Just wondering what if there were other ruggers out there. Im currently in my off season and am trying to put together a program to get me in the best shape for proping in 12 weeks. thanks
Erik
Hey i play rugby and also in the off season and looking for a programme. I would suggest heavy squats and deads for propping plus solid shoulder workout for scrummaging and lifting. A strong core is also essential and anything else you feel needs improvement that you couldnt do during the season
In addition to lifting you need to do a lot of sprinting, not much is more miserable than playing rugby when you’re out of shape. Try and join a summer league if possible too, it’ll help your skill level for the regular season.
I guess it depends what you feel your weaknesses are and whether your carrying any injuries from the season. Initially I would probably suggest working out any imbalances youve developed over the course of the previous season and on rehabing any injury issues.
Aside from that you really cant go wrong with WS4SB in my eyes. Lots of leg work is key but I would also look into doing a lot of trap/neck stuff if I was a front rower.
Conditioning wise I would also really recommend playing the game in some form over the offseason- ideally touch just to keep your hands good without incurring too much fatigue.
I second ws4sb,
Also recommend a Dan John program like the big 21 or Bill Starr 5x5.
Full contact twists for ab work are good too
Yeah, in the off season, my teammates and I like to get together once a week for “Summer 7s” (touch.) Nice conditioning and agility skills work done there.
Sometimes we’ll get together and play a variation of full contact League rules. Just so we maintain good tackling skills and all else in non-ruck/scrum/maul contact skills.
Also in the offseason myself, decided to try Smolov cycle. I’m trying to put on weight so conditioning is at a minimum. Will pick up with it maybe a month or less before we start practicing again.
i play prop… id recommend doing all of the three big lifts. and then haveing a look at some powerlifting stuff like snatch, c&J. id go low rep and perform everything explosive…
the deadlift has helped my Snap no end.
Thanks Im starting my program tonight
Id be interested to know about what, if any, exercises or drills people to for explosiveness etc.
Ive seen coaches of professional teams recommending exercises like a single arm incline throw on the smith machine to micmic a handoff and also a smiliar exercises with the bar wedged in a corner ala lumberjack squat.
Also although im one of the fastest players on the team I feel that for my relative strength I could be faster so im thinking of adding in some explosive lower body stuff, maybe power snatches. Any advice on that?
Any of the olympic lifts, really. Including, but not limited to, all variations of cleans, snatches, squats, and deadlifts.
I squat and pull regularly. Im box squatting 380 at 170 and pulling 485 right now. Not the best numbers I know, but there are quick players on our team who arent close to that. Im faster than them, but not by a lot. I also tend to find that im average over the first 5-10 metres and then I fly past people. I guess it might be a technqiue issue.