Éamonn Fitzmaurice on the GAA warm-up: How match prep has changed
PLYOMETRIC PREP: Kerry's Paul Murphy and Paul Geaney warm up prior to the Allianz League game at Dr Hyde Park.
WHEN possible, I always like to get to a match in plenty of time. As well as being slightly OCD about time-keeping I enjoy watching the teams warm up. I am curious about the drills they are running, the conditioned games being played while also searching for tell-tale signs that may point towards what type of performance can be expected afterwards.
Warm-ups nowadays are military operations without a second wasted, but their development over the years intrigues me. From something that was viewed with suspicion and contempt, the warm-up is now a fundamental part of every team's preparation, both on training days and on match day as they prime themselves for performance in competition.
