The rugby season is nearly over. If you’ve been lucky enough to remain injury free so far, I’d wager you’re being held together by physio tape and painkillers. My hat goes off to you if you are still going strong. It’s a rare thing at this time of the year for rugby players.

We’ve already covered the fundamentals of how to gain strength and develop your conditioning during the rugby season. Now it’s time to look at how to remain fit and free from injury year-round. In this article, I’m going to give you some information on injury prevention and some exercises to get you started.

The best way to prevent injury is to add two types of exercise into your programme: mobility work, and prehabilitation training. Let’s take a look at mobility work first.

Mobility work challenges your range of motion and prepares you for the positions you’ll be pushed into on game day.

Mobility: More Than Just Foam Rolling

Mobility work is becoming increasingly popular to improve your movement, and thankfully so. But this doesn’t mean just doing some soft tissue work on a foam roller. Good mobility work means getting warm and moving through your full range of motion on a regular basis. You need to challenge your body’s existing range to decrease the chance of being tackled or pushed into a compromising position that’ll hurt you on the pitch.

The Ready For Rugby Mobility Warm-Up

I’ve put together the routine below to help you improve your mobility, movement quality, and range of motion. These movements focus on key problem areas for rugby players such as the hamstrings, hips, shoulders, and trunk. Use this routine to warm up before you train. Watch the video demonstrations if you’re unsure of any of the movements.

The Routine:

To begin with, jump on a watt bike/rower/treadmill for around 500m at a comfortable pace or around 50-60% of a maximal effort.

• 5 Bodyweight Squats
• 5 Pogo Jumps
• 5 Reverse Lunge with Overhead Reach (each side)
• 5 Sectional Spine Rollouts Into Hand Walkouts with Push Up
• 10m Bear Crawl
• 5 Full Arm Plank Shoulder Touches (each side)
• 5 Mountain Climber with Trunk Rotation (each side)
• 5 Downward Facing Dog into Vinyasa Sweep
• 5 TRX Row

Bodyweight Squats

• Make sure your knees track over your toes.
• Maintain an upright torso.
• Keep your weight on your heels.

Pogo Jumps

• Rock back on your heels, allowing your toes to raise.
• Roll forwards onto your toes and spring into the air.
• Point your toes at the top of each repetition.

Reverse Lunge with Overhead Reach

• Keep a wide base with your toes tracking forward.
• Perform a deep lunge with your knee close to, but not actually touching, the floor.
• Reach both arms overhead and arch your back, keeping your head through your shoulders.

Sectional Spine Roll into Hand Walkouts with Push Up

• Focus on rolling your spine down section by section, slowly and with control.
• Reach your hands to the floor.
• Perform a controlled walk out.
• Maintain a strong posture in the push up.

Continue to Page 2 for More Ready For Rugby Mobility Exercises

Bear Crawl

• Maintain a flat back throughout to control your spinal position.
• Bring your knees up close to your body.
• Keep your weight shifted over your hands.

Full Arm Plank Shoulder Touches

• Maintain a strong torso with minimal rocking.
• Slowly raise your hand to the opposite shoulder, then replace it to the ground.
• Repeat on the other side.

Mountain Climber with Rotation

• Bring your foot to the side of your hand.
• Turn your torso over your raised knee.
• Follow your hand with your head.
• Keep the movement slow and controlled.

Down Dog into Vinyasa Sweep

• At the top of the down dog, keep your legs straight and your head through your shoulders.
• Perform a controlled sweep through, ensuring your elbows stay tight against your lats.
• Sweep your body up, keeping your hips close to the ground.

TRX Row

• Maintain a strong torso position throughout the row.
• Pinch your shoulder blades together and pull your elbows behind your body.

Continue to Page 3 for the Ready For Rugby Prehabilitation Routine and Exercises

Prehabilitation Prevents Rehabilitation

Prehabilitation exercises, often shortened to “prehab”, are movements used to strengthen potential problem areas. In rugby this is most notably the neck, shoulders, hips, and glutes. Prehab is used to limit the likelihood of injury and negate the need for rehab – hence the name. These exercises are worth their weight in gold for any rugby player, but they’re often overlooked because they aren’t very glamorous and won’t get him or her a ton of new followers on Instagram.

Prehabilitation work prepares and strengthens your body to deal with the hard hits.

My favourite prehab exercises use bands for glute and shoulder activation. The glutes are where rugby players generate much of their power, so keeping them firing with these bands improves power output and avoids some of the issues players can experience in this area. Similarly, we can protect the highly stressed rotator cuff by strengthening its muscles with band work.

The Ready For Rugby Prehab Routine

I’ve given four prehabilitation drills below. Do these movements after your mobility warm-up to avoid injury and keep out of the physio room.

The Routine:

To be completed after The Ready for Rugby Mobility Warm-Up

• 3 x 20 Glute Band Diagonal Walks
• 3 x 12 Glute Clock Faces with Band (each side)
• 3 x 12 Shoulder Clock Faces with Band (each side)
• 3 x 12 Band External Rotation (each side)

Prehabilitation Exercises for Injury Prevention: Glute Band Diagonal Walks

• Take a semi-squat stance with an upright torso.
• Sweep your leg inwards to outwards, keeping your knees tracking over your toes.
• Perform 3 sets of 20 steps: 10 forward, and 10 backward.

