Deirtear gub é an briscfeasta an béile is tábhachtaigh den lá uilig. Más ea, ba chóir déanamah cinne go bhfuil tú ag baint tairbhe as an chothú a thugann tú duit féin ar maidín. Ní féidir leite a bhualaldh le bata mór, ach go minic bíonn daoine braon de bheith ag ithe leite leis féin. Seo oideas beag deas a chuirfeas an blas arais i do bhricfeasta duit. Bain sult!
3/4 cupán de choirce
gloine bainne leath uachtar
gloine uisce
spunnóg mór rísíní
spunnóg mór de almóiní mionstiallta
spunnóg beag de chainéil
spunnóg beag meala
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If so, you should take care that you are taking full advantage of the feed time. Porridge cant be beaten in terms of nutrition and wholesomeness, but people often get bored of eating porridge alone. Below is a quick recipe that will bring the taste back into the breakfast. Enjoy!
Bhí mé ar laetha saoire ansin ar feadh cúpla seachtain, ach anois tá mé arais mar sin beidh an Chamán Draíochta faoi lán seoil arís gan mhoill! An chéad rud a ba mhaith liom deanhamh na pictiúir de mhuitin Pairtín a chur suas. Roimh a chuaigh mé ar saoire tháinig dream den fhoireann faoi 16 síos chugainn agus chaith siad lá iomlán ag treanáil anseo. I rith an lae rinne muid 3 seisiúin san iomlán. Scrúdú aclaíochta ar maidín, ansin seisiún meacháin agus cumhacht ina dhiaidh sin (chríochnaigh muid an seisiún sin le roinnt rith Prowler, DEAS!) .Tar éis am lóin, rinne muid seisiún téarnaimh ina ndeachaigh muid tríd cleachtí so-lúbthacht, rolláil, agus cleachtaí cór. Bhí na leaids scriosta ag deireadh an lae ach deirtear liom gur bhain sias sult as!
I was on holidays there for a couple of weeks, but I am back now and ACD will be flying again soon! the first thing I would like to do is throw up a picture of the young hurlers from Parteen that came down for a training day before I went on holidays. A few from their U16 team came down and spent the day training at Na Piarsaigh. During the day we got 3 sessions in. A fitness test in the morning (speed, jumps, mobility etc), followed by a weights session (we polished off the weights session with some Prowler runs, NICE!). After lunch the lads came back for a recovery session where we went through foam rolling exercises, foam rolling exercises and some core exercises.The lads were exhausted afterwards but Im told that the thoroughly enjoyed it!
Ar bharr seo, ar an drochuair bhí orainn slán a fhagáil le Colin agus Nicola a bhí ag obair san aclann i gCumann na bPiarsach ó mí Eanair na bliana seo. Rinne siad an-jab ar fad! Tá Colin agus Nicola imithe arais ar an ollscoil i Luimneach leis an bhlian deirneach den céim Spórt Eolaíocht a dhéanamh. Ádh Mór leaids! Seo thuas pictiúr den triúr againn le Jim!
Also, we must give Colin and Nicola a farewell message! They both worked in the gym from January. They did a great job! Colin and Nicola have returned to UL to finish their degrees in Sport and Exercise Sciences. Good luck lads! Above is a photo of the three of us with Jim!
Tá rí thábhacht ag baint leis an téamh suas a dhéanann duine roimh seisiún treanála a thoiseach. Tá neart litríocht amuigh ansin a théann fríd na buntáistí den téamh suas, mar sin ní rachaidh muid isteach iontu go domhan san alt seo. Go bunúsach, seo roinnt de na buntáistí atá ag baint le téamh suas maith:
Beidh tú in ann treánail níos crua a dhéanamh
Beidh caighdeán do chuid oibre níos fear.
Beidh i bhfad níos lú seans ann go ngortófar thú.
Anois, má bhí deoch spóirt nó píosa treallaimh I mo sheilbh agam a rinne an 3 rud thuasluaite, thiocfadh liom é a dhíol agus bheim I mo mhiliúnaí. Ar an droch uair domsa, níl an píosa treallaimh sin agam, ach ar an dea uair duitse, tá mé ag dul cúpla cleacht a thaispeáint duit saor in aisce a dhéanfas gach uile ceann acu siúd! Seo thíos an téamh suas a dhéanann muid go minic roimh seisiún crua san aclann. Glac nóta, go bhfuil sé difriúil ón saghas téamh suas a dhéanfa roimh cluiche nó seisiún páirce. Bain sult.
