how to start learning hurling? [absolute beginner]

gael73

19 here and never played GAA nor was into or good at sports in school but am now getting very interested in starting hurling. not sure where to start, most advice seem to be to join a club but would be more comfortable with practicing a bit at home first. Does anyone who started off at home have any advice for what and how to practice?

ozbackineire

Get a hurl and sloitoar or tennis ball if you want to just get the feel for it and just starting hitting the ball against a wall, you will get into the rhythm or striking and catching but to improve you will need to join a club.

The White Feather

I think we all begin by buying a hurley and a tennis ball and practice hitting it off a wall and then controlling it when it comes back to you.

Try hitting it out of your hand, hitting the wall, then trying to control it using your hurley and catch it in your hand. Then repeat!

Then just put the ball on the ground and hit it off the wall, controlling it and getting it to stop. Then repeat!

Then try both of these on your left side assuming you are right handed!

Eventually progress to going into a park and using a sliothar and rising it off the ground. Then running to the sliothar and rising it, Then running,rising hitting it.

Then hit the bsll into the air and catch it in your hand. Then jumping into the air and catching it.

Once you are a bit comfortable hitting it any way you should join a club as these drills are easier with others.

You can keep doing these solo drills in the meantime of course!

Exiled1

Begin by getting a proper / conventional grip and swing.
Ball and wall.
Practice controlling the ball with one hand only on hurley.
Live with hurley in hand at every opportunity!
Best of luck...it can be done!

zetecescort

Have a look on youtube for hurling drills and best of luck. Will be tricky to begin with but very rewarding to feel your skill levels improve as you progress

gael73

thanks a chairde, forgive me for buying a hurley from a shop, I'll get a proper one when I join a club after improving my agility and having the basic skills

_brendand_

ozbackineire wrote: »

Get a hurl and sloitoar or tennis ball if you want to just get the feel for it and just starting hitting the ball against a wall, you will get into the rhythm or striking and catching but to improve you will need to join a club.

Recommend getting a 'wall ball' as a.) the rebound is faster so it's more reflective of live play, b.) a proper sliotar will bust its stitches very easily if hit hard against a hard surface.

It's basically a rubber sliotar and you can pick one up extremely cheaply - Aldi even have them these days for about 3 euro.

Ray Bloody Purchase

Start with being able to hit it on the ground on both sides. Ground hurling, that was the way it was bet into us when we were kids.

Then move to the fancy stuff.

ablelocks

hurling skills page on the GAA website - https://learning.gaa.ie/hurlingskills

like ray said, start with striking on the ground on both sides - get the grip right, get your feet right, get your swing right and take it from there. a lot of people say it's hard for adults to take up hurling but if you keep up the practise then you'll get it - it'll be frustrating to begin with but hang tough!

I've often thought there should be cul camps and go games for adults who want to just learn and play for the fun of it....

Kristopherus

ozbackineire wrote: »

Get a hurl and sloitoar or tennis ball if you want to just get the feel for it and just starting hitting the ball against a wall, you will get into the rhythm or striking and catching but to improve you will need to join a club.

Make sure there's no window on the wall:D.

Pogue eile

Getting the correct size hurl is crucial as well, the standard reccomendation is that the hurl should come to the top of your hip. There seems to be a noticable move among younger hurlers for shorter lighter hurls but definitely starting out I would stick to the hip rule.

blue note

OP, if you're interested in hurling I'm involved with Realt dearg, a south dublin hurling team. We're very much open to new players, including those who never played before.

Our 3rd team played pats of palmerstown about a fortnight ago and I counted 8 players who played that day who had never hurled before joining the club (or had just pucked around a bit in primary school). What you get out of it will be directly related to what you put into it. The guys who train twice a week and put in the effort you wouldn't pick out as new to hurling at all. And a few of those lads have even hurled with our b team.

Corca Baiscinn

Exiled1 wrote: »

Live with hurley in hand at every opportunity!
Best of luck...it can be done!

Always used to notice that (kids invariably with hurley in hand) whenever I was in Kilkenny, I mean on the street not necessarily near a green or pitch. It was like an extension of their arm It must have happened in Limerick Cork, Clare & Galway too judging by recent developments!

Carawaystick

gael73 wrote: »

thanks a chairde, forgive me for buying a hurley from a shop, I'll get a proper one when I join a club after improving my agility and having the basic skills

I'd have reccommended getting 2 Hurls, so you can rope any of your buddies in.

Long Slogs in a park, and short back and forth passing gets your comfort up quickly, and is more social than a wall.
Also if you are at a wall, and some interested bystander asks, they can join in.