In season rugby training

[NicJamesProp]

I've seen a lot of threads on here about rugby specific training so I thought I would share my experiences of what has worked for me. I play as a Prop Forward for a team in the 7th tier of English rugby so I am no way an elite player, but I play at a decent standard. I would imagine the requirements needed for my role would also work for a defensive linesman in American Football as well.

Monday - Strength - Pull ups, push-ups, crunches, planks, yoga bridge poses, dumbbell lunges, barbell squats, bench press and bent over rows.

Tuesday - Fitness - depending on family stuff I will either go the club training session or do 30 minutes moderate intensity cycling.

Wednesday - Strength - Chin ups, push-ups, crunches, planks, yoga bridge poses, dumbbell lunges, barbell squats, overhead press, dead lifts.

Thursday - Fitness and skills - club training session.

Friday - 30 minutes moderate intensity cycling.

Saturday - Match day!

Sunday - Rest.

I have found this gives me a good balance of strength, stamina and mobility and leaves me at my peak by the time Match day comes round on a Saturday.

In terms of diet I will eat a large pasta meal with extra lean beef mince (<5% fat) or chicken on Friday night, porridge oats with milk at around 09:00 on Saturday morning and then a small tuna pasta salad at around 11:30 on Satruday to make sure my glycogen stores are fully topped off ready for kick-off!

In terms of supplements I take 5g creatine monohydrate daily, whey protein after exercise and casein protein every night before bed.

[BBenji]

It sounds good me you could throw in some Epoc training, that will increase fat burning and shocks your body to force it to get stronger also because its quite spasmodic your body struggles to adapt to it. You could also take some BCAA's whilst training so your muscles don't become depleted.