K.Kelly, K.McGuigan & J. Darragh Developing High Intensity Hurling coaching practice and intensity

“What is Training?” Sports training is the use of specialised strategies and methods of exercise in order to develop athletes and prepare them for performance in competitive sporting events. 1 ST Stage Identify the physical requirements of the game in question. In this case – hurling. Watch the following video clip of a senior inter- county match.

“What is Training?”

Physical Demands of Hurling 40 second clip from Cork v Waterford 2006; At least 7 key skills used;  Strike, lift, hand pass, shot, high catch, block, low catch. A wide range of physical fitness attributes;  Flexibility, motor co-ordination, strength, agility, speed, reaction time, balance, power, muscular endurance & cardiovascular fitness. The key component which can potentially limit all others is Cardiovascular fitness; Analysis of the CV system is an ideal indicator of physical intensity.

Cardiovascular Intensity Cardio – Heart; Vascular – Lungs; The CV system ensures muscles are supplied with an adequate oxygen; The lungs increase oxygen intake and the heart increases level of output to the muscles. How can we measure the intensity of our performance? Heart rate monitoring; As we increase the intensity at which we perform, heart rate will increase to reflect this;

Heart Rate & Hurling Heart rate during top senior inter-county matches; A team average based on percentage of maximum heart rate for the 14 outfield players; First Half: 85% MHR; Second Half: 84% MHR; Players average 85% MHR over 70 minutes; In simple terms, each player’s heart beats, on average, 170 times each minute for the duration of a match. Does our approach to hurling training in Ulster reflect this intensity?

Case Study Naomh Colum Cille Hurling Club – Tyrone – Tyrone & Ulster Junior Champions – All-Ireland Junior Club Finalists Case Study

Session Breakdown Warm up – Laps & Static Stretch v Dynamic Warm Up Drills – Unopposed v Opposed Games – Small Sided v Full Sided (Conditioned Games)

Warm Up Laps & Static Stretch V Dynamic Warm Up

Laps & Static Stretching

Dynamic Warm Up

Warm Up - Heart Rate Laps & Static Stretch

Warm Up - Heart Rate Dynamic Warm Up

Warm Up - Heart Rate Static v Dynamic Warm Up

Warm Up - Comparison Heart Rates Expressed as a Percentage of Maximum (% MHR) Max Heart Rate Min Heart Rate Av Heart Rate Time (Minutes) Laps & Static Stretch 80% 58% 67% 3 Dynamic Warm Up 91% 57% 73% 3

Drills Unopposed V Opposed

Unopposed

Striking on the Run Max HR %87 Avg HR %77

Unopposed

3’s Work the Middle Man Max HR %92 Avg HR %71

Opposed

4’s Push the Button Max HR %87 Avg HR %75

Drills - Comparison Heart Rates as a Percentage of Maximum (% MHR) Max Heart Rate Min Heart Rate Av Heart Rate Work to Rest Ratio Time (Minutes) Unopposed Work middle man 92% 50% 71% 1:2 8 Opposed Push the button 89% 55% 75% 1:1 6 Unopposed Striking on Run 87% 59% 77% 3:1 3

Unopposed

3’s Unopposed Lifting Max HR %90 Avg HR %67

Opposed

Full Team - Opposed Lifting Max HR %83 Avg HR %75

Drills - Comparison Heart Rates as a Percentage of Maximum (% MHR) Max Heart Rate Min Heart Rate Av Heart Rate Work to Rest Ratio Time Unopposed Lifting 90% 49% 67% 1:2 8 Opposed Lifting 83% 64% 75% 1:1 4

Games Small Sided V Conditioned Full Sided

Small Sided

3v3 Grid Game Max HR %91 Avg HR %84

Small Sided

7v7 Grid Game Max HR %90 Avg HR %82

Small Sided Games - Comparison Heart Rates as a Percentage of Maximum (% MHR) Max Heart Rate Min Heart Rate Av Heart Rate Work to Rest Ratio Time Small Sided 7v7 Grid Game :1 4 Small Sided 3v3 Grid Game :1 4

Full Sided

Full Sided (Conditioned - 4 Corners Game) Max HR %90 Avg HR %83

Games - Comparison Heart Rates as a Percentage of Maximum (% MHR) Max Heart Rate Min Heart Rate Av Heart Rate Work to Rest Ratio Time (Minutes) Small Sided 7v7 Grid Game 90% 63% 82% 3:1 4 Small Sided 3v3 Grid Game 91% 66% 84% 3:1 4 Full Sided 14v14 Game 90% 67% 83% 3:1 5

Review Warm up – Dynamic Warm Up has more advantages compared to Laps & Static Stretch Drills – Opposed Drills Generate Higher Average HR than traditional unopposed Drills – Skill Development under pressure/ More Game Related Games – Get HR closest to Match Level 83-84% MHR

Summary Heart Rate – Match Based Heart Rates Average 84-85% MHR Drills v Games – Hurling is a Sporadic Game – Train in a Sporadic Manner Magic Formula? – Structured Games Based Training – High Intensity, Manageable Volume

Questions & Answers

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