When will your club start collective training sessions for the 2014 season ?

[orangeman]

With the club season just having finished in the recent past for most, when will your club resume collective training sessions for the 2014 season ?

Leagues will probably start in most cases end of March, beginning of April so how big or how little of a rest are players getting ?.


Would there be any extremists out there who for whatever reason will start training before Christmas for next season ?.

[general_lee]

My club usually start Jan/Feb.

Personally I think there is nothing wrong in getting some road running done pre-Christmas and perhaps a weights programme, so that come proper 'collective' pre-season the bodies are tuned that wee bit better with slightly better fitness levels than 30 odd puddings carrying extra Christmas weight.

I know that the second most clubs exit the championship they stop training unless they're still in the hunt for promotion/league title, so a lot of clubs could have been finished up now for a good few months.

I've heard of clubs out running the roads in Oct/Nov but I think that is ripping it a slight bit.

[INDIANA]

My club usually start Jan/Feb.

Personally I think there is nothing wrong in getting some road running done pre-Christmas and perhaps a weights programme, so that come proper 'collective' pre-season the bodies are tuned that wee bit better with slightly better fitness levels than 30 odd puddings carrying extra Christmas weight.

I know that the second most clubs exit the championship they stop training unless they're still in the hunt for promotion/league title, so a lot of clubs could have been finished up now for a good few months.

I've heard of clubs out running the roads in Oct/Nov but I think that is ripping it a slight bit.

road running only makes you slower

[Zulu]

No it doesn't. If you only did distance running for a long period of time you might lose speed over short distances but doing 8-12 weeks of primarily distance running to develop your cardio base is fine.

[INDIANA]

No it doesn't. If you only did distance running for a long period of time you might lose speed over short distances but doing 8-12 weeks of primarily distance running to develop your cardio base is fine.

Well we disagree but I will happily stand over that long distance running for GAA is a waste of time.

[Zulu]

You said it makes you slower and that is incorrect. Distance running has its place in GAA training but it certainly shouldn't be the primary method of fitness development.

[INDIANA]

You said it makes you slower and that is incorrect. Distance running has its place in GAA training but it certainly shouldn't be the primary method of fitness development.

It does make you slower. Its why Moses Kipatnui will never beat Usain Bolt in a 200 metre race which is the primary distance running requirement for GAA players.

[Zulu]

It doesn't and that is a fact, now you can continue to make a nonsensical argument or you can accept you were wrong and move on. There are numerous reasons why Moses Kipatnui wouldn't beat Usain Bolt in a 200 metre race not just their training, Moses Kipatnui wouldn't have beaten Usain Bolt over 200 meters if neither of them ever trained for any sport. You would have to do a serious amount of distance running, i.e. not 2 or 3 nights a week of 5-8k running for 2 or 3 months before your speed would be affected. Even if it was the speed training you would do for the rest of the season would more than reverse any loss your distance running would have incurred.

Why is 200m the primary distance running requirement for GAA?

[INDIANA]

It doesn't and that is a fact, now you can continue to make a nonsensical argument or you can accept you were wrong and move on. There are numerous reasons why Moses Kipatnui wouldn't beat Usain Bolt in a 200 metre race not just their training, Moses Kipatnui wouldn't have beaten Usain Bolt over 200 meters if neither of them ever trained for any sport. You would have to do a serious amount of distance running, i.e. not 2 or 3 nights a week of 5-8k running for 2 or 3 months before your speed would be affected. Even if it was the speed training you would do for the rest of the season would more than reverse any loss your distance running would have incurred.

Why is 200m the primary distance running requirement for GAA?

All long distance running does is give you a long cardio train. ie run at the same slow pace for a long distance. I would never use it any team I have trained or will train down the line. It does knock the edge off your speed and their are enough studies I've seen to prove it.

Its a cardiovascular tool and nothing more and when it comes to collision sports is of no value whatsoever

[orangeman]

Lads - what do you term long distance running as ??


5K, 10K or what ?

[Zulu]

It does knock the edge off your speed and their are enough studies I've seen to prove it.

It doesn't, your argument is akin to someone saying eating burgers makes you fat. Eating burgers doesn't make you fat but if you eat them excessively and have other poor dietary and exercise habits you may well become fat. You can continue to make your incorrect fact but the more you do it the sillier it becomes.

Its a cardiovascular tool and nothing more and when it comes to collision sports is of no value whatsoever

Utter nonsense. Now I'd never send lads on laps but that isn't to say running isn't a valuable tool for training a GAA team. It has it's place just like weight training, speed work, repeat sprint ability development or skill work.

Lads - what do you term long distance running as ??


5K, 10K or what ?

In the context of sports like football or hurling I would say 5-8k is about as far as you should run if doing that type of training.

[neilthemac]

I'll side with Indiana on this one
running on the road will slow you down and cause injuries for the coming season - ankle, shin, calf, knee, hip (mainly). maybe not immediately, but they will occur
due to
a - poor running technique (most GAA players don't have proper running mechanics)
b - hard surface
c - inadequate warm up and recovery for the run
d - lads wearing crap runners

I'll add to that... I've seen lads who have done no running all winter turn up to the first training sessions of the season and be by far the fittest player - why?? because they replicated what was needed for GAA games in their training over the winter - power lifts, mini circuits of exercises, lots of mobility and flexibility work and also playing something like 5 a side or indoor soccer

[Zulu]

Of course you don't need to do running to get fit, playing soccer, swimming, cycling, boxing and a hundred other methods could be used, however running is also a legitimate option. You don't need to replicate the demands of GAA in all your training especially early season.

running on the road will slow you down and cause injuries for the coming season

It won't slow you down, that is simply incorrect. Everything you do could cause injuries but there is no reason running should cause you injuries if you are smart about your training. By the way we are not talking about road running, you can do all this at your local pitch.

[INDIANA]

I'll side with Indiana on this one
running on the road will slow you down and cause injuries for the coming season - ankle, shin, calf, knee, hip (mainly). maybe not immediately, but they will occur
due to
a - poor running technique (most GAA players don't have proper running mechanics)
b - hard surface
c - inadequate warm up and recovery for the run
d - lads wearing crap runners

I'll add to that... I've seen lads who have done no running all winter turn up to the first training sessions of the season and be by far the fittest player - why?? because they replicated what was needed for GAA games in their training over the winter - power lifts, mini circuits of exercises, lots of mobility and flexibility work and also playing something like 5 a side or indoor soccer

absolutely spot on.

[INDIANA]

Lads - what do you term long distance running as ??


5K, 10K or what ?

Depends. If you're finished up playing football I'd only encourage people to run , cycle long distances. Its perfect for cardiovascular health which is what you need when you retire.

However for me its no use for Gaelic Football. You do not spend the entire game running on a long cardiovascular train. Its a stop start game where you will make upwards of 50-60 sprints at least per game depending on what level you play at and what position you play in. Guys who have a long train tend to struggle badly after 30 minutes of a game because the guys they are marking are more powerful and faster over shorter distances.

For me its all about the correct weightlifting exercises (push and pull exercises- with proper plyometric and core exercises).

If you want to run - then do 3-4 one km runs giving yourself a time limit on each ensuring you do them quickly. I'd prefer guys just to use stationery bikes at a fast clip or rowing machines at a fast clip to keep ticking over. But I've seen more lads do no long distance running over the winter and doing the above and coming back a mile ahead of the greyhounds.

Pace is king in Gaelic Football and if you are blessed to be born with a fast twitch you need to look after it. For me long distance running dulls that. I appreciate others don't agree with that but that's the way I train my teams.