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Training Routine

M

Mean Machine

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Just curious to see what everyone does as far as weekly training in & out of the gym to get physically prepared for rugby.
 
I'll give you a simple answer:
Lots of cardio and precise weight training.

If you want to succeed in this highly physical game you've got to last for 80 min. and be physically powerful.
There is a difference when in the weight room between bodybuilding and sport training.
 
Yeah I realize the difference. The last thing anyone would ever accuse me of is being a bodybuilder. I was more asking the question to see what everyone does just out of curiosity. Besides rugby, weight training is one of my favorite activities so I just wanted to see how everyone else feels about it.
 
we do alot of water arobics and it seems to help. we also do rowing and a basic lifting routine. another thing that we do is a plyometrics workout where there is like 8 or 10 stations that you do a particular exercise for a set amount of time usually a minute or a set number of reps. usually there is like 30 sec rest in between each set
 
Two day split for myself:

Monday, Wedensday, Friday - Shoulders, Chest, Back
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday - Legs, Arms

HIIT on Mondays, and Fridays AFTER LIFTING

Distance on Tues, Thurs, once again AFTER LIFTING

Row Wed, Sat AFTER LIFTING

and thats basically it.
 
I workout Mon/Wed/Friday after school, and have rugby practices on Tues/Thursday. If rugby is cancelled, I usually go on a run.
 
I work out Mon/Wed/Fri after school, with rugby practices during lunch and before school due to snow on the field and basketball teams hogging the gym.

At the gym itself I do heavy compound exercises, squats, deadlifts, bench press, as well as lots of Olympic weightlifting. I use a 5x5 rep/set routine.

For running, I do plenty of sprint training with the odd plyo session mixed in, as well as the occasional beep test to make sure my aerobic fitness level is where it needs to be.

EDIT: Cory, if you're 16 and live on Vancouver Island I assume you play for a highschool there. If so which one, if you don't mind saying?
 
At the moment I'm doing a strength workout and after 2 months of this, i'll start going for a strength/power combination with some bigger lifts such as power cleans etc

At the moment I had 2 workouts, A & B, so one week i do workout A twice and workout B once, and then the next week i'll do workout B twice and workout A once.

Workout A:

3x5 Squat
3x5 Chest Press
1x5 Deadlift
2x5-8 Dips

Workout B:

3x5 Squat
3x5 Shoulder Press
3x5 Row
2x5-8 Pull ups


Doing compound lifts such as these is good for rugby because it improves my overall strength, so all my muscle groups benefit rather using machines that isolate one group, or even one muscle, and I effectively develop strength throughout my whole body.

Atm I've got a problem with shins so I try and avoid hard surfaces as much as possible so instead I tend to do HIIT on a rower or a cross trainer for about 15-20minutes as it's intensity rather than duration that has an effect
 
I guess since i started the thread i should post up what i do.

I lift 4 times per week in the off season.

The first workout is my lower body day. I do some form of squats along with deadlifts/goodmornings and then some extra exercises like hyperextentions and lunges.

The second day is my upper body day. Push Press is usually my main focus. After that I do some tricep work and then hit the rest of the muscle groups.

My third day I focus on Olympic Lifts like cleans and snatches. This is usually a pretty short workout.

The fourth day is just a day to work on anything I feel didn't get worked well enough during the week. Usually a pretty light day.
 
At the moment I'm doing a strength workout and after 2 months of this, i'll start going for a strength/power combination with some bigger lifts such as power cleans etc

At the moment I had 2 workouts, A & B, so one week i do workout A twice and workout B once, and then the next week i'll do workout B twice and workout A once.

Workout A:

3x5 Squat
3x5 Chest Press
1x5 Deadlift
2x5-8 Dips

Workout B:

3x5 Squat
3x5 Shoulder Press
3x5 Row
2x5-8 Pull ups


Doing compound lifts such as these is good for rugby because it improves my overall strength, so all my muscle groups benefit rather using machines that isolate one group, or even one muscle, and I effectively develop strength throughout my whole body.

Atm I've got a problem with shins so I try and avoid hard surfaces as much as possible so instead I tend to do HIIT on a rower or a cross trainer for about 15-20minutes as it's intensity rather than duration that has an effect
[/b]

Haha, someone's read "Starting Strength".

Which is great, because this is the best general beginners program out there; for almost any sport, not just rugby. I started out with this exact program, and trust me, it will get you exactly what you want.

One piece of advice: Start doing front squats on Fridays, which will give you the wrist flexibility and strength with a bar on your front shoulders that you need for power cleans. It will make learning them and adding them into your routine so much easier. And if possible find some Olympic weightlifters to show you how to do them properly, correct form is very important with cleans.
 
I usually go to the gym 3/4 days of the week, but that's only because I'm out of rugby practice at the moment. Otherwise it'd be 2 times a week. And it's too dark by the time I get home to do any running :mad:
 
changed my routine recently now i do

monday: chest
tuesday: shoulders/back
wednesday: legs/arms
thursday: shoulders/back
friday: off (just running)
saturday: legs/arms
sunday: off (just running)

overall i run 4-5 times a week and lift 5 times a week

also i throw in heavy ball work 3 times a week, so i do

medicine ball tosses
medicine ball partner rotations
reverse woodchoppers

this is all to work on the explosive oblique power i need for my pass.
 
