Shoulder Press 3x6
Deadlift 3x6/ power cleans (alternating every other day)

Do you not find your legs tired during training after squatting the day before? I'll be following a pretty similar GAA training schedule as yourself but I'm only going to squat once a week when I know I wont have training the day after.

Any time in the past I've had a heavy legs session in the gym following by training the day after, I've found myself really tired in training!

stellios

FastFullBack wrote: »

Do you not find your legs tired during training after squatting the day before? I'll be following a pretty similar GAA training schedule as yourself but I'm only going to squat once a week when I know I wont have training the day after.

Any time in the past I've had a heavy legs session in the gym following by training the day after, I've found myself really tired in training!

i would be thinking the same. Cant argue with the specific lifts tho, they seem to be the best by all accounts. Very busy week. i have the same GAA schedule but dont think i could lift every second day aswell..

BlueIsland

Yeh I dunno.dumbell bench step ups sometimes replace squats. I just love doing squats and feel no exercise benefits me more playing football. i dont really mind beiung tired in training this time of year. do this workload and when ground hardens up i figure lighten it and be flying

stellios

BlueIsland wrote: »

Yeh I dunno.dumbell bench step ups sometimes replace squats. I just love doing squats and feel no exercise benefits me more playing football. i dont really mind beiung tired in training this time of year. do this workload and when ground hardens up i figure lighten it and be flying

true that. you eat and sleep a lot?

Antisocialiser

BlueIsland wrote: »

I just love doing squats and feel no exercise benefits me more playing football.

I enjoy your ideologies and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.


After getting the diet and sleep right I think you should toy around for rep ranges and intensity that allows for recovery for training. I mean heavy squats may leave you at the back of the pack if your training consists of sprints all night. Doing a little bit of the right stuff everyday goes along way but its whatever works for you.

My week consists of:

Monday - weights
Wed - Training
Thurs - Weights
Sunday - Training / game

Then on the other days depending on how im feeling i might do a metcon or go for a walk. This schedule leaves me fresh so i can show my fitness on a wed and sun as i have a lot to prove to the management fitness wise.


Things that have benefited me:
Good technique including full range of movement on compound lifts i.e. squats, shoulder press, bench press, pullups, chinups, deadlifts
Consistent training - The will must be greater than the skill as Ali said.
Primal diet (paleo)- not for everyone but certainly has helped me lower bodyfat.

Get it all right 80% of the time and you're flying.

BlueIsland

I fight a fair battle with my weight..going flat out this year though so I dont let another year slip by!! Have lost 26 pounds since xmas. I make sure get good sleep every night and am organised extremely well to fit everything in and make sure eating right during the week..get food right and body fat will follow i reckon

StrawDub

Antisocialiser wrote: »

I enjoy your ideologies and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.


After getting the diet and sleep right I think you should toy around for rep ranges and intensity that allows for recovery for training. I mean heavy squats may leave you at the back of the pack if your training consists of sprints all night. Doing a little bit of the right stuff everyday goes along way but its whatever works for you.

My week consists of:

Monday - weights
Wed - Training
Thurs - Weights
Sunday - Training / game

Then on the other days depending on how im feeling i might do a metcon or go for a walk. This schedule leaves me fresh so i can show my fitness on a wed and sun as i have a lot to prove to the management fitness wise.


Things that have benefited me:
Good technique including full range of movement on compound lifts i.e. squats, shoulder press, bench press, pullups, chinups, deadlifts
Consistent training - The will must be greater than the skill as Ali said.
Primal diet (paleo)- not for everyone but certainly has helped me lower bodyfat.

Get it all right 80% of the time and you're flying.

I think you have hit the nail on the head there with that summary. Pretty much the basics you need are listed above.

I play gaa in dublin and have a log in the logs section. I have been implementing the stuff you mentioned above and they have improved me greatly- however I am currently out with an ankle injury....

Getting sleep is key for me, if I don't get my sleep I am useless and have no motivation.

Orando Broom

Any of ye do Yoga?

BlueIsland

I agree with what your saying too about rest. I just have not had my weight right and tackled a season properly since I was 21 or 22. Im 27 now! So if I leave that amount of days out I feel like Im losing out on big chunks of possible weight loss early on. If I was maintaining a proper weight my approach would (and will ) change!! I have been messing about a couple stone overweight and playing decent last few seasons but know with right training and diet I will improve hugely.
In regards to not "showing" my fitness we did 10 200 metres the other night and I won all but one. Maybe I need to put more on squat bar! Thing is as example I do heavy lifts at say 7am on a Monday and then train at 7.30pm on a Tuesday. I always find that loads and loads of time to recover. I also do foam rolling for ten minutes every single night and stretch in pool after session so I working on recovery a fair bit!

stellios

BlueIsland wrote: »

I agree with what your saying too about rest. I just have not had my weight right and tackled a season properly since I was 21 or 22. Im 27 now! So if I leave that amount of days out I feel like Im losing out on big chunks of possible weight loss early on. If I was maintaining a proper weight my approach would (and will ) change!! I have been messing about a couple stone overweight and playing decent last few seasons but know with right training and diet I will improve hugely.
In regards to not "showing" my fitness we did 10 200 metres the other night and I won all but one. Maybe I need to put more on squat bar! Thing is as example I do heavy lifts at say 7am on a Monday and then train at 7.30pm on a Tuesday. I always find that loads and loads of time to recover. I also do foam rolling for ten minutes every single night and stretch in pool after session so I working on recovery a fair bit!

