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Rugby Strength Training: Neural, Mechanical, Metabolic Approach

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Short Bio – Ashley Jones
Ashley Jones is a strength and conditioning coach, he has worked in three professional sports (Basketball,
Rugby League and Rugby Union) in three countries (Australia, New Zealand and Japan) over a period of
20 years. He has worked with the national rugby teams of the country of his birth, the Wallabies and also
that of his adopted country, the All Blacks. He is probably best known for his work at the Canterbury
Rugby Union and the Crusaders, where he spent 9 years and was involved in the training of teams that
won the Ranfurly Shield, the NPC and the Superugby title on 3 occasions. He first started in the industry
as a gym trainer in 1979 at Tony Markham’s Nautilus Fitness & Leisure Centre in Crows Nest, Sydney.
He holds a Bachelor of Education in Physical Education and a Master of Science in Human Movement,
and industry recognition with the CSCS from the National Strength & Conditioning Association, which
he attained in 1988 and has held continuously to this day.
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Dedication
This eBook is dedicated to a few people;
I have had the honour of mentoring 3 great men over the years;
Damian, the student should always surpass the teacher and you have well and truly done that, success in
your chosen field and in life is your reward for being such a wonderful student.
Luke, well my friend we will never know how your story would have turned out, you left us far too early,
you would bring extraordinary presence into the gym everyday and a generation of the finest rugby
players in NZ owe you a debt of gratitude for the work you did with them.
Yagi san, your ability to break out of your comfort zone and accept new ideas in a land steeped in
tradition is a credit to you, you are always eager to learn more and to see how far you have come is
amazing, keep asking those questions, shitsumon san.
Also to all the players that I have had the privilege of programming for and working with, you are the
reason I do this and to be at my best each and every day, I sincerely hope I have been able to add the 1%
to your careers and help you achieve what you aspire to achieve, thank you.
This eBook is for my wife, Donna Yee, she is my driving force, when I did not write for a while she was
always encouraging me to get back into it, she is the reason that this has come to print, she is my
motivation, my inspiration, my compass when I get lost, she was there with a glass of wine or a walking
by kiss as I worked away, she is in each and every word I write and breath I take, thank you my love.
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Table of Contents
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Title Page
Short Bio – Ashley Jones
Dedications
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction/Statement of Philosophy
Building a Better Strength & Conditioning Coach
Three Simple Steps
Weekly Planning Variations
Exercise Selection
Loading Patterns & Training Methods
Methods Chart
Week Plan/Training Groups
Speed Power Combo
Training Articles
Strongman Training in Sport
Momentum = Mass x Velocity
Training by the Numbers
Training Month with Weekly Variations
What we do Before Christmas Dictates Where we Finish in May
Rule of 24
Triple Treats Revisited
Start the Year as you intend to continue it
4 Day Lifting Program
Weights Program January 2011
Neural – Mechanical – Metabolic
2010 Off Season Weights options
Increasing Leg Strength Program options
Weight Training General Ratings
Outside Back Programs
Strength & Power Continuum Training
Wave Goodbye to Strength Training Plateaus
Gym Based Circuits
Off Season Weights Programs
Actual Training Programs
Before you Start your Weights Program
Mid Field Back
Lock Forward
Mid Field Back
Olympic Lifting for Rugby
Hypertrophy/Strength for Lock Forward
Push/Pull/Squat
International Team
Lock/Number 8
Prop Forward
Hypertrophy Program
Loose Forward Program
In Season Program
Weight Room Exercise Selection Chart
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Preface
My journey in strength and conditioning started in 1975. Almost 38 years ago this year as a nervous but
excited 14 year old boy I climbed the steps of Vince Basile’s gym, American Health Spa, in Brookvale a
suburb of Sydney. I guess that was one of the first contradictions I experience throughout my life so far
both in and out of the gym. Since Vince was a Canadian and a former Mr Canada, why American Health
Spa, I never did get to ask him that question, but I digress.
Vince put me on a diet of the basics an encouraging word and a gym filled with photos of the greats and
most of the local power lifters and body builders trained in the same gym so advice and inspiration and
motivation were never far away. There was “Big Dennis: the biggest man I had seen as a naïve 14 year
old, his training partner Pat, both were builders and bricklayers, they both looked more capable of
demolishing building with their bare hands rather than constructing them. There were a host of other
guys but you two were the ones I remember the most, thanks.
I started reading Iron Man, taking desiccated liver, kelp and alfalfa tablets making foul smelling and
worse tasting concoctions out of Soya bean protein in my mother’s kitchen. I got stronger put on some
weight played better rugby and I was hooked and thus the journey began.
The one thing they all pushed was technique a lesson learned so young lasts a lifetime, I have never been
very strong but hopefully people would say I had good technique and that is a credit to all the guys at the
gym who were never short of a word when you tried to lift with other than perfect technique.
My philosophy is one of heavy and basic, hard work on the exercises that involve the use of more
muscles is a cornerstone to my programming. A thorough working knowledge of Olympic lifting, power
lifting, strongman/dinosaur training and bodybuilding/physical culture is not required, but as you can see
from these programs ideas have been drawn from all these areas and filtered into a framework to improve
the physical performance of rugby players.
A few simple rules to train by:
Take the time to warm up, if it is good enough for Olympic champions to warm up with an empty bar
how much more important is it for lesser lifters. You may even surprise yourself with the increased
weights you will handle after an appropriate warm up and the less number of injuries you will have by
graduating into your bigger numbers. As an old time saying used to go, “if you do not have the time to
warm up then you definitely do not have the time to train”.
