Matty Donnelly the Tyrone footballer talks about functional movement and how it needs to be included in our training.
From when I started playing Gaelic football at a young age right through to now, I have noticed a gradual change on the emphasis of movement. However I still think it is slightly neglected. Throughout my career the routine was to warm up,train,short stretch at end, coupled with gym sessions on other nights. Every night I was putting my body under distress with no regard for the way it was moving. These bad movement patterns and habits picked up throughout the years left me extremely immobile in my joints and basic movements. However when I started to study the way the human body should move and the positive effect good movement would have in performance I took notice and became motivated to move better. I began to realise that the way we move in the gym should mirror the way we should move in everyday life.The way we squat should be the way we sit, the way we lift a heavy weight of the ground should be the way we lift the remote of the ground,core braced and spine neutral at all times. It is all habit. It was with this approach I am noticing huge improvements in my movement patterns and less pain in everyday life. From going through an injury prone few years I can now say I haven't missed a competitive match through injury in two full seasons and I Put this down to my emphasis on moving well and functionally. I think from a young age correct and functional movement should be a priority as it will lead to young players becoming less injury prone adults and leading a better lifestyle also!