Rugby training program...

[Sven Draconian]

Putting together a program that will take me into the season (starts in about 2 months) and I can continue with through the season and into the intermission during the summer.

Goals:
Strength/Power in the lower body
Improved fitness
Hypertrophy in the upper body.

Obviously having stronger legs is always a good thing, and no amount of size or fitness is going to make up for a lack of strength in the lower body.

Fitness wise, I've floated between 185-195 for the past few seasons. I play significantly better when I'm at 185. Right now I'm in the 195 range with a BF% a little under 20 (nothing official, just going off the mirror and relative experience). Ideally I would like to get closer to 175 (putting me in the range of 10% BF). I know that low BF =/= fitness, but it it does help a lot of things. Obviously this will be combined with internal training and body composition is in large part based on your diet; so that will need to be in order.

Hypertrophy is pretty simple - In Rugby (especially at my spot), you neck and shoulders take a beating. I dinged my shoulder pretty good twice and can still feel some of the effects. You don't use a lot of maximal strength in the upper body, but more muscle mass to absorb some of the impact would be desirable.

Programming wise I like to do frequent and quick workouts. At one point I was doing TM (at least a facsimile) and I hated being in the gym for nearly 2 hours. It makes it harder to fit in workouts. Also, my form is better with more frequently work. I've also been a pretty slow lifter and I would like to start lifting much faster (less rest between sets, moving quicker between lifts ect... )

Deadlifts are out. They take too much out of me. When I would try and deadlift and play, my low back and hamstrings were fried way to early during a practice/match. BB Shoulder press is probably out, they really bother my shoulder. Bench Press bothers my shoulder too, but not as badly and I think I can keep them. In both cases, using dumbbells feels a lot better. Incline Press doesn't seem to bother it.

Here is my template so far:

Workout A:
Squat (work up to a heavy 5)
Bench (BB or DB), 3 x 8 (3 sets of 8)
DB Shoulder, 3 x 8
Chins 3 x 8 (working up to this).
Lighter cardio (primarily jump rope, maybe some box jumps)

Workout B:
Clean (work up to a heavy 3)
Shrugs 3 x 8
Some arm stuff (emphasis on shoulders).
DB "Kettlebell" swings... whatever amount I feel like. I also might want to do some sort of Row/Pushup combination using dumbbells (Pushup into a one armed row). This stuff is primarily a "finisher." Also, their just kind of fun ].
Heavier cardio

Workout C:
Work up to 60 minutes of interval training.

Alternate between Workouts A and B Monday through Friday. Usually hit 4 days a week, sometimes go for 5 and sometimes peel back to only 3. Use Workout C on Saturdays when I'm out of season; it'll be replaced by either a match or practice in-season.

Squat right now is 285 x 5. 2 weeks ago I started at 225 and I've been jumping 10 pounds per lift. Previous high was 365 x 3.

Clean was 185 x 3. Previous max was 225 (I think I hit 205 x 3 or 215 x 3. Not sure which).

[deets2000]

I would try to keep a program during season until after the first couple weeks after which I'd be a train wreck. Fri was out to travel. Sat is a rugby day. Sun train wreck/ quite dark time. Mon can walk still really recovering/practice. Tue-Thu practice.

[Sven Draconian]

I would try to keep a program during season until after the first couple weeks after which I'd be a train wreck. Fri was out to travel. Sat is a rugby day. Sun train wreck/ quite dark time. Mon can walk still really recovering/practice. Tue-Thu practice.

That's what I ran into before, which is why I'm trying to piece together a lower volume program that relies on frequency.

[Dastardly]

Is there a question here?

[Squeakyguy]

I'm not as far along in my novice progression as you, but I am also starting to train for the forthcoming rugby season (have never played before). What position do you play? Based on my body type (tall and fairly slender), I have done some research and am interested in playing lock. What sort of physical attributes are valued in locks from your experience?

You said you played best at a weight of 185, what is your height? You mentioned your desire for hypertrophy, but it seems like gaining size while losing 20# would be entirely conflicting goals. From what I've read about rugby on these forums (do a search for "rugby" in thread titles only), being able to stay injury free while smashing around is dependent on maintaining and increasing size and weight. You mentioned some injury issues yourself; do you think it might be in your best interest to play at a higher weight? Your numbers mean less to a casual observer because I don't know if you're 5'7" or 6'2".

Good luck with your new program, I'm interested to see what you guys come up with, as I'll benefit from knowledge in this domain as well.

[Sven Draconian]

I'm not as far along in my novice progression as you, but I am also starting to train for the forthcoming rugby season (have never played before). What position do you play? Based on my body type (tall and fairly slender), I have done some research and am interested in playing lock. What sort of physical attributes are valued in locks from your experience?

