Press-ups in warm-ups for a game. Planks, sit-ups and a lung-busting series of runs.
They’re great for a training session. A great way for a player to get fit, to sweat whatever badness they have out of them. It’s a way to test yourself, your resolve and your will.
For a warm-up what is the point in pushing yourself to the limit? What is the point in emptying your energy reserves right before your game? What is the point in being under pressure, red-faced and blowing with the game only starting? It’s even more self-defeating when the weather conditions were as hot and as difficult as they were last weekend.
It’s the last thing a player wants before a game. On top of being absolutely b*lluxed physically, mental doubts creep in. “I shouldn’t be feeling this as much as I am, a warm-up should be handy.”
It’s one of the modern day manager’s pets. They feel as if they have an obligation to run the sh*te out of their players before a game.
Former Meath player Cian Ward was speaking on The GAA Hour Football Show on Monday when he revealed that there had been comments within Meath that their players underwent an extremely physical warm-up prior to their disappointing loss to Kildare.
“It’s interesting that there were some comments about Meath’s warm-up in their game against Kildare. Meath were out there for a reasonable amount of time. On days like that (warm days such as Saturday) you genuinely don’t need a warm-up. You just need a stretch.”
Ward fondly recalled the warm-up approach taken by his former Meath manager Colm Brady. He didn’t see it as his duty to have his players sweating buckets before the game. He had them relaxed, they took it easy. More managers could take note, because it makes sense not to have your players in pain after completing thirty gruelling press-ups in a warm-up.
“I can remember a couple of games we played in Croke Park where it was very very warm. There was a warm-up zone in Croke Park but we did feck all there, we did a bit of stretching, everything was cut-back. We actually limited our time out on the field. We halved the time we spent out on the pitch. That was Colm Brady that was involved with us that time and it definitely made a difference, we were a lot sharper and you actually had a little bit of extra confidence. You manage your efforts so you get to the start of the game primed and full of energy.”
Show host Colm Parkinson was in complete agreement with Ward. The former Laois player went on to argue that a warm-up is a way for managers to showcase how well drilled they have their team.
“I honestly think that before training sessions when you just go out and kick a few scores. I honestly think (it’s the way to do it) This won’t look good, the optics of this ah they’re only thrown together. If you do one or two runs and limber up, your body’s hot. You just need to stretch and kick scores. You don’t need these elaborate warm-ups. I really strongly believe that.
“Genuinely, on a hot day like that, you make a great point, forget about it. Don’t take the energy out of the lads. The energy is absolutely vital on a day like that,” said Parkinson.
Conan Doherty agreed with Parkinson on the above comments and was even more vehement in his views against these over-stated warm-ups.
“I hate warm-ups. I’ve been involved in them. I’ve taken them myself but I’ve never been a big fan of them. I think every player knows what they need to do to get ready for a game. For me, warm-ups are just an excuse for a manager to show the crowd that’s there early ‘look how well drilled I have this team.’ I’ve been involved in some of them where you’re going 100 miles an hour and he’s roaring and shouting at you, it’s a full on training session, just for one last chance to say ‘look I’ve got these boys whipped into great shape and it pisses you off,” argued Doherty.
Many players around the country will agree. It makes sense that they don’t want to feel as if they’ve just run a marathon before their game.
Listen to the lad’s warm-up rant here from 11’00”.
