The Fallowers

When we are planning some fitness tests with teams or athletes, what guides our thoughts? We discuss the various components or aspects of fitness we want to measure. What tests are most appropriate for various sports, groups, ages or facilities? We briefly mention some mishaps we've had while testing and discuss some of the struggles we have with coaches/managers when deciding on whether to test or not.

This week we looked at both top speed and acceleration. How they will benefit many athletes. What drills, exercises and activities to focus on. How to programme them into your training schedule and the necessity of discussing the importance of speed training with players and management.

This week we had the pleasure of being joined by head coach at Crossfit Galway, Padraic Colhoun. Padraic gave an excellent overview of Crossift. How may benefit field sport athletes and where he sees the Crossfit going over the next few years along with giving some of his own coaching wisdom from years in the trenches. You can find Padraic's own podcast by searching "The Humble Coach" or "The Performance Pathway".

This week we discussed all things power related. How to test power. Best exercises for increasing power. How to plan and programme and incorporating power work into your normal gym sessions. We also have a discussion on the merits of including olympic lifting in your training.

This week we had the pleasure of chatting to former pro soccer player, Billy Dennehy. He spoke about underage Gaelic Football with Kerry, including missing an All Ireland Final as he'd just signed with Sunderland. Billy also spoke about how he's ventured into S&C in soccer and his new role as manager and coach of the Kerry U19 League Of Ireland soccer team while Shane got to reminisce on the Shamrock Rovers glory days. 

This we looked at how to increase your strength. What tests to use to see if you've made progress. What exercises to focus on for overall strength development. Set and rep schemes to get the most bang for your buck!

This week we answered some listener questions. What to do when activity levels suddenly drop? How many calories should I be eating? What do we think of the new children's food guidelines? Should our water intake increase if taking creatine?

This week John gave an overview of his first PhD study that delved into the association between physical activity and mental health in Irish adolescents. Some stark statistics in relation to symptoms of depression and anxiety were highlighted along with low levels of physical activity. There is some hope though, as participation in sport seeming to provide many mental health benefits.

This week we were joined by Andy Murphy. He spoke about his MMA career. Beginning in middle distance running. Training and making weight for Bellator. Opening a gym and running it during Covid-19. Top class guest with a very interesting story.

As we head into one of the longest pre-seasons in history for a lot of athletes, we decided to provide some guidance on how to increase muscle mass. What actually happens we we put on muscle? What are some of the common mistakes that beginners make? The best exercises, sets and reps, and how to fit them into your own gym setting.