Starting to play at age 20?

[nomadwa]

Hi! I'm 20 years old, male, and I wish to seek some advice on conditioning for sports.

A little backgound info, first. I was raised in a country of relatively poor economic status and never had a chance to learn to play a sport. My high (middle) school did not offer any sports facilities and we didn't have a single athletic team. As a result, I never received formal training in sports of any kind. I was recently offered a scholarship to study abroad; and the facilities at the new school are greatly superior to anything I can have in my home country, which prompted me to nurse an intention to play a competitive sport (on an amateurish level, of course).

I'm 5' 11'', weighing 170 lbs (a little over 13 st). Although I'm decently built and have never had any serious illnesses, I'm quite skinny in the upper body. Moreover, I'm quite out of shape and poor in coordination. I would be very grateful if you guys could give me some pointers (basics) on how to start preparing myself.

Or, all my expectations aside, can someone tell me whether it is just too late for me to start playing rugby now and whatever efforts I make would be a waste of time?

 

[Gavin]

Definately wouldn't be a waste of time. Just get out there and enjoy the social aspect of the game. I started playing rugby again at 19, after 3 years out of the game, and I love club rugby. I play scrum-half and though I've only played five games this season (due to only joining the club half-way through the season) I am getting back into the swing of things. My passing is not the best which is why I need to work on it for university next year - any advice would be greatfully accepted. The advice I give to you is the same a friend of mine gave to me - go to training with a particular club and get stuck in. Even if you get picked for the lowest team, it's a start and you can only go upwards from there.
Training wise you should try and keep up a good fitness and do some weights, but also improve your rugby skills.

 

[danny]

Train hard, stick with it and you will have a great time. Not everyone has to play at the top level but playing with your mates in local rugby is what its all about. Thats grassroots mate.

 

[frntline]

Dude its never to late Most Americans don't start playing rugby until college(age 20!). ^^just like danny said grassroots just playing with some good friends makes it worth it and trust me you'll make some new friends. : )

 

[alexrugby]

Play with heart and soul and even in age of 45 or more you will be a great rugby player

Rugby demands heart and soul from you

 

[Fred187]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nomadwa @ Apr 6 2009, 02:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hi! I'm 20 years old, male, and I wish to seek some advice on conditioning for sports.

A little backgound info, first. I was raised in a country of relatively poor economic status and never had a chance to learn to play a sport. My high (middle) school did not offer any sports facilities and we didn't have a single athletic team. As a result, I never received formal training in sports of any kind. I was recently offered a scholarship to study abroad; and the facilities at the new school are greatly superior to anything I can have in my home country, which prompted me to nurse an intention to play a competitive sport (on an amateurish level, of course).

I'm 5' 11'', weighing 170 lbs (a little over 13 st). Although I'm decently built and have never had any serious illnesses, I'm quite skinny in the upper body. Moreover, I'm quite out of shape and poor in coordination. I would be very grateful if you guys could give me some pointers (basics) on how to start preparing myself.

Or, all my expectations aside, can someone tell me whether it is just too late for me to start playing rugby now and whatever efforts I make would be a waste of time?
[/b]

Certainly not too late; I see your a Sale Sharks fan. It might interest you to know that Mark Cueto (winger for Sale) only really took up Rugby aged 17, and was playing for England 5 years later.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

its never to late to take up something new

on that note here is my advice to you for training. Seeing as you have no prior experience with training I am assuming you don't have a strong athletic base. The simplest way to do this would be through endurance training. Once your muscles have developed a good endurance base you may then a good strenghtening program.

What I would suggest you begin doing is start running. You have to build up your aerobic base so do this by jogging and running long distances. Do this 3 times a week lets say Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Start by running a few kilometers and gradually increase distance and intensity as you progress. Once you can run 5km in 25min or less you have a good aerobic base to work with. Also you should do some muscular endurance as well. So every time you goto bed and wakeup do pushups, situps, pullups, chin ups, squats etc, do 2 to 3 sets of as many as you can every 2nd day.

When you can run 5km in under 25 min and do a minimum of 28 pushups, 35 situps, 5 pullups I think that is a good enough athletic base to commence weight training

Here is a good beginners program for you to start with.

