Training Regime for Backs - Help Needed

[tommowins]

Recently, while participating in a rugby festival, I had to shift from my typical position at flanker to wing due to an abundance of forwards. I was always small for a forward, playing U16 level at 5' 4" and weighing only 53kg. Largely this shift to wing was a success, scoring three tries over 4 games (Not bragging at all here). Anyway, while I plan to stay at wing, my training obviously needs to be tweaked. Now being a forward for all of my time playing rugby (was a hooker in the really early days) I am at a loss to this sort training.

Basically what I want to set up is a thread focused on training regimes for backs. This would be extremely helpful to have a 'one stop shop' as such, where if a back wants to get into some training, they come here where, hopefully, a wealth of resources, advice and training regimes exist.

I would guess that most backs work would involve training aimed at increasing speed/acceleration, agility, strength and kicking of some sort?

 

[marb10]

I find that interval training holds the most benefits to a back, when developing acceleration etc. This involves running at a steady pace for a certain distance/time, then sprinting for say 22m before returning to a steady pace again. This is very specific to Rugby Union, because the average sprinting distance is roughly about 10-35m. I train on an unused rugby pitch (still has faded lines) and tend to use this format...

Alternative Method (Doing this with a ball is good practice)
Try Line - 22m: Jog Try Line - 22m: Steady Jog
22m - 40m: Sprint 22m - Half Way: Sprint
40m - Other 40m: Jog Half Way - 22m: Steady Jog
40m - 22m: Sprint 22m - Try Line: Sprint
22m - Try Line: Jog

Repeat this a few times with 2-3 mins rest inbetween each length. I now do this with a speed parachute, You may look like a *** but it is very effective for developing acceleration. I bought mine at Prodirectrugby.co.uk for about £15.

 

[marb10]

I ballsed that up...apologies

Try Line - 22m: Jog
22m - 40m: Sprint
40m - Other 40m: Jog
40m - 22m: Sprint
22m - Try Line: Jog

Alternative Method (Doing this with a ball is good practice)
Try Line - 22m: Steady Jog
22m - Half Way: Sprint
Half Way - 22m: Steady Jog
22m - Try Line: Sprint

 

[ranger]

Recently, while participating in a rugby festival, I had to shift from my typical position at flanker to wing due to an abundance of forwards. I was always small for a forward, playing U16 level at 5' 4" and weighing only 53kg. Largely this shift to wing was a success, scoring three tries over 4 games (Not bragging at all here). Anyway, while I plan to stay at wing, my training obviously needs to be tweaked. Now being a forward for all of my time playing rugby (was a hooker in the really early days) I am at a loss to this sort training.

Basically what I want to set up is a thread focused on training regimes for backs. This would be extremely helpful to have a 'one stop shop' as such, where if a back wants to get into some training, they come here where, hopefully, a wealth of resources, advice and training regimes exist.

I would guess that most backs work would involve training aimed at increasing speed/acceleration, agility, strength and kicking of some sort?

Plyometrics is the important thing to work on, especially as a back.
Its the type of exercise that focuses on explosiveness, its great for accelerating off the mark, fending, quick passes etc..any short sharp action.Its activities like Clap push-ups, box jumps, band squats etc. Just look up plyometrics.
You should also look skipping exercises to increase your foot speed and agility. If you need to learn how to kick try and emulate aussie rules players, they have the best technique you'll find, especially for spiraling.

Are you playing rugby in Taranaki?

 

[tommowins]

Nah mate, Aussie. We moved here a couple of years back.

 

[veux]

You need to be strong to run fast. So do squats, glute ham raises, box jumps, powercleans, hang jump shrugs. You also need to be able to take tackles while running full pelt - plenty of wingers run into my shoulder and mooch around on the ground for 5 minutes struggling to breathe. So you want to build your core strength - deadlifts and weighted ab exercises like russian barbell twists or weighted situps are best for this. You also need strong shoulders so you don't break anything in the tackles and strong chest/arms for handing off.


An easy gym routine would be:

Legs + Shoulders

Squats: 3*5
Power Cleans: 5*3
Glute Ham Raises: 3*max reps

Chest and Triceps

Bench Press 3*5
Weighted Dips 3*8
DB Flyes: 3*12
Pull Ups: 3*max

Back and Biceps

Deadlift: 1*5
BB Rows: 3*5
Weighted Chin Ups: 3*10
Bicep Curls: 3*10

 

[veux]

tbh you can't go wrong following ws4sb3 - you can find it by googling and it's trie, tested, and never really been bested