Dansmull - thanks for the question.
I will try and answer them in the order you posted them.
Yes if time permits I will structure my warm in the above progression. Every situation is different but ideally that is what I like to get done. If training in the gym the first 3 will always take place. If on the pitch I will try to make sure everyones does their prehab stuff in the dressing room before hand.
In relation to the stretching research there is alot of it out there with alot of different opinions. More recently there has been alot of discussion on fascia and it effects on mobility/flexibility.
You seem to have picked up the process I mentioned pretty well. The idea from my logic and those I have learned off is myofascial release is helped through foam rolling - then static stretching takes place to try and take advantage of this release and improve mobility of each specific area. After this I would then go through a series of dynamic movements trying to elongate and activate specific areas. As you mentioned the hip flexors and glutes. My way to do this would be through an exercise such as a bacward lunge with a reach. Activating the glute on the back side of the body while improving mobility of the hip flexors on the front side of the body -
Another example would be a handwalk - - core activation on the way out through load on the body and elongating the posterior chain muscles as you baby step back to the start position.
After those type movements I will then progress to do what you mentioned by gradually increasing muscle temprature and progressing to some more high intensity movements.
I dont ever have a static stretch preceding a dynamic stretch i.e static hamstring stretch followed by dynamic hamstring stretch.
I do know of coaches who pair static stretches with specific foam rolling exercises to try to help make mobility gains stick a bit better. i.e. foam roll calf followed by static stretch for calf. I can see how that would work well but I have not got round to trying it out.
Once i finish with the static stretching period everything after that will be dynamic and will progress in intensity. For pitch sessions light intensity ball drills will be dotted amongst the dynamic flexibility work as I want to get players as many contacts as possible with the ball/sliothar while they are at training. Players get bored very quickly of the same warm up routine so i try to mix it up as much as possible but stick to the process outlined above.
The main reason for for foam rolling and static stretching is to try and reduce risk of injury. Generally I have seen that Gaelic players are pretty tight through their ankles/calves, hips, and thoraic spine so i try to attack those areas in each warm up. If you are in charge of the warm up in the gym and on the pitch that means you can get alot of disguised rehab/prehab done with the players that will hopefully help with reducing injuries. Those 10-15 mins are very valuable if you take advantage of them. I think your progression that you mentioned at the end is more similar than different than mine.
For younger players i would try to get them to be able to handle their own bodyweight through bodyweight squats, handwalks, pushups etc and progress them from there. Chances are you will only have them on the pitch and not in the gym. This is also a chance to work on technique with them and a few minutes on this everyday can work great for them. Again i would try and get them as many ball contacts as possible.
Hope this helps - anymore questions let me know
BS

No that really explains the answers behind my questions. Thank you very much.
Very much appreciated. I think in my case educating the players for their own specific pre-habilitation is best i.e foam rolling and stretches based on their functional musco-skeletal screen for their home work or before coming to training gym/pitch/match.
The exercise videos that you had shown above are two examples of exercises I already in-corporate into my dynamic stretching.

Now thanks to your rationale, I will very much consider static stretching preceding dynamic, its just the research I had read in a sense shunned static stretching prior to exercise. Is their any published research that backs the exact method of which you warm up players or is that an area for future research?

Last question, In terms of balance training and injury prevention, would you advise the 5 point balance drill as part of the warm up as it activates core, fires the glutes prioceptors etc and prepares them for an unpredictable envirnoment which occurs as part of a standard Gaelic match, or not?

Thanks,

Dan

Dan - I cant quote the research but i know off the top of my head there is research out there that shows the negative effects of static stretching on rate of force production are negated if it is followed by a dynamic warm up. In my view if someone loses possibly a little power through this process that is ok with me if i can significantly reduce the risk of injury. That is balance i am prepared to take no problem.
As far as research in relation to the actual process i use I dont think there is much. I am using this process based on evidence and guidance from other people I work/learn from and they have found it to be very beneficial.
In terms of balance training i am not really sure of the drill you are referring to. Could you link it here for me?
I do include alot of single leg work in my warm ups such as -
or single leg squat to knee hug - http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/movements/knee-hug-moving.html

I am working on a video to add to the warm up article so hopefully that will also give you some ideas.
BS

No you are dead right, I have read in various papers about the negative effect of reduced power output following static stretching, however injury prevention is far more important in my opinion and the reduced power output that occurs does not really effect GAA players as much as it would power lifters.

I just found an example of the 5 point balance drill on youtube:


Should it be used as part of a warm up or as part of individual core and balance training or not at all?

Thanks again,

Dan

Exactly Dan - keeping players healthy is my biggest concern.
In relation to the 5 point balance drill i think it might be a little advanced. In some positions on that video there is poor position with the hip kicking out and knee moving toward the midline of the body. That is a position i try to avoid.
If you have some single leg work in the warm up like we mentioned I think that will. If i see players struggling balance wise a simple task i give them is to stand on one leg and close their eyes while brushing their teeth each day. Simple but effective.

No I know, wasn't the best example of the 5 point balance drill as the guy did not have super balance himself, but as part of a standard cool down with core, balance and static stretching I took with the players I coach, it surprised me how poor they were at this drill in comparison to myself who sometimes trains with a bosu when OH squatting.

However, in terms of the poor position that the knee is being placed in this drill, can it not be somehow used as prehab for the acl,mcl,lcl,pcl injuries or could a drill similar to the star excursion balance test be implemented?



But definatly, I have incorporated single leg work in the warm up for sure.

Cheers,

Dan