The Football Faq!((PLEASE READ BEFORE STARTING A THREAD ABOUT FOOTBALL Q's))

[BobisMighty]

Hey thanks a lot for your input guys. I'm probably going to try resting this Friday before my game. It's the last game of our season so I'll give that a shot.
The day after I posted my question, my girlfriend surprised me with the book "Periodization Training for Rugby" so I'm definitely going to give that a try!

[momorugger]

Hey Guys, I'm 18 and I've been playing rugby for 6 years. I'm in the US, so it's not too popular, but it's good to see that we've got some ruggers on here. I've had to take the last 2 seasons off because of shoulder surgery. I tore 75% of my labrum and ripped up my superspinatus rotator cuff... Has anybody else on here recovered from a surgery?

Also, I currently weigh 230, down from 250 in August, hoping to hit 200 by christmas. The offseasons were not good to me.

Oh, and I am a hooker, with a little bit of flanker and prop here and there

[Will87]

Soo looks like i will be out for most of this season now. I have been out the last few weeks with tendonitist and it is getting worse each time i see the physio. I thought i just had a bad knee but the knee is swollan like a ballon. Alot of fluid on the knee cap its self.

Off for an MRI scan next week and looks liek key hole surgery because i have torn all the cart in the back of my knee. So all good.

Just trying to work a upper body routine for the next few weeks till my operation. Anyone got any good ideas.

I was looking at swimming on Tues and Thurs, and Gym Mon and Wed. Any ideas people?

[Snowman723]

DOMS might come on right away but don't forget the immense CNS fatigue.

I guess? Your the S&C i'm just a player lol

[monatu]

Hey thanks a lot for your input guys. I'm probably going to try resting this Friday before my game. It's the last game of our season so I'll give that a shot.
The day after I posted my question, my girlfriend surprised me with the book "Periodization Training for Rugby" so I'm definitely going to give that a try!

That book sounds interesting...if it has any good routines feel free to post them up :P

[Snowman723]

That book sounds interesting...if it has any good routines feel free to post them up :P

Dan Luger's book is also good

[monatu]

Dan Luger's book is also good

Yeh Iv had my eye on his for a while...just never been bothered to go online and order it

[GregNuthurst]

Dan Luger's book is also good

x2.

Not perfect by any means (personally think most rugby training books suck ad outdated) but this is one of the better ones around.

[monatu]

x2.

Not perfect by any means (personally think most rugby training books suck ad outdated) but this is one of the better ones around.

Is the website in your sig the thing you said you were working on?
Let us know when its up and running.

[GregNuthurst]

Is the website in your sig the thing you said you were working on?
Let us know when its up and running.

I'm involved in that site, but not running it. Last I was told there is a fair bit of stuff planned. Apparently a few emails are coming through each day, so must be bit of traffic. Not sure when it will go fully live but shouldn't be too far off.

[Snowman723]

I took a shoulder charge right to the sternum playing Snow 7's the other day...

...thats right, snow 7's, only in Canada eh? lol

Now I can't do any heavy presses! lots of pain...not good not good I need my off-season to make gains

[Two_Tens]

Wow. Glad I read this! Some nice pieces of info on here, and the pdf was great

Quick question though: What qualifies you?
And improved grammar would be nice, but great nonetheless

rep'd

[toad1]

when you guys take off-weeks from the gym do u still go training. i'm currently thinkin i need an off week from the gym. i can't remeber the last week i didn't spend in the gym i think it might be may/june.

[scott_donald]

when you guys take off-weeks from the gym do u still go training. i'm currently thinkin i need an off week from the gym. i can't remeber the last week i didn't spend in the gym i think it might be may/june.

just listen to your body...

[J3ff187]

Hey can any one PM me information on getting a better vertical jump? that would be great thank you

[Vermonta]

any one had any success with the bill star method?

which bill star method? There are TONS of programs by bill starr. Look at the link in my signature and also this one, which is one of my favorite programs ever - http://www.strengthcats.com/classicfootballII.htm

[ruga buga]

just listen to your body...

Some take the whole week off and some just lower volume/intensity, im gonna deload next week and just lower intensity and cut %'s

How fast does a fullback have to be to have the speed side of his game up to par? Coach tells me yesterday that he thinks I should play fullback nexy year, i know tht skills and gameplay are the vital part but im just thinking of the speed side of things

[Dom_88]

Some take the whole week off and some just lower volume/intensity, im gonna deload next week and just lower intensity and cut %'s

How fast does a fullback have to be to have the speed side of his game up to par? Coach tells me yesterday that he thinks I should play fullback nexy year, i know tht skills and gameplay are the vital part but im just thinking of the speed side of things

Why limit yourself? Just work on constantly improving your speed. I don't know about you, but I've yet to hear of a fullback who's too fast.

