So you want to find some rugby training programs and ideas for workouts to improve your rugby?

That's what we're here for.

Played under two different rules, Rugby League, and Rugby Union. Used to be called "A mans Game", however is becoming increasingly popular with females. A game of two 40 minute halves with teams of 15 players (Union) 13 players (League), who are generally well built especially for Rugby League. There's also rugby sevens (see rugby sevens which is a completely different kettle of fish - with 7 a-side and 7 minutes each way. To become good at this sport, you will require a range of physical abilities, as well as a strong mental attitude with good discipline.

There are wide variety of shapes and sizes on the Rugby pitch, with each individual having their set role in the game. With players amalgamating as a team, every player can benefit from the following basic physical requirements, to develop a team with no weak links.
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Explosive

acceleration

and

fast

sprinting

speed

Muscular endurance and strength in both the lower and upper body Muscular balance and high levels of nero-muscular co-ordination

Propreception and agility, the ability to know where your body is, and be able to move it Discipline to take orders and decisions, as well as putting the team first Good flexibility to avoid injury, and to give yourself a greater range of movement Correct balance between your quadriceps and hamstrings, as well as strength imbalances between your left and right leg

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Your fitness training should take the following form Speed work Look at the plyometric circuit to developing explosive power, aim to do this circuit no more than once a week, and certainly not on days before a game, as this type of circuit takes a few days to recover from.

Shuttle sprints; most sprints / runs last for between 10 and 50 seconds in a game, so look at this time for your training. Working with minimal rest between sessions, ideally 15 seconds, however every 5 minutes, take a good minute break whilst walking / jogging. Your sprints should take the following form, standing start, lying flat on your stomach start, running start, sprint forward with run back and then repeat all with a ball. Working at speed whilst passing the ball will help develop the high level of skill that is required for hand eye co-ordination. Aim to have a minimum of 5 markers to turn around, not necessary in a straight line when you perform your shuttle sprints. Also concentrate on turning around the marker from both sides, most right footed players will go around from the right, if you are strong on turning at speed on both legs, just think how this will improve your game? Dependent upon the position you play, will determine the amount of speed work that you perform. The Backs, players (1-9) should perform at least two sessions of speed drills for about 20 -30 minutes a week, with 1 plyometric session. All others should aim for 1 plyometric session and 1-2 speed sessions of 15- 25 minutes.

Muscular Endurance Use this circuit once a week to develop muscular endurance, best performed alongside a skill session or on a day after a match. DISTANCE 2 X LAPS 3 X LAPS 3 X 1/2 LAPS 1 X LAP 4 X 1/2 LAPS 4 X 1/2 LAPS 4 X 1/2 LAPS 4 X LAPS 4 X 1/2 LAPS 5 X LAPS 2 X LAPS SPEED DRILL / NOTES LIGHT RUN WARM UP & STRETCH PACE JOG / RUN / PACE YOURSELF * FAST AS ABOVE DO DRILL, PASSING BALL BETWEEN PLAYERS RUN PACE HK - SS - HTB -SS * FAST RUN LEG CIRCUIT AFTER EACH 1/2 LAP FAST RUN AS ABOVE PLUS UPPER BODY CIRCUIT FAST RUN AS ABOVE PLUS ABS CIRCUIT SPRINT / JOG SPRINT ONE SIDE THEN JOG BACKWARDS * FAST AS DO DRILL, PASSING BALL BETWEEN PLAYERS POSSIBLE FAST RUN LEG CIRCUIT AFTER EACH LAP LIGHT RUN COOL DOWN & STRETCH PACE

HK = HIGH KNEE RUNNING SS = SIDE STEPPING HTB = HEEL TO BUM AIM TO SPRINT THE WIDTH OF THE PITCH, THEN JOG BACKWARDS ALONG THE LENGTH BEFORE SPRINTING AGAIN. ONCE YOU GET FITTER, YOU CAN THEN SPRINT THE LENGTH AND JOG ON THE WIDTH Perform 8-15 of each exercise as fast as possible, remember first time around to perform just the leg circuit, then the leg and upper body and finally all three. Make sure that you do the lap run after each circuit.