The warm up is a crucial aspect of a person’s pre training routine. There is much literature out there that will detail the importance of the warm up so we won’t go into it in depth in this post. Basically, here are some of the benefits of a good warm up:
You will be able to train harder
The quality of your work will be much higher.
You will have way less chance of picking up an injury.
Now, if I had a sports drink or piece of equipment that promised the above stated, I could sell it and I would be a millionaire. Unfortunately for me, I do not have such a device, but fortunately for you, I am about to show you some simple exercises that will do all of the above absolutely free. Above is a typical warm up that we would do before a hard gym session. Note that this differs somewhat to a pre game warm up or a warm up for a pitch session. Enjoy.
Seo físeán gearr den seisiún treanála a rinne muid san aclann leis na leaids an lá faoi dheireadh. Agus iad i gcroílár an séasiúir imirthe, tá meascán cleachtaí sa seisiún, tá an déine ard, agus tá an seisiún gearr. Measaim gur leor seisiún amháin mar seo gach seachtain i rith an séasiúir leis an ineall a choinneáil ag dul. Deanann na leaids sisieiún téarnaimh amháin sa tseachtain chomh maith taobh amuigh den treanáil foirne. Bain sult!
Here is a short videom from one of our training sessions in the gym last week. As the lads are in the middle of their playing season, there is a mixture of exercises in this session, the intensity is high, and the session is short. One session like this per week is enough to keep the engines ticking over without tiring the lads out for games and team sessions. The lads get one recovery session in per week as well outside of their team sessions. Enjoy!
This weeks post is courtesy of coach, sports scientist, physical therapist, triathlete, and exercise recovery extraordinaire, Lynne Algar. This tidy little post will be invaluable to those of you who have trouble with shin splints. As usual leave a comment as feedback and if you are liking the info on the blog, please support by sticking your email address into the subscription box on right hand side to get updates straight to your email.
1. REST
I know it is the first thing you are always told but its common sense, stop doing whatever causes the pain. Rest until you are pain free running/ walking again. Often you will find that the pain eases as you continue running. However, the pain will get noticeably worse after the session or when you begin your next session. Rest could take one day or 2 weeks, everyone and every time they (the shin splints) flare up it differs.
2. ALTERNATE ACTIVITY
If you do not want to lose out on sessions try, aqua-running, its impact free and can help with improving strength and run technique as all your movements are slowed down with the resistance of the water. Cycling can also help you maintain your fitness during rest.
3. ICE
Get freezer bags, cover them in a thin towel and apply straight onto the areas in pain. Leave it there for 20mins. Remove for 1-2 hours and apply again 20mins. Especially after a session! Freezer bags are the best, they are the coldest, sprays and gel packs will not penetrate and cool the tissue enough.
4. SELF-MASSAGE
Before a session get some oil/ moisturiser rub the muscles of the lower leg vigorously. Massage in and around the problem areas to warm up the tissues pre-exercise. Do the same after a session! 5mins is all it takes and it helps!
5. STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN
Stretch the muscles of the lower leg. This includes the calf muscles, the Anterior Tibialis (muscle at the front of the lower leg), and the Peroneals (muscles at the side of the lower leg). These muscles can be tricky to stretch (see images at bottom of page). A Foam Roller is one of the best tools you can use for self massage.
Strengthen muscles of the lower leg, ankle through stability exercises (see images at bottom of page). I also encourage Barefoot running, however, this must be performed on suitable surface free of stones/ glass etc. Barefoot running should be implemented into all running programmes. It is introduced lightly, e.g. 5 mins of easy running, or by performing running drills and strides barefoot. You can eventually perform your whole run session barefoot, but only when the bones and muscles of the lower leg, ankle and foot have strong enough to support the mechanics of running. Mobilise the bones in your feet. This can be done by; walking barefoot, rolling your foot on a tennis-ball, and by self massage.
6. FOOT WEAR
When buying new runners especially a new brand or model, introduce them gradually, alternating them with your older runners, allowing your body to adapt to the new restrictions of the footwear. I have run in most brands, and have in the last year begun wearing NIKE FREES. These runners replicate barefoot running, but care needs to be taken when you begin running in them, there is little to no cushion and support, so you MUST build strength, mobility, and proper running mechanics in order to use them. Orthotics. I am not against the use of Orthotics, however I strongly believe that you should do everything possible to avoid having to get them, i.e. Treat the injury, Strengthen, Stretch, Mobilise, and build proper movement mechanics. If you do buy them make sure you get them made properly from a specialist who is aware of the demands of your lifestyle. Be prepared to pay.
