Conditioning for Secondary School Players

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Conditioning for Secondary School Players

• Kevin Kelly Gary Mallon

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• This Workshop will address the key function of
  core stability and functional movement and the
  need to establish this as a building block for
  future development.
• This session will be full of practical examples
  of why, what and HOW to do it. It will also
  explore what conditioning we are trying to
  achieve with the 12 to 18 year old boys and
  girls.

60mins to Complete
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Bill Foran
"If young athletes develop a proper strength base
they are going to have more power, in turn making
them quicker and helping them jump higher. Their
on-court basketball specific drills are
important, you've got to be able to shoot and do
all of that, but when they get stronger and more
powerful, their quickness, speed and vertical
jump go way up
24th yr as Strength Conditioning Coach of the
Miami Heat
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Bill Foran
Kids want to get into the weight room and do the
beach workout, chest and arms but the real key
along with core strength is hip and leg
strength. Everything they do from running to
jumping to moving comes from the legs and hips
and the strength and power allows you to do
unbelievable quick, fast, and explosive
movements."
24th yr as Strength Conditioning Coach of the
Miami Heat
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Activating the Core

• Many people have trouble activating the core.
• Learn this before you can strengthen it.
• The problem
• The core muscles easily become dormant through
  poor posture, wrong food choices, tight muscles,
  pain etc.
• These factors must be addressed before the core
  muscles will work naturally

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Neutral Spine

• Standing with correct posture ensuring all the
  joints are optimally aligned.
• To find your neutral spine
• Stand - heels, bum, shoulders head against the
  wall.
• With 1 hand feel how much space there is in the
  arch of your lower back.
• You should have just enough room for one hand to
  slide into the arch of the lower back

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Neutral Spine

• If you cannot get your hand in the arch or there
  is room for much more than one hand e.g. your
  fist. Your posture needs to be adjusted.
• Whenever possible try to reposition your body
  into the neutral spine position.
• This should be held for all exercises and even
  when not exercising e.g. when standing in a
  queue, sitting in the car etc.

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Engaging the Core

• From the neutral spine position you can then
  activate the core muscles. You need to do this
  every time!
• Contract the pelvic floor muscles, by stopping
  yourself going to the toilet at the back then the
  front.
• Draw the stomach area below the belly button into
  the spine as closely (hard) as possible. Imagine
  you are trying to pull on a really tight pair of
  trousers and must get them over your lower
  stomach.
• It is also very important to use the larger
  muscles of the buttock and midsection.

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Engaging the Core
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Bridging

• Activation of posterior chain
• Lay on back with knees bent at approx 900. Arms
  should be crossed over chest
• Raise Hips by pressing down through the heels
  engaging the glutes before holding top position
• Achieve a straight line from knee to hip to
  shoulder.
• Avoid lumber extension flexion

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Frontal Plank

• Develop Strength Endurance of Core Muscles
• Lye face down on ground place elbows directly
  under shoulders
• Press through the feet elbows to raise hips in
  the air achieve a straight line through the
  ankle, hip shoulder.
• Hold until loss of neutral pelvic alignment
  sound scapula position

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Side Plank

• Develop Strength Endurance of Core Muscles
• Lye on your side place one foot onto the other
  and place elbow directly under shoulder
• Raise hips in the air by pressing through the
  feet elbows achieve a straight line through
  body position
• Hold until loss of neutral pelvic alignment
  sound scapula position

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Bird Dogs

• Activate Stabilising muscles throughout the core
• Begin on all fours. Achieve a neutral lumber
  position set the scapula while engaging core
• Slowly raise arm to shoulder height and slowly
  lower before repeating on other side
• Trunk should remain braced throughout the entire
  movement
• Trunk position should not change no noticeable
  weight shift should occur.

