© GAA

Fitness Demands of the Modern Player(Gaelic Football and Ladies Gaelic Football)

Aidan O’Connell MSc.

Trainer Cork Senior Football Team

© GAA 2 Presentation title in footer

Introduction

 Physical Demands of Gaelic football

 Training methods

 “Train hard, rest harder”

© GAA 3 Presentation title in footer

Demands Comparison

Soccer 9000-12000m

Rugby league 13G

Usain Bolt 38km/hr

7000-10000m

11.5G

33km/hr

Other Sports Gaelic football

Showvideo

© GAA 5 Presentation title in footer

Total Distance Covered

Group

Midfield

Half Back

Half Forward Full Back

Full Forward

Distance Covered 10000m

9000m

8500m

7500m

7000m

High Intensity 4800m

4400m

4300m

2900m

2700m

© GAA

Sprint and tackle

Jog

Walking

Counter/Turnover/Chase back

Jog

Jump and sprint

Time

Inte

nsity

© GAA 7 Presentation title in footer

“In games like football, strength is probably the most important single factor”

Joe Lennon

1969 2009

Strength Strength

Speed/Stop and Go Speed/Agility

Stamina Fitness

Suppleness Flexibility

© GAA 8 Presentation title in footer

Potential

Component Gaelic Football Rugby Union

Leg Strength 110kg 140kg

Explosive Jump 40cm 50cm

Speed – 0-10m 1.75s 1.67s

Speed – 0-30m 4.15s 3.95s

© GAA 10 Presentation title in footer

Strength Training Template

Section Component Exercise

1 Prehab Ankle, Knee, Hip, Shoulder

2 Power Box Jumps, Altitude landings, Med ball throws, Hurdle jumps

3 Strength Upper, Lower and Wholebody

4 Core Core holds, dynamic rotations

5 Flex Static

© GAA 11 Presentation title in footer

Speed Training

© GAA

Football Specific Speed Training

Phase 1 Nov-Jan

Phase 2 Feb-April

Phase 3 May - Sept

•  Weight Training •  Jump training

•  Specific Starts •  Resisted runs

•  1 v 1’s •  Game/SSG

•  Weight Training •  Jump training

•  Accel/Decel/Accel •  1 v 1’s •  Game/SSG

•  Weight training •  Jump training

•  Sprints 40-80m •  1 v 1’s chase to score •  Game

•  15m on 15s turnabouts x 10 reps

© GAA

© GAA 14 Presentation title in footer

Football Specific Fitness Training

Phase 1 Nov – Jan

Phase 2 Feb - April

Phase 3 May - Sept

Aerobic Dominant Intervals

3 – 5 X 3mins runs on 6min rotations

15s on 15s off X 10mins

Game/SSG

© GAA 15 Presentation title in footer

Creating 15s Intervals(using1500m time trial)

GROUP TIME (1500m) 100% MAS 120%MAS 15s Distance

1 - 10 players 315-330s/1500 4.6m/s 5.52m/s 82m

2 - 10 players 335-355s/1500 4.3m/s 5.2m/s 78m

3 - 10 players 360-380s/1500 4.0m/s 4.8m/s 72m

Group1

Group2

Group3

82m

78m

72m

© GAA 16 Presentation title in footer

Football Specific Fitness Training Phase 1 Nov – Jan

Phase 2 Feb – April

Phase 3 May – Sept

Aerobic Dominant Intervals

3 – 5 X 3mins runs on 6min rotations

15s on 15s off X 10mins Game/SSG

Anaerobic Dominant Intervals

10 – 20 X 100m <20s on 60s rotations

10-20 X 45m < 8s on 30s rotations

Game Scenarios: 10–20 Plays of 10 – 30s

Lactate Dominant Intervals

1-3 X 60s drill (22m shuttle for 60s) 2mins recovery

1-3 X 180m(45m X 4) <40s on 80s rotations

1-3 X 3v2 for 30s on 60s rotations

© GAA 17 Presentation title in footer

Training Session Template

Pre season In season Warm up 10min 10min

Speed/Anaerobic intervals

15min 5min

Technical/Tactical 45min 55min

Aerobic/Lactate Intervals

10min Individually Specific

Total 80min 70min

© GAA

Championship Match Vs Training

“Heart rate > 160b/min for 43% of match play but only 26% of training”

Reilly and Keane 2002

© GAA

Train Hard, Rest Harder!

 Training Plan

 Monitoring Individuals

 Nutrition and lifestyle

© GAA

Conclusion

“Physically, mentally and morally conditioned”

Go Raibh Maith Agaibh