“Train for strength and size will follow”, lift as heavy as you can as frequently as your recovery and
schedule allows you and you will be rewarded with impressive size that will endure the inevitable
training lay offs that you will experience. If you just train for the pump with light weights and higher reps
then when you are forced to stop training for a while you will deflate as if air has been let out of a
balloon.
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Technique is the foundation upon which all your training life should be based. Never sacrifice your
technique for the sake of extra weight on the bar, compete with yourself and not the others you train with,
control your ego and although “a man’s reach should exceed his grasp” make progress slowly, adding
weight when you can. Aligned with this is train through the full range if you have the flexibility to do so,
what is the point of unlocking the knees in the squat with a ton of weight and then to just relock them
without bringing your hamstrings in contact with your calves.
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Introduction
This eBook is not to be taken as a cook book with recipes ready to prepare your players. It is the result of
over 30 years of trial and error, some good and bad programming decisions and an on-going education
and passion for physical performance. Whilst I believe that an intelligent hard working approach over
time will get you results even from a bad program, these programs and the information that underpin
them will allow you not to make the errors that I have along the path of discovering what works and what
is a waste of your time and efforts.
Whilst all care has been taken in the development of these programs it is extremely important for me to
advise you that they do take the place of a trainer to advise and coach you in the lifts, if you do not know
how to perform an exercise seek a professional to teach/coach you in that exercise rather than attempting
it through trial and error leading to injury, also you should seek a medical clearance before embarking on
any new program especially if you are new to training or have not trained for a while, also the programs
are not a guarantee of success.
Whilst there are no diagrams and exercise instruction sheets included in this eBook, I believe you will be
able to find videos on numerous web sites to satisfy you, but again I can not stress highly enough the
importance of working with a strength and conditioning coach to show you the correct way from the start.
Also if you are a trainer reading this eBook, seek out areas to enhance your knowledge, find a mentor,
read from a variety of texts, ensure that you actually train, as Dave Tate would say “spend time under the
bar”, you do not have to be the best but be seen training. Also a lesson I learned later in my career is
compete in at least one of the competitive weight lifting sports, put yourself out of your comfort zone and
get on stage. At least do the programs you expect your players to do, feel what they will feel, ask yourself
questions, so that you will have some answers when they ask questions of you.
Before we begin, I would like to leave you with these random thoughts that basically summaries my
approach to training and programming:
Complexity, as Christian Thibedau puts it so eloquently, is the language of simple minds. Why do so
many people not get the most obvious, just look at the wood and forget about the trees, forget the window
dressing and stick to the basics. If your goal is to get big, eat and train hard, if you want to get the “cut”
muscular look you have to be big first. You can’t carve a spatchcock.
Simple is not bad, don’t waste half your training life looking for some unified theory of everything in
order to get the results you want, get in the gym, lift as heavy as you can with good technique, don’t chop
and change stick with it for six months and you will amaze yourself with your results.
Empty bar, if it’s good enough for “Big Dogs” of weightlifting to warm up with then I don’t need anyone
else’s advice, particularly some expert saying, 50% of IRM for x number of repetitions. Having been in
the training hall prior to a world championship and chatted to other Coaches who have been to many
other training halls nearly all the best lifters start with just the bar.
Frequency of training is dictated by your ability to recover. About three years ago I had a free week,
which I devoted to a training experiment. I front squatted only for the entire week, three times a day, on
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Monday/Wednesday/Friday, two times a day on Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday and only one workout on
Sunday. The volume and intensity was adjusted for each session, I ate like a horse and swam and lay in
the sun and slept ten hours a night. The result - 11% increase in my front squat and a 6% increase in my
clean, even though I didn’t train it.
Love what you do and do it with passion. It is no coincidence that most successful people in any area of
activity endeavour simply just love what they do. So no matter what your desired training is commit to it
with passionate resolve make it happen set your goals and work towards success with a fire in your soul,
love in your heart and a smile on your face.
Neural system drives the muscular system, not the other way around, so ensure that irrespective of what
you are weight training for include phases of neural activation work. This will ensure that you learn to
synchronise and recruit a higher proportion of your fast twitch fibres, which after all is where you will
make your greatest gains in size, strength and rate of force production.
Olympic lifting, my personal favourite of the weight sports and my preferred style of training, speed,
strength and flexibility thing else comes close for me. The joy of competing with the bar, sometimes I get
a points decision in my favour, but most often the bar is a convincing winner, no matter, it is always
rewarding and always fun.
Quality over quantity anytime, whatever your training is for, junk sets eat into your training time elevate
fatigue levels for no result and impair recovery. Get in, train hard, get out. Look at the Westside
workouts very few if any appear to go over 60 minutes but how great is the intensity, as Poliquin I think
once said if you are training for longer than an hour you are making friends.
Technique allows you to use the strength you have to maximum advantage. No short cuts, learn your
trade, spend time under the bar, you need to maximise your technique to not only get stronger but to stay
injury free and remember you are on show whenever and wherever you lift, be the best you can be.
Before you move into the main section of this eBook please take the time to read this article that I posted
a number of years ago. This will further give you the background to delve into the programs within.
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Building a Better Strength and Conditioning Coach
I am not a sports scientist; I am a strength and conditioning coach. One man’s opinion.