LEG CIRCUIT

Two footed squat Walking lunge forward - Alternate leg squat thrusts - count thrusts - aim for a 12 changing lead leg reps on 1 leg only inch jump.

UPPER BODY CIRCUIT

Normal press ups, Wide arm pressaim to keep a Close Hand - Aim to keep your thumbs up. Take elbows straight line through touching each other out to your sides your back

UPPER BODY CIRCUIT

Normal sit ups, keep Alternate elbows to Alternate hand to foot - count reps your chin off your knees - count reps on one side chest one side only

Along with this session you can do straightforward cardiovascular training in the form of running, rowing and stepper's. Aim to build up to doing sessions that last a minimum of 45 minutes either 2-3 times a week. You can also do your weight training after your C.V. workouts, in order to give your body a chance to rest and recover for key matches. Concentrate on keeping your heart rate at about 65 - 75 % throughout your workouts (you should just be able to hold a brief conversation) for the first 4 weeks of training. As you become fitter, gradually increase both the time or training level to make the exercise harder, taking your heart rate to 70 - 80 % (talking hard), with the last minute or two on each piece of equipment flat out 85% and above. This last minute will help you prepare for times in the game when heavy pressure is on for a while, and there is no rest. It is here that your inner body strength will show, use these sessions to push yourself hard, but within your limits.

Strength Training Read the notes on strength training on the site, concentrate on adjusting your workouts to allow for your body to recover, avoid training sore muscles. Train at low intensity's if you are new to weights, ideally using machines, as you become more competent aim to use free weights

Strength training should be performed a minimum of 3 times a week for all players, with a combination of methods used by different players.
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Forwards As heavily built players need both excellent leg power and upper body strength. Using heavy weights for low reps 4-8 for a maximum of 3 sets will give great gains in strength, followed by 1 set with half the weight previously used for maximum reps. This last set will help give you muscular endurance, especially if the weight is worked at a fast but controlled speed.

Exercises to concentrate on are all forms of squats, calf exercises and chest development

Backs (generally)

More athletic in shape then forwards, require both strength and endurance. 1 session a week should be used for upper body strength, medium to heavy weight for 8-12 reps of each exercise for 3 sets. 2nd session should be used to work the legs and abdominals, with the 3rd session used as a high rep endurance / circuit style workout. Minimal rest with reps as high as 30-40 for 2-3 sets, for about 10 15 exercises Remember to warm-up and stretch prior to doing any training, especially weights. If you're short of time to train, you can perform your weight training sessions after your C.V. workouts, giving you more time to spend on skills required. The press-up circuit and abdominal workouts should also be implemented into your training. Use the weight training login sheet to monitor your progress, with the amount of weight that you can lift as well as the reps. Co - ordination / Skills Eye - Body - Brain, is the way we want to have our co-ordination and skills. Unfortunately many of us see the ball, and our body takes too long to react to it passing us. This area can be improved by developing what is called your motor skills, so that you see the ball, and your body automatically positions itself in the correct place. With a complete variety of situations you can be in for a ball to pass you, you need to work on improving your total body, to react as one fast efficient machine.

Ladder Drills Used to gain speed in footwork, lay out a rope ladder, or chalk out an area with approximately 15 inch squares. Combining ladders so that you go both forward and side ward's, will give you rapid results. The numbers indicate the order to run in. Single 2 1 3 4 5 6 leg run

Aim to run on the ball of your foot, without catching the rope or chalk lines. = Left foot = Right foot

1 2

3 4

5 6

7 8 10

9 11

Double leg run; aim to run at speed through the rope ladder, pumping with your arms. = Left foot = Right foot

12

Double 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

side

step

10 11 12 Run through the ladder in a sideways direction, with either double or single leg. = Left foot = Right Foot

6 2 1 4 5 3 8 7 10 11 9

12 14 13 16

18 Ickey

Shuffle

As with the double run, but this time every third comes outside the rope. 17 step = Left foot = Right foot 15

