BobisMighty's Rugby Training Log

[BobisMighty]

2/9/15
8:00pm conditioning workout:
Warmup:
10 burpees, 30 jumping jacks, 10 burpees

Workout:
Once again we were divided into teams of 2 among 6 stations. However, there was a twist. The amount of time we spent at each station was determined by the team that was currently on the rower. The rowing station had to row 1600 meters, about a mile. While one person was on the rower, the other person was hitting the heavy bag. You could split the rowing as much as you want, but both people had to row at least 800m. Rest was 1 minute between stations.

Station 1
155lb Bench max reps
We had to bench max reps, and then switch off, only resting as long as it took for our partner do do his set. I hit 20, 10, 6, then sets of 5 until time ran out.

Station 2
Sandbag Front Squats
95lb x 10
I did 10, then my partner would do 10, etc.

Station 3
Rowing/Heavy Bag
It took about 6:27 to row 1600 meters between me and my partner

Station 4
10lb Medicine Ball Explosive situp
I would do 1 situp, exploding up and throwing the ball to my partner, then he would do 1. Etc etc.

Station 5
Dumbell Thrusters
40lb each hand x 5
Alternating sets

Station 6
Hang Squat Clean
95lb x 5
Alternating Sets

After this, we rested about 2 minutes, then did a hang clean and jerk ladder.

Hang Power Clean and Jerk
95lb x 3
115lb x 3
135lb x 3
155lb x 3
175lb x 3
195lb x 3
205lb x 3
225lb x 1 (no jerk)
Only three of us were able to get to 205lb x 3. Only 2 of us were able to hang clean 225, and only 1 of us (my partner) was able to clean and jerk 225 at the end.

[scott_donald]

where was this done and why???

seems a decent session there.. the ladder would be killer...

[BobisMighty]

where was this done and why???

seems a decent session there.. the ladder would be killer...

sorry for the late reply. back from camp. one of the players is a personal trainer and has his own private gym for his clients, so he started running conditioning sessions twice a week leading into the spring season. they've gotten progressively harder the past few weeks.

[BobisMighty]

2/29/16
Workout:
Bench Press
45lb x 20
115lb x 6
145lb x 3
165lb x 1
175lb x 18
225lb x 3
Happy with 18. Wanted to push for 20, but form was breaking down.

Feet Elevated TRX Pushups
BW x 12
BW x 3 x 10

Superset
1A Seated Rows 148lb x 12 158lb x 12 168lb x 10 178lb x 10
1B YTW Holds 10s each letter x 4

Superset
2A Lateral Raises 15 lb x 2 x 12 25lb x 8
2B Dumbbell Curls 40lb x 10 30lb x 10 25lb x 10

[scott_donald]

wow someone i follow lifts...

funny for my deload tomorrow i was thinking as many reps as i can at 120 and 100 tomorrow...

solid work today!!! hows rugby shaping up?

[BobisMighty]

wow someone i follow lifts...

funny for my deload tomorrow i was thinking as many reps as i can at 120 and 100 tomorrow...

solid work today!!! hows rugby shaping up?

Haha are those going to be in kg? Cause then i'm jealous.
Rugby hasn't officially kicked off yet. We have a scrimmage against some local college teams this weekend, then a saturday practice, then a 15s tournament, then we have some games lined up. Should be interesting. I'm just glad my lower back and hip dysfunctions seems to have abated. I recruited a pretty decent prop fresh out of university as well, so I'm hoping that knocks me back down to lock/hoping for a loosie position.

[BobisMighty]

3/1/16
Workout:
Squat
45lb x 6
160lb x 5
190lb x 3
225lb x 1
240lb x 17
275lb x 3
Wanted 20 but stopped at 17 when form started breaking down. Did 275 slowly with a pause at the bottom. My hips and lower back have been pain free for a week now, so I'm trying maintain that. Regularly stretching everyday, rolling out my lowerbody when i can, some kind of warmup even if I'm in a rush.

Power Clean from blocks at mid thigh
135lb x 3
185lb x 3
195lb x 3

Clean Pulls from blocks at mid thigh
205lb x 3
225lb x 3
235lb x 3
245lb x 3
Ripped a callus as I had forgotten my straps, so that ended the set.

Bulgarian Split Squats
60lb x 8
70lb x 2 x 8
Held a kettlebell in the opposite hand. When I do it this way I feel it more in my glutes and pirformis than when I use a barbell.

RKC planks
2 x 5 sets
RKC Plank is holding a plank position but tensing the whole body for 10 second bursts, then resting 10 seconds in plank position.

Cooled down a way Defranco recommends by laying down, but butting my legs up on a box to take stress off my back and focused on breathing until my heart rate went down. I think it helped ease my lowerback, which is usually always sore after squat sessions these days.