No matter what else the person has if they can not communicate, empathise and organize then every other
qualification they have is useless.
Personally, I do not think you need a degree to do this job, it helps when things are not going right to
have something to fall back upon to rationalize but it is not the be all and end all or the first thing I would
look at if employing someone. The other point it does make though is that you are committed to a course
of action over a number of years, which I believe is more important to consider than what you actually
learn. I still remember my first year out of university as the steepest learning curve of my life.
I know of an excellent coach who has continually been discriminated against because he does not have
formal tertiary qualifications, but he has studied his entire life, attending seminars and done internships
with Poliquin, Westside Barbell, Eric Cressey and Ian King. Conversely I have interviewed graduates
who can not tell me the teaching points for a squat or who do not actually train themselves.
What do I want to see, when I look at a resume?
1. Australian Strength & Conditioning Association (or equivalent) coaching qualifications
2. A recognized national weight lifting federation coaching qualification
3. A training history and even a competition or two under your belt, you do not have to be a world
class athlete to know how to train and compete, “Time Under the Bar” (Dave Tate)
4. What do you read on a regular basis; just to highlight a few areas and examples:
• Web sites: t-nation, elitefts, NSCA, get strength, allthingsgym, ASCA
• Books: supertraining, The Encyclopaedia of Weightlifting, Science and Practice of
Strength Training, Russian Training Manuals
• Authors: Mel Siff, Brooks Kubik, Bill Starr, Jim Smitz, Louie Simmons, Dave Tate, Lyn
Jones, Bud Jefrries, Jim Wendler
• Journals: Milo, Strength and Conditioning, Soviet Sports Training Review
5. A copy of your programs and then organizing a group in a practical session
6. Who have you trained previously, and I will ring and check and ask would you have this person
train you again and why have they moved on
7. Formal tertiary qualifications, can you stick at something long enough to earn something
8. What is your personal philosophy in strength & conditioning, What do you Stand For!
This are in no ranked order but they would be the areas I would consider when I would be short listing
and then finalizing, obviously my own personal biases come through strongly in this listing, but as said at
the commencement, just one man’s opinion.
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Three Simple Steps
Such a huge topic as Strength Training for Rugby is extremely hard to condense into a few pages, and
how to begin after 30 years of weight training programming I know I do not have all the answers but as
they say I am starting to ask the right questions.
A few years ago, I began to simplify my programming based around three specific areas in the players
training. These three areas are Neural, Mechanical and Metabolic. Simply stated Neural is related to
increases in speed and power, Mechanical to increases in hypertrophy and strength and Metabolic to
improvements in aerobic/anaerobic fitness as well as increases in muscular endurance and related to
improvements in levels of body fat.
Of course, there is some cross over between each of these three areas, and you could quite easily include
maximal strength in the neural category of training stimulus. There are also many players that would
cross between two or three so programming could take on a Neuro-Mechanical aspect or a NeuroMetabolic or similar amalgam.
Also it is often not clear cut into which group a player falls, especially in professional teams. It is not as
simple as saying all props should be in the metabolic group and all wingers should be in the neural group,
although in practice this does happen quite a lot.
Playing position, training age, level of development and entry level fitness all play a part in determining
which group a player will find themselves in to start the training year. This is flexible and a player may
move from one group to another over time during the off season and from year to year as training age
grows.
In this system of programming I have adopted a three-step approach to delivering an appropriate program
to the specific players. This is not exclusive to rugby players and I feel that all could benefit from using
the guidelines enclosed here with.
Firstly, select your time availability and the type of adaptations you wish to develop. Secondly, select the
appropriate exercises for you to use from the categories and then finally, select the type of overload
pattern of sets and reps to be used. This will relate back to the specific adaptations that you wanted to
occur as stated in step one.
Time availability obviously is a most important consideration when planning your physical work. Some
examples are included below with some specific routines added, but as you can see the possible number
of permutations is unlimited and is up to your needs and experiences. Remember as Einstein said
“imagination is more important than knowledge”.
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Weekly Planning Variations
Total Body
2/3 days per week
Double Day Training
(Strength emphasis in the am; size/endurance in the pm) or
(Power emphasis in the am; strength emphasis in the pm)
Upper/Lower Body Split
4 days per week
Pull/Push Split
4 days per week
Power/Strength/Hypertrophy Split
3/6 days per week
Power/Strength/Hypertrophy/Strong- man (Strength Endurance) Split
4 days per week
Pull/Push/Squat Split
3/6 days per week
Westside Split (2 x Maximal Strength/2 x Speed)
4 days per week
Olympic Split
5/6 days per week (6+ sessions per week)
Hypertrophy Blitz Split
5/6 days per week
Day
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Type
Olympic lifting
Lower Body
AM: Upper Body Pull – Horizontal
PM: Upper Body Pull – Vertical
AM: Upper Body Push – Horizontal
PM: Upper Body Push – Vertical
Strongman/Dinosaur Challenges
OFF
OFF
OR;
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Day
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Type
Strength Speed - Squat
Maximal Strength – Lower Body Push and Pull
Strength Speed – Bench Press
Maximal Strength – Upper Body Push and Pull
OFF
Lower Body – Push and Pull
Hypertrophy
Strength Endurance
Upper Body – Push and Pull
Hypertrophy
Strength Endurance
Strongman/Dinosaur Challenges
OFF
OR;
Strength Quality
Strength Speed
Maximum Strength
Hypertrophy
Style
10 x 2 or 3
To a maximum
single, triple or five
4 x 10RM
Strength Endurance Body weight to
maximum reps
Upper Body
% Bench
Incline Bench
Lower Body
% Squat
Front Squat
Single leg squat
Hammer Chest
Press
Hindu Squat
Hindu Push up
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Exercise Selection
Exercise selection often comes down to which exercises we are best at performing. This is similar in a lot
of ways to the golfer who consistently drives the ball 275+ metres off the tee straight down the middle but
who can’t pitch or putt. Which stroke is the one he works on at the driving range, the drive of course, to
the admiration and back slapping of the people practicing around him. Again Simmons’ words ring true,
“strength is the overcoming of weaknesses”, continuing the golfing analogy, what is the point of getting
to a par 4 in 1 shot if it takes you another 4 or more to close out the hole.