Monday - Push Program

You will work all muscles that make a pushing motion
Listed below are exercise names along with # sets x # repetitions

Start with 2 sets of pushups x25 increase by 5 each week
Barbell Benchpress - 3x10 to 12
Standing Shoulder Press - 3x10 to 12
Incline Bench Press - 3x10 to 12
Skull crushers - 3x10 to 12
Close Grip Bench Press - 3x12 to 15
Military Press - 3x10 to 12
Tricep Press Down - 3x10 to 12
3 Sets of Dips to your maximum

Tuesday - Pull Program

You work all of your Pulling Muscles

pull-ups 3x12 assisted or unassisted
Deadlift Barbell 3x10 to 12
Lateral Pulldowns 3x10 to 12
Seated Row 3x10 to 12
Bicep Curls 3x10 to 12
dumbbell shrugs 3x10 to 12
Preacher Curls 3x10 to 12
Barbell Bentover row 3x10 to 12
Pullups 3 x maximum

Wednesday - Leg Workout

5 min bicycle warm up
Barbell Back Squat - 3x10 to 12
Leg press - 3x10 to 12
Dumbbell Lunges - 3x10 each leg
Dumbbell Stepups - 3x10 each leg
Calve Raises - 3x12 to 15 each leg
Leg extension - 3x10 to 12
20 min run cooldown

Thursday Push/Pull workout

Dumbbell Benchpress - 3x10 to 12
Bent Over Row Dumbbell - 3x10 to 12
Incline Benchpress Dumbbell - 3x10 to 12
Arnold's - 3x10 to 12
Overhead Tricep Extension - 3x10 to 12
Barbell Bicep Curl - 3x10 to 12
Lateral Raise and Front Raise 3x10 each method alternating
Seated Row - 3x10 to 12
Hammer Curl - 3x10 to 12


Meanwhile ontop of this

Monday and Wednesday you should do Ab's at the end of the workout

An Ab circuit would be good
3x25 each do 1 set of each without any breaks 2 min rest repeat until 3 sets completed
straight leg situps
jack-knife situps
Bicycle kicks - for this goto 40 so 20 each side
Incline Twisting Situp - same as above
Superman - lie on your stomach and while keeping your legs off the ground thrust your chest and legs upwards basically a reverse situps do this 15 times
normal situps

also try doing situps with medicine balls throwing in a few sets at an inverted angle, using weight etc


While this weight program is more than satisfactory for you you should also maintain a good cardio base so what I would suggest is on tuesdays and thursdays you run a 5km as well do it before going to work or school wake up ncie and early and go for a jog. On fridays you should do something else I would suggest intervals or hill training this will increase your anerobic capacity as well I would even suggest once your aerobic base is high enough you switch to 2 interval/hill sessions a week and one LSD

This should if you follow it get you in very good shape for rugby. ANy other questions feel free to ask. Just so you know what my background is I am a currently serving Infanteer in the Canadian Armed Forces with 5 years experience so I do know a fair bit about fitness as my job requires me to be very fit. I also played 3 years of high level rugby (by Canadian standards lol) and the training was quite good our team ahd our own kinesiologist and we were each given individual programs purtaining to ourselves so I do know a fair bit about training to play rugby as well.

Hope this is of some help to you

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

Also don't be to worried about being out of shape to start with. It happens to the best of us I was recently laid out for 4 and half months because of a surgery and did my fitness suffer you bet it did but you just have to get back on the horse and keep at it.

I promise you if you stick with that program for a month you will notice immediate results it demands you push yourself though this is a must.

 

[nomadwa]

Thanks to everyone for the advice and encouragement. Your timely replies have elucidated many important facts and have confirmed my intention.

Special thanks to Canadian Rugger for his detailed plan. :bravo:

 

[Fa'atau82]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

I'm quite out of shape and poor in coordination.[/b]

Are you Matt Dunning?

 

[O'Rothlain]

I live in a non-traditional rugby country (America), and didn't start playing until I was 20. I was a junior in college and was on scholarship playing our version of football. I started, then and have not turned back. I've now played for a little over 10 years and am coaching a university side.
You are at the right place to start training for sport, your body will respond with great results. Stick with it, train hard and enjoy the fantastic sport that is rugby. It's the world's largest fraternal organization.