Prehabilitation Exercises for Injury Prevention: Glute Clock Faces with Band

• Take a semi-squat stance with an upright torso.
• Perform each rep slowly and with control.
• Push your knees out over your toes – don’t allow them to collapse inward.
• Perform 3 sets of 12 steps each side: 1 forwards, 1 to the side, and 1 backwards.
• Repeat four times on each side.

Prehabilitation Exercises for Injury Prevention: Shoulder Clock Faces with Band

• Start on all fours, with your knees and hands on the floor.
• Maintain a neutral spine.
• Keep tension on the band throughout the movement.
• Make sure your weight stays over your grounded hand.
• 3 sets of 12 hand placements each side: 1 forwards, 1 to the side, and 1 backwards.
• Repeat four times on each side.

Prehabilitation Exercises for Injury Prevention: Band External Rotation

• Keep your elbows bent at a 45-degree angle.
• Keep your elbows tucked in close to your lats.
• Rotate at the shoulder, bringing your hand away from your body.
• Perform each rep slowly and with control.

Injury Prevention Is A Year-Round Commitment

Injury prevention shouldn’t just be addressed toward the end of the year to keep you fit for your last few games. It’s something you should focus on throughout the season and off-season too. Freak injuries can still happen regardless, but you can have more power over their incidence by strengthening your problem areas and keeping your joints and muscles healthy with injury prevention work. The exercises given here are designed to do just that. They’ll keep your body mobile, resilient, and fully prepared, right up to the last game of the season.

More Like This:

• Ready for Rugby: A 4-Week In-Season Fitness Programme
• Ready for Rugby: A 4-Week In-Season Strength Programme
• Build 360-Degree Strength: Rotational Exercises for All Sports
• New on Breaking Muscle

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The post Ready for Rugby: Exercises for Injury Prevention appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Rugby players have to couple sharp bursts of power with just as rapid recoveries.

In rugby, you have to mix bursts of power facilitated by the anaerobic energy system with quick recoveries using the aerobic energy system. A decent fitness programme for the sport should strike a good balance of anaerobic and aerobic training. My favourite way to develop these energy systems together is through interval training. I favour tempo training, maximal aerobic speed (MAS) training, and high intensity interval training (HIIT). Before we dive into our in-season fitness programme, you need to know a little more about the methods.

The Aerobic System

Aerobic system training isn’t particularly stressful on the central nervous system, and actually helps to improve your recovery. The principles in training this system are similar to sub-maximal principles in strength training. Here, you’ll mix tempo-based intervals with maximum aerobic speed (MAS) intervals.

Tempo Training Intervals

Tempo training intervals are a way of clocking up the metres without going flat out. You want to be going at around 60-70% of your maximal running speed, or a “comfortably hard” pace. You’ll be able to say some words, but not hold a conversation. In these intervals, you will be resting for longer than you work, so you shouldn’t ever be in a state of exhaustion.

For rugby, I suggest using 50m intervals as this is comparable to the distance you run in a game and the round number makes the maths easy. I also suggest using a rolling clock, starting your reps every 30 seconds at 00:00, 00:30, 01:00, 01:30, and so on. You should rest the remainder of the time. Depending on where you play, here’s what you should be aiming for 50m intervals in tempo work:

• Props – 11-12 seconds
• Locks – 10-11 seconds
• Hookers & Loose Forwards – 9-10 seconds
• Inside Backs – 9-10 seconds
• Outside Backs – 8-9 seconds

To get a more accurate pace for tempo training, time a max effort 50m sprint, then calculate your speed in metres per second from the result. For example:

1. If the 50m took you 6 seconds, divide 50 by 6. This gives you a pace of 8.3 metres per second (m/s).
2. To find the 70% you’re looking for tempo training, divide this figure by 0.7 (8.3 m/s / 0.7)
3. This is your 50m pace for tempo training. In this example, it’s 11.8 m/s.

For those wanting an additional challenge, add change of direction work. These pitch-based runs equate to roughly 50m each.

• Try Line –> Near 22m –> Return to try line
• Try Line –> Dead Ball –> Near 10m line
• 10m Line –> Far 10 –> Return to other 10 –> Half Way
• Try Line –> 5 Meter line –> Dead Ball –> Near 22m

As a progression you could also include down ups, or increase some reps to 100m – just make sure to extend your rolling clock to 60 seconds on those reps.

Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS) Intervals

MAS running is similar to tempo running in that they are both sub-maximal. In this case, the training is based on a 2.4km test time. So first, go for an all-out 2.4km run. This should be as hard as you can possibly go. If you’ve got enough breath to be chatting to someone else at the same time, you need to be working harder.

Then, calculate your MAS score for interval work.

1. Take the total metres ran (in this case, 2400) and divide it by the total duration it took you in seconds. Let’s say it took you 10 minutes, or 600 seconds.
2. 2400m divided by 600 seconds = 4 metres per second (m/s)
3. 4 m/s is your MAS score. This is the pace that you should be running in each interval.

For rugby-specific training, I keep these intervals to 20, 40 or 60 metres. For 40m, you are aiming for a 10 second interval. For 60m, you are aiming for 15 seconds. And so on. I suggest changing up the distances and the work-to-rest ratios to have a mix of equal rest and more rest than work. As with tempo running, using a rolling clock is an easy way to monitor your speed and rest ratios.