[ruga buga]

Why limit yourself? Just work on constantly improving your speed. I don't know about you, but I've yet to hear of a fullback who's too fast.

yeah good point. I wasn't limiting myself, was just trying to see where I fit in... Im gonna start working hard on my kicking and taking the high ball as we are still in the off-season then see what happens when pre-season starts.

I think im just going crazy thinking about the move to fullback and that the coach for next year won't move me but oh well ,you never know till you give it a bash

[monatu]

Some take the whole week off and some just lower volume/intensity, im gonna deload next week and just lower intensity and cut %'s

How fast does a fullback have to be to have the speed side of his game up to par? Coach tells me yesterday that he thinks I should play fullback nexy year, i know tht skills and gameplay are the vital part but im just thinking of the speed side of things

I dunno...probly as fast as your centres?

With Fullback its more about top speed than acceleration - as you will often have 20-30 m's of space to build up your speed when you have the ball kicked at you.

Of course there are many different ways to play Fullback, which Im sure you know. At your size, it would probly benefit you to focus on getting big, powerful, working on your speed and developing a very good kicking game.

[ruga buga]

I dunno...probly as fast as your centres?

With Fullback its more about top speed than acceleration - as you will often have 20-30 m's of space to build up your speed when you have the ball kicked at you.

Of course there are many different ways to play Fullback, which Im sure you know. At your size, it would probly benefit you to focus on getting big, powerful, working on your speed and developing a very good kicking game.

interesting. thanks for chiming in!

yeah that sounds like what im gonna do, I have quite a good left boot as is but it could get alot better as could eveything

[MiKeOnE29]

Basically the way i see it is you can be the best tackler in the world but if your positioning is poor then really it doesnt matter. I've played fullback for the last 4 seasons so i guess its safe to say im a specialist fullback/ its my natural position. I've always been one of the best tacklers and quickest over 30 and 100 meters in my team so i've been fine in those departments. Positioning comes by playing and by just watching the top fullbacks up close and seeing where they stand and when (if you're really into rugby i expect this is something you already do). lower down the ages under 14/15/16 you can get away with just running the ball back but as you get older you really wanna start getting use to performing up and unders, regular clearance kicks and the style of kick where you aim it into the corner so it bounces out. You need to be good under the high ball and communicate with your team because you can see the whole pitch and where your teams gaps in defence/where the other team has an over lap ect.

I just realised thats a load of information but hopefully it helps. About the speed side. If you're slow then i guess you'll have a hard time as alot of the time you have to chase balls that have been kicked by the oppostion flyhalf, you have to do alot of general covering so if you are flat out slow then it would be difficult. The quicker the better i'd say you proabally wanna be the quickest in the team apart from your wingers depending on how fast they are though as i said before aslong as you not slow then you'll get away with it

[2 D]

Hey guys, I've been doing some training for Rugby, but I was wondering if I should start doing position specific training. I'm kind of wondering what position I'd be, I know this will vary based on some factors, but I'm 5'11" ~220 lbs. if I had to guess, decently fast and strong but nothing freakish.

My guess would be a forward of some capacity, but I don't know if I can hook or prop due to size and probably not quite fast enough for openside flanker. Anybody have a guess as to which position someone like me might be suited properly for? Was thinking blindside flanker, but not real sure. I'm real green to sport itself, so still trying to learn the basics of each position.

[toad1]

Hey guys, I've been doing some training for Rugby, but I was wondering if I should start doing position specific training. I'm kind of wondering what position I'd be, I know this will vary based on some factors, but I'm 5'11" ~220 lbs. if I had to guess, decently fast and strong but nothing freakish.

My guess would be a forward of some capacity, but I don't know if I can hook or prop due to size and probably not quite fast enough for openside flanker. Anybody have a guess as to which position someone like me might be suited properly for? Was thinking blindside flanker, but not real sure. I'm real green to sport itself, so still trying to learn the basics of each position.

at a glance id say hooker you don't need to be 'big' to be a hooker plus all the 'small' kids who are forwards seem to be hookers these days. most clubs these days want back rows and props to be 6 foot plus and 2nd row to be even taller. i play lose head and i'm 5'8 but want to move to hooker, ull know if your a back or a forward. as for training as long as it rugby specfic and power/strength based you should be fine



on the full back thing id say fitness and postioning are the most important thing as youl do alot and alot of cover running from side to side and bitching at your back line the best full backs i know are really 'moany' and vocal on the park. you can't be to fast and just make sure your faster than your pack.

