TEAM RUGBY DUMP TRAINING PLANPOWER AND STRENGTH

CANTERBURY.COM

This exercise predominantly builds lower body strength and power! The major muscle groups worked include quadriceps, shoulders, triceps, forearms, back, chest, abdominals, calves and hamstrings.

This exercise focuses on your lower body strength and explosiveness to lift the weight relevant to rugby scrums, tackles and sprints.

/ SQUAT DOWN REACHING UNDER THE TYRE

/ STAND EXPLOSIVELY, USING YOUR LEGS AND KEEPING YOUR CORE ENGAGED TO LIFT THE TYRE UP TO YOUR CHEST BEFORE DRIVING FORWARDS TO FLIP THE TYRE. PUSHING THE TYRE FORWARDS IS BUILDING STRENGTH IN YOUR UPPER BODY, AND WILL HELP IMPROVE YOUR TACKLING.

/ RUN TO THE OTHER SIDE AND FLIP THE TYRE BACK OR CONTINUE FLIPPING IT IN ONE DIRECTION FOR 5 REPS BEFORE FLIPPING BACK IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. RUNNING AROUND THE TYRE FOR THE NEXT REP WILL HELP YOU BUILD SPEED AND AGILITY.

/ START WITH 1 MINUTE SET – REPEATED X5 (AIMING FOR MAX REPS IN 1 MINUTE). PERFORMING AS MANY REPS AS POSSIBLE WILL WORK YOUR OVERALL CONDITIONING AND STAMINA AND WILL HELP YOU STAY STRONG AND FAST FOR THE DURATION OF A MATCH.

EXERCISE BUILD

To progress this exercise, you could increase the weight of the tyre to make it more challenging as you get stronger. If you don’t have access to heavy tyres then you can perform a Barbell Deadlift and increase the weight to make it suitable for you.

1 TYRE FLIPS

ALEX CROCKFORD FULL BODY STRENGTHCreator of the #CrockFit Fitness Plans, Alex Crockford is a leading figure in Britain’s strength and fitness scene. Known for his emphasis on full body strength, Alex has a wealth of experience in guiding people to their #rugbyfit goals. Alex has always had an interest in rugby, and had great success in schoolboy rugby.

Alex has prepared three full body, team exercises which not only focus on conditioning a player’s strength, but also help to build team work. These can be carried out in various scenarios with a multitude of equipment.

TEAM RUGBY DUMP TRAINING PLANPOWER AND STRENGTH

CANTERBURY.COM

This is a full body strength exercise, and focuses mainly on isometric strength, meaning you will get stronger in a static strength situation rather than a dynamic one, which replicates many situations in rugby. Muscles worked with this exercise are upper back, hamstrings, quads, calves, shoulders and forearms

Tug of war is an all body workout which needs strength from the lower and upper back to lock and hold the pulling position; explosive strength from the hamstrings, quads and calves to burst, press down and move backwards; and gripping power from the arms to keep everything in order.

Not only does this add value as a team-building exercise but, utilising the mentioned muscles in unison, helps with overall performance on the rugby pitch.

/ ATTACH A HARNESS AND CABLE TO A HEAVY SLED

/ PULL BACK BY SITTING DOWN LOW AND ENGAGING THE LEGS TO PUSH AWAY FROM THE FLOOR.

/ KEEP A STRONG UPPER BODY AND BACK TO PULL THE WEIGHT

/ WORK FOR 30 SECONDS. REST FOR 10 SECONDS. REPEAT FOR 4-5 SETS

/ 30 SECONDS SET X 5 (AIMING FOR MAX WEIGHT IN 30 SECONDS)

EXERCISE BUILD

In the gym, you can add more weight to sled to increase the intensity of this exercise. You could also get a team mate to sit on the sled to work on your team building and positive encouragement, as well as extra load!

2 TUG OF WAR (WEIGHTED SLED PULL)

TEAM RUGBY DUMP TRAINING PLANPOWER AND STRENGTH

CANTERBURY.COM

This exercise focuses on full body strength (primarily lower body) to prepare the body for many of the actions you would expect to experience within a rugby match. It is a significant core exercise too, which will help you build a solid base! The key muscles worked are your posterior chain, hamstrings, lower back, glutes and quads.

Training with a weighted sled (or car) allows your muscles to build resilience to power drives. Facing forward and dragging weight will build muscle in your calves, hamstrings and gluteus maximus. This is excellent training for driving in the scum and all other pushing plays. Relying on two members of the team to gain the momentum mimics an environment similar to a heated rugby pitch and encourages teamwork.

/ LOAD THE SLED WITH THE ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT

/ ATTACH ROPE/HARNESS TO THE SLED

/ STAYING LOW, DRIVE YOUR FEET INTO THE GROUND AND PUSH THE WEIGHT FORWARDS WITH A POWERFUL LOWER BODY

/ WORK FOR 30 SECONDS. REST FOR 10 SECONDS. REPEAT 4-5 TIMES

/ 30 SECONDS SET X 5 (AIMING FOR MAX SPEED IN 1 MINUTE)

EXERCISE BUILD

This exercise can be built up by adding more weight to make it more challenging and build more strength. You can vary this exercise up by using a harness or by holding on to the sled bars to push with your arms, adding more upper body strength to this exercise.

3 CAR PULL (WEIGHTED SLED PUSH)