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4 Key Concepts

• There are 4 Key concepts which should be followed
  with every exercise where possible
• Mid Foot Stance
• Lumber Neutral
• Ankle, Knee, Hip
• Symmetry

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Mid Foot Stance

• Activation of hamstring glutes
• Weight distribution through the centre of the
  foot. Foot Flat throughout
• The Heel should not rise as the lunge is
  preformed
• If Weight falls forward they will be less active
  there will be increased force on the knee
• If the foot rotates in the knee will experience
  rotational forces the foot muscles will no be
  strengthened

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Lumber Neutral

• Move through Pelvis rather than spine
• Smooth Inward arch at the Lower back which is not
  excessive
• Should be maintained through range of movement
  coming from hips
• Moving excessively through the spine increases
  the chance of back injury
• If the foot rotates in the knee will Watch for
  the spine flexing at the bottom of movements or
  extending at the start of upward movements

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Ankle, Knee Hip Alignment

• The glutes are controlling pelvic position good
  knee health
• Maintain a Straight Vertical Alignment through
  the hip, knees ankle on both legs
• If the foot rotates in the knee will Hips Shifts
  out to the side. Knee falls inwards (Usually
  accompanied with foot rolling inwards)

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Symmetry

• Excessive differences between left Right will
  cause compensations in movements
• The range of motion movement achieved on one
  side of the body should be mirrored on the other
• Focus on the hips shoulders when assessing
  symmetry
• A noticeable difference between the left right
  sides in both how the movement is performed the
  range through which it is performed

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Functional Movement Analysis

• A Functional Screen can be used to assess
  competence in general dynamic movements
• It will provide a clear understanding of the
  players ability to stabilise the spine and lower
  limbs, mobility at the shoulder, and minimise
  injuries to the ankle, knee shoulder

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Inline Lunge

1. 90 degree knee angle is achieved at both front
   and back legs.
2. Hip-Knee-Ankle are in alignment.
3. Pelvis does not tilt laterally or over rotate.
4. Torso remains upright.
5. Balance is maintained.

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Active Straight Leg Raise

1. achieves a minimum 90 degrees range of motion
2. opposite knee remains in contact with the towel
3. pelvis remains flat on the floor
4. head and shoulders remain in contact with the
   floor
5. maintains knee extension and ankle dorsi-flexion

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Deep Squat

1. Heels must remain in contact with the floor at
   all times.
2. The knees are aligned over the feet
3. player achieves top of thigh parallel or lower to
   the floor.
4. The dowel is maximally pressed out throughout the
   whole movement and in-line with the ears.
5. Head and chest must face forward

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Shoulder Mobility

• Complete for both sides
• Good
• Fists are within 1 hand Length
• Average
• Fists are within 1 ½ hand length
• Poor
• Fists are not within 1 ½ hand length

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Functional Movement Analysis

• FMA therefore can be used to
• Est. Each players strength, weakness priorities
  for development
• Help maximise the sport potential of each player
• Determine the effectiveness of the training
  programme
• Monitor player/team fitness progress their
  response to training/playing. Ensure that a
  player is fit to play

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7 Primal Movement Patterns

• Our Basic goal should be FUNCTION.
• Use our time to make sure our bodies are 100
  functional
• Be able to perform all the movements that are
  necessary Stay injury free

• Squat
• Lunge

• Push
• Pull

• Bend
• Twist/ Rotate

• Gait

• Gait is the way in which we move our whole body
  from one point to another. This is done by
  walking, run, skip, hop etc.

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Squat
If only. I remember when I was..
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Squat

• Develop a foundation Squat Pattern for future
  progression
• Start with feet slightly outside of hip width
  toes slightly angled outwards
• Weight should be through the center of the foot.
• Lower the center of gravity slowly be breaking at
  the ankle, knee hip. Aim to reach parallel
  while keeping chest big
• Not maintaining lumber position throughout
  movement.
• Knees not tracking over toes

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Lunge

• Develop Hip and lower limb Control
• feet should stay hip width as you move down the
  floor
• Aim for a tall posture with upper body while
  keeping chest big
• Ideally, you want both knees at 900
• knee should track directly over center toe
  without them falling in or going out with each
  step.
• the front knee overly flexed and out in front of
  your toes
• flat arches

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Lateral Lunge

• Improve range of adductors single leg
  control/Strength
• Place feet approx 1-1.5m apart with toes pointing
  slightly outwards/ Squat to one side while
  keeping the dragging leg straight
• Attempt to sit back into the squat while keeping
  the chest big
• Hip not inline with knee

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Lunge Mountain Climbers

• Improve range around hip lower limb adductors
• Begin in Press up Position
• Aim to place 1 foot slightly outside the hand on
  that side
• Drop the hips towards the floor before returning
  to start position
• Moving through movement to quickly.
• Not Balanced before dropping hips towards the
  floor

