GAA 15 - Injury prevention programme

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Introduction[edit | edit source]

The GAA 15[1] is a standardised warm up programme that targets decreasing incidence of injuries in Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) players. The GAA is an Irish international organisation that promotes traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, gaelic football, and gaelic handball.[2] The programme was developed by The Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee in partnership with a group of research professionals. The programme takes fifteen minutes in total to complete, which can be carried out as a standardised warm up before training and games. The programme is divided into three sections:

  • Section 1: Running
  • Section 2: Improving mechanics and limiting risk of injury
  • Section 3: Sports specific movements

A randomised cluster trial showed clinical and statistical improvements in both dynamic balance and jump-landing performance in Gaelic football and hurling players who incorporated the GAA 15 into their routine when compared to usual training.[3]

Section 1 - Running[edit | edit source]

This section takes five minutes approximately to complete. Each running task is completed in a 20 meter distance. There is 7 components to this section which includes the following:

  1. Slow run
  2. Hip Out
  3. Hip In
  4. Heel flicks
  5. Touch toes
  6. Run (50%)
  7. Run (80%)

Section 2 - Improving mechanics and limiting risk of injury[edit | edit source]

Section 2 takes approximately 7 minutes to complete. This section is divided in four parts B,C,D & E. Each exercise has levels to increase difficulty.

Part B: Strengthening[edit | edit source]
  • Single Leg Bridge
  • Forward Lunge
  • Reverse Lunge
  • Squats
  • Core
Part c: Balancing[edit | edit source]
  • Single Leg Deadlift
part d: jumps[edit | edit source]
  • Jumps
Part e: hamstrings[edit | edit source]
  • Nordic Hamstring Curls

Section 3 - Sport Specific[edit | edit source]

This section takes approximately three minutes to complete. This section focuses on more sports specific movements.

  • Speed run (80%)
  • Plyometric bounding
  • Plant and push while jogging

Resources[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. GAA Learning. GAA 15: Injury Prevention Programme/Warm Up. Available from: https://learning.gaa.ie/Gaelic15 (accessed 16/02/2019).
  2. Wikipedia. Gaelic Athletic Association. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaelic_Athletic_Association (accessed 16/02/2019).
  3. O'Malley E, Murphy JC, Persson UM, Gissane C, Blake C. The effects of the Gaelic Athletic Association 15 training program on neuromuscular outcomes in Gaelic football and hurling players: a randomized cluster trial. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 2017;31(8):2119-30.