Year-round Training for Rugby - League or Union. Or Anything Else

[krakkerz]

How do you prefer to separate conditioning and weights/speed? I know for OS1 you can do the weighted GPP right after but for OS2 when the conditioning becomes more intensive, do you seperate it into two workouts in one day (about 4-5 hours apart), on seperate days or still continue to do it right after?

Thanks for the great thread, it helped a lot!!

I keep it all in one workout. I don't work with pros, so there's no way I can get them to commit to two sessions. We also run conditioning on training nights from December (season starts in April), so that counts, as well.

If you are super-committed, I'd suggest weights in the morning and conditioning in the evening.

[iHATEnumberTWO]

Thanks for the respond! Just one more thing I don't quite understand. If Starting Strength was the program I was going to use, how would I implement the three phases (hypertrophy, strength, power)? Or is that just for more advanced athletes who already are really strong?

[krakkerz]

SS is linear in nature, so if you're using that, it's not something you need to worry about. Beginners don't have the same recovery requirements as intermediate and advanced athletes.

That said, you can still cycle tour loads and volume, but you're not really doing SS at that point.

[theFutureD]

Welp... I got a question to ask. I've reached 2xBW on the deadlift and it felt like I could have gone for more. So now out there, I feel like running through people, more hang time on my jumps and more explosive as well. Now.. how do I turn that strength into even higher vertical? I do have basketball sessions for like 4-5 times weekly where we run, jump etc. How do I tackle all of that? Is it overkill if I do some high intensity jumps before main lifts on lower body days? I do feel that I have strength and explosiveness.. and a bit more jumping, I'd be able to dunk whenever I want.

So help?

[krakkerz]

Welp... I got a question to ask. I've reached 2xBW on the deadlift and it felt like I could have gone for more. So now out there, I feel like running through people, more hang time on my jumps and more explosive as well. Now.. how do I turn that strength into even higher vertical? I do have basketball sessions for like 4-5 times weekly where we run, jump etc. How do I tackle all of that? Is it overkill if I do some high intensity jumps before main lifts on lower body days? I do feel that I have strength and explosiveness.. and a bit more jumping, I'd be able to dunk whenever I want.

Vertical isn't something my guys have trained for specifically, except when wanting to test. That said, your jumps should be done before lifts and/or as a contrast between sets.

Depends on what you mean by "high intensity", though. If you mean peak effort, knock yourself out. If you mean hard enough that you're tired from it, that won't help you at all.

[theFutureD]

Vertical isn't something my guys have trained for specifically, except when wanting to test. That said, your jumps should be done before lifts and/or as a contrast between sets.

Depends on what you mean by "high intensity", though. If you mean peak effort, knock yourself out. If you mean hard enough that you're tired from it, that won't help you at all.

Well.. I don't want to test it. I do want to continue to increase it and to dunk at will which is like my goal without really testing it you know in the gym etc.

As for jumps... I was wondering to do say either vertical jumps, hurlde hops or jumps of that type to develop that RFD a bit now but I don't want to overkill with all that sprinting and jumping we do at practice. I will go according to however I feel those days then. That means I need to work on nutrition and rest.

[panDiddy]

Hey mate, love the thread. I'm just chasing some advice about off season training for a prop.

The seasons just finished and we took out the premiership and I'm now looking for some solid programs with a focus on strength gains I guess. (I spent the season doing 5x5 but I've got a heap of spare time so may as well spend it at the gym now)

I've been looking at doing some of the templates off David pococks site if you've seen them? or recently been reading 5/3/1 boring but big one, I dunno there's too many out there haha

[krakkerz]

I don't do positional routines. They are bunk. You could be a 120kg TH with a 300kg squat. A typical "prop" routine for someone like that is about as useful as Devon Toner training to get taller.

I work on weaknesses and program according to this philosophy.

Nonetheless, specifically, Pocock's templates are well put together by a good coach. I've not used them, but there is nothing wrong with them. I do not recommend 531 for Rugby players. The philosophy is long term, continuous improvement in the powerlifts, which doesn't necessarily transfer well in one or two cycles - which is really all you have to work on max strength.