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Push Press Up

• Develops Stabilising muscles around the shoulder
• Begin in front plank position resting on hands.
• Set shoulder blades back lower towards ground
  by bending elbows
• Aim to reach a few inches above ground push
  back up again
• Not achieving a straight line through the ankle,
  hip shoulder.
• loss of neutral pelvic alignment sound scapula
  position
• Errors

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Pull Overhead Pulldown

• Scapula Awareness General Shoulder mobility
• Raise hands to shoulder height, approx 1m apart
• Raise hands slowly overhead then pull downwards
  towards the ribs
• Maintain trunk position
• Excessive lumber extension
• Forcing movement instead of gradually improving

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Pull Overhead Pulldown

• Scapula Awareness General Shoulder mobility
• Raise hands to shoulder height, approx 1m apart
• Raise hands slowly overhead then pull downwards
  towards the ribs
• Maintain trunk position
• Excessive lumber extension
• Forcing movement instead of gradually improving

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Bend - Single Leg RDL

• strengthening the hamstrings glutes
  stabilises muscles around the foot, knees and
  hips
• Stabilise on one leg Starting the movement from
  the hips, begin to tilt your upper body forward
  downKick your free leg behind you while lowering
  your upper body towards the ground until your
  torso is parallel to the floor
• Not moving your upper body and free leg
  simultaneously.
• Not keeping back flat throughout

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Bend Walking Hamstring

• Improve hamstring flexability
• Step onto lead foot and push hips backwards while
  maintaining a slight knee angle on the lead leg
• To increase stretch push hips back further or
  increase forward lean of trunk
• Allowing trunk rotation or flexion at the lumber
  spine

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Twist/ Rotate - Cobra

• Improve Mobility about the hip
• Lay Face down in a crucifix position
• Raise the left leg in the air attempt to touch
  the opposite hand
• Shoulders not remaining in position and in
  contact with the ground

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Gait Star Jumps

• Improve range about the shoulder joint Landing
  mechanics
• Jump up in air and split legs apart
• At the same time raise arms out to side.
• After a quick ground contact time return to start
  position repeat

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Gait Skipping

• Develop sound running mechanics general
  co-ordination
• High alternate knee drives with short contact
  time
• Use arm opposing arm drive to counter balance
  lower limb force
• Keep abs tight ensure contacts are light
• Not driving knee past waist height

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Gait Lateral Movement

• Develop sound movement mechanics general
  co-ordination
• Shuffle side to side while maintaining a low
  center of mass
• Change of direction should involve a small
  lateral lunge
• Not Staying upright and maintaining hip control

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Gait Acceleration/Deceleration Sprints

• Develop sound running mechanics
• Assume an athletic standing stance
• Drive forward maintaining a forward lean
• Then rapidly decelerated by shortening stride
  length, lowering center of mass lifting the
  chest
• Starts to Stop 5 steps,4,3,2,1..

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Guidelines to follow

• Coach to Player Ratio 1 to 10.
• Close supervision is required when young players
  are learning exercises for the first time
• All Players learn best by doing.
• When teaching a new exercise, have the
• player perform the exercise under your
• watchful eye.
• (Not Circuit Style for Learning Exercises)
• Players should feel comfortable with the program
  and should look forward to the next workout

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Programme Planning

• Begin with Exercise learning, and get this right!
• Start with Body weight/ light weight and high
  reps
• Beginning with relatively light loads will allow
  for appropriate adjustments to be made.
• Maximal lifting is not recommended for general
  conditioning purposes.
• Increase the weight/ Technique difficultly,
  gradually as strength improves.
• e.g. Making Exercises Single Leg, use of
  Resistance bands, TRX, Medicine Balls, Partner

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Programme PlanningSets, Reps Weight

• increase the load and decrease the reps as
  strength improves.
• Move to 1 set of 10 to 15 repetitions on 6 to 8
  exercises that focus on all the major muscle
  groups of the upper and lower body.
• Two training sessions per week on nonconsecutive
  days is sufficient.
• Generally a 1kg-2.5kg increase in weight is
  consistent with a 5 to 10 increase in training
  intensity.
• Progression can also be achieved by increasing
  the number of sets (up to 3) or number of
  exercises.