To conclude....Shin Splints are very common in people who are involved in repetitively high impact activities. They are totally manageable within a training programme, chances are your friend or training partner will have experienced them at some stage. Everyone is different when it comes to the recovery time...and this is obviously dependent on how you deal with them. You’ll get to know the symptoms over time making it easier for you to cope with and avoid any interference in your training programme.
About the Author:
Lynne Algar works as a researcher in the University of Limerick, specializing in support structures for elite developmental athletes. Lynne holds an honors degree in Sport and Exercise Sciences, and a Masters degree by research in cryotherapy and recovery strategies for athletes. She also works as a physical therapist, and coaches on the Irish Junior Triathlon squad. Lynne can be contacted at lynne.algar@gmaill.com.
Ar an Déardaoin, bhí roinnt de imreoirí faoi 16 agus faoi 18 istigh sa gym le haghaidh seisiún. Ós rud é go mbíonn na míosa samhraidh dubh le cluichí agus seisiún scill, tá sé tábhachtach go bhfaigheann na himreoirí luach maith as an tam a chaitheann said in sa gym. Le bariúil a thabhairt daoibh fán cinéal rud a bhíonn ar bun again, caith siúl ar an fhíseán thíos. Go beacht, seo an seisiúin a rinne muid:
1. Jump squat x 3 x 5
2a. Bulgarian squat x 5 x 4
2b. Box jump
3a. Chin up x 8 x 3
3b. Press Up with Row x 10 x 3
3c. H-Row with neutral grip handle x 10 x 3
4a. Swiss Ball Plank x 45 sec x 3
4b. Dumbell Swing x 15 x 3
4c. Resisted Crunch x 25 x 3
5. Sled Runs x 10
Cuimhnigh ar na rudaí thíos agus tú ag cur seisiún mar seo le chéile:
1. Éifeachtúlacht ama. Ba choir go mbeadh na himreoirí ar fad ag obair go crua tríd an seisiún uilig.
2. Infhaighteacht Treallaimh. Déan cinte nach mbeidh imreoirí ag fanacht ar an píosa céanna trealamh a úsáid.
3. Pioc cleachtaí a thugaann luach maith duit ó thaobh am treanála. Is fiú i bhfad 5 nóimead a chaitheamh ag déanamh brú suas, nó smig suas, seacha cuach bicéip nó síneadh tríchéip.
4. Pioc cleachtaí atá ar eolas ag gach duine sa ghrúpa. Is am amú é a bheith ag iarraidh cleacht nua a theagasc do imreoir i rith seisiún mar seo. Coinnigh rudaí simplí.
5. Oibríonn sár-seiteanna go maith anseo. De ghnáth bíonn na himreoirí sagainne ag obair ina mbeirteanna.
6. Cur cúpla tiún maith ar siúl sa chúlra!
Abair liom cad é a shíleann sibh den seisiún agus fág do bhariúil in sa rannóg ‘Comments’! Beir Bua, Ainle.
On Thursday, we had a few of our under 16s and under 18s in for a training session in the gym. As the summer months are generally filled with matches and skills sessions, its important for the players get the most out of the time that they spend in the gym. To give an idea of the type of session that we are doing, see the video below. Specifically, the session went like this:
2. Jump squat x 3 x 5
2a. Bulgarian squat x 5 x 4
2b. Box jump
3a. Chin up x 8 x 3
3b. Press Up with Row x 10 x 3
3c. H-Row with neutral grip handle x 10 x 3
4a. Swiss Ball Plank x 45 sec x 3
4b. Dumbell Swing x 15 x 3
4c. Resisted Crunch x 25 x 3
5. Sled Runs x 10
Important things to consider when designing one of these sessions are as follows:
1. Time efficiency. All participants should be working hard throughout the session.
2. Equipment availability. Make sure that there will not be a backlog of athletes waiting for the same piece of equipment.
3. Pick movements that will give you value for gym time. 5 minutes of a session spent on a bicep curl or tricep extension would be better spent performing a chin up or press up.
4. Pick exercises that everyone in the group can perform proficiently. In this type of situation, excessive amounts of time teaching new movements and techniques can eat into valuable gym time available for development of strength and power.
