Player Welfare
The GAA has developed a player welfare and medical scientific website on
http://www.gaa.ie/medical-and-player-welfare .
The website is managed by a group of professional medical personnel dedicated to providing the best medical advice to all players og Gaelic Games .We have published a mere summary here.Please consult the website for full details
Guidelines for Safe Exercises
What are you trying to do?
Is the exercise part of the warm-up, the game, a conditioning activity or part of the recovery? What you are trying to do should be dependent on why you are doing it.
The golden rule is to prepare the body, work it correctly and recover it afterwards
Prepare the body
Warm-up exercises aim to prepare the body for the planned activity. This means that exercises should:
Concentrate on increasing muscle temperatures
Use movements that help switch on the relevant motor programmes
The best way to do this is to start gently with locomotor movements that involve large muscle groups, such as the legs, such as walking or jogging.
Hurling and Gaelic football require a variety of foot patterns. Include heel taps, toe taps, side steps, and back steps should precede more complex moves involving foot crossover patterns.Incorporate dynamic flexibility exercises to stretch the muscles to be used in the activity,without losing the flow of the warm up.
Work Properly
Conditioning and game actions are best and safest when done with:
Control
Good Posture and Body Alignment
If activities are performed too fast or too slowly the moving and supporting joints can experience excessive loads.
Too many repetitions of the same movement can compromise control and posture.
a. Posture and correct body alignment are important in order to:
b. Provide maximum support for the body with minimal strain
c. Improve the efficiency of the action
Reduce unnecessary stress on joints
Recovery
Many coaches play down or ignore the importance of this part of an activity. is the best time to teach stretching exercises and relaxation techniques to help restore
the body to a normal functioning state. can also use this time to reinforce points made during the session, or provide players
with instructions on team play
What are you trying to do?
Is it relevant to the game or the aim of the session?
Is it effective? Does it do what you want it to do?
Is it safe? Does it do what you want it to do without affecting control or posture?
Exercises to Avoid
There are many exercises that are effective but are best avoided because they compromise body parts. In addition to lack of control of movement, poor posture and body alignment and often too many repetitions of the same action, some of the old fashioned exercises that are potentially dangerous include:
There are many exercises that are effective but are best avoided because they compromise body parts.
In addition to lack of control of movement, poor posture and body alignment and often too many repetitions of the same action, some of the old fashioned exercises that are potentially dangerous include:
Excessive loads of the neck and spine (Avoid these movements)
Neck circling and rolling
Extreme neck movements backwards (extension) or forwards (flexion)
Bending forward to touch the toes or similar actions
Bending forward without support and twisting
Bending backwards to an extreme position
Straight leg sit ups
Straight leg raise activities
Sits ups with feet or ankles held
The plough position (feet over head to touch the floor)
Excessive Load on Knees (Avoid these movements )
Full knee bends
Locking knees (keep knee softly bent)
Knee rotation
Duck walking
Hurdlers stretch
Excessive Loads on the Elbows and Shoulders (Avoid these movements)
Locking or snapping the elbows
Impact push ups
Holding hands above the head for more than 20 secs
Cool-Down after exercise
After every training session you should do a cool down. The cool down is equally as important as the warm-up.
Benefits
Your body is cooled down gradually
Recovery time is reduced enabling more effective training sooner afterwards
Benefits of the training session are increased as body adapts better
Guidelines
Jog for 3-4 minutes
Incorporate
Change in direction
Raising knees to waist level
Raising ankles to buttocks
Side stepping using both legs as lead leg
Mobilisation Exercises
Rotate Arms Backwards at controlled pace
Rotate Arms Forwards at controlled pace
Rotate Hips clockwise, counter-clockwise
Rotate ankles clockwise, counter-clockwiseStretching Exercises
Hold all stretches for 20-30 secs and repeat twice
Stretch Gradually, Do Not Bounce
Never Stretch beyond comfort
Hamstrings
Lie on back on ground. Bend left knee to 45-degrees. Raise right leg upwards and Place hands below knee joint, Pull leg towards head (comfortably), keeping leg as straight as possible. Keep head rested on ground. Alternate.
Quadriceps (Thigh Muscles)
Lay on right side on ground. Bend lower leg (left knee 90-degrees) out in front. Rest Head on left arm. Grab right foot below ankle and pull towards right buttock. Keep right leg parallel to ground. Alternate (Roll to other side).
Calves
Sit on ground with legs extended in front. Bend left knee to 45-degrees. Extend arms and reach out to touch (as near as possible) right foot. Hold. Alternate.
Groin
Sit on ground with feet pulled in and meeting in front of body. Keep Back straight. Grab ankles with hands and place elbows at inside of knees. Push Knees down towards ground.Hold. Repeat.
Full Body
Lie on back on ground. Extend both arms above head. Stretch out with hands and feet.Relax. Repeat. stretches are conducted on the ground to prevent blood pooling, which can lead to cramps and aches.