Using the example 4m/s MAS score, a typical session would look like this:

• 6x40m/10s. Use a rolling 25s clock (1:1.5 ratio – 10s work: 15s rest)
• 6x60m/15s. Use a rolling 30s clock (1:1 ratio – 15s work: 15s rest)
• 6x40m/10s. Use a rolling 25s clock (1:1.5 ratio – 10s work: 15s rest)
• 6x60m/15s. Use a rolling 30s clock (1:1 ratio – 15s work: 15s rest)

This clocks up 1200m of running – a nice distance to cover you for any sessions or games missed due to weather. Both tempo and MAS training can be adjusted for other equipment such as the stationary bike or the rower. Simply re-test your maximal 2.4km time on those pieces of kit and proceed using the same principles.

The Anaerobic System

If you’re able to hold a conversation during anaerobic training, you’re doing something wrong.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Next, you’re going to use high intensity interval training (HIIT) to work the anaerobic system. In this method, each interval you complete is at 100% effort, and will incorporate “incomplete” rest periods, so you have no opportunity to fully recover between rounds. You shouldn’t be able to speak during the work intervals, and only able to say the odd word during your rest periods. Mix up the work-to-rest ratios so that sometimes you are resting longer than you work, sometimes the balance is equal, and occasionally, push yourself with rest periods shorter than work periods.

If you’re unfit, or coming back from injury, I would start with rest periods longer than your work periods, and decrease this over time until you are able to complete multiple reps at a 1:1 ratio. An easy way of assessing if you are ready to decrease the rest is by measuring the distance you complete on each rep. If you are hitting the same distance each time, it’s time to make it more challenging.

A basic template for HIIT training would be as follows:

• 5 x 30 seconds work: 30 seconds rest
• Rest 2 minutes
• 5 x 30 seconds work: 30 seconds rest

Get creative and use whatever kit you have available to keep things interesting. My go-to pieces of kit are the rower, watt bike, battle ropes, prowler, and the punch bag. The ropes and punch bag in particular are great for players with lower body injuries as you can do them standing still or even seated.

Go After Your Weak Areas

Remember that you only need to work in the areas you feel are lacking. If you feel that you are not recovering well during or between sessions, go for more aerobic work. If you’re struggling to maintain pace for a full eighty minute game, include more HIIT work. By the middle of the season, you should have appropriated some match fitness, but it’s crucial to keep it topped up. Mixing the aerobic work with anaerobic exercise will allow for a complete development of your fitness whilst not pushing you too far.

Continue to Page 2 for the Ready for Rugby Fitness Programme

Ready for Rugby: An In-Season Fitness Programme

These intervals will keep you fighting fit through to the last match of the season.

To incorporate these styles of interval training into the Ready for Rugby: A 4-Week In-Season Strength Programme, complete an anaerobic HIIT session on Day 1 of each week, and a tempo or MAS session on Day 3 of each week.

Weeks 1 & 2

Day 1 – HIIT

Rowing Machine:

• 100m Sprint : 25s rest x 6
• 2 minutes rest
• Repeat.

Day 3 – Tempo Training

Run Intervals (On-Field):

• Straight 50m x6 (03:00/300m)
• Try line -> Near 22m -> Return to try line x 2 (04:00/400m)
• Try Line –> Dead Ball –> Near 10m line x 1 (04:30/450m)
• 10m Line –> Far 10 –> Return to other 10 –> Half Way x1 (05:00/500m)
• Half Way -> 22m -> Return to half way x 1 (05:30/550m)
• Straight 50m x 1 (06:00/600m)
• Straight 100m x 1 (07:00/700m)
• Complete three times for 2100m ran in total.

Weeks 3 & 4

Day 1 – HIIT

Rowing Machine:

• 100m Sprint : 20s rest x 6
• 2 minutes rest
• Repeat.

Day 3 – Tempo Training

Run Intervals (On-Field):

• Straight 50m x 8 (04:00/400m)
• Try line -> Near 22m -> Return to try line x 2 (05:00/500m)
• Try Line –> Dead Ball –> Near 10m line x 1 (05:30/550m)
• 10m Line –> Far 10 –> Return to other 10 –> Half Way x 1 (06:00/600m)
• Half Way -> 22m -> Return to half way x 1 (06:30/650m)
• Straight 50m x 1 (07:00/700m)
• Straight 100m x 1 (08:00/800m)
• Complete three times for 2400m ran in total.

More Like This:

• Ready for Rugby: A 4-Week In-Season Strength Programme
• Train Like a Rugby Pro – In Less Time and With Less Violence
• Build 360-Degree Strength: Rotational Exercises for All Sports
• New on Breaking Muscle UK

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Ready for Rugby: A 4-Week In-Season Fitness Programme appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

In rugby, you don’t spend 12 weeks training to peak once – we have to peak almost every single weekend for 8-9 months. Because of this, gaining strength or size in-season can seem an impossible dream to chase, but in reality, you could just be going about it the wrong way. The push to develop strength or build mass when training and competing in rugby becomes too much, and ends up negatively affecting performance on game day. You simply can’t give 100% physical effort to multiple things and expect nothing to give.

Peaking every weekend for nine months takes its toll. Use big but effective exercises to keep your performance high.

A Weekly Undulating Approach

Step forward sub-maximal strength training. Put simply, you drop your training percentages by 10%, allowing you more energy for other areas of your training. By continuing with this method long term, eventually your old max becomes what you do for reps. Through my experience of working with professional, semi-pro, and amateur rugby teams I’ve found the most success when applying this through a weekly undulating approach – allowing the player to progress not only with gaining strength, but also building some size.

A weekly undulating approach is a fancy way of saying you’re working in different rep ranges week to week. Rather than doing four weeks of hypertrophy, followed by strength, followed by power, you incorporate rep ranges to cater for each of these goals weekly to stay close to your best week in, week out.

This sub-maximal approach is the linchpin of this program, and you’ll use it for the main movement of each day. You will get to the gym, do the important work first, and use these big but effective exercises to make consistent progress. This way, if like most people, you have an hour to get in, work out, and get out, you’ve already done the good stuff. The rest can be a bonus as and when you find the time.

Have fun with it, stay within your limits, and enjoy the benefits on the pitch.

The 4-Week In-Season Strength Program

1. Take your 1 rep max (1RM), or an estimated version using the following calculation:

(((Weight lifted x reps competed) x0.0333) +weight lifted)

2. Times that by .90 to get your Training Max (TM).

3. Apply that new training max into the program below.

Week 1: Day 1 – Lower Body

1.  Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

(continue warm up, with mobilising and activation between sets)

Jump Variation examples:

• Box Jump
• Seated Box Jump
• Standing Broad Jump
• Single Leg Power Step Up

Throw Variation examples:

• Underhand forward throw
• Underhand overhead throw (for distance behind)
• Underhand overhead throw (for height vertically)
• Standing Chest Throw with jump

2. Back Squat – work up to 8 reps at 85% TM

3a. BB Glute Bridge – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. BB Bent Over Row – 4 sets of 8 reps

(All A+B exercises to be completed as a superset)

4a. Weighted Plank – 4 sets of 30 seconds

4b. Rope Face Pull – 4 sets of 15 reps

Week 1: Day 2 – Upper Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation – 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Bench Press – work up to 8 reps at 85% TM

3a. DB Overhead Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. Single Arm Pulldown – 4 sets of 8 reps each side

4a. Cable Woodchop – 4 sets of 10 reps each side

4b. Band Pull Apart – 4 sets of 20 reps

Week 1: Day 3 – Total Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation – 4 sets of 2 reps

2a. Bulgarian Split Squat – 4 sets of 6 reps each side

2b. BB Push Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3a. DB Incline Press – 4 sets of 8 reps

3b. DB Chest Supported Row – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Biceps Curl – 4 sets of 12 reps

4b. Rope Pushdown – 4 sets of 12 reps

4c. Hanging Knee Raise – 4 sets of 12 reps

Week 2:  Day 1 – Lower Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation – 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Back Squat – work up to 6 reps at 90% TM

3a. BB Romanian Deadlift – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. Chin Up – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Roll-out – 4 sets of 5-10 reps (ability dependent)

4b. 45 Degree Row – 4 sets of 15 reps

Week 2: Day 2 – Upper Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation – 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Bench Press – work up to 6 reps at 90% TM

3a. DB Overhead Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. Seated Cable Row – 4 sets of 12 reps

4a. Russian Twist – 4 sets of 10 reps each side

4b. Banded Neck Isolations – 4 sets of 15 seconds each way

Week 2: Day 3 – Total Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation – 4 sets of 2 reps

2a. Split Squat – 4 sets of 6 reps each side

2b. BB Push Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3a. Dips – 4 sets of 8 reps

3b. Bench Pull/Prone Row – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Biceps Curl – 4 sets of 12 reps

4b. Rope Pushdown – 4 sets of 12 reps

4c. Hanging Knee Raise – 4 sets of 12 reps

Week 3:  Day 1 – Lower Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation – 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Back Squat – work up to 4 reps at 95% TM

3a. BB Glute Bridge – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. BB Bent Over Row – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Weighted Plank – 4 sets of 30seconds

4b. Rope Face Pull – 4 sets of 15 reps

Week 3: Day 2 – Upper Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation – 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Bench Press – work up to 4 reps at 95% TM

3a. DB Overhead Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. Single Arm Pulldown – 4 sets of 8 reps each side

4a. Cable Woodchop – 4 sets of 10 reps each side

4b. Band Pull Apart – 4 sets of 20 reps

Week 3: Day 3 – Tota l Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation – 4 sets of 2 reps

2a. Bulgarian Split Squat – 4 sets of 6 reps each side

2b. BB Push Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3a. DB Incline Press – 4 sets of 8 reps

3b. DB Chest Supported Row – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Biceps Curl – 4 sets of 12 reps

4b. Rope Pushdown – 4 sets of 12 reps

4c. Hanging Knee Raise – 4 sets of 12 reps

Week 4: Day 1 – Lower Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation – 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Back Squat – work up to 2 reps at 100% TM

3a. BB Romanian Deadlift – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. Chin Up – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Roll-out – 4 sets of 5-10 reps (ability dependent)

4b. 45 Degree Row – 4 sets of 15 reps

Week 4: Day 2 – Upper Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Bench Press – work up to 2 reps at 100% TM

3a. DB Overhead Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. Seated Cable Row – 4 sets of 12 reps

4a. Russian Twist – 4 sets of 10 reps each side

4b. Banded Neck Isolations – 4 sets of 15 seconds each way

Week 4: Day 3 – Total Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation – 4 sets of 2 reps