 

[danny]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Canadian_Rugger @ Apr 6 2009, 04:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

its never to late to take up something new

on that note here is my advice to you for training. Seeing as you have no prior experience with training I am assuming you don't have a strong athletic base. The simplest way to do this would be through endurance training. Once your muscles have developed a good endurance base you may then a good strenghtening program.

What I would suggest you begin doing is start running. You have to build up your aerobic base so do this by jogging and running long distances. Do this 3 times a week lets say Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Start by running a few kilometers and gradually increase distance and intensity as you progress. Once you can run 5km in 25min or less you have a good aerobic base to work with. Also you should do some muscular endurance as well. So every time you goto bed and wakeup do pushups, situps, pullups, chin ups, squats etc, do 2 to 3 sets of as many as you can every 2nd day.

When you can run 5km in under 25 min and do a minimum of 28 pushups, 35 situps, 5 pullups I think that is a good enough athletic base to commence weight training

Here is a good beginners program for you to start with.

Monday - Push Program

You will work all muscles that make a pushing motion
Listed below are exercise names along with # sets x # repetitions

Start with 2 sets of pushups x25 increase by 5 each week
Barbell Benchpress - 3x10 to 12
Standing Shoulder Press - 3x10 to 12
Incline Bench Press - 3x10 to 12
Skull crushers - 3x10 to 12
Close Grip Bench Press - 3x12 to 15
Military Press - 3x10 to 12
Tricep Press Down - 3x10 to 12
3 Sets of Dips to your maximum

Tuesday - Pull Program

You work all of your Pulling Muscles

pull-ups 3x12 assisted or unassisted
Deadlift Barbell 3x10 to 12
Lateral Pulldowns 3x10 to 12
Seated Row 3x10 to 12
Bicep Curls 3x10 to 12
dumbbell shrugs 3x10 to 12
Preacher Curls 3x10 to 12
Barbell Bentover row 3x10 to 12
Pullups 3 x maximum

Wednesday - Leg Workout

5 min bicycle warm up
Barbell Back Squat - 3x10 to 12
Leg press - 3x10 to 12
Dumbbell Lunges - 3x10 each leg
Dumbbell Stepups - 3x10 each leg
Calve Raises - 3x12 to 15 each leg
Leg extension - 3x10 to 12
20 min run cooldown

Thursday Push/Pull workout

Dumbbell Benchpress - 3x10 to 12
Bent Over Row Dumbbell - 3x10 to 12
Incline Benchpress Dumbbell - 3x10 to 12
Arnold's - 3x10 to 12
Overhead Tricep Extension - 3x10 to 12
Barbell Bicep Curl - 3x10 to 12
Lateral Raise and Front Raise 3x10 each method alternating
Seated Row - 3x10 to 12
Hammer Curl - 3x10 to 12


Meanwhile ontop of this

Monday and Wednesday you should do Ab's at the end of the workout

An Ab circuit would be good
3x25 each do 1 set of each without any breaks 2 min rest repeat until 3 sets completed
straight leg situps
jack-knife situps
Bicycle kicks - for this goto 40 so 20 each side
Incline Twisting Situp - same as above
Superman - lie on your stomach and while keeping your legs off the ground thrust your chest and legs upwards basically a reverse situps do this 15 times
normal situps

also try doing situps with medicine balls throwing in a few sets at an inverted angle, using weight etc


While this weight program is more than satisfactory for you you should also maintain a good cardio base so what I would suggest is on tuesdays and thursdays you run a 5km as well do it before going to work or school wake up ncie and early and go for a jog. On fridays you should do something else I would suggest intervals or hill training this will increase your anerobic capacity as well I would even suggest once your aerobic base is high enough you switch to 2 interval/hill sessions a week and one LSD

This should if you follow it get you in very good shape for rugby. ANy other questions feel free to ask. Just so you know what my background is I am a currently serving Infanteer in the Canadian Armed Forces with 5 years experience so I do know a fair bit about fitness as my job requires me to be very fit. I also played 3 years of high level rugby (by Canadian standards lol) and the training was quite good our team ahd our own kinesiologist and we were each given individual programs purtaining to ourselves so I do know a fair bit about training to play rugby as well.

Hope this is of some help to you[/b]

........Or you could just turn up on a Saturday like just about every other lower level 3rd or 4th team player!

 

[Hall]

If I did that programme I'd be playing professionally within three years.