[BobisMighty]

3/2/16
Workout:
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
20lb x 6
40lb x 6
60lb x 5
6 second lowering
75lb x 4
80lb x 2 x 4

50lb x 50 (took about 4 minutes. Was able to hit 20 first set, but then rest paused about 20 seconds for sets of 5 afterward)

Superset
1A Pullups BW x 12 BW x 3 x 10
1B Facepulls w/ bands 4 x 15

Single Arm KB shrugs
24kg x 4 x 15
These were light, but I really felt them. I focused on contracting slowly, making sure i was using my traps and making sure my shoulder was set right.

Did Thursday workout on Wednesday cause I can't workout Thursday.

[BobisMighty]

3/4/16
Workout:
Power Snatches
95lb x 3
135lb x 2 x 3
145lb x 2 x 3

Bulgarian Split Squats
6 seconds lowering, then explode up
135lb x 4
145lb x 2 x 4

Back Extensions
BW x 2 x 10
I was hoping to use the GHR at the new location my gym moved to, but they ruined it. They snapped off the end of the screw that adjusts length, so I couldn't st the foot bads correctly, then they filled in the padding in the middle of the two pads so that it basically smothers your genitals when you try to use it. I am very sad, was looking forward to being able to use the GHR again.

3/5/16
We had a scrimmage against Montclair State University. Was split into 3 30 minutes period. I played the last 2, one for my team, one for the other as they were low on guys. Just good to get our running, have ball in hand, and to hit.

3/6/16
Went and took the World Rugby Strength and Conditioning level 1 certification. It was pretty fun, learned a lot about the different physical demands for backs and forwards, how to conduct functional moment screens (i need to stretch!), periodization, how to integrate speed and agility work into game type situations. Lots of fun. i passed the course, it'll be a month before the certificate shows up on my world rugby and usa rugby account.

[scott_donald]

what were the highlights of the course???

[BobisMighty]

what were the highlights of the course???

Probably the use of the functional screen to monitor the joint health and stability of athletes, ways to approach it so athletes don't feel the need to "beat" the test. Periodization, ways to quantify the physical demands of training week (using stuff like RPE = Rate of Perceived Exertion X Volume which is is strictly just the time), things to focus on at a players development stage. That part was specifically about the transition from playing a sport as a youth up until adulthood, but we discussed it's importance in dealing with late comers to the sport in amateur men's club and how to manage that.

i also liked seeing the different data sets for the physical demands for different positions in rugby. Things like how much sprinting the tight five does verses outside backs. how loose forwards and inside backs typically make the same number of tackles on average in a game. just seeing that kind of data and figuring out how to design sessions based around that was very cool.

I had to take a pre-course cert through World Rugby, which was free if you're interested. http://irbsandc.com/
I'm curious to see what level 2 means. The cost for the cert was very cheap as far as typical S&C certs go, $85.

[politiks]

What do you do for cardio?

[jamalfudge]

Probably the use of the functional screen to monitor the joint health and stability of athletes, ways to approach it so athletes don't feel the need to "beat" the test. Periodization, ways to quantify the physical demands of training week (using stuff like RPE = Rate of Perceived Exertion X Volume which is is strictly just the time), things to focus on at a players development stage. That part was specifically about the transition from playing a sport as a youth up until adulthood, but we discussed it's importance in dealing with late comers to the sport in amateur men's club and how to manage that.

i also liked seeing the different data sets for the physical demands for different positions in rugby. Things like how much sprinting the tight five does verses outside backs. how loose forwards and inside backs typically make the same number of tackles on average in a game. just seeing that kind of data and figuring out how to design sessions based around that was very cool.

I had to take a pre-course cert through World Rugby, which was free if you're interested. http://irbsandc.com/
I'm curious to see what level 2 means. The cost for the cert was very cheap as far as typical S&C certs go, $85.

Interesting. Do you see yourself trying to work in rugby ever? I've taken on some decent amount of responsibility with my club in just a few short years and want to get some certs in soon. It would be a nice thought to work in rugby but don't see much opportunity in it here in the states. At least enough to make a living wage, that is.

[BobisMighty]

What do you do for cardio?

lately i've been doing interval and circuit training with the rugby team, and on off days sometimes i just run at a moderate pace. i try to log the circuit training, i don't really log the jogging. in season practice takes care of cardio for me. off season i try to do a sprint day and a maintenance day, but i'm looking to analyze it more based on positional needs. forwards tend to jog and cruise more, so i'm probably going to look into rolling sprints or tempo runs.

Interesting. Do you see yourself trying to work in rugby ever? I've taken on some decent amount of responsibility with my club in just a few short years and want to get some certs in soon. It would be a nice thought to work in rugby but don't see much opportunity in it here in the states. At least enough to make a living wage, that is.