If you have never played before, it's unlikely you will play lock. Typically Locks are the biggest guys on the field, props may be a bit heavier but it should be close. However, experience binding and driving in the scrum makes it tough for a rookie to play (depending on what type of team you are looking at joining and how much turnover they have). Other than Wing/fullback, slender is not a body type that works well in Rugby though.

You said you played best at a weight of 185, what is your height? You mentioned your desire for hypertrophy, but it seems like gaining size while losing 20# would be entirely conflicting goals. From what I've read about rugby on these forums (do a search for "rugby" in thread titles only), being able to stay injury free while smashing around is dependent on maintaining and increasing size and weight. You mentioned some injury issues yourself; do you think it might be in your best interest to play at a higher weight? Your numbers mean less to a casual observer because I don't know if you're 5'7" or 6'2".

I'm 5'6. I hook.

While being bigger does provide some advantages, rugby is an 80 minute game that is somewhere between anaerobic and aerobic. There is a tendency to compare it to football (a clearly anaerobic sport), but as somebody who coaches football and plays Rugby the endurance requirements are very different. Football (american for those who need the clarification) is pretty regulated: You play 5-10 seconds, job for 10, get 20 off and then do it again. In Rugby you will have 2-3 minute bursts where you are in the center of the action and then you might have 3-4 minutes where you walk a few steps in either direction.

As far as injuries are concerned, you put youself at a major risk if you are playing tired. Once the juice in your legs are gone and you are catching on impact (be in in a scrum, tackle or ruck) you are much more likely to get hurt. You need to be able to get off the ground quickly and be able to stay low on contact. If you can't do that you are exposing yourself to injury.

Good luck with your new program, I'm interested to see what you guys come up with, as I'll benefit from knowledge in this domain as well.

Thanks, I'm interested to see what other people have to say as well .

[Sven Draconian]

Is there a question here?

Just curious to get other peoples thoughts and opinions.

[Squeakyguy]

If you have never played before, it's unlikely you will play lock. Typically Locks are the biggest guys on the field, props may be a bit heavier but it should be close. However, experience binding and driving in the scrum makes it tough for a rookie to play (depending on what type of team you are looking at joining and how much turnover they have). Other than Wing/fullback, slender is not a body type that works well in Rugby though.

Thanks for the info. I have been gaining a ton of weight since November because I've been tired of being the "skinny guy," so while I'm not bulky yet, I'm becoming less slender by the day. I've gone from 186# to a little over 210# in the last 3 months, and I expect to gain another 5-10# or so before the season starts. I'm 6'4", and what I've read and learned from some others is that the tall guys play lock for line out catches. I'm not quick enough to play those backfield positions you mentioned, but the corollary is that I'm damn willing to gain weight and practice a lot to develop the experience and build necessary to play a forward position. I've gotta lot of hustle, and I like the idea of being an enforcer type. Will continue to eat and squat.

And yeah, your weight goal makes sense for someone who is 5'6".

[Sven Draconian]

Thanks for the info. I have been gaining a ton of weight since November because I've been tired of being the "skinny guy," so while I'm not bulky yet, I'm becoming less slender by the day. I've gone from 186# to a little over 210# in the last 3 months, and I expect to gain another 5-10# or so before the season starts. I'm 6'4", and what I've read and learned from some others is that the tall guys play lock for line out catches. I'm not quick enough to play those backfield positions you mentioned, but the corollary is that I'm damn willing to gain weight and practice a lot to develop the experience and build necessary to play a forward position. I've gotta lot of hustle, and I like the idea of being an enforcer type. Will continue to eat and squat.

And yeah, your weight goal makes sense for someone who is 5'6".

6'4 and a solid 215 isn't terribly undersized for a lock, depending on level of play (Club? College? what division). There aren't a ton of locks under 230 (on a relatively competitive side that is), but just weighing more doesn't mean much either.

Your body size tends to play 8 man, where you need the leverage of being tall but is a much more active position and requires fitness. However, that is usually one of the best players on the pitch.

[deets2000]

Best of luck figuring out a program for you season. To squeaky Don't worry about the position you'll play it will work itself out. Sure there are ideal sizes but having a roster of ideal players probably isn't the case. I played everywhere but prop and I was 6' 175#s. I also jumped. My preferable position was flanker so I could kill people but out of necessity I played a lot of locke. People get hurt. Plenty of time with my head between two stinky asses pushing the scrum around. So in my offseason I squatted a lot. My size should have dictated my position as a back but my nature dictated what I really was. Good luck to both of you have fun.