Rugby players have literally lifted all the weights, there are no more.
So the only thing for it is to start working out necks instead.
There’s a lot of crossover with rugby and the GAA – Gaelic Football in particular. Upper leg strength is huge for both. Power is one of the greatest assets in each. Breaking lines, standing strong against momentum, ploughing on upfield even when you’re being pulled back – they’re elements that all the best rugby players and footballers have. All the average ones too.
More and more, these things are no longer advantages, they’re just obligatory. They’re the bare minimum. It’s expected of rugby players and Gaelic Football players to develop these physical attributes and, with it all still being a relatively new – at least conscious – idea in the GAA world, it’s still hugely beneficial to work on these aspects of your game.
That’s why we have the culture we do now, with lads squatting more than they solo. And that’s why we also have the GAA still borrowing ideas from their egg-ball neighbours.
This is what GAA pre-season looks like.
GAA preseason today : AM : #Gym Cleans. Rows. Press. 1 leg squat. Iso ham bridge. Box jump Light Swim 20min. PM : Yoga
— Nige GAA London (@nigemcdermott) February 24, 2016
This is what GAA sessions look like.
Power clean/hang clean/front squats b4 GAA = hamstring cramps #stupid #ballwork?? @OconnorRocky79 pic.twitter.com/RbclH7BWLK
— FirstStep PT (@FirstStep_PT) June 19, 2015
Free-takers are going to bloody love this invention.
And O’Neill’s have already given us assurances.
Size 5, Watch, Magnet…leave this with us lads. Brainstorm starts here!☇ pic.twitter.com/sgTt2JfS0q
— O'Neills (@ONeills1918) October 31, 2016
Expect to see these workshops being rolled out at a club near you very soon too.
Many IRUPA members struggle with sleep. As part of our Wellbeing Programme we run sleep workshops #ForThePlayers pic.twitter.com/wtsx5D6BbW
— RugbyPlayersIreland (@RugbyPlayersIRE) March 30, 2016
But now… but now.
Prop training has been taken to a whole other extreme. One of the toughest exercises anyone who has ever dabbled in white collar boxing would’ve faced is letting your head hang from the ring whilst lying on your back and simply lifting it up and down. The strain it puts your neck muscles under is incredible – muscles you probably never use.
Some guys can’t get enough of it though and they need to load their necks up with weights. Yep, this is what is happening now.
If that sounds a tad extreme, how about these doozies:
Can’t really imagine what use a GAA player would have for it but they’ll probably find one.
*Updated from post first published in November 2016
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