Ideally I would like to. I mainly got it because I'd like to use it to structure my own workouts and those of my team when i transition from player to Old Boy. Talking with other coaches during the cert class made me want to explore it. I've always had ideas on how I think practices should be run, and the direction my team should go, but I've never been vocal about it. We have a good coach now, I just think he has an antiquated view of fitness and he doesn't have forward coaching experience.

But the real jobs in rugby that pay are in Varsity Women's teams right now, just because of NCAA. Some high schools and colleges are starting to offer some kind of pay, but nothing you could live off. If ProRugby America survives a year, there will be paying jobs I think, but you'll have to fight against guys who've worked in Tier 1 nations. There was a website about Rugby Jobs all over the world, but I don't remember what it was.

[BobisMighty]

3/7/16
Workout:
Bench Press
45lb x 20
135lb x 5 (3 seconds up 3 seconds down, just to make sure i was tight and everything was firing right)
175lb x 4 x 8
175lb x 10

Dumbbell Overhead Press
30lb x 10
35lb x 10
40lb x 10
50lb x 50 (broke it up into about 5 sets of rest pauses, resting 20 seconds between. 1st set was 13, then 12, 5, 10, 10)

Superset
1A Seatted Cable Rows 160lb x 3 x 15
1B Reverse Dumbbell Flyes 8lb x 3 x 15

Tricep Band Pulldowns
1 x 100

So before practice I met with a physical therapist who worked on my right shoulder, which has been bad for years. After a full assessment, moving it every which way, his assessment was basically that structurally nothing was wrong, i'm just very tight in a lot of places. I'm only really restricted in internal rotation, but that my nerve clusters are getting pinched. So he recommended some stretches and "nerve glide" movements. They definitely helped, I did them before my workout and my right shoulder felt really good. He also told me to start paying more attention to my left shoulder as well, as it was showing very mild signs of bicep tendonitis.

[TypeNirvash]

^What kind of stretches were you told to do?

[BobisMighty]

^What kind of stretches were you told to do?

this one, but with the band lower to the floor


and these 2 "nerve glide" movements
radial nerve glide


ulnar nerve glide


he gave me some progressions on the glides too. I definitely feel the different on my right side versus the left.

He also use the graston technique to do soft tissue work on my right side, which was awesome.

[TypeNirvash]

^Those are some interesting stretches. For some reason, they remind me of ballet.

When I google graston technique, I get some stuff about scar treatment lol
http://www.grastontechnique.com/FAQs.html

[BobisMighty]

^Those are some interesting stretches. For some reason, they remind me of ballet.

When I google graston technique, I get some stuff about scar treatment lol
http://www.grastontechnique.com/FAQs.html

The way the PT explained, it's just myofacial release, like massage or using a lacrosse ball, foam roller, or getting A.R.T. done on you. It's only called the Graston technique cause the guy who invented it patented the tools they use for it. It's not really anything new. When they talk about scar tissue, they're really micro-scares that develop in the fascia, which is the thin layer of tissue that surrounds your muscle. When you have stiffness somewhere, it's because of that scar tissue. Sometimes stretching or moving around breaks it up, if it builds up over time then foam rolling or massage is needed to really it up.

[TypeNirvash]

The way the PT explained, it's just myofacial release, like massage or using a lacrosse ball, foam roller, or getting A.R.T. done on you. It's only called the Graston technique cause the guy who invented it patented the tools they use for it. It's not really anything new. When they talk about scar tissue, they're really micro-scares that develop in the fascia, which is the thin layer of tissue that surrounds your muscle. When you have stiffness somewhere, it's because of that scar tissue. Sometimes stretching or moving around breaks it up, if it builds up over time then foam rolling or massage is needed to really it up.

I actually didn't know that... Feels when you're on spread. Gonna' rep you ASAP.

[BobisMighty]

I actually didn't know that... Feels when you're on spread. Gonna' rep you ASAP.

Always happy to help!

[jamalfudge]

lately i've been doing interval and circuit training with the rugby team, and on off days sometimes i just run at a moderate pace. i try to log the circuit training, i don't really log the jogging. in season practice takes care of cardio for me. off season i try to do a sprint day and a maintenance day, but i'm looking to analyze it more based on positional needs. forwards tend to jog and cruise more, so i'm probably going to look into rolling sprints or tempo runs.

Ideally I would like to. I mainly got it because I'd like to use it to structure my own workouts and those of my team when i transition from player to Old Boy. Talking with other coaches during the cert class made me want to explore it. I've always had ideas on how I think practices should be run, and the direction my team should go, but I've never been vocal about it. We have a good coach now, I just think he has an antiquated view of fitness and he doesn't have forward coaching experience.