Fair play. Think you might be close to your fitness target if you are winning 200 metre runs!

BlueIsland

Maybe the other lads not doing as much training ...Ah no i push my self to limit every single run with chance I could die out on the 7th or eight. Id rather that than the lads (im sure you know em) who ya breeze by on the 3rd or 4th run, as ya push yourself, and they are holding back to look good in the last two... jesus that wrecks my head!!!

FastFullBack

Antisocialiser wrote: »

Primal diet (paleo)- not for everyone but certainly has helped me lower bodyfat.
.

How do you find the primal diet. I've been working towards it all winter and since about Christmas, I've gone about 90% primal. So far I'm not finding any lower energy levels.

I'm a small bit concerned that when matches start coming thick and fast that perhaps I should start to bring back some slow releasing carbs like porridge, brown pasta and brown rice.

How long are you following it?

Antisocialiser

FastFullBack wrote: »

How do you find the primal diet. I've been working towards it all winter and since about Christmas, I've gone about 90% primal. So far I'm not finding any lower energy levels.

I'm a small bit concerned that when matches start coming thick and fast that perhaps I should start to bring back some slow releasing carbs like porridge, brown pasta and brown rice.

How long are you following it?

On 27th of Dec after Starting Strength and GOMAD i weighed 13st 4lb. I did a really strict primal diet with no fruit or nuts for the first 2 weeks. And since I have been on a semi strict version. Ill have a piece of fruit or some nuts as a snack and if something is on ill head out for a few pints and have a kebab afterwards!!! This 80% rule works a treat for me!

Today i weighed in at 11st 8lbs and i attribute the weight loss to the paleo diet. Im leaner than ive been since my teens and more or less i have kept about 90% strength from my "bulk" phase.

Energy wise i find that i am grand. On footie days ill probably take a couple of oatcakes with my breakfast and then have half a powerade in my protein shake 30min before training and the other half of the powerade throughout. (Will from informed performance put a brill post on one of the stickies about this btw). Last nights training was immense and i can honestly say at the minute im in the best shape i have ever been in and the diet is probably 60% of the reason why! :cool:

BlueIsland

I think i am doing this paleo thing without even knowing. ye have a link to exact things that in and out for it????

Antisocialiser

This pyramid is a quick guide i suppose....

BlueIsland

yup thats exactly what i doing.

BlueIsland

I dunno about that to be honest with you....are we comparing likes with like here??local soccer players knowledge and usage of gym versus local g.a.a players knowledge and usage of the gym??? I would bet g.a.a players would defintely be in gym far far more. GAA players are defintely more worried about sports specific conditioning than a lot of other sports. well in my homeplace anyway

stellios

Now that i think about it you are right, prob more thinking of compared to local rugby players. they seem to know what they are at..

FastFullBack

BlueIsland wrote: »

I think i am doing this paleo thing without even knowing. ye have a link to exact things that in and out for it????

This is a good place to start for more details:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101/

2 Wheels Good

Orando Broom wrote: »

Any of ye do Yoga?

Yep, did it 3/4 yrs ago, back in to it the last 3 months, would recommend Vinyasa to anyone doing field sports. In my 30s so taking the Ryan Giggs approach to my own training. It's tough enough, I find some poses very hard but even as just 3 months notice a difference in flexibility especially.

Alexander Supertramp

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

Yep, did it 3/4 yrs ago, back in to it the last 3 months, would recommend Vinyasa to anyone doing field sports. In my 30s so taking the Ryan Giggs approach to my own training. It's tough enough, I find some poses very hard but even as just 3 months notice a difference in flexibility especially.

It's something I would like to get into as well. Hopefully cut down on the lower back pain and very tight hamstrings after each session.

Alexander Supertramp

BlueIsland wrote: »

I dunno about that to be honest with you....are we comparing likes with like here??local soccer players knowledge and usage of gym versus local g.a.a players knowledge and usage of the gym??? I would bet g.a.a players would defintely be in gym far far more. GAA players are defintely more worried about sports specific conditioning than a lot of other sports. well in my homeplace anyway

Agree with you. It would be the same in my area too.

itsallaboutheL

Some of the stupidest **** i've seen done in gyms was by intercounty GAA players.