Playing GAA for first time in 12 years - training advice?

floggg

Hi guys,

I am thinking about going back to playing gaelic football next year, having not played since I was about 14 years old. I'm not really looking to play at any high level (nor would I likely be able to), just like to get back into a competitive team sport for health and social benefits. Hopefully I can find a club where the standards are low enough for me to fit in!

I would hope to join a club for the new season next year, assuming I can get my fitness levels etc back up. I have a decent level at the minute - I play 5 a sie once a week, and go for a few runs and go to the gym every now and then. I 've also started cycling to work for last few weeks. However, I haven't really tended to stick to anything consistently for the last few months, after having great success in the year before it.

i think i've lost focus having not really had anything to train for in the last while (I had made tried my hand at a marathon (on two occasions), but ended up in me injuring myself twice, and putting back on a load of weight i had earlier lost. I would hope having a target to aim for would spur me on over the next few months to get back in shape.

I'm now carrying a bit (ok, a lot) more weight than I'd like to be, and reckon I could stand to lose 2 - 3 stone over next few months to get fighting fit. would probably stand to work on upper body strength and core if i'm going back playing sport.

So, just wondering on what people would suggest would be the best approach over the next few months for getting back into a reasonable shape to line out on a gaa pitch? What should i focus on, and what would be the best approach to take?

Obviously, diet is a key place for starting. Admittedly it hasn't been great lately, but (on good days) would tend to have something like the following:

Breakfast - porridge and honey/muesli
Lunch - wrap with chicken, sun dried tomatoes, sweetcorn, stuffing
Snack - handful of nuts, 4-5 dried apricots
Dinner - meat, veg and usually some rice/potatoes.

I know the carbs for dinner aren't right, and need to cut out/cut back. I usually take turns cooking with flatmates who generally cook rice/pasta, so difficult to cut out entirely, rather than cut back.

Thanks for feedback

Will Heffernan

You could always just do the Informed Performance program....a lot of GAA players do.

floggg

Will Heffernan wrote: »

You could always just do the Informed Performance program....a lot of GAA players do.

Thanks. Have you got a link to that program? Had a look on website(s) but couldn't find it.

Will Heffernan

floggg wrote: »

Thanks. Have you got a link to that program? Had a look on website(s) but couldn't find it.

http://informedperformance.com/strength-conditioning/iprograms/

We are re doing our website...to make it a bit easier/better to use...one of the problems is that there's actually too much information there and it's too convoluted to find. There is a huge amount of material on the site regarding GAA training.

floggg

Thanks.

I had actually found that page, just couldn't make sense out it to be honest.

Is each image a separate work out or what? And its each component within the image to be done on separate days?

I will admit, it all seems like some fairly intense stuff for me at the minute (assuming I am reading it right). As I said, I'm not really looking to go back to any sort of high standard, I'd be looking for something like junie fairly low level, junior c and the like.

Given there is 4 or 5 months to go before next season, should I just concentrate on dropping weight now and strength and conditioning nearer to christmas?

Will Heffernan

floggg wrote: »

Thanks.

No problem.

I had actually found that page, just couldn't make sense out it to be honest.

Don't worry...I'm sure you got where you are based on your beauty and your body and not your brains.

What bit can't you make sense of?

Is each image a separate work out or what? And its each component within the image to be done on separate days?

Nope...Informed Performance has been open a year....we are on our 11th program....each program cycle runs 4-6 weeks.

I will admit, it all seems like some fairly intense stuff for me at the minute (assuming I am reading it right). As I said, I'm not really looking to go back to any sort of high standard, I'd be looking for something like junie fairly low level, junior c and the like.

It's perfect for you.

Given there is 4 or 5 months to go before next season, should I just concentrate on dropping weight now and strength and conditioning nearer to christmas?

Why not drop weight by improving your strength and conditioning?

It's good enough for a large number of intercounty players and it's good enough for you and the ladies that joined last night who've never done any structure exercise program before.

Esse85

Why not join a soccer club, even if your hopeless at soccer it wont matter, just join with the intention of getting fit, Im sure clubs are only back a few weeks, would be the best way of getting fit IMO, at least you wont be doing it on your own and you'll really be in the swing of things by the time football training starts.