The selection of exercises below will give you a vast array of movements to choose from but this is only
a small number of the available movements. You may of course have your favourite movements that you
use more regularly than others but try and mix it up a bit to stimulate gains via, different motor unit
recruitment patterns and training movements and muscles from different angles thus requiring different
loading patterns.
A colleague told me once of a senior in college getting ready for testing for a particular NFL team. The
player had set records at college with the bench press (using a quite wide grip) and power clean from the
floor but the tests used by the NFL scouts were the close grip bench press and the power clean from the
hang position using dumbbells. The player failed to impress and wasn’t contracted, just goes to show how
specific strength can be in some situations.
The first thing I would do when coming into a new program is to do a complete inventory of the available
equipment in the gym and see what budget there is for any additional purchases. Then from there I would
complete an analysis of all the available exercises that I could program with the equipment available, you
will be amazed at the extent of the variety that most of you will have at your disposal. The attached table
is from my last position in a professional rugby team. Now granted we did not use each and every
exercise but since these were advanced athletes we had them at our disposal should a player not be able to
do a particular range or complained of difficulty in some other movement.
I have found that nothing builds respect as quickly as having a definitive answer for a player when he
comes to you with a question, such as “ I can not do military presses do to an impingement” okay then
how about you try some shoulder presses using the standing calf machine. Keep going till you have found
a movement he can do. The other aspect of this is that you need to be able to perform each of the
movements with excellent technique, you do not have to be the strongest but your technique has to be
exemplary. Remember every time you lift personally you are on show.
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Loading Patterns & Training Methods
Finally, the programmer needs to select the mechanics to be used with the selected exercises and
methods; these are the sets, reps and loading parameters. I think a lot of scientists, some well meaning
and others profiteering, have created a state of cognitive dissidence in what should be a very simple
aspect of programming. All you really need to do is to do as Milo of Cretona did some 2,700 years ago
and lift/carry a progressively heavier resistance (baby bull calf) to reap the benefits of enhanced strength.
No two people will respond identically to the same program, so perhaps the story of Milo is a gross
simplification but in reality it is simply the interaction of volume, intensity and recovery over time, that
will produce gains in size and strength. Often, the only information you get in some texts is a standard
application such as:
Strength Quality
Intensity
Sets/Reps
Maximal Strength
Hypertrophy
Power
Strength Endurance
>80% 1RM
60 – 80% 1RM
40 – 60% or 60 – 80%1RM
<60% 1RM
6+ sets x 2 – 6 reps
4 – 6 sets x 6 – 20 reps
Rest between
sets
>3 minutes
1 – 2 minutes
2 – 3 sets x > 15/20 reps
< 1 minute
But what of the college wrestler mentioned in an article published in Milo (www.ironmind.com) who did
100 reps (1 every minute) of both power clean and chins each day with a high percentage of maximum
loading. This athlete probably gained in all strength qualities, so again there are definitely no hard and
fast rules or guidelines other than providing a stimulus to the muscles that the body has not become
accustomed to.
Below are a number of different protocols gleaned from the work of many authors, select one method and
stay with it long enough to see if it in fact works for you, don’t change just for the sake of variety and
remember that in training as in most endeavors worth following that “consistency is the cornerstone of
success”.
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Methods Chart
1. Rest pause style 5 – 4- 3 – 2- 1 extended set. 15 seconds rest between each set start with a
weight which is approximately 80% of maximum and stay with the same weight through the set,
perform 3 – 5 sets with a 2-3 minute rest between extended sets.
2. Drop set breakdown style. 6 – 12 – 25 extended set. Minimal rest between each set start with
a load of approximately 75% and decrease by 10 – 15% each set, perform 2 – 3 sets with a 2-3
minute rest between extended sets.
3. Wave Loading style. Near maximal weights used , perform 3 sets with a 60 – 90 seconds rest
between each set in a 3, 2, 1 fashion loading approximately 90%, 95%, 97.5% then after a 2 – 3
minute rest repeat procedure with a 2.5- 5% loading increase, this can be done for 2 – 3 waves.
4. Wave Loading style. Near maximal weights used , perform 3 sets with a 60 – 90 seconds rest
between each set in a 5, 3, 1 fashion loading approximately 80%, 90%, 97.5% then after a 2 – 3
minute rest repeat procedure with a 2.5- 5% loading increase, this can be done for 2 – 3 waves.
5. Wave Loading style. Sub maximal weights used , perform 3 sets with a 60 – 90 seconds rest
between each set in a 7, 5, 3 fashion loading approximately 70%, 80%, 90% then after a 2 – 3
minute rest repeat procedure with a 2.5- 5% loading increase, this can be done for 2 waves.
