Tighthead Prop advice

[LH01]

Hi everyone I have just joined so this will be my first post.
For all of last season I played loose head prop but my coach has told me I will be playing at Tighthead next year. I have played there a few times for school and done rubbish. If anyone has any advise it will be much appreciated.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Practice.

Really that's all you can do - as much as you possibly can.

 

[LH01]

Is there anything I can do in terms of scrummaging?

 

[ratsapprentice]

IMO your focus should be on locking out and keeping your oppo from getting outside your shoulder and driving in - if you aren't getting shoved backwards or inwards then you are doing your job.

Can't add much more than that I'm afraid.

 

[TheSaffycen]

It depends on if your club has a scrum machine. Keep using that so that you can get use too just making the contact and driving with the whole of the pack. Just keep doing lots of core work outs, look up core exercises like the plank, and medicine ball work too build up your strength. I use too do lots of squats with reasonable weight like 60kg-80kg so that your legs build up, also at the gym near me there is a leg press what has a seat and you put your legs up on the board which is great for explosive leg power, just try and get as explosive as you can.

 

[Big Ewis]

It depends on if your club has a scrum machine. Keep using that so that you can get use too just making the contact and driving with the whole of the pack. Just keep doing lots of core work outs, look up core exercises like the plank, and medicine ball work too build up your strength. I use too do lots of squats with reasonable weight like 60kg-80kg so that your legs build up, also at the gym near me there is a leg press what has a seat and you put your legs up on the board which is great for explosive leg power, just try and get as explosive as you can.

explosive.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

mass, always makes a good prop

 

[ratsapprentice]

Oh - yeah... the most important one - I kind of assumed you had, but if you haven't... LEARN TO SQUAT.

You're playing school rugby, right? (or are a teenager?)

Find your local weightlifting gym (I don't mean health spas like Virgin Active or FF) and ask if someone can teach you how to squat properly in order to help you play rugby - I'm sure they'll be glad to help.
Honestly - this will make a world of difference at your level (assuming you are young) because most people have horrible proprioception and form in strength movements.

There are a ****-ton of proper strength training gyms in and around Leeds - finding someone to teach you shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Patchey]

Rats is on the money. I spent years working out mainly for rugby but was always a bit afraid of the squat rack. Once I learnt it only took a few weeks for me to feel more powerful in the scrum (at lock / 6) and I also found that squatting and deadlifting, which I started doing seriously around the same time, were some of the most fun things I could do in the gym.

The only gym I have access to at the moment doesn't have a bar or rack and I can't tell you how annoying that it.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Just to be clear, I don't even mean you should start strength training* (if you don't already or you can't/don't want to).

Just that you should learn how to squat - you just need to learn how to use your body to apply force.


*Well... you should start strength training, but I understand some people can't or don't want to.

 

[Josht36]

As someone that has come from a powerlifting background to be a rugby fan fairly recently it always surprises me how bad the knowledge is in rugby circles for simple squat/deadlift technique. Don't get me wrong, there are some knowledgeable rugby players out there. But I have even seen videos of current England players that could really do with some spending some of the summer period learning correct form with some proper Weightlifting/Powerlifting coaches. There really is nothing like those two exercises for strengthening core.

I completely understand that rugby is about so much more than strength but it seems odd to not cover all bases.

 

[ratsapprentice]

As someone that has come from a powerlifting background to be a rugby fan fairly recently it always surprises me how bad the knowledge is in rugby circles for simple squat/deadlift technique. Don't get me wrong, there are some knowledgeable rugby players out there. But I have even seen videos of current England players that could really do with some spending some of the summer period learning correct form with some proper Weightlifting/Powerlifting coaches. There really is nothing like those two exercises for strengthening core.

I completely understand that rugby is about so much more than strength but it seems odd to not cover all bases.

Couldn't agree more, man.

 

[LH01]

Does anyone know of any gyms in leeds that will let teenagers do weights?

 

[ratsapprentice]

I'm from London, so I don't know the lay of the land up your way, but these are the places I know of where you should be able to find someone who can help you.

http://www.alteredimagesgym.info/
https://www.facebook.com/ralls.gym

You could always try asking about on here:

http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/forum.php

www.sugdenbarbell.co.uk/

How old are you?
Most gyms shouldn't have an issue with you training provided you are 16, and even if you aren't - powerlifting gyms will quite likely be happy to show you good lifting form/technique even if they don't let you train.
But there are gyms that allow younger guys to train too... you just have to look around.

Good luck.

 

[big ginger 8]

Does anyone know of any gyms in leeds that will let teenagers do weights?

Are you over 16? I've never seen a gym that wouldn't allow anyone who's 16 or over.

 

[Peat]

Just to be clear, I don't even mean you should start strength training* (if you don't already or you can't/don't want to).

Just that you should learn how to squat - you just need to learn how to use your body to apply force.


*Well... you should start strength training, but I understand some people can't or don't want to.

This. This times a thousand.

When you lower yourself to tackle someone in the classic fashion, you are squatting. When you prepare to hit a ruck, you are squatting. Props squat every scrum. The squat is a simple action that every rugby player will do about a hundred times a game and being good at just the body mechanic of it will help. It will also tell you a lot about your flexibility.

Don't squat with weights unless you're with someone who knows what they're doing - not at your age. Very easy way to pick up hip injuries.

Josh - Could you post some youtube videos of guys who you think have good form?

 

[Josht36]

This. This times a thousand.

When you lower yourself to tackle someone in the classic fashion, you are squatting. When you prepare to hit a ruck, you are squatting. Props squat every scrum. The squat is a simple action that every rugby player will do about a hundred times a game and being good at just the body mechanic of it will help. It will also tell you a lot about your flexibility.

Don't squat with weights unless you're with someone who knows what they're doing - not at your age. Very easy way to pick up hip injuries.


Josh - Could you post some youtube videos of guys who you think have good form?

Completely agree on learning good form. It's much more difficult to reteach yourself because of bad habits later on than just learning the correct movement patterns early.

I was going to post some videos but it got me thinking what type of squat would be optimum for rugby training. I was thinking low bar because it seems to simulate the scrum/clearing out the ruck a little better but it would be interesting to hear other opinions. There are probably a few different cues for learning the right technique on high bar/low bar which could confuse so don't want to advise someone when I am definitely not an expert in lifting for sport reasons. Happy to post a video if you have a preference of one or the other.




With regards to the Leeds gym. I don't really know the area but I believe Andy Bolton (first man to deadlift 1000lbs) has his gym in Leeds. Give it a google. If it is anywhere near I would say go for it. You could be getting advice from some of the strongest and most knowledgeable people in the world.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Well I've not been in a rugby scrum but in theory if you can ensure you drive properly between the loosehead and the hooker without allowing the loosehead to shift sideways and drive in, you can essentially cancel out the looseheads forwards pushing power. If you can then get the scrum moving forwards, the loosehead will struggle to stop your side so you will need to make sure the scrum doesn't wheel.