Aaron Kernan Retires From County Duty

[AZOffaly]

Why is it ridiculous to train like that? Amateur swimmers train around 5.30 in the morning, triathletes, marathon runners, some combat sport athletes etc. train 5-8 times a week while holding down jobs. I used to train mornings and evenings and never found it difficult. It isn't a burden for lads who are trying to be the best they can and I'm sure these extra sessions are just for pre-season and will be reduced after 2 months or so. I'm sure the morning sessions are gym ones done by the players themselves in local gyms and the evening seeing are group conditioning sessions.

It's fine if that is the only thing in your life. If you are literally training Morning and Evening, you have f**k all time for home, family or anything else, especially if you have a job in the middle. I think this is over the top, and it not sustainable for a healthy life balance. As somebody else said, individual training can be done whenever it suits you. Team sessions mean you have to suit the team. I can't see too many long careers in the GAA if this becomes the norm. Grand(ish) in college or until you meet your girlfriend. Making someone choose, so starkly, between GAA and family can't be right. I can only assume that the people who see this as fine are not in the situation of having a wife/kids and a job to deal with as well as committing to IC GAA.

[The Trap]

A lot of players do this because they get very healthy "expenses" and "benefits", just have a look at another thread on county team expenses............they do not be out of pocket, in fact the "expenses" they get help put them through college etc........i do not agree with the direction our games are taking and i hope that sense prevails soon

[muppet]

one big difference is that the 'Elite' Atheles from triathalon and marathon running really are the elite and are very small in number would there be 10 elite marathing runners in the country? where are there are between men's and women's football Hurling and camogie probably 3000  Elite GAA players .
Thaey are not all going to be as dedicated as the handful of Triatheles and marathon runners we produce ,( and at the moment Fiona Brittion is probaly the only Truly elite runner we have anyway)

Never heard of her, but if she is better than Fionnuala Britton then she might have shot at some medals.

[Bingo]

I'd try not and compare what one sportsperson does and what another can do etc etc.

Each sport is different and has its own requirements. Each person is different and can tailor their own individual training needs to suit their own needs, recovery, lifestyle etc.

The question I'd ask is all this training making the game better? Have we more quality players now than before or a better spectacle on the pitch? I fail to see it personally.

Is it sustainable? I don't think so. Unless these players are getting complete individual attention in the Gym regards techniques for lifts, weights and whatever else they are doing.

Are they getting required recovery periods? Hardly.

Was recently reading the Dublin marathon training programme of the winner and its basically Train, eat, sleep, eat, train, eat, sleep. On a daily basis - its completely uncomparable to what other sports people do in the amateur level. That's at elite level. The sooner we take the "elite" label off amateur GAA players the better.

[AZOffaly]

Does 'elite' not simply mean the top level? If so then our county players are elite at GAA. They don't play anything else, so how can you judge 'elite' in one code versus another?

[Zulu]

Why is it ridiculous to train like that? Amateur swimmers train around 5.30 in the morning, triathletes, marathon runners, some combat sport athletes etc. train 5-8 times a week while holding down jobs. I used to train mornings and evenings and never found it difficult. It isn't a burden for lads who are trying to be the best they can and I'm sure these extra sessions are just for pre-season and will be reduced after 2 months or so. I'm sure the morning sessions are gym ones done by the players themselves in local gyms and the evening seeing are group conditioning sessions.

It's fine if that is the only thing in your life. If you are literally training Morning and Evening, you have f**k all time for home, family or anything else, especially if you have a job in the middle. I think this is over the top, and it not sustainable for a healthy life balance. As somebody else said, individual training can be done whenever it suits you. Team sessions mean you have to suit the team. I can't see too many long careers in the GAA if this becomes the norm. Grand(ish) in college or until you meet your girlfriend. Making someone choose, so starkly, between GAA and family can't be right. I can only assume that the people who see this as fine are not in the situation of having a wife/kids and a job to deal with as well as committing to IC GAA.

I trained 8-10 times a week for 4 or 5 years while holding down a job and having a social life. I wasn't training solely for football and outside of football training I set the programme so that made it easier on me but it can be done and many amateur sports people or fitness enthusiasts do this year in year out. IC players don't do 6 or 7 sessions a week all year round and I'm sure the Armagh boys will be reducing sessions as the year goes on. Could a married man with young kids and a busy work life do it? Probably not but most players aren't in that boat anyway.

By the way, I'm not saying it's right or wrong but I was surprised to see people claiming it was ridiculous when it's actually quite doable especially when it's only for 2-3 months.

[AZOffaly]

I don't think it's a sustainable approach full time, and I think it will lead to short careers as people realise they have to live their life off the pitch too.