6. Contrast loading style. 6/1, 6/1, 6/1. Perform 3 groups each with a 90 second rest between each
set, around 80% for 6 reps then above 95% for 1 rep repeating the procedure 3 times and
increasing the load by 2.5 – 5% each set.
7. Compound + Plyometric style. Perform a set with a specific loading above 80% then with
minimal rest perform a plyometric exercise for the same group of muscles, for example, Band
Bench Press for 5 reps then clap chest push ups for 5 reps, then rest 90 seconds before next set.
8. Straight sets loading style. Perform all sets for a given exercise before moving onto the next
exercise, for example Box Squat – 6 @ 100kg, then 5 @ 120kg then 4 @ 140kg. This can be
done over a 3 week block where the subsequent weeks take the loading down to a heavy double
or single, for example;
Week 1 - 6, 5, 4, 4
Week 2 – 5, 4, 3, 3
Week 3 – 4, 3, 2, 2
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9. Complex style. Using the beastly complex as an example; 6 exercises performed without
putting the bar down between any of the movements for the duration of the complex set,
perform 6 reps on each of the 6 movements and perform 6 rotations through with a set rest
decreasing over time between each complex.
Beastly Complex 666 example
Power Snatch from floor
Over Head Squat
Push Press Behind Neck
Combo Good Morning
Jump Squats
Romanian Dead Lift
10. Strength drop sets style. 2 – 3 RM loading rest 15 seconds drop weight by 5% perform as
many reps as you can keep dropping load and perform 1 rep until 6 total reps are performed.
11. Cluster sets style. Using 85% - 100% sets of 2 - 6 reps using an intra set rest period of 15
seconds perform the required number of reps for each set, can use up to 8 sets, with a 2 minute
rest between sets.
12. Rest Pause style. Can be a single, double or triple drop method to achieve the desired number
of reps for the zone. Decide which zone you need to work in to achieve the desired results,
select from one of the following zones:
Zone 1: 1 – 3 reps
Zone 2: 4 – 6 reps
Zone 3: 6 – 8 reps
Zone 4: 8 – 12 reps
Zone 5: 12 – 15 reps
Perform a set with set load then rest 15 seconds reduce weight by 10% - 25% and perform as
many reps as you can to failure repeat process until you complete the required number of reps for
the zone you are working in.
13. Super sets style. Two exercises for the same or opposite group of muscles performed with a
minimal rest <15 seconds between each movement. A pre fatigue super set is where you
perform an isolation exercise before performing a compound movement, for example DB Later
raise before Shoulder presses.
14. Tri Set style. Where 3 exercises for the same body part are performed with minimal < 15
seconds rest between each exercise, for example 3 way DB Shoulder raise.
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15. Specific number of Reps style. Usually performed with body weight exercises, perform the
required number of reps on a given exercise in as few as sets of possible or in a set time, for
example, 50 chins.
16. Westside Style.
17. Rule of 24 style. A method utilizing a combination of sets and reps equaling 24 total reps,
selecting the desired result be it maximal strength, speed strength, size or endurance.
24 x 1/12 x 2/8 x 3/6 x 4/4 x 6/3 x 8/2 x 12/1 x 24
18. Marsh Protocol. 4 x 6 either changing each week for a four week period or using a different
method for each of 4 total sets of 6 in one workout:
4 x 6 – straight style with no rest in between each rep
4 x 3/3 – 3 reps rest 10 seconds then perform a further 3 reps
4 x 2/2/2 – 15 seconds rest in between each block of 2 reps
4 x 1/1/1/1/1/1 – 20 seconds rest between each single rep
Thornley variation
4 x 3/2/1 – 3 reps add weight rest 10 seconds, 2 reps add weight rest 15 seconds, 1 rep
19. Accentuated Eccentric. 3 – 6 sets x 1 – 6 reps at 80+% 1RM with a 4 – 6 second eccentric
component
20 Mechanical Advantage. Style 1: weight is kept constant for the complete set but the angle or
the exercise changes; for example: High Incline DB Bench Press/Medium Incline DB Press/Low
or Flat DB Bench Press or Overhead Squat/Front Squat/Back Squat or Incline Bench/Flat Bench
or Front Squat/Back Squat. 3 – 6 sets x 3 – 6 reps on each angle or exercise.
Style 2: same weight is maintained but resistance is changed by either adding assistance with
bands or removing resistance via bands or chains or weight releasers; for example; Back Squat +
Band Assisted Back Squat, Chain Bench Press + Bench Press. 3 – 6 sets x 3 – 6 reps on each
movement.
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Week Plan/Training Groups
am
pm
Monday
Circuits
Full Body
Lower Body
Lower Body
Full Body
Tuesday
Upper Body
Upper Body
Wednesday
Speed/Power
Combo (all)
Lower Body
Lower Body
Circuits
Full Body
Thursday
Upper Body
Upper Body
Friday
Circuits
Full Body
Lower Body
Lower Body
Full Body
These are the available sessions that we have to work with in the training week, given that I prefer to
allow players the luxury of each weekend off since we take those weekends away from them once we
start playing.
Let me outline how I would program each of the three payer groupings that we discussed in the opening
paragraphs. All players will do the speed/power combo on the Wednesday morning; I will detail a sample
program for this at the end of this section. Numbers in brackets indicate the number of session each week.
