Pre-Season & the Injured Athlete

Are you getting injured early in the season?

I am a firm believer that pre season training, is setting most athletes up for injury. That injury is most likely already there, just waiting to rear its ugly head. Or the injury is on the way early in the season.

Having spoken recently, to to a senior club GAA footballer, about his pre-season training. He informs me that on their first session back, they are made to run maximal sprints, turn 180 degrees and sprint back. He did as many as he could before his hamstring gave out, I'm not surprised. 

Whoever is taking the fitness / S&C pre season training should have:

• A formal S&C qualification (If S&C is what you want)?
• The knowledge of programme design.
•  Structure to a pre-season programme
• Knowledge when to push the athlete
• Knowledge when to back of the athlete
• Ability to screen the athletes during pre-season
• Knowledge how to teach exercise / movement safely
• Knowledge to modify the exercises for each individual
• Communication skils
• Motivational skills and more

What is the answer ? Why don't the team / club hire a professional to do this part of pre-season training?

If a senior team of roughly 30 players payed €5 a week for 4 weeks, I am sure they could get a S&C instructor to do 2 session per week for 30-40 minutes. That's €20 per person, that's €20 well spent IMO. That's €20 that will be pissed down the drain of the local bar in a lot of cases.

Invest in a good S&C coach and keep your full team available for the full season.

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