[ruga buga]

Basically the way i see it is you can be the best tackler in the world but if your positioning is poor then really it doesnt matter. I've played fullback for the last 4 seasons so i guess its safe to say im a specialist fullback/ its my natural position. I've always been one of the best tacklers and quickest over 30 and 100 meters in my team so i've been fine in those departments. Positioning comes by playing and by just watching the top fullbacks up close and seeing where they stand and when (if you're really into rugby i expect this is something you already do). lower down the ages under 14/15/16 you can get away with just running the ball back but as you get older you really wanna start getting use to performing up and unders, regular clearance kicks and the style of kick where you aim it into the corner so it bounces out. You need to be good under the high ball and communicate with your team because you can see the whole pitch and where your teams gaps in defence/where the other team has an over lap ect.

I just realised thats a load of information but hopefully it helps. About the speed side. If you're slow then i guess you'll have a hard time as alot of the time you have to chase balls that have been kicked by the oppostion flyhalf, you have to do alot of general covering so if you are flat out slow then it would be difficult. The quicker the better i'd say you proabally wanna be the quickest in the team apart from your wingers depending on how fast they are though as i said before aslong as you not slow then you'll get away with it

thanks for the reply bro!

that is real in-depth and I agree with you full-on. I have played in the forwards since I started playing rugby but I have a great feel for the game and understand how to play the positions(all except 10 and 9)

I played quite a bit of 8th man the last few 2 seasons so my play at the back is pretty solid but obviously if i go into the position at the back I will learn the ins and outs of positioning ect...

[MiKeOnE29]

I played quite a bit of 8th man the last few 2 seasons so my play at the back is pretty solid but obviously if i go into the position at the back I will learn the ins and outs of positioning ect...

Glad it helped, Yeah the positioning isn't really that hard its just if you've got someone that's never played at fullback before in their life then from what I've seen they can get it all wrong and then end up really not enjoying themselves. Once you play a few times you'll pick it up and then you'll naturally know where to stand ect. good luck anyway

[BobisMighty]

Hey guys, I've been doing some training for Rugby, but I was wondering if I should start doing position specific training. I'm kind of wondering what position I'd be, I know this will vary based on some factors, but I'm 5'11" ~220 lbs. if I had to guess, decently fast and strong but nothing freakish.

My guess would be a forward of some capacity, but I don't know if I can hook or prop due to size and probably not quite fast enough for openside flanker. Anybody have a guess as to which position someone like me might be suited properly for? Was thinking blindside flanker, but not real sure. I'm real green to sport itself, so still trying to learn the basics of each position.

I don't think I'd worry too much about position specific training just yet, considering you need to figure out what position you are. I've only been playing a few years and I've gotten moved around quite a bit. I started at lock, i'm now a flanker (either side), and occasionally i've played outside center and wing. My coach in college told me he started me at lock so that they could use my strength while I learned the game and got a sense of field position so I wouldn't be running in the way of the backs.

That being said, squats and agility training can't hurt anyone in this game.

[Snowman723]

yeah good point. I wasn't limiting myself, was just trying to see where I fit in... Im gonna start working hard on my kicking and taking the high ball as we are still in the off-season then see what happens when pre-season starts.

I think im just going crazy thinking about the move to fullback and that the coach for next year won't move me but oh well ,you never know till you give it a bash

This is one thing I am absolutely brutal at....and since my coach expects the Number 8 to be a main man at kick-offs this is a problem

Any tips for this? And general info about kick-off reception cause thats a big area of weakness for my team

[hitrucks]

How well would weighted squat jumps help your explosion in the scrum?

[Dom_88]

This is one thing I am absolutely brutal at....and since my coach expects the Number 8 to be a main man at kick-offs this is a problem

Any tips for this? And general info about kick-off reception cause thats a big area of weakness for my team

You need to work on your timing for jumping to catch it. Being the kick off receiver is extra hard b/c you need to be aware of your next play after you have the ball. The biggest mistake people make is get nervous about the on-comers. While you're in the air, they very likely won't touch you. Just hold it tight to your body and don't get caught facing the wrong side.