Complementary sports to rugby?

[nomadwa]

What other sports do you play? More important, do you think any of them helps you to improve your rugby-related skills? Do you integrate any of these other sports into your rugby training regimen?
To get the ball rolling, I hear that machine rowing and cycling help improve your base fitness, and therefore are useful for rugby players. I am considering doing more of these.

 

[Olyy]

I mountainbike a fair bit, so i suppose that's helping my fitness,
Rowing is good for fitness as well, i do that in the gym occasionally
I also Kayak and do MMA, not sure how much relevant kayaking is, but MMA is bound to be helping me

 

[Prestwick]

I'd say Ice hockey is a good way to complement your reaction, agility and toughness. Like rugby, ice hockey has the tendency to turn on its head at the drop of a hat which requires the ability to turn offense into defence in just a quick a time. Also the speed and physicality of the game that also requires a keen eye and a focused mind could aid players.

Finally you get to fight if you're an enforcer and whats not brilliant about that?

 

[iWin]

Football is supposed to be good for getting quick feet, and you'd get a better kick, even if it's not out of hand.

 

[Thingimubob]

Aussie rules isnt a bad one either, in School training we played it with a Rugby ball, just with passing rugby style instead of kicking/bouncing or whatever they do in Aussie Rules, the aim of the game being to pass it to someone standing between the posts. It's very good for fitness (loads of running around) and long range passing (since you can pass it to anywhere on the pitch it gives you a chance to go for some huge ones)

 

[lucky_number_7]

Gaelic footbal is good for fitness and kicking and teaches you not to take the bait when a guy catches you with a cheap shot

 

[feicarsinn]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lucky_number_7 @ Feb 22 2010, 02:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Gaelic footbal is good for fitness and kicking and teaches you not to take the bait when a guy catches you with a cheap shot[/b]

More like it teaches you to wait for the ref to turn his back or one in all in. I miss Gaelic Football, may go back during the summer and play a bit of intermediate.

 

[OSU Blue]

I would say my soccer background has helped me a lot. Tremendously in my kicking ability, but it also teaches you to read the field, opposition, where your support is, and strategize (if that's even a word) while on the fly.

P.S. Pardon the ignorance, but when I say 'soccer' does everyone, everywhere know that's football, or just those who often deal with Americans?? I've always wondered. Thanks.

 

[MunsterMan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Feb 22 2010, 05:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lucky_number_7 @ Feb 22 2010, 02:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gaelic footbal is good for fitness and kicking and teaches you not to take the bait when a guy catches you with a cheap shot[/b]

More like it teaches you to wait for the ref to turn his back or one in all in. I miss Gaelic Football, may go back during the summer and play a bit of intermediate.
[/b][/quote]

I'm guessing you are with a big club with an attitude like that! I know guys who have been training since January so they can make it to intermediate! I too miss a bit of Gaelic Football, I'm only playing soccer at the moment actually due to my damn neck, have to start playing Rugby and Football again.

I found Basketball a very good compliment to rugby and all sports, good for fitness, but the real bonus is the way it teaches you to read and intercept passes.

 

[feicarsinn]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Feb 22 2010, 10:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Feb 22 2010, 05:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lucky_number_7 @ Feb 22 2010, 02:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gaelic footbal is good for fitness and kicking and teaches you not to take the bait when a guy catches you with a cheap shot[/b]

More like it teaches you to wait for the ref to turn his back or one in all in. I miss Gaelic Football, may go back during the summer and play a bit of intermediate.
[/b][/quote]

I'm guessing you are with a big club with an attitude like that! I know guys who have been training since January so they can make it to intermediate! I too miss a bit of Gaelic Football, I'm only playing soccer at the moment actually due to my damn neck, have to start playing Rugby and Football again.

I found Basketball a very good compliment to rugby and all sports, good for fitness, but the real bonus is the way it teaches you to read and intercept passes.
[/b][/quote]

Yeah we're a big enough club. Problem is we have a good senior team (semi finals last year I think, few lads off the county team and we were Tommy Walshe's Wicklow team for the last 22 years) but there is a serious drop off in talent and effort after that. The intermediate team is mainly filled with young lads on the way up, old lads on the way down and those who have other things to be doing while the seniors are training.

I broke into the senior hurling team last year so am looking to solidify my place over the coming months. Great sport, teaches you everything you want: handling, fitness, physicality etc.

 

[MunsterMan]

Although I am from Cork, was never much of a hurler to my Father's great disappointment. I remember always being ****** off when the Hurling started because I was always the guy who was picked out as always started in Football, and isn't starting now to prove the slate was wiped clean.

I am getting all nostalgic now, need to go back playing football!

 

[RC]

If you're a back, try dancing.
Get light, quick feet like a dancer and there's no catching you on the field. Plus it's highly aerobic.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I've done proffesional-level trampolining since I was six and I find it does actually help, what with me mainly playing on the wing now. Helps with agility and balance.

 

[shtove]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DuncTheDoodle @ Mar 15 2010, 09:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I've done proffesional-level trampolining since I was six and I find it does actually help, what with me mainly playing on the wing now. Helps with agility and balance.[/b]

****, I thought you were a prop. Marcus Horan on the wing?

All Blacks and hurling - video a bit tame, but many SH players seem impressed with gaelic skills:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsht1n005fI

 

[MunsterMan]

Pity Sean Ã"g wasn't poached when he was in secondary school, what a rugby player he would have made, great athlete.

 

[feicarsinn]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Mar 14 2010, 10:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Pity Sean Ã"g wasn't poached when he was in secondary school, what a rugby player he would have made, great athlete.[/b]

Keep your greasy mits off him. One of the best hurlersof the decade just past without a shadow of a doubt, shame Setanta got poached down under, a sensational player in him early career. Shame they wouldn't keep the youngest one, useless git.

 

[MunsterMan]

I'm from Cork, of course I wouldn't have wanted him playing rugby, just saying he would have made a great rugby player, but losing O'Leary was enough of a sacrifice for Cork GAA for the next 25 years at least lol.

 

[Nickdnz]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Olyy @ Feb 22 2010, 03:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I mountainbike a fair bit, so i suppose that's helping my fitness,
Rowing is good for fitness as well, i do that in the gym occasionally
I also Kayak and do MMA, not sure how much relevant kayaking is, but MMA is bound to be helping me[/b]

From doing both Hapkido and Rugby, I've found martial arts can be a very poor suppliment to rugby. The reason for this is it teaches things like to be flexible and not to use power and instead use technique. I find this works against rugby as to be a good forward it often takes a "break before you bend" mentality. I also found I get alot more injuries doing both and considering I'm getting ready for my black belt, it takes alot out of me to do both. Maybe MMA is different in that regard.

 

[tommybear]

I think it depends on your position. As a winger, sprinting might help you with speed. However, as a half-back, hand-ey coordination may be more important so tennis may help. Then again, a prop may prefer to do sumo-wrestling as training.

 

[www.rugbyperformance.co.uk]

I find squash helps, good for reaction and speed off the mark in short bursts...good fitness too! we did dance with the lads on School of Hard knocks, didnt go down too well with some of them but i can see how it would be helpful.