Cross 1 2 3 4 5 6

over's

Side step through the rope, taking your leading leg both in front and then behind the trailing leg. = Left foot = Right foot

By performing these drills in both directions,you will soon realize that you are better on one side than the other. Aim to work on your weaker side for greater improvements in your game. Ball Drills Becoming the fittest and strongest player on the pitch is pointless, unless you can handle the ball under extreme pressure well. Turning at speed, passing, catching and kicking is all skills that you can work on, ideally as a team on the pitch. THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES ARE OF SUITABLE BALL DRILLS Ball Pick Up Working in pairs, ideally with a minimum of 6 balls. Lay the balls out in a zig zag formation between 5 and 20 meters apart. One of you will sprint forward, pick up the ball and pass it back. On catching the ball the second partner sprints forward to place the ball on its original position. Work at speed changing roles at the end. High Ball Pickup Working on your own, sprint for a minimum of 30 meters around a marker. On reaching the marker, turn and either kick the ball or throw it backwards in the direction of the second marker, and aim to catch it and sprint forward onto the next marker. Repeat this for the third and forth markers then sprint forward for a try.

Speed Turn Place a number of markers in any formation, an M Shape, is a good guideline. Sprint as fast as you can around each marker. Ideally place the markers close together 5 - 10 meters apart. Perform the same drill, however run backwards, or sideward's around each of the markers.

Ball Drops Set out a circuit with a number of long straights in it, 20 meters, with a short U-turn followed by a 10-meter sprint. On the long straight either throw or kick the ball so that it bounces close to the marker, aim to predict the bounce, picking the ball up then moving rapidly around the markers in their set order.

Discipline Its simple, whatever the referee says, it goes. Avoid getting penalties or getting sent off by learning to rise above poor decisions, and keeping disciplined throughout the game. If you get fouled, pick yourself up and get on with the game, lashing out at your opponent can end with your team playing with fewer men, and you not being popular with your teammates. I'm personally not good at team sports, as I don't like to lose because of a weak link within the team. What I'm now learning to do, is to find that weak link and rectify it. If it means dropping a team member because there is a stronger player, then accept the coach's / managers choice and simply ask what you need to do to get your place back. Too many players once dropped have a completely negative attitude. Look upon it as a challenge to prove your coach wrong. Train wiser and smarter than before, show commitment to your team, and even if you don't make the first team, at least you can respect yourself for trying and giving 100 percent. Stretching As with most sports, people forget to stretch prior to the start of the game. With Rugby having sudden bursts at any point in the game, it is vital to stretch the whole body in order to prevent injury. After a gradual warm-up spend time stretching, both statically; (see the section on stretching in the fitness area of the Web Site), then DYNAMICALLY. Dynamic stretching involves slow controlled rhythmic movements progressively through the range of movements associated with your game. A section on dynamic stretching will be added to the site. A key point to remember is at the half time stage in a match, keep warm, take in fluid and energy bars that you are used to, to help your energy and concentration levels. Whilst listening to any team tactics, keep stretching your muscles and if possible, learn how to massage your own legs to help prevent injury and prepare yourself for the start of the game. At the end of your game, spend time again stretching after you have showered / bathed, paying particular attention to any cuts or bruises. Have any injuries looked at as soon as possible, as minor injury's become major ones, resulting in fewer matches for you. Due to the nature of the game, you will always pick up injuries, avoid these as much as possible by wearing correct protection and footwear. Use strapping around your ankles and to help strengthen the ankle joint.

Head wear and protective padding is certainly recommended, along with a good pair of rugby boots, a high cut gives good support and protection suitably for props, hookers and locks. A mid cut allows slightly freer movement whilst still giving both support and protection, normally worn by the flankers and number 8. A low cut will give the greatest range of movement at the expense of support and ankle protection. There is a dedicated section on stretching within the members area of the site, designed to help prevent injury, in order for players to be able to train and play all season.