Should I do Weights?

Yes! Weights are a superb way to improve strength and also reduce the risk of injury. Weight training can improve your performance in a number of ways e.g. making you faster or better able to hold off a marker. Some common misconceptions about weights include that "they stunt your growth" and that they "make you slower". On the contrary weights are great for the skeleton and make you faster! One look at top sprinters and rugby players shows the value of weight training - they are powerful yet agile. Research recommends using weights that are 70% and greater of your one repetition maximum - or 1 rep max. A 1 rep max is the amount of weight that you can lift once but not twice as it too heavy, so intensity is important. You can do multiple sets - it is useful to warm up with light weights and perform multiple sets getting heavier each time e.g. 4 sets of 8. Twice a week or more will show good improvements for beginners. In gaelic football, most inter-county teams now do weights, indeed Armagh were probably the first team to take weights to a high level helping them win the 2002 all-ireland against Kerry. Since then most other teams have caught up. In the next article we will discuss some of the best weights exercises recommended for Gaelic football and hurling.