I'd also have no life...

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

lol well I am in the army mates training is my life

also the program really isn't that much of a commitment all it requires is some discipline. I wake up at 05h30 4 times a week and do either sprints, hills, plyometrics or a run... usually I do two sets of intervals a run or hills and one set of plyometrics.... After I finish my workday I goto the gym and do the weights... offcourse during the rugby season I don't do the running nearly as much, I have practice for that.

When I played rugby at the university level for the military we were expected to attend practice everyday monday to friday 430 until almost 7 at night I was also expected to hit the gym everyday as we were monitored to test our performance. If you want to play at a high level its whats expected.

Offseason we would do one team fitness session everyday and we would do our own session everyday its a lot of work but I was the fittest I have ever been in my life.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

but really though those weight sessions if you do them at proper speed should only take a little over an hour... think of all the time people waste during the day that is time that could be spent training

 

[O'Rothlain]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hall @ Apr 7 2009, 10:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

If I did that programme I'd be playing professionally within three years.

I'd also have no life...[/b]

It's not like it's that intense. That should be what any average athlete is doing on a regular basis. I'm always shocked to hear about the lack of training most of you guys actually do. No offense.
Train hard and be a better athlete, push yourself and be the greatest rugby player you can be.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (O'Rothlain @ Apr 8 2009, 02:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hall @ Apr 7 2009, 10:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If I did that programme I'd be playing professionally within three years.

I'd also have no life...[/b]

It's not like it's that intense. That should be what any average athlete is doing on a regular basis. I'm always shocked to hear about the lack of training most of you guys actually do. No offense.
Train hard and be a better athlete, push yourself and be the greatest rugby player you can be.
[/b][/quote]

thats my thoughts exactly O'Roth

This **** is a real standard program for anyone that works out at the gym most of the movements are very basic

Its not about having a life its about being healthy and living a healthy lifestyle. Like I said before that program is **** simple and it should only take an hour of your day to do. Your telling me you don't have an hour of time to spare during the day.

 

[Hall]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (O'Rothlain @ Apr 8 2009, 03:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hall @ Apr 7 2009, 10:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If I did that programme I'd be playing professionally within three years.

I'd also have no life...[/b]

It's not like it's that intense. That should be what any average athlete is doing on a regular basis. I'm always shocked to hear about the lack of training most of you guys actually do. No offense.
Train hard and be a better athlete, push yourself and be the greatest rugby player you can be.
[/b][/quote]

Sorry we don't meet your exacting standards.

I'm a very good athlete as it is from years of football, squash, various track & field pursuits and long distance cycling. I just have no burning desire to spend my time in a gym.
Its fine for me, I'm happy in Rugby where I am. That is having a laugh with my mates and playing some decent Rugby along the way. I seem to be faster than most opposition players I encounter (Despite not spending my life training) and the ones that are as fast as me often aren't as strong.

I have a lot of other stuff going on in my life and I have to prioritise, Rugby isn't high on that list.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hall @ Apr 8 2009, 09:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (O'Rothlain @ Apr 8 2009, 03:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hall @ Apr 7 2009, 10:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If I did that programme I'd be playing professionally within three years.

I'd also have no life...[/b]

It's not like it's that intense. That should be what any average athlete is doing on a regular basis. I'm always shocked to hear about the lack of training most of you guys actually do. No offense.
Train hard and be a better athlete, push yourself and be the greatest rugby player you can be.
[/b][/quote]

Sorry we don't meet your exacting standards.

I'm a very good athlete as it is from years of football, squash, various track & field pursuits and long distance cycling. I just have no burning desire to spend my time in a gym.
Its fine for me, I'm happy in Rugby where I am. That is having a laugh with my mates and playing some decent Rugby along the way. I seem to be faster than most opposition players I encounter (Despite not spending my life training) and the ones that are as fast as me often aren't as strong.

I have a lot of other stuff going on in my life and I have to prioritise, Rugby isn't high on that list.


[/b][/quote]

Thats fair Hall... your speed has probably been developed since you were young seeing all the sports you have been doing. The gym isn't for everyone with that being said though if you want to push yourself over that threshold its a very useful tool.

 

[durbutter]

You could train,






or you could be a prop.




Pass me another steak.

:bonne-de: