Winter Weights

"Our players want to do some weights over the winter. Any advice?" ? club senior hurling manager.

Eamon Reilly is a chartered physiotherapist based in Blacklion, Co Cavan, who has a special interest in weight training.

"An appropriate weights programme will increase muscle size, increase fat free mass, decrease body fat, and thus improve performance.

Assessment of risk

Before the initiation of a resistance-training programme, it is important that individual risk factors are assessed and individuals with medical and/or physical conditions obtain medical clearance. This ensures that resistance training is beneficial rather than harmful to those with predisposing injuries or illness.

Correct technique

Failure to employ proper lifting techniques and/or improper use of machines can have serious consequences. Repeated bending and lifting activities greatly increase the risk of developing lower back disorders.

Core stability

Traditionally with Gaelic football and hurling, the emphasis has been on developing quadriceps, hamstrings, and muscles in the upper arms such as the triceps, biceps, deltoids and trapezius. The importance of building up an athlete's core stability was often overlooked, leading to increased injury during peak season due to muscle imbalance. This is particularly common with back problems.

Core stability can be described as the muscular control required around the lumbar spine to maintain functional stability. Any weight-training regime should definitely include aspects of core strengthening.

Balance between muscle groups

Another important concept is the balance between antagonist and agonist muscle groups. The antagonist muscle opposes the agonist during an exercise.

For example, during the lifting phase of a biceps curl, the triceps muscles lengthen as the biceps contract. During the lowering phase, the opposite occurs and the biceps lengthen and become the antagonist. Imbalances occur if one muscle group is much stronger than the other.

This becomes particularly important when players return to the field later in the winter, as high velocity activity will expose this problem ? the antagonist muscles will be unable to cope with the much stronger agonist leading to muscle tears.

Expert assistance

When introducing weight training, a professional approach is needed from clubs, with physiotherapists, qualified trainers and gym instructors being utilised as appropriate in the planning and execution of programmes."

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