If it's only a pre-season blitz or something, then maybe fair enough, but I suspect this is what McGeeney thinks is required.

[Zulu]

If they are doing this then it's definitely only a training block and sessions will be reduced. You wouldn't, for example, maintain 3 gym sessions during the competitive season. During the league it will probably be no more than 3 sessions a week.

[DuffleKing]

I don't think it's a sustainable approach full time, and I think it will lead to short careers as people realise they have to live their life off the pitch too.

If it's only a pre-season blitz or something, then maybe fair enough, but I suspect this is what McGeeney thinks is required.

Hard to deny the power of propaganda... Armagh are doing four sessions per week - two of them in the gym. Hardly life amending. Down are doing five sessions a week

[Bingo]

Does 'elite' not simply mean the top level? If so then our county players are elite at GAA. They don't play anything else, so how can you judge 'elite' in one code versus another?

A few of them play golf 

Its more do with my comments on comparing one sport to another. I've heard people say (And Zulu doing it here) to be elite you need to do XYZ cause that's what other elite athletes do in other sports.

Its a term I don't like when the skills of the game are been bulldozed by fitness levels and weights. It seems to be elite you spend more time in the Gym than kicking a ball.

[AZOffaly]

I don't think it's a sustainable approach full time, and I think it will lead to short careers as people realise they have to live their life off the pitch too.

If it's only a pre-season blitz or something, then maybe fair enough, but I suspect this is what McGeeney thinks is required.

Hard to deny the power of propaganda... Armagh are doing four sessions per week - two of them in the gym. Hardly life amending. Down are doing five sessions a week

Are you saying BC1 and that Irish News article are wrong? If so, fair enough, then the discussion is academic.

[Zulu]

Does 'elite' not simply mean the top level? If so then our county players are elite at GAA. They don't play anything else, so how can you judge 'elite' in one code versus another?

A few of them play golf 

Its more do with my comments on comparing one sport to another. I've heard people say (And Zulu doing it here) to be elite you need to do XYZ cause that's what other elite athletes do in other sports.

Its a term I don't like when the skills of the game are been bulldozed by fitness levels and weights. It seems to be elite you spend more time in the Gym than kicking a ball.

Just to clarify, I'm not making that point at all. When I referenced other sports like swimming and triathlons I was simply pointing out that amateurs in those sports do early morning sessions and possibly 6 or more sessions in a week. I was referring to purely amateur level athletes here and not talking about professional level athletes so I was making the point that other people hold down jobs and have families while doing a lot of training.

[Bingo]

Does 'elite' not simply mean the top level? If so then our county players are elite at GAA. They don't play anything else, so how can you judge 'elite' in one code versus another?

A few of them play golf 

Its more do with my comments on comparing one sport to another. I've heard people say (And Zulu doing it here) to be elite you need to do XYZ cause that's what other elite athletes do in other sports.

Its a term I don't like when the skills of the game are been bulldozed by fitness levels and weights. It seems to be elite you spend more time in the Gym than kicking a ball.

Just to clarify, I'm not making that point at all. When I referenced other sports like swimming and triathlons I was simply pointing out that amateurs in those sports do early morning sessions and possibly 6 or more sessions in a week. I was referring to purely amateur level athletes here and not talking about professional level athletes so I was making the point that other people hold down jobs and have families while doing a lot of training.

Yes, apologies. Your comparison of individuals V team sessions isn't right though and that's from someone who loves early morning sessions. I'd a 19mile run done one morning and was at work at 9am. Because it suited - I can fit everything round my schedule. Trying to meet and train with others is extremely difficult and mentally draining and also greatly affects the quality of your sessions. But I'm sure you know that yourself.

[rosnarun]

Does 'elite' not simply mean the top level? If so then our county players are elite at GAA. They don't play anything else, so how can you judge 'elite' in one code versus another?

i would  consider an Elite athelete as some one who was in with a shot of a medal in their chosen sport . Maybe that would rule out all irish atheletes even Fiona Britton  is only ranked number 38 in the world.
The Question OF Drug taken must always be taken into accounts when people talk about these crazy training routines
Athlethics Cycling and Rugby  have shown that their Training schedules are not probably possible with out illegal help.
their sports have very little credibilty left. I would hope the GAA intend to lean very little off them.

[DuffleKing]

I don't think it's a sustainable approach full time, and I think it will lead to short careers as people realise they have to live their life off the pitch too.

If it's only a pre-season blitz or something, then maybe fair enough, but I suspect this is what McGeeney thinks is required.

Hard to deny the power of propaganda... Armagh are doing four sessions per week - two of them in the gym. Hardly life amending. Down are doing five sessions a week

Are you saying BC1 and that Irish News article are wrong? If so, fair enough, then the discussion is academic.

Yup,  it would appear so