alright lads
i follow Defrancos training most of the year but i add a couple of running sessions and fart leks into the week but drop the strong man stuff.
so im in the rugby season team training is on thursdays and game is on saturdays. (trianing is light so i can train before or after). like to take sundays off.
how you would you adapt Defrancos sessions. please bear in mind i add 2 fitnessions in a week.
This is what i’d suggest, the weight training sessions are based on a Defranco in-season training template, the primary goal of which is to maintain lean body mass and to a lesser degree strength/power.
Monday:
back/front squat 2x 8-10
incline BB/DB press 2x 8-10
chin/pull-up 2x max
standing lateral raise 2x 8-10
BB/DB curls 2x 8-10
swiss ball cable crunch 2x 25
Tuesday:
acceleration, speed and agilty sprint session.
Wednesday:
fartlek
Thursday:
am - hang clean 3x 3
reverse hypers 2x 10
BB/DB row variation 2x 8
dips 2x 8-10
external rotations 2x 12
hanging pike/leg raises 2x max
pm - sport specific session (team training)
Friday:
light dynamic weights session incorporating unilateral work e.g. DB/KB snatches and DB/KB clean and press OR rugby skills session e.g. kicking, passing, ball handling, set plays etc.
sa: game day
su: off
Hope this gives you some ideas.
What position do you play? That should inform much of your training.
prop!!
Good for you. That’s my prefered position.
I have found that doing either cleans (hangs or from the floor) or snatches early in the week is the only real strengh exercise I need during the season. It keeps your traps, shoulders and back more than strong enough for the scrum. Probably should do them on Sunday or Monday.
Other than that, just make sure you do some cardio during the week.
During the season, I don’t try to get stronger or bigger. I just try to keep the size and strength I came into the season with and to increase my work rate. The off-season is the time for growth.
Also, don’t worry too much about speed work, as a prop, you don’t have to run 40m all out very often. Just make sure you can get around the pitch.
Most importantly, make sure you’re rested for the game. It doesn’t matter how strong your legs are if they’re so overworked you can’t keep up after the first 20 minutes.e
loose and tight- i cant see any other postion being fun tbh. but im sure others will disagree. but i do like to be quick i am quick it is abig part of my game but i can see your point.
im not iaming to increase strength or size quite happy need to maintain but would like to get fitter always need to be fitter.
Monday:
back/front squat 3x 8-10
incline BB/DB press 2x 8-10
chin/pull-up 2x max
BB/DB curls 2x 8-10
swiss ball cable crunch 2x 25
external rotations 2x 12
Thursday:
am -
hang clean 3x 3
push press 3x 3
good morning 2x 10
BB/DB row variation 2x 8
dips 2x 8-10
hanging pike/leg raises 2x max
Friday:
light dynamic weights session incorporating unilateral work e.g. DB/KB snatches and DB/KB clean and press OR rugby skills session e.g. kicking, passing, ball handling, set plays etc.
cheers for thes ei have made a few minor changes. i like it tho.
have you got any templates or places i can get templates for the firday session i like the idea of including it. dont do it currently. plase bare in mind i have a game the next day.
49sfan,
I’ve seen a few workout programs like the one above for rugby. The thing that I think is strange is how you fit the squat into the week.
You might not have this problem, but if I squat heavy, it’s probably going to take one or two days recovery before I can go for either a long run or do any serious interaval training. Generally, I’ve found that the benifits of cardio outweigh the benifits of working on an exercise that is already more than strong enough for rugby.
I could go light on the squats, but then why bother if I’m not improving anything? The game each week lets me maintain my leg strength.
I think along similar lines for the Friday workout. If you lift heavy enough to cause improvement, you not going to have recovered in time for the game. And if you’re not improving, why do the workout?
Skills work is fine, but make sure you don’t put too much wear and tear on you hamstrings or hip flexors by kicking. Hip flexors aren’t a particularly big muscle and if they’re tired, it’ll affect your speed in the game.
Friday’s light dynamic stuff is not based on any of Defranco’s ideas but something I used to do the day before a game. I’d do a good warm-up including plenty of mobility work and then some static hip flexor stretches and then do something like:
DB snatch 3x3
DB clean and press 3x3
Sprint sit-ups 2x12
Then I’d have a good, full-body static stretch, and that would be it. Whole session takes less than 40 mins. Never felt exhausted, just exhilerated and ready for the game.
l1+t3
i just need to squat heavy it is a disease i will suffer later in the week i know but if i dont quat my opinion is i am being lazy…
bosch
like the friday workout- would you think of adding in some speed squats or box jumps in stead of the sit ups.
Always tried to limit lower body work the day before a game, as I liked my legs to feel fresh. Besides between DB snatches and DB C&P you’re working the hip and knee extensors pretty well.
Friday’s session was never a ‘hardcore’ session just something to wake-up your nervous system, and an excuse to go to the gym, in addition to which I found it psychologically quite beneficial as performing those dynamic lifts made me feel ‘sharp’ and ready to smash someone up the next day!
I suppose if you wanted to do some light speed squats then there is no harm in it as long as you still feel fresh the next day. Personally, I always prefered box jumps (jump squat onto elevated platform, therefore expolsive concentric with minimal eccentric stress) to speed squats as you don’t have that decelleration component.