2a. Split Squat – 4 sets of 6 reps each side

2b. BB Push Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3a. Dips – 4 sets of 8 reps

3b. Bench Pull/Prone Row – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Biceps Curl – 4 sets of 12 reps

4b. Rope Pushdown – 4 sets of 12 reps

4c. Hanging Knee Raise – 4 sets of 12 reps

More Like This:

• Train Like a Rugby Pro – In Less Time and With Less Violence
• Why Your “Max” Isn’t Your Max – The 6 Types of Actual Maxes
• Build 360-Degree Strength: Rotational Exercises for All Sports
• New on Breaking Muscle

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Ready for Rugby: A 4-Week In-Season Strength Program appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

In rugby, you don’t spend 12 weeks training to peak once – we have to peak almost every single weekend for 8-9 months. Because of this, gaining strength or size in-season can seem an impossible dream to chase, but in reality, you could just be going about it the wrong way. The push to develop strength or build mass when training and competing in rugby becomes too much, and ends up negatively affecting performance on game day. You simply can’t give 100% physical effort to multiple things and expect nothing to give.

Peaking every weekend for nine months takes its toll. Use big but effective exercises to keep your performance high.

A Weekly Undulating Approach

Step forward sub-maximal strength training. Put simply, you drop your training percentages by 10%, allowing you more energy for other areas of your training. By continuing with this method long term, eventually your old max becomes what you do for reps. Through my experience of working with professional, semi-pro, and amateur rugby teams I’ve found the most success when applying this through a weekly undulating approach – allowing the player to progress not only with gaining strength, but also building some size.

A weekly undulating approach is a fancy way of saying you’re working in different rep ranges week to week. Rather than doing four weeks of hypertrophy, followed by strength, followed by power, you incorporate rep ranges to cater for each of these goals weekly to stay close to your best week in, week out.

This sub-maximal approach is the linchpin of this programme, and you’ll use it for the main movement of each day. You will get to the gym, do the important work first, and use these big but effective exercises to make consistent progress. This way, if like most people, you have an hour to get in, work out, and get out, you’ve already done the good stuff. The rest can be a bonus as and when you find the time.

Have fun with it, stay within your limits, and enjoy the benefits on the pitch.

The 4-Week In-Season Strength Programme

1. Take your 1 rep max (1RM), or an estimated version using the following calculation:

(((Weight lifted x reps competed) x0.0333) +weight lifted)

2. Times that by .90 to get yourTraining Max(TM).

3. Apply that new training max into the programme below.

Week 1: Day 1 – Lower Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

(continue warm up, with mobilising and activation between sets)

Jump Variation examples:

• Box Jump
• Seated Box Jump
• Standing Broad Jump
• Single Leg Power Step Up

Throw Variation examples:

• Underhand forward throw
• Underhand overhead throw (for distance behind)
• Underhand overhead throw (for height vertically)
• Standing Chest Throw with jump

2. Back Squat – work up to 8 reps at 85% TM

3a. BB Glute Bridge – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. BB Bent Over Row – 4 sets of 8 reps

(All A+B exercises to be completed as a superset)

4a. Weighted Plank – 4 sets of 30 seconds

4b. Rope Face Pull – 4 sets of 15 reps

Week 1: Day 2 – Upper Body

1.Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Bench Press – work up to 8 reps at 85% TM

3a. DB Overhead Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. Single Arm Pulldown – 4 sets of 8 reps each side

4a. Cable Woodchop – 4 sets of 10 reps each side

4b. Band Pull Apart – 4 sets of 20 reps

Week 1: Day 3 – Total Body

1.Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

2a. Bulgarian Split Squat – 4 sets of 6 reps each side

2b. BB Push Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3a. DB Incline Press – 4 sets of 8 reps

3b. DB Chest Supported Row – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Biceps Curl – 4 sets of 12 reps

4b. Rope Pushdown – 4 sets of 12 reps

4c. Hanging Knee Raise – 4 sets of 12 reps

Week 2: Day 1 – Lower Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Back Squat – work up to 6 reps at 90% TM

3a. BB Romanian Deadlift – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. Chin Up – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Roll-out – 4 sets of 5-10 reps (ability dependent)

4b. 45 Degree Row – 4 sets of 15 reps

Week 2: Day 2 – Upper Body

1.Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Bench Press – work up to 6 reps at 90% TM

3a. DB Overhead Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. Seated Cable Row – 4 sets of 12 reps

4a. Russian Twist – 4 sets of 10 reps each side

4b. Banded Neck Isolations – 4 sets of 15 seconds each way

Week 2: Day 3 – Total Body

1. Jump or Throw Variation – 4 sets of 2 reps

2a. Split Squat – 4 sets of 6 reps each side

2b. BB Push Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3a. Dips – 4 sets of 8 reps

3b. Bench Pull/Prone Row – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Biceps Curl – 4 sets of 12 reps

4b. Rope Pushdown – 4 sets of 12 reps

4c. Hanging Knee Raise – 4 sets of 12 reps

Week 3: Day 1 – Lower Body

1.Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Back Squat – work up to 4 reps at 95% TM

3a. BB Glute Bridge – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. BB Bent Over Row – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Weighted Plank – 4 sets of 30seconds

4b. Rope Face Pull – 4 sets of 15 reps

Week 3: Day 2 – Upper Body

1.Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Bench Press – work up to 4 reps at 95% TM

3a. DB Overhead Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. Single Arm Pulldown – 4 sets of 8 reps each side