Neural Group
Full Body (3); or;
Upper Body Lower Body Split (4) (single session each day)
Mechanical Group
Upper Body Lower Body Split with double day sessions for Upper Body (4 – 6)
Metabolic Group
Circuits on Monday, Wednesday & Friday followed by Lower Body Strength, Upper Body x 2 or in some
cases for those lacking size can be double day as well. (6 – 10)
The following is a template as to how I would complete each of the above sessions, to ensure that we
have covered all muscles and movements needed to optimize performance.
Lower Body
1 x Olympic or Deadlift
1 x Squat
1 x Single Leg
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
OR
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1 x Squat
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
1 x Single Leg Squat variation
1x Hamstring/Lower Back variation
Upper Body
1 x Barbell Push/Pull superset
1 x DB Push/Pull superset
1 x KB or BW Push/Pull superset
Full Body Strength/Power
(different session each training day)
1 x Olympic or Deadlift
1 x Squat or Single Leg
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
1 x Upper Body Push
1 x Upper Body Pull
Performance Core Loaded Exercises
3 – 5 exercises, 3 – 5 sets, 3 – 5 reps per set, 3 – 5 days per week
The Big Five
Turkish Get Up
Rollouts
Full Body Twist
Suitcase Deadlifts
Zercher Lift
Performance Core Unloaded Exercises
2 – 3 exercises, 2 – 3 sets, 10 – 15 reps per set, 2 – 3 days per week
The Next Five
Tornado Ball
Bridging
Sprinters Sit ups
Bicycle
Rainbows/Windscreen Wipers
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Speed Power Combo (All Groups)
This was designed to combine speed and power with a gym session to simulate the demands of the game
and as an extra anaerobic endurance session.
Movement Drills warm up (Check Eric Cressy’s wonderful DVD on Dynmamic Movement)
Ladders: forward and lateral series + run out with ball catch
Hurdles: skip and run forward and lateral + run out with ball catch
Harnesses: 10 metres resisted release and sprint for 10m (tighties), 20m loosies + insides, 30m (outsides)
Power Snatch or Power Clean 6 x 4
Flying 30’s (22m build up + 28m sprint)
Bounding 4 x 50m (outsides) or 5 x 22m Repeat Long Jumps (everyone else)
High Pulls Snatch or Clean grip 8 x 3
Tighties: 8 x 20m
Loosies: 6 x 30m
Insides: 5 x 40m
Outsides: 4 x 60m
Band Box Squats 12 x 2 or Jump Squats 4 x 6
Forwards: Sled Pulls – 6 x 25m
Backs: Parachutes – 4 x resist 25m then release and sprint for 50m
Deadlift or Romanian Deadlift or Glute Ham or Good Morning 4 x 6
OR
Field: Warm up – patterns on ladders and mini hurdles combined with Dynamic Flexibility options
Gym: Power Snatch from Blocks or Hang 8 x 3
Field: Sled Marching 4 x 22 metres with 22m sprint from a 3 point stance in between
Gym: Kettle Bell Swings 30 secs s/s with knees to feet jumps 6 reps x 6 sets
Field: Harness + Release 22m resist then 28 m sprint x 6
Gym: Band Box Squats s/s with Box Jumps 8 x 3 or 2 stage step ups + single leg box jumps 4 x 6
Field: Sled sprints ladder (empty sled x 40 m, sled + 20kg x 30m, sled + 40kg x 20m, sled + 60kg x
10m, then repeat going back up the ladder)
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Training Articles
(previously published individually in IronMind and Get Strength from 2000 - 2012)
Strongman Training for Sport
Strongman training exercises are finding there way into the training programs of many sports and Get
Strength have been at the forefront of producing equipment to satisfy the growing needs of trainers in this
area.
I have been using strongman and dinosaur type training in the training of football players since 1997
when I was the strength and conditioning coach of the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League
competition. What started as a session, which was included, as part of a break from traditional training
has now become a major part of my strength-training program?
Strongman training differs form traditional weight training in that the objects that are pushed, pulled,
lifted, dragged or carried are not uniform in size or shape or weight, nor are the players that we come
across on a rugby field. I primarily use strongman training as a strength endurance circuit where players
are paired off and one player works for one minute whilst the other rests and motivates and encourages
his partner, when both players have worked for one minute they move onto the next exercise. We usually
have about 10 exercises, but depending on the size of your squad and the availability of equipment the
choice is endless.
All the exercises/challenges that you see on the televised World’s Strongest Man competition are relevant
for sports training, and all are available through Get Strength as well which means you can set up a very
challenging and rewarding training area. Always be on the lookout for equipment that you maybe able to
use, check out the local dump and see what others have thrown out, truck tyres, odd shaped blocks and
the such like are gold to people like us looking for something a little out there.
Look at the training of the former generation on non-professional rugby players, many were active in
farming, building and other tasks that required physical were, so I guess this is a return to an older style
of training, I think Mr. Meads would approve. I do not know of many players that would be able to spend
the day dagging sheep or digging trenches and still be able to give 100% to training. Please do not get me
wrong this type of training is excellent for strength endurance and also strengthening those support
muscles that are not easily targeted, but they do not replace the fact that maximal strength and strengthspeed type training is best developed using weights in the gym.
Some of my favourites for training rugby players in this style of training are:
Fingals Finger – where you have to lift a post off the ground and then with your hands above your head
walk it forward until it is vertical.
