What hurling drill is the ultimate drill/ What drill works your fitness and your touch/stickwork/striking? Is there 1 drill that can improve your game or is a case of having to constantly work hard at different drills to get yourself as sharp as possible?

Brianmac78 (Dublin) - Posts: 1168 - 19/01/2014 13:23:45    1533670

There's a lot to be said for the oul' ball alley! Hit that ball at an angle so you'll have to move sharpish to control the rebound, all adds up better close control at speed! Worked for a lot of great players down the years.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8766 - 19/01/2014 14:35:57    1533694

3 men across the pitch. 2 balls at either side. Lash into man in middle, he moves onto it, controls and strikes back. He then turns and the other ball is pucked at him too. Repeat for one minute. You ll work on speed, touch, short striking and footwork. Job!

old yellar (None) - Posts: 2631 - 19/01/2014 14:58:24    1533702

Oldyellar that drill for me is the one closest to perfection for hurling

Brianmac78 (Dublin) - Posts: 1168 - 19/01/2014 15:33:25    1533711

If you're looking to improve the intensity of your play overall, here's a drill I've seen a few teams do.

Get all your players between the end line and 30 yard line and split them into two teams.
Get them to match up in pairs, with each player on an opposite team. Throw in 3 sliothars. Have them go hammer and thongs at it.

The idea is that the players, due to playing in such cramped conditions, have to develop a better first touch, better movement, better positional sense, man marking, closing down and better inter-play. The first touch above others in particular would have to drastically improve to be able to survive the drill after a while. The three sliothars are so the players develop better spacial awareness and judgement, a better speed of mental awareness as there are more things going on, and things like covering angles and creating angles for passing.

The drill should only last about 10 minutes and should be done at high intensity and speed. You won't see results straight away, its a slower development program than others, but after about 5/6 weeks you definitely should see and good improvement of first touch, inter-play and decision making under pressure.

dblackandamber (Kilkenny) - Posts: 92 - 19/01/2014 15:54:33    1533734

Skill: The overhead pull!......never was there a greater requirement for 'accuracy' of so many variables under pressure!
See it being done here by Christy Ring at 10:18 called 'Doubling on the ball in the air'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW4lKaY4jTY

Lots of the skills in this video rarely practiced now!.....Lots of complex, new fangled, makey uppey, no basis in truth, lets try and replicate real life 'drills' being discussed here at the expense of 'skills'!

Of note in the video is the last skill at 13:04 '21 yard free - goal'. Even in 1961 they were teaching lads to cant the ball forward Anthony Nash penalty style!

The campaign for 'Skills not Drills' starts here!!

Regards,

Snufalufagus....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 20/01/2014 11:49:17    1534137

old yellar
County: All
Posts: 2142

1533702
3 men across the pitch. 2 balls at either side. Lash into man in middle, he moves onto it, controls and strikes back. He then turns and the other ball is pucked at him too. Repeat for one minute. You ll work on speed, touch, short striking and footwork. Job!

Put two men in the middle, play 1-on-1 or make the receiver take the player on. Hurling is still very much about individual battles compared to the more team work orientated approach in football so an ability to control the ball under pressure is key in my opinion.

Also a key point is that this gets fellas running at the opponent and striking off the front foot rather than coming back out and striking off the back foot.

And this drill builds fitness like you wouldn't believe...

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 20/01/2014 15:09:37    1534291

Wall and a ball ,
Constant movement into solitar , moving to the side when striking , in an on the run motion , its amazing how many hurlers stand flat footed when using a hurling wall , practicing in a way that they would never need nor use in a game

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 20/01/2014 17:55:33    1534384