5. Supersets work well to keep multiple people working. Here we usually have the players work in pairs.
6. Have some good tunes at the ready!
Let me know what you think of the session above, and give feedback by leaving a comment! Beir Bua, Ainle.
Tá tréan bealaí nua amuigh ansin na laetha seo a chuirtear ina léith go gcuidíonn said le téarnamah an chorp tar éis cluiche nó sár iarrach treanála. Ina measc tá tomadh in uisce fuar, snámh, meacháin éadrom, agus éadaí teann Ar na mallaibh tá mise ag déanamh seisiún le iomreoirí óga sagainne in sna Piarsaigh. De ghnáth bíonn 3 chuid leis an seisiún, ach má tá an sceideal sacu dian ó thaobh na cluichí de, ní dheanfaidh muid ach cleacht ceartlár amháin nó mar sin.
1.Rolláil (15-20 nóim) (feic thíos)
2.Síniú (15-20 nóim)
3.Cleachtaí Ceartlár. (15- 20 nóim)
Níl mé ag rá go bhfuil an seisiún se ar an chineál is fearr seisiún ar an Domhan, nó nach bhfuil bealach níos fearr ann chun cuidiú leis an téarnamh. ACH, mothaíonn imreoirí sagainne go maith i ndiaidh an seisiún seo agus tá said den bhariúil go ndéanann sé difear mór do chéad seisiún treanála dian eile a dhéanann said! Tá beidhim an seisiún seo ar scíth a ligean, agus cuidiú leis an chorp teacht chuige féin. Cuirim roinnt ceol ar siúl sa chúlra agus déanaim cinnte go bhfuil buidéal ag gach imreoir. Tá sé tábhachtach roinnt craic a thabhairt isteach sa seisiún seo mar athrú ar an treanáil foirmiúil.
Má tá ceist agat maidir leis na rudaí beachta a dhéantar sna seisiún, cur ceist suas ar an bhlag nó seol ríommhphost chugaim agus cuirfidh mé freagair suas chomh luath agus gur féidir. Le haghaidh breis eolais ar an ábhar seo, bain trial as na nascanna seo:
There are many novel ways out there that reportedly help the recovery rate of the body after games or heavy training, Included are cyrotheraphy, swimming, light weights, and compression garments. Lately I have been doing recovery sessions with out young players in Na Piarsaigh. The session usually consists of 3 parts, but if the game schedule is heavy we might only do one or two core exercises.
1.Foam Roll (15-20 minutes) (see below)
2.Stretching (15-20 minutes)
3.Core Exercises (15-20 minutes)
I’m not saying that this is the best recovery session in the world, or that there are not more effective ways of performing recover sessions, BUT, out players feel better after it, and they say they feel the benefits of it during the next hard session they do. The emphasis of this session is on recovery, and letting the body catch up on itself. I stick a few tunes on in the background and make sure each player takes fluids on board during the sessions. Its important to have a bit of craic in these sessions as a contrast to the formality and structure of the team sessions.
For additional info on the sessions post a comment with your question and I will do my best to answer as soon as possible! For more info on the topics mentioned here check these links:
Tar éis duit cluiche a imirt, nó rás a rith, is cuid tábhachtach den téarnamah é anailís ghearr a dhéanamh ar dóigh ar imir tú. Cuideoidh seo go mór leis an dul chun cinn a dhéanfas tú chomh maith. Déanann na lúthchleasaithe is fearr ar domhan an cineál anailís seo, agus le roinnt treor agus píosa ulmmhúchán, thig leatsa i bhfad níos mó a fhoghlaim ó gach uair a chuireann tú cos ar an pháirc nó an traic! Ar mhaithe leis an alt seo bainfaidh mé úsáid as iomáint mar sampla.
Beidh an anailís iar-chluiche i bhfad níos éifeachtaí ma chaitheann tú roinnt ama ag leagan cúpla sprioc duit féin roimh an chluiche. I Tábla 1 feictear na príomh rudaí a chuirim síos roimh cluiche. Tá na príomh pointí iar-chluiche le feiceáil in Tábla 2.
Tá neart rudaí eile ar féidir leat a dhéanamh roimh agus tar éis cluiche nó rás le ullmhú mar a bheadh ard-lúthchleasaí ann, ach ma thosaíonn tú leis na píosaí bunúsach atá luaite anseo is cinnte go mbeidh tú ar an bhealch chuig an chéad leibhéal eile! Beir Bua!
……………………………………….
After playing an game, or running a race, an important part of the recovery process is the post game analysis. Great athletes all over the world include short post game analyses as part of their routine, and with a bit of direction you can get much more out of each time you step on the field or track. For the purpose of this article, I will use hurling as an example.
The post game analysis will be much more effective if you spend some time before the game setting out some goals for yourself. Table 1 shows the main things I would include in the pre game prep. Table 2 shows the main post game points to note.
There are many other things that you can do before competitions to get the most out of your preparation time, but if you take on board the information presented here it will send you in the right direction to the next level. Beir Bua!
Olympic weightlifter, ex Piarsaigh player (under 8), long term friend, and all round nice fellow Cathal Byrd called into the gym today for a bit of training while he is back in his home town. It was great to see Cathal at the gym and the under 16 and under 18 lads that were in at the time were certainly impressed with his lifting! Heres a rare snap of Cathal posing with some light weight and a hurley, hopefully we will see him in again soon.
You can follow Cathal's progress as he aims for glory on the world stage of weightlifting on his blog which is http://howcseezit.blogspot.com....see Cathals post about his visit to the club at http://howcseezit.blogspot.com/2010/06/na-piarsaigh-abu.html
Bhí tógálaí meacháin Oilimpeach, iar Phiarsach (faoi 8), sean chara, agus fear maith, Cathal Byrd istigh sa gym inniú ag déanamh roinnt treanála inniú agus é arais in a chathair dúchais. Bhí sé go hiontach Cathal a fheiceáil istigh sa gym agus is cinnte go ndeachaigh sé i bhfeidhm ar na himreoraí óga a bhí istigh at treanáíl ag an am. Seo pictiúir neamhghnáth de Chathal ag seasamh in aice le roinnt meacháin éadrom agus camán ina lámh aige. Tá siúl agam go bhfeicfidh muid Cathal istigh sa gym arís go luath!
Is féidir siúl a choinneáil ar dhul chun cinn Chathal ar an bhlag http://howcseezit.blogspot.com. Is féidir postáil Chathal faoin cuairt chuig an chumann a fheiceáil anseo http://howcseezit.blogspot.com/2010/06/na-piarsaigh-abu.html
Getting the most out of your recovery will make a huge difference to the adaptations you get from
training, the quality of your play, avoiding injury, concentration, and freshness. Implement the 10
simple tips below to recover like a world class athlete!
1. Spend 15 minutes stretching after training and games
2. Consume a recovery drink immediately aftyer training/ match 3. Drink 1 litre of water within an hour of the game/ session finishing. 4. Ice any injured areas as soon as possible after a game. Ice in 20 minute periods. 5. Eat a full dinner as soon as possible after the game. 6. Sleep for 10 hours on the night after a game. 7. Perform foam rolling exercises and stretches for 30 minutes on the day after a heavy session/ game. 8. Perform 20 minutes of mobility exercises in the pool. 9. Relax and switch off from training. Get the feet up and take it easy. 10. Listen to your body. Taking a rest day from training and letting your body catch up on itslf once every few days will yield much better training results!
Max Recovery Dinner Example: Chilli Chicken and Rice……..
Ingredients:
Spray canola or olive oil 1 red onion, finely sliced 300 g chicken mince, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 teaspoons minced ginger, 1 red capsicum finely chopped, 1-2 tablespoons Sweet Chilli Sauce, to taste 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander, 5 cups cooked long-grain white rice, 12 iceberg lettuce leaves
Method:
Spray a nonstick wok or frying pan with oil and heat. Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes or until just soft. Add the chicken mince, garlic and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes or until browned, breaking up lumps of mince with a wooden spoon. Add the capsicum and cook for 3 minutes more, stirring frequently. Add the fish sauce and sweet chilli sauce, to taste. Stir in the coriander. To serve, spoon the chicken mixture and rice into the lettuce leaves and roll up to eat with your fingers. (recipie from http://www.ausport.gov.au
Sean teach tuaithe, gan troscán, gan teas. Píosaí de ghach rud gach áit. Leabhair, buicéid, éadaí, adhmad, miotal, bia caorach. Suíochán amháin, fear amháin, solas amháin. Cad é mar a chríochnaigh mé suas anseo?