Limerick91

The fitness will increase with training.
The most important thing is to make sure your basic football skills are ok.
I would suggest buying a football and go to a local park and practice picking up the ball, solo runs and kicking.
All the better if you can get somebody to go with you.
I have seen people try to make comebacks after many years being out of the game and it was not the fitness that was the buggest trouble.

floggg

limerickros wrote: »

The fitness will increase with training.
The most important thing is to make sure your basic football skills are ok.
I would suggest buying a football and go to a local park and practice picking up the ball, solo runs and kicking.
All the better if you can get somebody to go with you.
I have seen people try to make comebacks after many years being out of the game and it was not the fitness that was the buggest trouble.

Yes, I also plan on addressing that. Got a ball at, lunch today with an eye to doing just that.

I had hoped I could persuade my brother to go back playing with me, but arms unlikely now that he seems to have aggravated a cruciate injury and will probably require surgery on it in the next few weeks.

floggg

Will Heffernan wrote: »

No problem.


Don't worry...I'm sure you got where you are based on your beauty and your body and not your brains.

Erm, unfortunately I've been coasting on my so called brains for the past few years. Are you suggesting a change in approach? I think beauty and body may be out (giving my need for assistance in that regard), so I guess that only leaves me with being the funny guy...!

Will Heffernan wrote: »

What bit can't you make sense of?

Nope...Informed Performance has been open a year....we are on our 11th program....each program cycle runs 4-6 weeks.

Well the whole layout of the thing! Its not too clear (I hope you will take that as the constructive criticism it is intended to be). Can I take it each separate image is a "program cycle" and each block within the image is a workout? Is each workout to be done once within the cycle or what? And how many times a week would you train under the program?

Will Heffernan wrote: »

It's perfect for you.


Why not drop weight by improving your strength and conditioning?

It's good enough for a large number of intercounty players and it's good enough for you and the ladies that joined last night who've never done any structure exercise program before.

Such logic is hard to argue with (particularly as I don't want to be seen to be unable to keep up with girls!).

What would you recommend in terms of cardio/running etc? Or would you advise just concentrating on s&c for now, and then looking at cardio training closer to the new season?

Will Heffernan

floggg wrote: »

Erm, unfortunately I've been coasting on my so called brains for the past few years.

That sounds pretty scary.

Are you suggesting a change in approach?

Almost certainly.

I think beauty and body may be out (giving my need for assistance in that regard), so I guess that only leaves me with being the funny guy...!

We can work on the first...I'd say the second bit of that is probably mainly in your imagination.

Well the whole layout of the thing! Its not too clear (I hope you will take that as the constructive criticism it is intended to be).

It's clear...you just don't know what you are looking at. I find the menu at McDonalds confusing....I bet you could explain it to me perfectly

Can I take it each separate image is a "program cycle" and each block within the image is a workout?

Yes...that would be perfect if you would take it that way.

Is each workout to be done once within the cycle or what? And how many times a week would you train under the program?

Some people would do S1, C1, S2, C2 on say Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri just as an example....others might just do C1 and C2 each week...while still others are doing S1, C1, S2 one week and S1, C2, S2 the next.

In summary people tend to come to Informed Performance with 3 issues....either they are too fat, too weak or too unfit...or they are two and sometimes three of these things....depending on which of these you are will have an effect on what combination of sessions you do...how much time you have will effect how many of them you do.

Such logic is hard to argue with (particularly as I don't want to be seen to be unable to keep up with girls!).

Don't worry...there are plenty of people in Informed Performance who's first goal if to just lift more than my girlfriend. The girls you were talking about keeping up with though.....they were actually ladies...and although I'd never ask them their age...they'd be more than....how should I put this....lets just say they were more than 50. So yeah...you should be fine.

What would you recommend in terms of cardio/running etc? Or would you advise just concentrating on s&c for now, and then looking at cardio training closer to the new season?

There is plenty of 'cardio/running' in the conditioning sessions should you desire it

StaggerLee

floggg wrote: »

Thanks.

I had actually found that page, just couldn't make sense out it to be honest.

Is each image a separate work out or what? And its each component within the image to be done on separate days?

I will admit, it all seems like some fairly intense stuff for me at the minute (assuming I am reading it right). As I said, I'm not really looking to go back to any sort of high standard, I'd be looking for something like junie fairly low level, junior c and the like.

Given there is 4 or 5 months to go before next season, should I just concentrate on dropping weight now and strength and conditioning nearer to christmas?

Hi Floggg,

A friend of mine did what you're thinking about doing this time last year. He was 36, about 4 stone overweight and hadn't played GAA in about 20 years. He has lost that 4 stone, mainly through training twice a week and a game at the weekend. he also cut out snacking on chocolate and coke(must have been a lot of snacks). Anyway, if you're playing Junior C, being able to amble and swing your right boot will probably get you a run in the team. So I'd just go down to a club, sign up. Concentrate more on your ball skills and co-ordination and take it easy on the heavy training and build your strenght and fitness slowly, the club will advise. You dont want to injure yourself early on. The weight will fall of you..