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General Conditioning

• Structured Programme (the Key is gentle
  progression)
• Six Week Periods(meso-cycle) Broken into 7
  days(Micro-cycles)
• Each Meso-cycle includes 1-2 easy weeks, which
  happen after a really good 5-7 days
• From the Beginning the first few weeks shouldnt
  hurt
• Gradually progress from easy training to intense
  training to reduce the risk of injury.
• When players stop training for as little as two
  weeks their conditioning levels decline.

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General Conditioning

• Follow the FITTE principle of training
• F Frequency two - Three times per week.
• I Intensity 60-85 of heart rate maximum
• (220 Age, done after 2-4mins
• activity)
• T Time from 10-15mins to 20, 40, 60
• minutes.
• T Type Run, jog, cycle, row etc.
• E Enjoyment this will increase the likelihood
  of
• the player keeping to the
• programme.

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Conditioning

• Making the best use of your time?
• Challenge Games/ Matches
• Small Sided Games
• Fitness through Drills
• 2v2, 2v3, 1v1 Exercises
• Interval Training/ Tabata

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Conditioning - Tabata

• Is applying a brief high intensity circuit method
  workout of 20sec Work 10sec Rest x 8 4mins

• GAA Context
• Group 1 Group 2
• 2mins Skill Learning
• 4mins Tabata 1v1 Active Rest
• 4mins Active Rest Tabata 1v1
• 5mins Game Context

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Conditioning - Push the Button

• Aim Attacking, Defending, Ball Control,
  Confidence on the Ball, Work Rate
• 1v1 win possession pass ball to your teammate

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Conditioning - Wall Ball

• Play GAA Version of Squash, Ball is permitted to
  bouce once. First to 21 wins
• Variations
• Ball can bounce twice
• Player can only use 2 touches
• Weak Side only
• Ball must hit target zone on
• the wall

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Conditioning - Small Sided Game - Wipe Out

• Aim Focuses players and leads to a higher degree
  of intensity. Players are keener to defend, find
  space shoot sooner turn over the ball
• To win the game a team must score 3 times
  consecutively, without their scores being
  interrupted by their opponents scoring.
• Should their score be interrupted then their
  scores are wiped out!

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General Conditioning Principles

• Each Week dont increase the training load
  (Volume/ Distance) by more than 10.
• Increase volume before you increase intensity.
• Dont increase more than one variable on a weekly
  basis (either volume or intensity)
• You should see weekly intensity increasing as
  volume falls
• Reduce the amount of training during competition
  to prevent burn out and fatigue.
• It is beneficial to group players with common
  needs so that they are able to work together self
  reinforcing their collective efforts.

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Conditioning for Secondary School Players

• Kevin Kelly Gary Mallon

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References

• Support from
• Gary Mallon Ulster GAA
• Michael Glover Ulster GAA
• Michael Johnson Mark Kilgallan SINI SC
  coaches
• Ashley Jones Canterbury Crusaders SC Coach
• Anthony Begley Derry SC officer
• Tommy Stevenson - Sports Development Officer
• Websites
• Coaching Manuals
• FUNdamentals Pack Ulster GAA
• Learn to Train Pack Ulster GAA
• Train to Train Pack Ulster GAA
• Give us a Game Gerard OConnor
• Moving Armagh forward guide to better Coaching
  Armagh Coaching Committee

• Books
• High-Performance Sports conditioning Bill Foran
• Essentials of Strength Training Conditioning
  Thomas Baechle
• Strength Conditioning for team Sports Paul
  Gamble
• Lance Armstrong Performance Programme Lance
  Armstong Chris Carmichael
• Total Rugby Jim Greenwood
• Complete Conditioning for Rugby Dan Luger
  Paul Pook
• Conditioning for Rugby League John Kerr, Andrew
  Clarke Simon Worsnop
• Strength Training for Rugby League Union
  Bruce Walsh
• Science of Sports Training Thomas Kurz
• DVDs
• How to play rugby my way Jonny Wilkinson

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The brain is like a muscle, the more you work on
the inside the more it shows on the outside
Coach
Mental Toughness
Constructive Evaluation
Learning Style
Language Behaviour
Mindset
Player/Athlete