LISTEN: Waterford’s Austin Gleeson details the gym dedication involved in emerging with ball from hurling “ruck”

His five-point haul in a masterful display against Clare last month had the hurling world in awe of Austin Gleeson.

The Waterford full-forward/wing-forward/midfielder/wing-back was damn near unplayable in the Munster SHC semi-final win over the Banner men. Gleeson's athleticism and touch left pundits cooing about his natural ability, as if the Mount Sion clubman does not have to work like a dog on his game. Bullshit, obviously. In an exclusive interview with new SportsJOE Gaelic Games editor Colm Parkinson, Gleeson details the gym work that has helped transform him into one of the finest ball-winners in the game. It is not just core work however, Gleeson also reveals the punishing 'ruck' drills, against the likes of Michael 'Brick' Walsh and Philip Mahony, that are used to hone the Waterford players' ability to battle for the ball on the ground. "I started doing weights this year," says Gleeson. "It makes your core element stronger. You can take all the hits, you can take all the belts and keep moving forward. Fitness levels automatically go up when you're doing the gym work." Gleeson has committed to two sessions per week in the gyn, totalling up to three hours, on top of the collective team drills.

"I'd prefer to run a mile than be in the middle of those rucks. They take everything out of you. Your lungs just feel empty and everything after those rucks. They're just crazy. "Philip Mahony and Brick Walsh are two of the best I have ever seen, they just get the body over the ball, they take all the bangs and just come out with the ball," says Gleeson.

"The bangs and the little flicks and everything that you would take that you don't see on the telly, it's difficult to take and keep moving if you're not doing these things in the gym and working on them in training. "They build your core and make yourself solid out so you can take the hits." You can listen to the whole interview below.

• Colm Parkinson is SportsJOE's dedicated Gaelic games editor and will be presenting The GAA Hour, our new podcast. Four times a week Colm will be joined by a host of top-class pundits to analyse and preview the Championship action.
• Starting on Monday July 11th, former Dublin footballer Barry Cahill and Conan Doherty will be alongside Colm to discuss the Connacht SFC final and all the qualifier action on 'The GAA Hour - Football'.
• Also on Monday eight-time All-Ireland winner JJ Delaney and Galway legend Damien Hayes will join Colm and Mikey Stafford on 'The GAA Hour - Hurling' to pick over the Munster SHC final and Saturday's qualifier action.