Good luck and enjoy it.

aDeener

limerickros wrote: »

The fitness will increase with training.
The most important thing is to make sure your basic football skills are ok.
I would suggest buying a football and go to a local park and practice picking up the ball, solo runs and kicking.
All the better if you can get somebody to go with you.
I have seen people try to make comebacks after many years being out of the game and it was not the fitness that was the buggest trouble.

this here is the most vital thing you can do. considering you aren't looking at getting into a senior side, i think with a bit of ball practice 3 or 4 times a week you will be better than most on whatever team you join - im assuming it will be a junior club or a junior team within a senior club.

judging by your op i can guarantee you, you are in better shape than many junior footballers. good luck and fair play to ya for coming back to team sport after so long away

here to be trained

Will Heffernan wrote: »

You could always just do the Informed Performance program....a lot of GAA players do.

whats this all about? do u have to play gaa to take part?

floggg

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Almost certainly.


We can work on the first...I'd say the second bit of that is probably mainly in your imagination.

Maybe I could start a new thread looking for comedy tips. I'm sure I can count on your constructive criticism!

Will Heffernan wrote: »

It's clear...you just don't know what you are looking at. I find the menu at McDonalds confusing....I bet you could explain it to me perfectly

First off, I resent the inference that just because I'm carrying a few pounds I'm regularly to be found at a McDonalds.

Secondly, (I'm told) that their menus consist of nothing but pictures..what's to understand? Luckily for you, your body alone will probably get you further than mine could!

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Yes...that would be perfect if you would take it that way.

So just to be clear, I take it then you do each "program cycle" for 4 - 6 weeks in total, working out 2-3 times a week.

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Some people would do S1, C1, S2, C2 on say Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri just as an example....others might just do C1 and C2 each week...while still others are doing S1, C1, S2 one week and S1, C2, S2 the next.

In summary people tend to come to Informed Performance with 3 issues....either they are too fat, too weak or too unfit...or they are two and sometimes three of these things....depending on which of these you are will have an effect on what combination of sessions you do...how much time you have will effect how many of them you do.

Ok, so back home and got a chance to look at the work outs in a bit more detail. Your right, there is no reason why I shouldn't be able to do them, but still, looks a lot more intensive than I had imagined I'd be doing when I put up the first post. Still, thats no reason not to do it, right?

Only thing is, i see a lot of the work outs use bands, which I'm pretty sure my gym doesn't have. Can they be replaced with something else, or should i change gyms (or buy my own)? Unfortunately, due to geographic constraints, Informed Performance is out of my range!

Edit - I do have a Thera-Band at home (green), about three foot in length. Would I get away with this, tying it in a loop as needed, or do I need something more durable and with greater resistance.

Also, is there a reason why you left R1 and R2 out in the above example? Can they be left out, or is it best to incorporate?

floggg

StaggerLee wrote: »

Hi Floggg,

A friend of mine did what you're thinking about doing this time last year. He was 36, about 4 stone overweight and hadn't played GAA in about 20 years. He has lost that 4 stone, mainly through training twice a week and a game at the weekend. he also cut out snacking on chocolate and coke(must have been a lot of snacks). Anyway, if you're playing Junior C, being able to amble and swing your right boot will probably get you a run in the team. So I'd just go down to a club, sign up. Concentrate more on your ball skills and co-ordination and take it easy on the heavy training and build your strenght and fitness slowly, the club will advise. You dont want to injure yourself early on. The weight will fall of you..

Good luck and enjoy it.

aDeener wrote: »

this here is the most vital thing you can do. considering you aren't looking at getting into a senior side, i think with a bit of ball practice 3 or 4 times a week you will be better than most on whatever team you join - im assuming it will be a junior club or a junior team within a senior club.

judging by your op i can guarantee you, you are in better shape than many junior footballers. good luck and fair play to ya for coming back to team sport after so long away

Thanks, hopefully it will be as easy to get back into it as your suggesting! I can definitely work hard on the fitness, though ball skills and tactical awareness etc will be my downfall, particularly as i used to pay corner back.

Went out for a kick around the other evening and was relatively encouraged. Had a decent touch even after all this time, although still need to work on my fielding. It was always a weak spot!