Conan’s Wheel – where you zercher lift a bar, which is connected to a load, in the crook of your elbows
and proceed to walk in a circular path until you can no longer continue.
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Farmers Walk – where you pick up two implements, one in each hand, and walk till the implements fall
from your hands as your grip gives out.
Tyre Flip – position yourself in a good dead lift position and lift the edge of the tyre off the ground and
continue lifting and pushing with your knee until it flips over, continue for time and/or distance.
Chain Drag – simply grab hold of a length of anchor chain and walk backwards as you drag the chain,
ours weighs 150kg, and we picked it up at a fishing fleet store shed.
Yoke Walk – Take a squat bar out of the rack or have a yoke make specifically for the purpose and walk
for as far as you can, a real challenge.
Keg or stone or buoy or any heavy odd shaped object Lift and carry – pick the object up and take it for a
walk, the more awkward the better as this will challenge your stabilizer muscles.
Same as the above but instead of carrying for distance you press it above your head, a great use for the
swiss ball as suggested by Alex is to fill a swiss ball with sand or water to the desired weight and then
proceed to push this “live” weight overhead a real challenge.
Steel Log – clean and press for reps or time, the log being quite a wide diameter makes it awkward to lift
and also puts extra emphasis on lower back stabilization, which is a bonus.
Sled Drag – use a sprint sled and load it up and proceed to walk towing this behind you, again for time
and/or distance.
I feel that this type of training is ideal for all combat related sports and is a great way to add variety and
challenges to your programs, for more advice and some training guidelines read Dinosaur Training by
Brooks Kubik, a must read for everyone and also look at some of the videos/DVD’s that are on offer on
the specifics of strongman training at www.elitefts.com As with all training there are inherent risks
involved in this type of training so ensure that your lifting mechanics are perfect, also because of the
endurance aspects involved in this type of training monitor how you are feeling and hasten slowly with
adding weight or distance or time as your body accustoms itself to these new stresses and as I always
believe make it fun.
Momentum = Mass x Velocity
Initially, training should be aimed at increasing mass whilst maintaining velocity to effect an increase in
momentum. This will be achieved by a hypertrophy programme similar to the one listed. This should be
continued until the point where an increase in mass has a negative effect on velocity thereby effecting
momentum. This parallels the phase of general training in the continuum of general - special - specific.
At the conclusion of the general phase training emphasis should shift to effecting velocity and shifting the
force - velocity to the right.
When an increase in mass decreases velocity a rethink of the exercises and the style of training is needed
to ensure athletes aren't caught in the mass for mass sake treadmill. Whilst training for an increase in
mass performance tests need to be held concurrently to ensure we are on track. Does an increase in squat
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strength lead to a decrease in 10m speed or vertical jump? These are necessary tests to allow a
comparison of cause and effect. If the increase in strength does not have a positive correlation in the
performance variable the amount of time spent on increasing strength would be better spent on another
aspect of training and exercise selection and mode of performance needs to be re-evaluated - for example
General exercises: Squats
100 kg/140 kg/200 kg
Performance Test: 10m Sprint time
2.3 secs/2.1 secs/2.15 secs
This may be a time period of 18 months to 24 months and at the end of this phase the squat exercise may
now be changed to walking lunge and/or jump squats to attempt to further decrease the 10m sprint time.
M = m x v if velocity is maintained at 8 m/s and mass initially 100 kg increases to 105 kg momentum is
improved by 40 newtons from 800 to 840. If however velocity decreases to 7.5 m/s momentum actually
decreases from 800 to 787.5 a negative consequence of a 5 kg increase in mass.
There is a fine line to walk between mass and velocity but spending too long on trying to increase mass or
strength may in fact cause athletes to stagnate and suffer performance decrement. Remember as Vera
Gambetta always emphasises you are training movements not just muscles, function is the most important
outcome of your training.
Whatever your course of action I believe you need to base your training around the following key five
elements.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Train hard, train smart, train for results
Compound basic exercises predominantly ground based and multi planar in nature.
Abbreviated training keeps the intensity high, get in and get the job done.
Progression, challenge yourself each workout
Concentration. Focus on what you want to achieve - mental toughness.
Training by the Numbers
Years ago Rob Rogers, then at University of Southern California, gave me two sheets of paper that he had
been working on; he was putting them together as a method of determining relative intensity of each set
based on a percentage of maximum. I recently pulled them out from my file of bits and pieces and re-read
them with a new interest to see initially how I could work it into my own training and from there into the
training of the athletes I work with.
Attached is a program based on those sheets, I promised Rob that I would not publish the entire work, but
I think the statute of limitations may have expired on a partial use of his work.. So here it is, Rob is a
genius, when it comes to the manipulation of training variables to ensure that athletes are working to the
correct intensity, thanks for sharing your knowledge.
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With traditional periodised programs we are always looking at a percentage of maximum and this is
fraught with potential overtraining scenarios due to the fact that the relativity of the training stimulus is
not taken into consideration. With this in mind I have studied the work of Verkhoshansky specifically but
all the models and percentage charts that are in the great series of books translated by Bud Charniga and
so highly recommended by Louie Simmons and the model you read below is an attempt to maximize the
training effect, whilst, ensuring that the athlete is not aiming at using unrealistic numbers in the pursuit of
the objective percentages.
It has been written for the athlete who uses predominantly the Olympic lifting movements, but can easily
be adjusted for any specific type of training, even bodybuilding could benefit from a planned approach
rather than the haphazard so called holistic approaches that dominate folk lore.