4a. Cable Woodchop – 4 sets of 10 reps each side

4b. Band Pull Apart – 4 sets of 20 reps

Week 3: Day 3 – Total Body

1.Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

2a. Bulgarian Split Squat – 4 sets of 6 reps each side

2b. BB Push Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3a. DB Incline Press – 4 sets of 8 reps

3b. DB Chest Supported Row – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Biceps Curl – 4 sets of 12 reps

4b. Rope Pushdown – 4 sets of 12 reps

4c. Hanging Knee Raise – 4 sets of 12 reps

Week 4: Day 1 – Lower Body

1.Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Back Squat – work up to 2 reps at 100% TM

3a. BB Romanian Deadlift – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. Chin Up – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Roll-out – 4 sets of 5-10 reps (ability dependent)

4b. 45 Degree Row – 4 sets of 15 reps

Week 4: Day 2 – Upper Body

1.Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

2. Bench Press – work up to 2 reps at 100% TM

3a. DB Overhead Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3b. Seated Cable Row – 4 sets of 12 reps

4a. Russian Twist – 4 sets of 10 reps each side

4b. Banded Neck Isolations – 4 sets of 15 seconds each way

Week 4: Day 3 – Total Body

1.Jump or Throw Variation– 4 sets of 2 reps

2a. Split Squat – 4 sets of 6 reps each side

2b. BB Push Press – 4 sets of 6 reps

3a. Dips – 4 sets of 8 reps

3b. Bench Pull/Prone Row – 4 sets of 8 reps

4a. Biceps Curl – 4 sets of 12 reps

4b. Rope Pushdown – 4 sets of 12 reps

4c. Hanging Knee Raise – 4 sets of 12 reps

More Like This:

• Train Like a Rugby Pro – In Less Time and With Less Violence
• Why Your “Max” Isn’t Your Max – The 6 Types of Actual Maxes
• Build 360-Degree Strength: Rotational Exercises for All Sports
• New on Breaking Muscle

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Ready for Rugby: A 4-Week In-Season Strength Programme appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Building strong external obliques isn’t just for bodybuilders or fighters. Training rotational force helps athletes of all sports develop strength in an upright position.

For sports like baseball, discus, hammer, and shotput throwing, rotational training is a no-brainer, as it closely mimics the actions of competition. But postural strength is an important factor in all sports performance. Not only does a strong core protect our internal organs from injury, but it also allows us to maintain a stiff torso whilst being under external forces. This prevents the spine from moving in ways it’s not supposed to move. Just think of a football player getting tackled,or a strongman under a yoke.

A Three-Tiered Approach

Training rotational force strengthens anti-rotational properties, or our ability to stay facing forward and upright under external force. Using this training for anti-rotational purposes can be key to success even in events like sprinting, where minimising torso spin is critical to creating maximal downward force.

Rotational work often gets negative reviews because it can place a high amount of stress on the spine if done poorly. However, when done correctly in a way that allows for hip movement, it can be highly effective for sport performance and transfer of power.

I like to take a three-tiered approach:

• Rotational exercises: Working with trunk rotation
• Anti-rotational exercises: Not allowing rotation during the movement
• Offset exercises: Creating stress through imbalance.

Let’s have a look at a few fantastic exercises for each approach.

Rotational Exercises: 1. Russian Twist

This can be done either seated on the floor or using a decline bench. To increase the intensity on the lower abdominals, hold a dumbbell or weight plate in your hands, and rotate side to side under control. If you are seated on the floor, keep your feet elevated. However you do it, make sure to maintain good posture.

Rotational Exercises: 2. Medicine Ball Rotation Throw

Holding a medicine ball or slam ball, stand perpendicular to a solid wall (or you can throw to a partner). Throw the ball as hard as possible against the wall, rotating at the hips. You can also use the rebound (or throw back from your partner) to gain anti-rotational strength by absorbing the impact.

Rotational Exercises: 3. Woodchop

Can be done with a cable machine, resistance band, or even a weight plate. If using a cable or band, stand perpendicular to the fixture and turn at the torso, allowing hip rotation, then push away. Control the movement on the eccentric until complete.

Anti-Rotational Exercises: 1. Pallof Press

Using a cable machine or resistance band, start similarly to a woodchop, but hold the attachment at the torso. Maintaining upright posture, press the attachment away from your body until your arms are locked out in front of you, then return. This completes 1 rep. Ensure you maintain an upright posture throughout. Do not allow the resistance to turn your body.

Anti-Rotational Exercises: 2. Plank Variations

Hold yourself off the floor using your forearms and toes, creating a straight line from your shoulders down to your feet. Do not allow your hips to sag or lift too high. Create constant tension in the abdominals and glutes to maintain posture. Variations include side planks and changing the amount of points of contact with the floor (i.e. 2 feet + 1 hand, 2 hands + 1 foot etc.)

Anti-Rotational Exercises: 3. Rollouts

Using an ab wheel or loaded barbell (light to begin with), kneel on the floor and roll forward while maintaining a strong posture. Do not allow your hips to break the line by sagging or lifting. Continue forward until you feel you cannot hold position, then return to the start. To increase the intensity you can progress to starting on your toes.

Offset Exercises: 1. Briefcase Carries

This is a one-handed farmer’s carry, so grab a heavy dumbbell, kettlebell, or farmer’s handle and walk for a set distance. The difficulty here is maintaining an upright posture under an uneven load. Focus on staying upright and creating tension through the mid-section.

