Rugby In-Season Split

Training Powerlifting
1

Hey gang.

As you may know, Spring season is just around the corner, with all of the requisite miserably cold sevens tournaments and injured B-side all stars. Anyhow, I’m kicking my training into a more practice-friendly split, figured I’d see what your thoughts are.

We have three indoor practices a week until the ground dries out, then five outdoor a week. I’m looking at three gym sessions a week, plus long slow distance running on my days off.

Day A

  • Front Squat - High Volume
  • DB Lunges - Low Weight, High Reps
  • Single Leg Calf Raises - Moderate Weight, High Reps
  • 1/4 Squats - Moderate Weight, Concentrating on Explosiveness
  • Single Leg Hamstring Curl - Moderate Weight, Moderate Reps

Day B

  • DB Bench - High Volume
  • Pec Deck - Low Weight, High Reps
  • Incline Bench - Moderate Weight, High Reps
  • Dips - Body Weight and Weighted
  • Bench - Very Low Weight, Max Reps

Day C

  • Chins - Body Weight and Weighted
  • Good Mornings - Very Low Weight, Max Reps
  • Single Leg Calf Raises - Moderate Weight, High Reps
  • Seated Row - Superset Wide/Narrow grip, Moderate Weight
  • One-Arm DB Row - Moderate Weight to failure

OK, thoughts, comments? Is the order all right, is the leg/chest/back split appropriate? I’ve chosen exercises and volumes specifically to mimic the common motions used in rugby.

2

I donno about you, but I’m usually too beat up to lift in season. I have to focus more on recovery.

3

if you can get all those workout in every week i would say it sounded fine.

but since its in season and games are coming up all arround you i would change them arround a little so you get a fullbody workout with an emphasis on either upper or lower. and then you jsut alternate beetween the two.

4

Ive always found that in season heavy squatting just isnt realistic. Squatting with sub maximal weights for low reps- ie what Defranco advocates in WS4SB- has suited me much better.

Also I tend to pick up hand/wrist injuries quite regularly in season which would prevent me from front squatting.

If you have training 3+ times a week id scale it down to 2 session to start with and if you find this too easy add in an extra day later on.

That said I play rugby league at the moment which for me is way more taxing than playing union- although that could only due to the position I play (standoff).