But the real jobs in rugby that pay are in Varsity Women's teams right now, just because of NCAA. Some high schools and colleges are starting to offer some kind of pay, but nothing you could live off. If ProRugby America survives a year, there will be paying jobs I think, but you'll have to fight against guys who've worked in Tier 1 nations. There was a website about Rugby Jobs all over the world, but I don't remember what it was.

Sounds like the cert courses are a good way to see how other clubs run at the very least. Definitely going to look into a few.

[BobisMighty]

3/8/16
1pm Workout:
Squats
45lb x 6
135lb x 6
235lb x 4 x 8
235lb x 10

Romandian Deadlifts
135lb x 10
155lb x 10
185lb x 10

8pm Conditioning
15 Burpees
50 Jumping Jacks
15 Burpess
16 Pullups
Tabata Squats
20 seconds of continuous squats
10 seconds hold at parallel
12 rounds

Circuit:
6 groups of 2, each group was at a different station, then we switched.
Time at each station was limited to how long it took the group at the rowing machine to row 2000m between them.

Station 1
3 Hang Clean and Jerks
alternated between my partner and i
155lb x 3
175lb x 3
185lb x 3
205lb x 1 (i made the clean only, partner made the clean and jerk)

Station 2
Row/Boxing
One person rows while the other person hits the heavy bag, switch off at 1000m
Took us 7:51

Station 3
20lb Medicine Ball Squat and Throw to your partner
Not sure how long the round took, but it was long

Station 4
15 x 65lb KB High Pull
15 x 55lb KB Swing
While you do one, your partner does the other, and you keep switching.

Station 5
60lb Dumbbell Snatch x 1
Alternate doing 1 rep with your partner

Station 6
two 30lb dumbbell front squat x 10
alternating sets with your partner

Ended with flutter kicks
30seconds on 15 seconds off x 5

[BobisMighty]

3/10/16
Workout:
Dumbbell Bench Press
25lb x 5
40lb x 6
50lb x 6
3 second pause at the bottom
65lb x 6
75lb x 6
85lb x 6

Dumbbell Overhead Press palsm in
45lb x 3 x 8

Superset
1A Pullups BW x 12 BW x 10 BW x 8
1B Cable Facepulls 25lb x 3 x 20

Interval Jog/Run
10 minutes Fast run about 6 times.

[BobisMighty]

3/11/16
Workout:
Bulgarian Split Squat (rep is each side)
45lb x 6
95lb x 6
3 second pause at the bottom
135lb x 5
145lb x 5
155lb x 5

Clean Pulls from blocks a couple inches off the ground
135lb x 5
155lb x 5
185lb x 5
225lb x 3
235lb x 3
245lb x 3
255lb x 3
265lb x 3
275lb x 3
Cut it short there.

3/12/16
30 minutes of cycling at a rate to keep my heart rates above 123. first 15 minutes it was at 155.
15 minutes incline walking, heart rate at 123+
Did this to mitigate the effects of tailgating and drinking at the London Irish vs Saracens Aviva Premiership game at Red Bulls Arena in Harrison, NJ. Actually a very fun game considering it was an 3-11 vs 11-3 team. Saracens won, but not by much and it was very competitive throughout. Very cool to see Chris Wyles, a member of the US National team, and Jacques Burger on the field, even though they played for Saracens and I was supporting the Irish.

3/13/16
Participated in Cycle for Survival which is an indoor spin event that raises money to fund research for rare cancers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. I did the first 45 minute legs of a 4 hour ride, then the last 30 minutes of the ride. Always a fun event, my team raised $30,000. I was so tired after this i flaked on the street hockey game I was supposed to play later that day.

[scott_donald]

hmmm how did the pause go in the splits???

[BobisMighty]

hmmm how did the pause go in the splits???

Pause was fine. The pause has been easier for me than the 6 second lowering phases.


3/14/16
Workout:
Benching
135lb x 10
185lb x 3
190lb x 2 x 8
190lb x 11
225lb x 2

Deadlift 2" off floor
225lb x 5
245lb x 5
275lb x 5
295lb x 5
315lb x 5

Circuit
30 seconds of pullups
30 seconds of tricep pull downs
30 seconds of 60lb KB swings
30 seconds rest

did this for 10 minutes, so about 5 rounds.

[BobisMighty]

3/16/16
Workout:
Squat:
135lb x 5
225lb x 2 x 3
260lb x 2 x 8
260lb x 10
295lb x 3

Dumbbell overhead Press
40lb x 5
50lb x 5
60lb x 5
65lb x 5
70lb x 4

Hang Power Cleans
135lb x 3
185lb x 3
205lb x 3
225lb x 2 + 1 clean pull

Clean Pulls
225lb x 3

[scott_donald]

squats are moving up again...

[BobisMighty]

squats are moving up again...

Yeah I don't know why I ever stop doing juggernaut method and get drawn to these other programs. I make the most consistent progress with it. The volume at lower weights really brings up your weak points.