How to get explosive leg power (for Rugby)

[paella]

Hey Guys, I play prop, and I need to bulk up, and get a bit more powerful. The problem - how do I get explosive power in my legs, and also that 'safety' strength for my neck.

A the moment my core lifts are 90/100/110kg (Bench/Squat/Deadlift) - what should I do. I was thinking Powercleans and Pushpress' as well, will this help.

Also, how do I increase strength in my neck, like to stop it hyper-extending.

Thanks.

[qb0708]

Go to verkhoshansky.com, and start reading the articles about the shock method, how to develop power, along with special strength training. I believe there's also an article on the website that gives a study done on the preparation of high level rugby players.

Being 18 asking these questions, its pretty safe to say that, various jumps, throws, sprints, and squats would adequately develop explosive power in your leg extensors. Unless you have really good form and get the necessary knee, ankle, and hip extension in the Powerclean I'd throw them out in favor of med ball throws & jumps

Neck strength... pretty simple here, just do the movements of the neck (flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation) with some type of resistance (bands, hammer machine, bridges, manual)

[j2thecup]

a combination of snatches, front and back squats, quad extensions, hammy curls, calf raises, and throw some plyos in

[blananana4]

do starting strength. Your squats and deads suck.

[xxtwistedxx]

196lb prop???? shouldnt u be flankin or something dude? damn thats small.

[paella]

196lb prop???? shouldnt u be flankin or something dude? damn thats small.

We're not playing at a massively high level, therefore people aren't as big as one might expect. Over the summer I'm going to slim down - work on speed and stamina, and change position for uni rugby - but for what I'm doing at the moment, there's little point. I guess the average weight for props in my league is about 15 stone, which I'd like to get to.

[qb0708]

do starting strength. Your squats and deads suck.

Agreed. Simple linear periodization works well for those who have not had a lot of formal training and are young in their training age & biological age.

OP how long have you been training, and what have you done in the past?

[toad1]

focus on building up your basic strength levels as power is (strengthxspeed) so stronger legs more powerfull legs..... get a program based on all the main compounds. i like bill starr's 5x5 i think its good for rugby.

as a prop the most important lift for you is the deadlift as it will build up your lower body and also work and add size to you're traps. if you're thinking about powercleans the most important part of the lift that you need, the power for rugby is upto the flick...i allways get this wrong but i think the exercise is called high pulls, but as few guys have said a high base level of strength is better as powercleans CAN be difficult to learn and exucute properly everytime.

its not you're neck strength that causes it to hyper extend its your scruming technique combined with you're back strength and your traps so again deadlifts. when scruming focus on keeping you're head up and you're eyes forward. DON'T put you're chin to your chest as that rounds you're back and brings you're hips up.


for me being a prop the most important lifts are:

deadlift
mill press for strength /bench press for size
pull ups/ chin up-cos i can't do pull ups
db row.
and shrugs.


also don't forget you're core strength so things like plank, bridges, stabilty ball work,russian twists, sit ups, hanging knee raises......

[jdelarod]

JOe Defranco has built a business around training guys like you:

http://www.defrancostraining.com/art...rds-part1.html

[TwiceTheSpeed]

Add cleans, stay flexible, and do plyometrics.