Flexibility and Gaelic Football

1. Flexibility and Gaelic Football

2. Common Findings in GAA Players • Poor posture. • Pre existing injuries often affecting the ankles, groin and pelvic region. • Stiff hip flexors, gluteal muscles, hamstrings, shoulders and thoracic (mid) spine. • Poor control of movement. • Signs of overtraining.

3. Flexibility • Ability to move a part or parts of the body throughout a wide range of purposeful movements • Normally limited by one or more of the following factors: • Shape/orientation of joint articular surfaces • Tension in ligaments, muscles or fascia • Soft tissue approximation

4. Static vs. Dynamic Flexibility • Static flexibility is the ability to move through a range of motion with no emphasis on speed or time • Dynamic flexibility is the ability to move through a range of movement with emphasis on speed of motion.

5. Flexibility Programmes • Specific to movement and range required by the sport (think of skill requirements) • Directed towards the common stiff areas in GAA players (see common sites above) • Lack of flexibility can alter athlete’s style, reduce biomechanical efficiency and predispose to injury • Tight muscles are stretched, • Weak long muscles strengthened

6. Stretching • ‘Warm-up, stretch slowly, cool’ • Safety First • Starting position, method, dosage • Prevent overstretching • Frequency,(x2) duration (x15-20sec) intensity (mild discomfort) • Stretch when warm- increased flexibility of muscles • Stretch gently when cooling down • Passive stretching done slowly- less tension over more time • End of range and a little further • If painful with stretch seek medical advice!

7. U-14 Key Points • Sell the concept of good flexibility and individual sessions. • Encourage proper injury management. • Discourage over training • Introduce group to dynamic and static stretching • Dynamic – High knees, butt flicks, ball under each leg and around the body, sumo squats. • Static- Gluteal muscles, Calves, hamstrings, quads, thoracic and lumbar spine. Chest (pecs)

8. U-15 Key Points • Re affirm the concept of good practice in flexibility training, injury management and training loads • Encourage players to look after their own mobility/flexibility • Sit & Reach Test • Progress dynamic and static stretching • Dynamic – High knees, butt flicks, ball under each leg and around the body, sumo squats etc….(don’t always use same drills; variety required! • Static- Gluteal muscles, calves, hamstrings, quads, thoracic and lumbar spine, Chest (pecs)

9. U-16 Key Points • Conduct tests for functional movement and flexibility • Establish individual S&C Programmes and Flexibility Programmes based on findings • This will establish injury prevention and management strategies • Warn against over training • Progress dynamic and static stretching

10. U-17 Key Points • Retest for functional movement and flexibility • Alter individual S&C Programmes and Flexibility Programmes where necessary i.e. tight ham strings • Re establish injury prevention and management strategies • Warn against over training • Progress dynamic and static stretching

11. Remember… For every increase in range of movement (e.g. shoulder elevation, T-spine extension) there must also be an increase in the control of this movement! Increasing range without strength and control of that range can lead to injury and poor performance.