If you need a program like that, I recommend the Juggernaut method. It is a similar layout to 531 but is probably more likely to transfer.

Alternately, look up the 'Designer Athletes' template I mention in the thread.

[panDiddy]

Cheers mate, I had a look at that designer athlete article how would you go about setting up hypertrophy, strength, power with reps and sets? And how long a period for each phase?

[krakkerz]

Cheers mate, I had a look at that designer athlete article how would you go about setting up hypertrophy, strength, power with reps and sets? And how long a period for each phase?

With that template, it comes down to exercise selection and performance in the first two exercises each day. That, and how you conduct your speed/power training. I would switch the heavier work for something that increases density (EDT, Pavel's Bear, even ye olde GVT) for the accumulation portion block. The template works pretty well as is for the intensification block.

For the realisation block, modify the template to use contrast training or something like the WSB method.

The block lengths are pretty well covered in the post.

[OnlyLegDay]

Why don't they sticky this thread already. The programs he gave for conditioning are great hard to find stuff like that

[jamalfudge]

Question, not sure if it's worth starting a new thread over. How do you practice getting low? I say that as a general question because it can have applications in several sports. But it's hard for me to get low in rucks and tackles, and even when carrying the ball in rugby while I'm in stride. I feel like I need to stop and "wind up" and end up losing any momentum. Thoughts?

[OnlyLegDay]

Hey krakkerz mind checking out my sprint training I've posted.
Btw thanks for the soccer advice saw some serious difference in power

[krakkerz]

Question, not sure if it's worth starting a new thread over. How do you practice getting low? I say that as a general question because it can have applications in several sports. But it's hard for me to get low in rucks and tackles, and even when carrying the ball in rugby while I'm in stride. I feel like I need to stop and "wind up" and end up losing any momentum. Thoughts?

This is a far more important question than anything to do with lifting, to be honest. It's a key point for many players.

The first thing is that you have to have strong hips. If you can't keep your body upright while dropping your bodyweight, you will just bend and that's no good.

Once that is sorted, there are some specific exercises. Duck walking, where you walk in a full squat position teaches it very well.

The most important drill, though, is the duck-under drill. Usually, it is a case where a bar or string is set up and a player goes under it and then into contact. That means a player can bounce and often ends up bending at the waist and bouncing out high into contact.

I do things a bit differently. I use two bars about four feet apart, which means the player has to keep his weight low, rather than bouncing up and down through the drill. It is also important to keep the torso relatively upright and bend at the knees.

Another great drill is the conventional swerve drill with cones, but in a half-squat running position.

[jamalfudge]

This is a far more important question than anything to do with lifting, to be honest. It's a key point for many players.

The first thing is that you have to have strong hips. If you can't keep your body upright while dropping your bodyweight, you will just bend and that's no good.

Once that is sorted, there are some specific exercises. Duck walking, where you walk in a full squat position teaches it very well.

The most important drill, though, is the duck-under drill. Usually, it is a case where a bar or string is set up and a player goes under it and then into contact. That means a player can bounce and often ends up bending at the waist and bouncing out high into contact.

I do things a bit differently. I use two bars about four feet apart, which means the player has to keep his weight low, rather than bouncing up and down through the drill. It is also important to keep the torso relatively upright and bend at the knees.

Another great drill is the conventional swerve drill with cones, but in a half-squat running position.

Excellent. I will try these.

[Azrairc]

What up guys

reporting back in, currently 4-1 and first in are division (just knocked off a undefeated team 35-20. All are wins have been dominant, we lost are first game on the road 17-0 despite being in there try 4 times just not being able to touch it down. They supposedly had college players in too and we demolished them when they came to play us (and didn't have those d3 players) like 44-7. For some odd reason we have 2 games left and 3 more in spring. I'm still getting better, looking forward to the off-season and having all that time to get in the best shape of my life.

[JackH1998]

Sorry just made a new thread before I realised this one existed.

