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Sports training

Strength workout for Gaelic football and hurling: drop jumps and sprints, legs, hamstrings and groins

Hamstrings cause about a fifth of all injuries in elite Gaelic football, and over half of players have hip or groin pain in a year. This session starts with the drop-jump and sprint combination that, in hurlers, went with stronger squats and faster sprints over 7 weeks, then builds legs, hamstrings and groins. The Nordic and Copenhagen exercises come from football trials; back extensions matched Nordics for building hamstring strength in Gaelic footballers. You need a barbell and rack, a bench, a 45-degree back-extension bench, a box, 20 m of space, a landmine or cable, and a partner or anchor for Nordics.

55 minIntermediate17 movesA wall · A step · A barbell · A bench or box · An anchor point · A dumbbell · Pull-up barCalves · Hip flexors · Adductors · Hip abductors · Glutes · Quads
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Warm-up

  1. Skipping2 min
    Beginner · Calves, Hip flexors, Quads · 3D demoEasyEasier: Ankle bounces (mini pogo)Harder: Alternate-leg bounding
  2. World's greatest stretch3 each side
    Intermediate · Hip flexors, Adductors, Glutes · 3D demoReach up and turnEasier: Low lunge (Anjaneyasana)Harder: Active pancake lift-off
  3. Side-to-side leg swings8 swings each leg
    Beginner · Adductors, Hip abductors · 3D demoSide to sideHarder: Lizard pose (Utthan Pristhasana)
  4. Glute bridge10
    Beginner · Glutes, Hamstrings, Abs · 3D demoSqueeze at the topEasier: Pelvic tilt into bridgeHarder: Single-leg glute bridge

Drop jumps and sprints

Rest Walk back between rounds

  1. Depth jump6 rounds of 3 bounce drop jumps
    Advanced · Quads, Glutes, Calves · 3D demoFrom a box about 30 to 40 cm: step off, land and rebound fast, as if the ground is hotEasier: Box drop landingHarder: Depth jump to a second box
  2. Sprint intervals6 × 20 m, each 15 s after a round of drop jumps
    Advanced · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoAll-out; walk backEasier: Treadmill jogging

Strength

Rest 2 to 3 min between sets

  1. Barbell back squat4 × 4 to 6
    Advanced · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoTwo lighter sets first; stop 2 to 3 reps short of failureEasier: Bodyweight squatHarder: Overhead squat
  2. Rear-foot-elevated split squat (Bulgarian split squat)3 × 6 to 8 each leg
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoFront knee over the middle toesEasier: Reverse lungeHarder: Split squat jump

Hamstrings

  1. Nordic curlPre-season: 2 × 5 in week 1, building to 3 sets of 12, 10 and 8. In season: 2 × 4 once a week
    Advanced · Hamstrings, Glutes · 3D demoLower as slowly as you can and catch yourself on your handsEasier: Slider hamstring curlHarder: Full Nordic curl
  2. Back extension on a 45-degree bench3 × 8 to 10
    Intermediate · Back, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoHips on the pad; hinge and lift with your hamstrings and glutesEasier: Ball back extensionHarder: Horizontal back extension (hyperextension, Roman chair)
  3. Dumbbell Romanian deadlift3 × 6 with a staggered stance
    Intermediate · Hamstrings, Glutes, Back · 3D demoBack long, 3 seconds downEasier: Hip-hinge practiceHarder: Single-leg Romanian deadlift

Groins

  1. Copenhagen plank1 set each side, 3 to 15 reps
    Advanced · Adductors, Abs, Shoulders · 3D demoStart with the short lever: top knee on the benchEasier: Hip adduction machine

Upper body, rotation and neck

  1. Barbell bench press3 × 5
    Intermediate · Chest, Triceps, Shoulders · 3D demoShoulder blades set back and downEasier: Chest press machineHarder: Dumbbell bench press
  2. Chin-up3 × 5 to 8
    Advanced · Back, Biceps, Forearms · 3D demoFull hang to chin over the bar. Or chest-supported rows, 3 × 8 to 12Easier: Assisted pull-up (machine)Harder: Weighted pull-up
  3. Landmine 180 (landmine rotation)3 × 6 each side
    Intermediate · Abs, Glutes, Back · 3D demoTurn from the hips, as in a strike or a kickEasier: Cable press and rotationHarder: Barbell pike rollout
  4. Isometric neck holds (four-way)3 holds of 10 s each direction
    Beginner · Neck · 3D demoBuild the pressure slowly; stop for pain, dizziness or pins and needlesEasier: Chin tuckHarder: Chin tuck with head lift

Calves

  1. Single-leg calf raise from a step2 × 12 each leg
    Intermediate · Calves · 3D demoSlow on the way downEasier: Slow calf raiseHarder: Single-leg pogo hops

Tips

  • Pre-season: twice a week, with the drop jumps and sprints both times, as in the hurling trial. In season: once or twice, with the Nordics once a week. No heavy legs, Nordics or hard jumping in the 48 hours before a match (our suggestion).
  • Build running and gym loads gradually: in one elite squad, big jumps in weekly load raised injury risk, especially in first-year players, while fitter players were better protected.
  • Reach near your top speed in training most weeks (our suggestion): in one elite squad, players exposed to over 95% of their top speed had fewer leg injuries than those who only reached 85%.
  • Hurlers and camogie players with a previous hand fracture: padded gloves are a reasonable choice, though no trial has tested them.
  • After a concussion, follow the GAA's return steps before lifting or training hard again: adults return to play at day 15 at the earliest (adult men between 7 and 15 days only after assessment by a doctor experienced in concussion, never within 7), and under-18s at day 21.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

Guides that recommend it

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A 20-minute hop and bound session for runners: ankle bounces to pogo hops, one-leg hops and bounding, building foot contacts slowly over 10 weeks.

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Strength workout for cyclists (gym)

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Questions people ask

How long does the strength workout for gaelic football and hurling: drop jumps and sprints, legs, hamstrings and groins take?

About 55 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: A wall, A step, A barbell, A bench or box, An anchor point, A dumbbell, Pull-up bar. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for me?

It is written at intermediate level. 16 of its 17 moves have an easier option listed beside them; use them freely.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.