Rugby Strength and Conditioning – Get Fit For a Bruising Sport!
In rugby strength and conditioning is vital, more so than in many other sports. The relentless physical contact, the aggression and energy required make it pretty sapping.
Despite these facts, you might be surprised to know that many amateur players don’t show up well in rugby strength and conditioning tests, according to research done for Sports Medicine journals. So even a once a week training programe is going to give you a good chance of doing well.
When thinking about rugby strength and conditioning you need to bear in mind the following target areas – you need to think about speed AND power, plus quick recovery as who knows when the ball is heading your way next in the backs, or as a forward there is that need to get to the breakdown quickly. Power is also needed to make solid tackles, or even better, bone-crunching ones.
Interval training is one way for a rugby strength and conditioning regime to produce results. It’s pretty simple in that periods of exercise are followed by periods of rest. If you think about it it does simulate the game, when there are frantic spells followed by pauses. It also means that there is less lactic acid in the system. 400 metre laps followed by rest would be one example.
Lower body exercises are also effective. They will help with power, whether it’s for jumping to grab the ball in the line-out, to holding your own in the scrum, or to get motoring when you receive the ball in the back.
To learn some of the inside secrets atheletes use to give them that edge head to strength training and conditioning plus you can find out how the two for two rule will transform your strength and conditioning workouts.
