Hi guys,
Kinda new here. Used to lurk ages ago in the gaming forums until it all changed. Anyway my name is Dave and I'm a personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach and sprint coach who specialises in training amateur and semi-pro rugby players who want to train at a professional level around their everyday job. (corporate team players, London 1 etc) Some good advice on here but just wanted to say if anyone wants some more specific advice training I'm always happy to help. Not a pitch as I'm mad busy at the moment with pre season so can't take really on any more clients anyway but just a bit of a geek about the subject so nice to talk to like minded people and it's always nice to pass on the right info, especially to youngsters as most of the training info I got as kid led to 5 years of various injury.
Just to reiterate some of the points.
The first step is definitely general cardiovascular fitness and a good strength base. It's highly advisable to be pretty fit and healthy before you start plyometrics (eg: I wouldn't train someone unless they could squat 60% of their body weight 5 times in 5 minutes unless I fancied higher insurance premiums for the next 40 years) but as speed is so intrinsically linked to power they are a very useful training device.
If you want more specific advice drop me an email or ask a question on here but I thought I would provide a quick real world guideline for Plyometric training as I use it with clients.
What is it?
SSC. Stretch-shortening cycle. The idea behind plyometrics is to perform explosive actions where an eccentric phase of muscle contraction (shortening eg: squatting) to precede the concentric phase (the lengthening eg: jumping). The SSC is an integral part of everyday life; walking running, but what you are trying to do in Plyometric training is reduce the 'amortisation phase', that is the phase between the shortening and the lengthening
Just for the pub quizzers among you, it isn't new. Was invented by the Greeks, who probably did it naked and involving some kind of penetration, but it was obviously pushed into the agenda by the Eastern bloc in the 50s and 60s who were big fans of it, and of drugs.
Why do it?
Alan Wells the famous Scottish sprinter and husband of Margot Wells (the sprint coach for Tranny Cipriani amongst others) was renowned for his power sessions and Plyometric training and anyone who remembers him will know why. He was WHITE for fecks sake!
The main physiological adaptations which take place are;
1) Inter-muscular coordination (coordination of muscles through full range of movement)
2) Intra-muscular coordination (better muscles fibre recruitment)
3) Stronger nerve impulses travelling to the muscles leading to more forceful contraction
How often to do it?
Although no conclusive evidence to support frequency as it's probably quite subjective, I personally follow guidelines of 2-3 times a week with a recovery period of 48-72 hours between sessions â€" it is very similar to strength training in this regards.
How to do it?
Volume during training.
Beginners â€" 60 â€" 100 foot contacts with the floor
Intermediate â€" 100-150 contacts
Advanced â€" 150 -200 foot contacts
Examples of exercises:
The exercises should mirror your positional requirements. So a prop could do crouched jumps against a tackle bag to imitate a scrum whereas a back would do jump sprints or side steps with medicine balls etc. (I have invented literally 100s of exercises so be inventive yourself.) The main point is to go from a stretch of a muscles to a lengthening in an explosive controlled way. A standing jump is the classic example and provides a useful measure to compare future improvements. I have some standardised rugby data for these if anyone is interested in comparing their jumps against the Springboks.
Final point:
Remember that speed in a flat line on a track is very different to rugby speed. To be as quick as you can be, the average amateur player needs to do the following:
1) Get a good level of fitness strength and CV
2) Improve core strength (planks etc)
3) Flexibility â€" I train a back row who couldn't even reach his leg to stretch his hamstrings. His 50m sprint time has dropped by about a second in 6 weeks and the largest change has been flexibility work. He cnow has a lovely high knee action whereas before calling it a 'shuffle' would be kind. Use developmental stretching and PNF stretching post workout if you have tight muscles.
4) Use sprint intervals and OBLA (lactic threshold training) to improve your CV fitness for rugby meaning that speed stays with you on demand throughout the game â€" think 80th minute 50m sprints for the line.
5) Fartlek â€" as someone mentioned is great. Adds variety and interest. Ok on a treadmill but if you can get outside and go for it. The very name means 'speed play', (rather than the weird sexual perversions it conjures up)
6) SAQ training â€" speed agility quickness. Ask me about this or google it cos hard to explain everything this encompasses but if you've played rugby you've probably done this at some point in some guise.
7) Nutrition â€" probably the biggest change the average rugby player could make
Please feel free to ask me any questions about fitness for rugby or strength or speed training. Obviously I do this for a living so I can't spend hours offering free info but always happy to help. And if anyone does ever need that bit extra I offer complete training programmes for pre and during the season in the London/South East area (although as I mentioned I'm kinda busy at moment) but also I do design personal training programmes, nutrition programmes etc you can follow yourself and keep in touch with me via email and phone
Hope thats useful.
Is there a coaching section on here btw?