Offset Exercises: 2. Uneven Farmers Walks

Use farmers handles or dumbbells, but hold different weights in each hand. This places a higher stress on one side of the body, so it is important to create tension and maintain posture.

Offset Exercises: 3. Overhead Walks

Holding dumbbells, a loaded barbell, or a yoke frame above your head at lockout, walk forward for a set distance. The yoke frame will be the most difficult of these, as it will sway forward and back, challenging the integrity of your posture. It is essential to brace throughout and focus on maintaining correct form.

A 360-Degree View of Strength

There are many more exercises you could add, but I suggest starting with these and branching out from there. Focus on technique, and remember not to twist too far or too fast with the rotational work. When applicable, always turn the hips with the torso.

Hours upon hours of crunches are a thing of the past for athletes. Take a 360-degree view of strength by including rotational and anti-rotational exercise in your programming. You’ll get stronger and look pretty good – always a bonus, right?

More on Core Stability:

• Unleash Hellacious Power With the Tall Kneeling Unilateral Pull
• Spine Stabilization: How Your Core Should Be Working
• Do You Know What Your Core Really Is and What It Does?
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photo 1 courtesy of Shutterstock.

All other photos courtesy of Rob Nitman.

The post Build Brute Strength for Sports With Rotational Movements appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

For sports like baseball, discus, hammer, and shotput throwing, rotational training is a no-brainer, as it closely mimics the actions of competition. But postural strength is an important factor in all sports performance. Not only does a strong core protect our internal organs from injury, but it also allows us to maintain a stiff torso whilst being under external forces. This prevents the spine from moving in ways it’s not supposed to move. Just think of a football player getting tackled, or a strongman under a yoke.

A Three-Tiered Approach

Training rotational force strengthens anti-rotational properties, or our ability to stay facing forward and upright under external force. Using this training for anti-rotational purposes can be key to success even in events like sprinting, where minimising torso spin is critical to creating maximal downward force.

Rotational work often gets negative reviews because it can place a high amount of stress on the spine if done poorly. However, when done correctly in a way that allows for hip movement, it can be highly effective for sport performance and transfer of power.

I like to take a three-tiered approach:

• Rotational exercises: Working with trunk rotation
• Anti-rotational exercises: Not allowing rotation during the movement
• Offset exercises: Creating stress through imbalance.

Let’s have a look at a few fantastic exercises for each approach.

Rotational Exercises: 1. Russian Twist

This can be done either seated on the floor or using a decline bench. To increase the intensity on the lower abdominals, hold a dumbbell or weight plate in your hands, and rotate side to side under control. If you are seated on the floor, keep your feet elevated. However you do it, make sure to maintain good posture.

Rotational Exercises: 2. Medicine Ball Rotation Throw

Holding a medicine ball or slam ball, stand perpendicular to a solid wall (or you can throw to a partner). Throw the ball as hard as possible against the wall, rotating at the hips. You can also use the rebound (or throw back from your partner) to gain anti-rotational strength by absorbing the impact.

Rotational Exercises: 3. Woodchop

Can be done with a cable machine, resistance band, or even a weight plate. If using a cable or band, stand perpendicular to the fixture and turn at the torso, allowing hip rotation, then push away. Control the movement on the eccentric until complete.

Anti-Rotational Exercises: 1. Pallof Press

Using a cable machine or resistance band, start similarly to a woodchop, but hold the attachment at the torso. Maintaining upright posture, press the attachment away from your body until your arms are locked out in front of you, then return. This completes 1 rep. Ensure you maintain an upright posture throughout. Do not allow the resistance to turn your body.

Anti-Rotational Exercises: 2. Plank Variations

Hold yourself off the floor using your forearms and toes, creating a straight line from your shoulders down to your feet. Do not allow your hips to sag or lift too high. Create constant tension in the abdominals and glutes to maintain posture. Variations include side planks and changing the amount of points of contact with the floor (i.e. 2 feet + 1 hand, 2 hands + 1 foot etc.)

Anti-Rotational Exercises: 3. Rollouts

Using an ab wheel or loaded barbell (light to begin with), kneel on the floor and roll forward while maintaining a strong posture. Do not allow your hips to break the line by sagging or lifting. Continue forward until you feel you cannot hold position, then return to the start. To increase the intensity you can progress to starting on your toes.

Offset Exercises: 1. Briefcase Carries

This is a one-handed farmer’s carry, so grab a heavy dumbbell, kettlebell, or farmer’s handle and walk for a set distance. The difficulty here is maintaining an upright posture under an uneven load. Focus on staying upright and creating tension through the mid-section.

Offset Exercises: 2. Uneven Farmers Walks

Use farmers handles or dumbbells, but hold different weights in each hand. This places a higher stress on one side of the body, so it is important to create tension and maintain posture.

Offset Exercises: 3. Overhead Walks

Holding dumbbells, a loaded barbell, or a yoke frame above your head at lockout, walk forward for a set distance. The yoke frame will be the most difficult of these, as it will sway forward and back, challenging the integrity of your posture. It is essential to brace throughout and focus on maintaining correct form.

A 360-Degree View of Strength

There are many more exercises you could add, but I suggest starting with these and branching out from there. Focus on technique, and remember not to twist too far or too fast with the rotational work. When applicable, always turn the hips with the torso.