Tuairim is dhá bhlian ó shin bhí mé ag tonntóireacht ar an GFAD ‘ghneásán fud an Domhan’, agus táinig mé ar alt fán ‘Fear Iarann’ Mick Murphy. An fear céanna a bhuaigh an rás rothaíochta is mó sa tír i 1958 ina chéad iarracht, a bhí ag treanáil ina theach baile le meacháin deanta as cloch ó bhí sé 12, a bhí sa siorcas, a d’ól fuill capall don mhaitheas, a ghoid rothar feirmeora tar éis dó a rothar féin a scriosadh nuair a thit sé de i rith an Rás 1958. Téann an liosta ar aghaidh! Léigh mé fán uair a thit sé da rothar agus bhris sé a dhealrachán, léim arias ar a rothar agus choinnigh ag dul ar feabh ceithre lá! Agus fán uair a chonaic sé taibhse madaidh agus é ag rotháil ar an bhóthar ina aonar oíche amháin! Rud amháin a bhí cinnte nuair a tháinig mé ar an teolas seo ach go mbeadh orm dul agus bualadh leis an fear seo bealach amháin nó bealach eile!
Mar sin agus mé ag suí sa teach ar Dhomhnach cásca, shocraigh mé bualadh síos ina threo. Bhí a fhios agam go raibh cónaí air áit éigean gár do Chathair Saibhín i gCo. Chiarraí. Lá deas. Rothar isteach sa ghluaistean, dírigh an gluaisteán I dteo Ciarraí, agus tosaigh ag tiomáint. Bhí mile ceist i mo chloigeann ach ní raibh ach sprioc amháin agam, agus ba é bualadh leis an fear é féin roimh deireadh an lae. Stop mé an car 30 km ó Chathair Saibhín, agus léim mé suas ar an rothar le teacht ar Mick Murphy. Bhain mé Cathair Saibhín amach agus chauigh mé isteach in siopa beag sa sráid bhaile le treoir a iarrach go teach Mick. Cinnte go leor, fuair mé na treoracha, agus cheannaigh mé bloc cáise dó ag an am céanna óir chuala mé go mbaineann sé sult as cáis a ithe go laeithiúil. 5 míle de rotháil níos moille tá mé ag an teach. Cuma tréighe air ach uair amháin a dhreap mé thart ar an sconsa agus isteach sa ghairdín i measc an adhmad, miotal agus sean píosaí tréighthe chuala mé raidió ar siúl taobh istigh. Bhí mé san áit cheart.
Bhuail mé cúpla cnag ar an píosa miotal a bhí mar dhoras ar an teach. Múchadh an raidió ón taobh istigh, agus bhí mé i mo sheasamh ansin i mo chuid giar rothaíochta ag fanacht. Cad é a bhí mé ag dul a rá leis an seanfhear seo nuair a tháinig sé chuig an doras? An raibh Mick ag díriú guna orm fríd poll éigean i mballa an tí?! Fanacht….fanacht…..’Bfhéidir go ndeirfidh sé liom imeacht tí deabhail!’…..ansin……d’oscail an doras…..
‘Well Mick’
‘I see you brought the sum with you. Come on in. Bring your bike, I want to have a look at it’.
Le cur síos a dhéanamh ar an chuairt uilig tá níos mó na postáil amháin de dhíth, mar sin fágaidh mé sibh leis an pictiúir seo a ghlac mé agus mé ag fagáil an tí. Níos mó le theacht!
Mick ‘The Iron Man’ Murphy
An old country house, no furniture, no heating. Bits of everything everywhere. Books, buckets, cloths, metal, sheep feed. One seat, one man, one light. How did I end up here?
About 2 years ago I was surfing on the WWW when I stumbled upon an article about Mick ‘The Iron Man’ Murphy. The same man who won the biggest cycling race in Ireland in 1958 in his first attempt, who was training at home with stone weights since he was 12, who was a circus performer, who drank horses and cows blood for the goodness, who stole a farmers bike to stay in contention in the Rás when he destroyed his freewheel in a crash. The list goes on! I read about the time he had a crash and rode for 4 days with a broken collarbone, and how he saw a ghost dog as he cycled a country road one night. One thing was sure after I read this article. One way or another, I was going to meet this man.
So I was sitting in the house on Easter Sunday and I decided to head in his direction. I knew he lived somewhere near Cahirsiveen in Kerry. Nice day. Bike into the car, point car towards Kerry, and start driving. I had a million questions in my head to ask him but my only goal was that day was to meet the man before the end on the day. I stopped the car 30km from Cahirsiveen, jumped onto the bike and set off to find Mick Murphy. I reached the town and went into the town shop to ask directions to his house. Sure enough I got them from an ancient shop keeper who knew of him. I bought a block of cheese for Mick in the shop as well as I read that he enjoys his daily serving of good cheese. 5 miles later on the bike and I’m at the house. It looks deserted but when I climb over the fence and into the garden amongst the wood, metal and scrap, I can hear a radio inside the house. I was in the right spot alright!
