The level of commitment by amateur players is incredible and extremely admirable

WHAT a spectacle the hurling All-Ireland semi-finals have been over the past few weeks.

The skill and intensity levels of the Kilkenny and Waterford teams were truly something to behold. The evolution of both codes in recent years in terms of strength, power, speed and endurance has definitely been on display in this year’s championships.

Both the improved skill levels and physical capacities are interlinked you must have the physical competence to do the technical stuff and the technical qualities to do the tactical stuff, in that order

As such, many players and coaches are now looking for new ways to improve both technical and physical abilities and gain that extra edge.

In this week’s article I am going to discuss the idea of the 24/7 athlete and my experience working in such an environment.

The idea of the 24/7 athlete is that you are not just a footballer or hurler for the training sessions or game that you complete in any given week.

There is another 160+ hours in the week where there is potential to improve through simple strategies such as correct nutrition and hydration, rest and recovery, as well as areas such as prehab and strength training. Such a lifestyle can be challenging, but it is also extremely rewarding and will lead to health and sports performance benefits.

The typical day of an Under-18 player in a professional soccer academy is where we get a view of the 24/7 athlete lifestyle that players live. They would report to the training ground at 8am sharp from Monday to Friday.

The first task of the day was the various jobs that they held, which included sorting out drinks and equipment for training, stocking fridges in the gym or canteen, helping the kitmen and tidying the changing rooms. Simple jobs that make everyone’s lives easier at the club and also keep the players grounded.

The players were then divided into different groups. One group would have gym every second day the other would have prehab and then they would alternate.

The gym sessions were very functional and prioritised around increasing the player’s levels of strength and power while making them robust to injury.

The prehab sessions were based on mobility and stability, while also strengthening specific movements that were flagged during testing as deficient.

Following these sessions the players were out on one of the training pitches for a 10.30 am start. Training sessions would have consisted of a warm up led by the sports scientist, which would have a specific focus for example speed and agility or hip mobility. Following this the players would go through various technical and tactical practises with the coaches.

Throughout the session the players were monitored using heart rate and GPS data and the sports scientist could feedback to the coach on whether a certain practice had the physical requirements that were needed.

At the end of the session players showered and changed then reported to the canteen for their healthy lunch which would have all the nutritional requirements to start the recovery process from the mornings training. After lunch it was off to college for the players where they studied for a health and fitness diploma that would allow them to enter college if they were not successful in their endeavour to become a professional player.

This was the end of the support staffs contact with the players, however through presentations and workshops delivered at the beginning of the season, the players now knew what was required of them over the remainder of the day and the responsibility was now on them to carry it out.

Such practices can be implemented by any athlete and would have a positive impact on both health and performance. From a nutritional perspective players are advised to plan ahead and make smart and healthy choices.

They should eat five times a day to meet their large caloric requirement and also to keep blood glucose levels relatively stable and avoid large fluctuations. After training a combination of high glycaemic index carbs and lean protein was required to start the recovery process. Obviously unhealthy food and drinks such as fast food and fizzy drinks should be avoided.

Hydration is critical and players should monitor their own hydration levels and are advised to be hydrated throughout the day and arrive to training in a hydrated state.

Furthermore they are required to make up the deficit of fluid loss after training which can be monitored by weighing one’s self. The final hydration point was to take on a little bit of water throughout the day.

Recovery is an adaptive process and is especially important after strenuous activity such as games where players should complete a tailored recovery session.

This can include a multitude of processes including light activity such as jogging and stretching, mobility exercises, foam rolling and trigger pointing, pool recovery sessions, contrast showers and ice baths.

The most critical point however would be to avoid any intense exercise for a period of 48 hours.

Matches are generally extremely strenuous and there is a need to recover from that bout of intense physical activity. This recovery time frame decreases the chances of injury and will allow for freshness and increased performance in the sessions later in the week.

Sleep is essential to recovery and players should get to sleep at a reasonable hour, as sleep before midnight is worth more than after this period.

Computer games, television and smart phone use should be avoided for a period of an hour before going to bed to allow the mind time to relax and to try to get into a deep sleep with relative ease.

There are now free apps on smartphones that can detail sleep patterns and how much deep sleep is obtained using motion sensors. If you have difficulty sleeping this may be one method to review any areas that need extra attention.

While the level of physical and technical ability increases in both codes, the idea of the 24/7 athlete is becoming more and more prevalent to develop the best possible players.

The level of commitment that stems from pride in parishes and counties by the amateur athletes that live and breathe such a lifestyle each and every day is incredible and extremely admirable.