Hours upon hours of crunches are a thing of the past for athletes. Take a 360-degree view of strength by including rotational and anti-rotational exercise in your programming. You’ll get stronger and look pretty good – always a bonus, right?

More on Core Stability:

• Unleash Hellacious Power With the Tall Kneeling Unilateral Pull
• Spine Stabilization: How Your Core Should Be Working
• Do You Know What Your Core Really Is and What It Does?
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photo 1 courtesy of Shutterstock.

All other photos courtesy of Rob Nitman.

The post Build Bulletproof Strength: Rotational Exercises for Athletes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Building strong external obliques isn’t just for bodybuilders or fighters. Training rotational force helps athletes of all sports develop strength in an upright position.

For sports like baseball, discus, hammer, and shotput throwing, rotational training is a no-brainer, as it closely mimics the actions of competition. But postural strength is an important factor in all sports performance. Not only does a strong core protect our internal organs from injury, but it also allows us to maintain a stiff torso whilst being under external forces. This prevents the spine from moving in ways it’s not supposed to move. Just think of a football player getting tackled,or a strongman under a yoke.

A Three-Tiered Approach

Training rotational force strengthens anti-rotational properties, or our ability to stay facing forward and upright under external force. Using this training for anti-rotational purposes can be key to success even in events like sprinting, where minimising torso spin is critical to creating maximal downward force.

Rotational work often gets negative reviews because it can place a high amount of stress on the spine if done poorly. However, when done correctly in a way that allows for hip movement, it can be highly effective for sport performance and transfer of power.

I like to take a three-tiered approach:

• Rotational exercises: Working with trunk rotation
• Anti-rotational exercises: Not allowing rotation during the movement
• Offset exercises: Creating stress through imbalance.

Let’s have a look at a few fantastic exercises for each approach.

Rotational Exercises: 1. Russian Twist

This can be done either seated on the floor or using a decline bench. To increase the intensity on the lower abdominals, hold a dumbbell or weight plate in your hands, and rotate side to side under control. If you are seated on the floor, keep your feet elevated. However you do it, make sure to maintain good posture.

Rotational Exercises: 2. Medicine Ball Rotation Throw

Holding a medicine ball or slam ball, stand perpendicular to a solid wall (or you can throw to a partner). Throw the ball as hard as possible against the wall, rotating at the hips. You can also use the rebound (or throw back from your partner) to gain anti-rotational strength by absorbing the impact.

Rotational Exercises: 3. Woodchop

Can be done with a cable machine, resistance band, or even a weight plate. If using a cable or band, stand perpendicular to the fixture and turn at the torso, allowing hip rotation, then push away. Control the movement on the eccentric until complete.

Anti-Rotational Exercises: 1. Pallof Press

Using a cable machine or resistance band, start similarly to a woodchop, but hold the attachment at the torso. Maintaining upright posture, press the attachment away from your body until your arms are locked out in front of you, then return. This completes 1 rep. Ensure you maintain an upright posture throughout. Do not allow the resistance to turn your body.

Anti-Rotational Exercises: 2. Plank Variations

Hold yourself off the floor using your forearms and toes, creating a straight line from your shoulders down to your feet. Do not allow your hips to sag or lift too high. Create constant tension in the abdominals and glutes to maintain posture. Variations include side planks and changing the amount of points of contact with the floor (i.e. 2 feet + 1 hand, 2 hands + 1 foot etc.)

Anti-Rotational Exercises: 3. Rollouts

Using an ab wheel or loaded barbell (light to begin with), kneel on the floor and roll forward while maintaining a strong posture. Do not allow your hips to break the line by sagging or lifting. Continue forward until you feel you cannot hold position, then return to the start. To increase the intensity you can progress to starting on your toes.

Offset Exercises: 1. Briefcase Carries

This is a one-handed farmer’s carry, so grab a heavy dumbbell, kettlebell, or farmer’s handle and walk for a set distance. The difficulty here is maintaining an upright posture under an uneven load. Focus on staying upright and creating tension through the mid-section.

Offset Exercises: 2. Uneven Farmers Walks

Use farmers handles or dumbbells, but hold different weights in each hand. This places a higher stress on one side of the body, so it is important to create tension and maintain posture.

Offset Exercises: 3. Overhead Walks

Holding dumbbells, a loaded barbell, or a yoke frame above your head at lockout, walk forward for a set distance. The yoke frame will be the most difficult of these, as it will sway forward and back, challenging the integrity of your posture. It is essential to brace throughout and focus on maintaining correct form.

A 360-Degree View of Strength

There are many more exercises you could add, but I suggest starting with these and branching out from there. Focus on technique, and remember not to twist too far or too fast with the rotational work. When applicable, always turn the hips with the torso.

Hours upon hours of crunches are a thing of the past for athletes. Take a 360-degree view of strength by including rotational and anti-rotational exercise in your programming. You’ll get stronger and look pretty good – always a bonus, right?

More on Core Stability:

• Unleash Hellacious Power With the Tall Kneeling Unilateral Pull
• Spine Stabilization: How Your Core Should Be Working
• Do You Know What Your Core Really Is and What It Does?
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photo 1 courtesy of Shutterstock.

All other photos courtesy of Rob Nitman.

The post Build 360-Degree Strength: Rotational Exercises for All Sports appeared first on Breaking Muscle.