I'm switching from fly half to scrum half next season and have a pre season to get prepared. I'm 18 172 cm in height so 5 foot 8ish and weigh 76 kg.

What would be a good weekly plan to follow over pre season in relation to weights/cardio and am I a good height/weight to play at 9?

Thank you

[johannesberlin]

Hi,

I am a young rugby player and I play lock (1 meter 98 cm / 6 foot 5) tall. My weight is around 93-95kg. I bench 92,5kg and I squat 107,5kg. It is off season now. Do you think I still need to increase strength (I am currently using Push/Pull/Legs Split and do 5x5 on the main lifts, for strength) Or should I now use a hypertrophy program to gain mass? I train since 9 months. I found the training site of David Pocock very interesting (I am new on this platform so I am not allowed to post links, just enter david pocock training into google and you will find the site) Can I simply take a program from there? If yes, which would be suitable? And how often should I train per week because different people told me different things on that. I can possibly hit the gym five times per week. And how often should I do speed and agility work per week to get faster during off season? And is it enough to do conditioning once a week?
Thank you very much for your help!!!

Kind regards from Germany
Johannes

[lhprop1]

Hi,

I am a young rugby player and I play lock (1 meter 98 cm / 6 foot 5) tall. My weight is around 93-95kg. I bench 92,5kg and I squat 107,5kg. It is off season now. Do you think I still need to increase strength (I am currently using Push/Pull/Legs Split and do 5x5 on the main lifts, for strength) Or should I now use a hypertrophy program to gain mass? I train since 9 months. I found the training site of David Pocock very interesting (I am new on this platform so I am not allowed to post links, just enter david pocock training into google and you will find the site) Can I simply take a program from there? If yes, which would be suitable? And how often should I train per week because different people told me different things on that. I can possibly hit the gym five times per week. And how often should I do speed and agility work per week to get faster during off season? And is it enough to do conditioning once a week?
Thank you very much for your help!!!

Kind regards from Germany
Johannes

You're 15 years old. Train for strength and eat. The size will come naturally.

[utfootball4]

Wrong forum

[Jensen1995]

Hi,

I am a young rugby player and I play lock (1 meter 98 cm / 6 foot 5) tall. My weight is around 93-95kg. I bench 92,5kg and I squat 107,5kg. It is off season now. Do you think I still need to increase strength (I am currently using Push/Pull/Legs Split and do 5x5 on the main lifts, for strength) Or should I now use a hypertrophy program to gain mass? I train since 9 months. I found the training site of David Pocock very interesting (I am new on this platform so I am not allowed to post links, just enter david pocock training into google and you will find the site) Can I simply take a program from there? If yes, which would be suitable? And how often should I train per week because different people told me different things on that. I can possibly hit the gym five times per week. And how often should I do speed and agility work per week to get faster during off season? And is it enough to do conditioning once a week?
Thank you very much for your help!!!

Kind regards from Germany
Johannes

please read stickies. in main thread.

[BoB0Tiller]

thanks for the post!

[fionakeaton]

Is Rugby dangerous for a 10-year-old?

[workoutMoma]

I also tried to learn this sports and after a week I quit lol this is not for me.

[krakkerz]

Wow. I've not been here in a while. I find myself proud of this thread. Getting on 6 years and still getting views.

And, I still wouldn't change much about the program. It's timeless.

[sisicbien]

Wrong forum, I agree @utfootball4

[DCSpartan]

Wrong forum, I agree @utfootball4

Its a sports forum. This is an awesome thread. No go away.

[VIshvamithra]

Any insight into SpringBok training?

[krakkerz]

You'll have to tell me specifically what you mean.

There is a good deal of information getting about from, I think, BokSmart, for South Africanan Rugby generally. That is s good as anything, but I'm not sure that's what their program looks like now.

If you are talking about specific work done by the Boks, is be careful. They are a team of professionals who are well conditioned and come together for relatively short periods.

It may not be the best way to train for a club athlete

[samdencom]

Start the power and agility training programs asap and then move towards the other aspects