I went up and hit a few knocks on the length of corrugated iron that was acting as a door on the house. The radio went off inside, and I was standing in my cycling gear outside. What was I going to say to this man when he came to the door? Was Mick pointing a shotgun at me through some hole in the wall?! Waiting……waiting…..’He might tell me to get lost’….then……the door opened……
‘Well Mick’
‘I see you brought the sum with you. Come on in. Bring your bike, I want to have a look at it’.
To do the visit justice I would need more than one post, so ill leave you with this picture I took when I was leaving. More to come!
Níl a fhios agam faoi na lúthchleasaithe in spórtanna eile, ach in cinnte go bhfuil fadhb ag barraíoht imreoirí CLG le iompar an choirp. Go hiondiúil bíonn na guallaí ag teacht chun tosaigh agus an droim uacharach maolaithe (cosiúil le mo dhuine thuas). Anois, ba chóir a lua go gur dóiche go bhfuil tionchar ag nósanna suí, siúil, agus slí beatha an imreora ar an iompar choirp atá acu. Mar sin féin, tá mé féin den tuairim gur na brúanna agus suíanna suas is cúis le céatadán mhór de na fadhbanna a fheicim sa gym. Cuireann an riocht seo isteach ar na guallaí, an droim, agus níos mó, gan a bheith ag trácht ar an droch chruth a chuireann sé ar dhuine, ar bharr brú a chur ar na scámhóga mar go bhfuil an brollach ag titim isteach ar féin. Cailltear solúbthacht, agus ardaítear an seans go ngorteofar an imreoir.
Is ar an bhun seo a bhfuil mé ag cur COSC ar na sean cleachtaí iontaofa a úsáidtear i rith nó ag deireadh cuid mhór den treanáil a dhéantar ar an pháirc. Smaointeamh maith é roinnt obair láidreacht a dheanamh ar an pháirc, ach nuair a dhéantar na cleachtaí céanna arís is arís eile, bíonn tionchat mí-úsaáideach aige ar na himreoirí. Ó thaobh na suíonna suas, tá cosc iomlán orthu sin. Sin scéal eile fá choinne postáil eile. Ní droch chleacht é an brú suas, ach is cleacht fritorthiúl é nuair a dhéantar é arís is arís eile gan aon aird a thabhairt ar meatáin an droim.
Ar bharr na pointí thuas luaite, is iomaí uair a chonaic mé oiliúnaí ag tabhairt ar foireann faoi aois iomlán 20, 30, 40 nó níos mó brú suas a dhéanamh. Thig leat a bheith cinnte nach mbeidh mórán de fhoireann sinsear in ann 30 brú suas a dhéanamh le tecníc cheart, gan a bheith ag trácht ar foireann faoi aois. Munar féidir rud a dhéanamah mar is ceart, ní fiú a bheith ag cleachtadh droch nósanna.
In ionad na brú suas, thiocfadh leis an oiliúnaí cleachtaí cosiúil le brú gualainn a dhénamh, aon chleacht rámhaíochta, cleachtaí leis an liathróid leighis nó mála cumhachta, nó fiú tarraingt chugaidh a dhéanamh. Beidh roinnt treallamh de dhíth fá choinne seo, ach bfhearr cúpla pingin a chaitheamh ar threallamh inniú na cúpla punt a chaitheamh ar an physio amarach!
I cant say this for certain about athletes from other sports, but too many GAA players have got serious posture issues. Typically, the shoulders are forward, and the back is hunched somewhat, like yerman above. Now, Im sure that things like sitting posture, and lifestyle etc all effect out posture. At the same time, I believe that the sit ups and press ups that players are often instructed to do are a big part of the problems that I see in people who come into the gym to me. This posture affects the shoulders, back, and more, as well as making people look smaller and weaker. On top of this, you could argue that it can affect a players breathing as the chest is caving in on itself somewhat. Flexibility is lost, and the likelihood of injury is increased.
Its on this basis that I am BANNING the old reliable exercises of sit ups and press ups, that are often used at the end or during on-field sessions. Its a good idea to incorporate strength work into the pitch training, but when the same exercises are performed again and again, it has a counterproductive effect on the players. In terms of the sit ups, they are completely banned, but thats another story for another post. The press up is not a bad exercise, in fact its a good exercise, but it is counterproductive when it is performed constantly without regard for the muscles of the back.