I workout in the gym 4 days a week, but only do 1/2 muscle groups in each session so my muscles have plenty of rest. I then to a 7 minute ergo and a 20 minute run on the track every day. I take weekends off as complete rest days, besides matchdays of course. On Thursdays I do 60 minutes of circuit training (two 28 min circuits of 14 stations with a 4 minuit break in between).
 
Monday - 1 and half hours squad training
Tuesday - upper body gym session, about an hour of weights
Wednesday - lower body gym session, again, about an hour
Thursday - an hour and so of squad training
Friday - pre match rest day, maybe a swim, stretching etc
Saturday - game time!
Sunday - nurse my aches, pain, cuts bruises, broken teeth etc

Our squad training has alot of fitness work, so I tend to not put alot extra stuff but I'll go running from time to time, if the mood takes me.
 
I do leg plyos, mainly to run faster and for TKD. Haven't really noticed a difference but probably cause I don't play enough.
 
good post.. it was very interesting to read everyone's different perspectives. not what i expected.. i do one muscle group per day, in this order: chest, back, arms, shoulders, legs, repeat, usually with 1-2 nights off per week. by doing this order, it gives each muscle the proper amount of time to rest, and the sore secondary muscles from getting in the way of the primary muscle group of the day. i do more of a bodybuilding routine, but i have not seen any way it weakens me. the way i see it, a muscle does one thing: contract, so if all my muscles are powerful doing their own motion, when combined to natural movements (most movements in ruby are natural) i will be stronger. usually 12-16 sets of 10 reps per muscle (not muscle group). although during season some of the sets and the order may be altered for joint tweaks, bruises, injuries, etc. speed is a natural strong point of mine, so i stick to moderate distance running for conditioning, should do more, but i just really hate it.. i also realized that strength is 40% gym, 60% what you eat. and where did this 5x5 (and the similar) workout come from, ive never heard of it, and ive done quite a bit of research about lifting routines??
 
Whilst we're on the subject of muscle strength, the best (IMO) sets/reps path to take is to take any weight that you can lift (be reasonable, not like 1lb), and do as many reps as you can. Once you can do more then 8, use more weight. Again, once you can do 8 reps with that weight, move up again. Do this for 4/5 sets (up to you).

Reasons for this:
- Any more than 8 reps leads to the exercise toning rather than strengthening.
- You will be able to see a clear strength gain in being able to do 8 reps of a higher weight, and continuously moving up.
- 4/5 sets will not be too easy as to have no effect, but will not overwork the muscles.

I haven't done this for quite a while, but will start following these principles tomorrow. :cheers:
 
Whilst we're on the subject of muscle strength, the best (IMO) sets/reps path to take is to take any weight that you can lift (be reasonable, not like 1lb), and do as many reps as you can. Once you can do more then 8, use more weight. Again, once you can do 8 reps with that weight, move up again. Do this for 4/5 sets (up to you).

Reasons for this:
- Any more than 8 reps leads to the exercise toning rather than strengthening.
- You will be able to see a clear strength gain in being able to do 8 reps of a higher weight, and continuously moving up.
- 4/5 sets will not be too easy as to have no effect, but will not overwork the muscles.

I haven't done this for quite a while, but will start following these principles tomorrow. :cheers: [/b]

Ive heard that as well i reccomend it!!


good post.. it was very interesting to read everyone's different perspectives. not what i expected.. i do one muscle group per day, in this order: chest, back, arms, shoulders, legs, repeat, usually with 1-2 nights off per week. by doing this order, it gives each muscle the proper amount of time to rest, and the sore secondary muscles from getting in the way of the primary muscle group of the day. i do more of a bodybuilding routine, but i have not seen any way it weakens me. the way i see it, a muscle does one thing: contract, so if all my muscles are powerful doing their own motion, when combined to natural movements (most movements in ruby are natural) i will be stronger. usually 12-16 sets of 10 reps per muscle (not muscle group). although during season some of the sets and the order may be altered for joint tweaks, bruises, injuries, etc. speed is a natural strong point of mine, so i stick to moderate distance running for conditioning, should do more, but i just really hate it.. i also realized that strength is 40% gym, 60% what you eat. and where did this 5x5 (and the similar) workout come from, ive never heard of it, and ive done quite a bit of research about lifting routines?? [/b]

Honestly if i were you i would throw out an arms day, just combine the arms with something else like combine the triceps with bench day or combine the biceps with say legs.. that way you can get a needed day of rest, its up to you but i reccomend it!!
 
i used to do that, but i wasnt happy with my results. that's also an extra 32 sets i have to work into 2 other workouts.. the day off i work into my week seems to do the trick.. if i dont feel healthy/strong, i take the day off. then every 10-15 weeks of strenuous lifting, i try and take a week completely off, and for reasons unbeknownst to me, come back stronger.. this happens with several others i know, too. dont know why, but i would suggest it..
 

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