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The understanding of the physical fitness requirements of Gaelic games has changed dramatically over the last 15 years. Both Hurling and Gaelic football are games that require players to perform repeated short quick movements, moving in multiple directions and from a variety of starting positions, with varying amounts of recovery. This guide is presented as a service to athletes, coaches, parents and exercise physiologists, who wish to evaluate their own or someone else's fitness level, or to gain a greater understanding of tests that they have performed.

Exercising safely is important for avoiding injury. When exercising, it is important to focus on what you are trying to do. For example, is exercise part of the warm-up, a conditioning activity or part of the recovery? In essence, what you are trying to do should be dependent on why you are trying to do it.

Burnout occurs where people who have previously been highly committed to a sport lose interest and motivation. Typically it will occur in hard working, hard training, hard driven people, who become emotionally, psychologically or physically exhausted.

The importance of adequate recovery from training and games cannot be over emphasised. Building periods for recovery into a training programme is as important as incorporating proper progression.

Alcohol can have a number of different effects on a person’s ability to train and play Gaelic games.