On top of the above points, I often seen coaches asking whole underage teams to perform 20, 30, 40 or more pressups. You can be sure that many players of a senior team will not be able to perform this many press ups with good technique, never mind an underage player. If an exercise cannot be performed with good form, there is no point in practicing bad habits.
Instead of press ups, the trainer could throw in some shoulder presses, med ball exercises, rowing exercises, power bag exercises, or even a Tug of War. Some equipment will be required for these exercises but better to spend a few cents on equipment today than a few pound on the physio tomorrow!
Ar na mallaibh d'iarr cúpla duine orm faoi treanáil ceartlár mar a thugtar air, agus cén saghas cleacht ar chóir dóibh a dhéanamh. Le blianta beaga anuas tá d'éirigh daoine an-tógtha leis an treanáil ceartláir, agus i neart cásanna, cuireadh baraíocht béim ar chleachtaí gan chiall. Le cleachtaí ceartlár ceart a phiocfadh, caithfear feidhim na meatán ceartláir a thuigbheáil píosa. Go simplí, is iad atá iontu na na meatán atá lonaithe thart ar an bhlog, and droim, na coim, agus atá ceangailte leis an cnámh droma. (Ta na meatán sa droim uachtarach istigh ansin fósta, ach don alt beag seo díreoidh muid isteach ar na meatán íochtarach). Is é feidhm na meatán seo na an cnámh droma a dhéanamh seasmhach agus ligint do na géaga bogadh go héifeachtach, agus fórsaí a aistriú tríd an chorp go héifeachtach.
Leis an tuiscint sin agus de réir na boic móra, ba chóir go mbeadh an fócas ar thabhairt dúshlán do na meatáin ceartlár an chop a choilleail seasmhach agus na géaga ag bogadh. Sé an chiall atá le sin na go dtéann tú isteach in staidiúir maith daingean, ansin tabharann tú dúshlán do staidiúir sin. Go minic bíonn dul amú ar dhaoine nuair a cheapann siad gur cóir cleachtaí cosúil le suí-suasanna agus brúisceanna a dhéanamh do cheartlár. Ní amháin nach gcuideoidh neart acu seo le cuid ar bith de na feidhmeanna a luaigh muid níós luaithe a fheabhsú, ach cuirfidh siad leis an seans go mbeidh fadhbanna agat le do dhroim, treannáil, agus an choim. Le seisiúin maith ceartlár gan mórán treallamh a dhéanamh, bain trial as na cleactaí thíos (físeáin ghearr ar an bhealach). Cuimhnigh i gcónaí ar seo: má tá droch staidiúir agat i rith na cleachtaí, níl sé a dhéanmah mar is ceart agat!
Éan/ Madadh x 20
Plainc Taoibhe x 30 soicind an taobh
Siosúr Cos x 15 an taobh
Droichead Gualainn le cosa agus guallaí ar bheinse x 30
Liathróid Leighs in éadan an ball ar chos amháin x 30 an taobh
Marbhthógáil Rómánach ar chos amháin x 12 an taobh
Lately a few people have been asking me about core training as its know, and what sort of exercises they should be doing. A few years ago, people seemed to get a bit carried away with the concept of core training, and in a lot of ways, too much emphasis was placed on senseless exercsies. To select the right core exercises, a bit of understanding of the function of the core muscles will help. Put simply, they comprise of the muscles around your torso, back, hips, and those that attach to your spine. (The muscles of the upper back are in ther as well, but we'll focus on the lower aspect for this post). The function of these muscles are postural, therefore they keep the spine/ torso stable while the limbs more, and aid in the effective transer of forces.
With that understanding, the focus of your core training should be in offering a challenge to the core muscles to maintain good posture while the limbs move. This means that you get into a good solid posture, then challenge the posture. Often people are mislead in thinking that exercises such as sit ups, and crunches are great for the core. In fact, an abundance of these will not only negate from the functions of the core we mentioned above, but could also leave you more open to problems with the back, hammys, hips etc. For a good bodyweight core workout try the exercises below (short video on the way). Remember, if you have bad posture during the exercise.. more than likely, your doing it wrong.
Bird Dog x 20
Side Plank x 30 seconds a side
Leg Scissors x 15 a side
Shoulder Bridge with feet and shoulders on benches x 30