If you have micro plates then you will be able to be exact in your training weight calculations, if not, and
the lightest plate you have is a 1.25 kilogram plate then go slightly over rather than slightly under. Most
people laugh when they see my micro-plates in the gym, but I have found them to be an excellent tool in
exact science of loading. Mine were bought from www.fractionalplates.com a few years back and the
workmanship is outstanding I feel that if I am ever blessed with children then they will stay in the family
for generations to come.
So give it a try and see what you can achieve with this style of programming, particularly if you are in an
intensification or maximal loading phase of your training, all the best and hope it brings you to a new PB
or two, cheers and thanks for reading.
Training Month with Weekly Variations
* Olympic- Strength/Speed Movements (all workout weights are written as %)
Week
Work Out
Intensity Rating Volume
1
(70 x 4, 73 x 4, 76 x 4) x 2
Medium/Heavy
24
2
(82 x 3, 85 x 3, 88 x 3) x 2
Heavy
18
3
(61 x 5, 64 x 5, 67 x 5) x 2
Medium
30
4
(91 x 2, 94 x 2, 97 x 2) x 2
Very Heavy
12
# Strength Movements
Week
Work Out
1
(70 x 5, 73 x 5, 76 x 5) x 2
2
(82 x 3, 85 x 3, 88 x 3) x 2
3
(61 x 7, 64 x 7, 67 x 7) x 2
4
(91 x 2, 94 x 2, 97 x 2) x 2
Intensity Rating
Medium/Heavy
Heavy
Medium
Very Heavy
Volume
30
18
42
12
Basic Program Example – Pull, Push, Squat, Posterior Chain – Heavy, Light, Medium
Monday
Wednesday
Friday
Snatch Pulls*
Power Snatch*
Power Clean*
Rack Jerks*
Military Press#
Push Press*
Back Squats#
Overhead Squats#
Front Squats#
Romanian Dead Lift#
Glute Ham Raise#
Good Morning#
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Program follows the sets and reps and load/intensity protocols as listed by the symbols placed after the
exercises,
Weekly Volume
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
330 reps – Medium/Heavy Load 29%
216 reps – Heavy Load 19%
444 reps – Medium Load 39%
144 reps – Maximal Load 13%
Total for month – 1134 reps
This volume only refers to work weights and does not take into consideration the number of sets or reps
that would be required to get to the working weight required for the session.
What we do before Christmas dictates where we finish in May!
The month before Christmas is when we start our off-season program following a mandatory 4-week
break from the last game of the domestic season, Air New Zealand National Provincial Championship.
This starts the program for the Super 12 competition played between franchises based in New Zealand,
Australia and South Africa, which culminates with playoffs towards the end of May, hence the title of this
piece.
I have been asked by a few people to go into greater detail as to how our off-season strength program is
designed and delivered. In this article I will present a snap shot of a 3-week loading cycle that is
performed prior to Christmas break. This is our heaviest cycle and we will intentionally take people to the
edge of overstraining/under recovery since the break they have over Christmas is used as a regeneration
cycle.
There are a number of training groups within the program. The first group will be the position the players
are selected into and these are broken down in the following way. The Front 4 (Gainers) – props and
locks, the Middle 7 (Users) – hooker, loose forwards, half, 1 st and 2nd Five-eights, and finally, the Back 4
(Finishers) – Centre, winger and full back. My thanks to Andy Friend formerly of the NSW Waratahs and
ACT Brumbies for his naming of the three groups. This is an arbitrary selection process but it serves my
purpose well.
In addition to this you then have to take into account individual needs and variations as to training age
and injury status. All players have work ons that they need to do as far as injury prevention prehab or post
injury rehab exercises that are included in the warm up or warm down phase of their strength programs.
The main areas will be Hypertrophy, Maximal Strength, Strength Speed, Strength Endurance and
Strongman/Dinosaur variants.
The number of sessions a week for the players is dictated by training age and also positional group as
follows: Front 4 – 4/5, Middle 7 – ¾, Back 3 – 2/3. This takes into account not only the demands of the
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position but also the amount of other training that each of these groups will perform in the course of a
normal training week. Other sessions will be speed, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, skills – core,
individual and unit, and game options. I will not go into these but they make up a substantial part of the
20 – 25 hours per week that the players put into the off-season training.
Back 4
Strength Speed option where there is minimal need for an increase in Hypertrophy, these players will
limit their aerobic conditioning and maximize their speed training (4 sessions per week). The program is
performed 3 days per week and is modified from The Holy Grail of Speed Training by Barry Ross.
Monday
Clean & Jerk
Wednesday
Power Snatch
Friday
Power Clean
Dead Lift s/s with
Plyometric Option
Chain Squat s/s with Dead Lift s/s with
Plyometric Option
Plyometric Option
Core
Push Press s/s with
Hammer Push/Pull
Band Bench s/s with
Power Tackler
Core
Core
Each workout is preceded with Dynamic Movements and Active Flexibility whilst Static Stretching is
emphasized at the conclusion of each workout. This block of training for 3 weeks will be 3 sets of 3 reps
on all movements with a loading of 85% - 95%. The concentric movements are performed as explosively
as possible, with approximately 3 minutes between sets or at the end of each super set (s/s). All reps of all
sets should be able to be completed without assistance or working to failure.
Front 4
As far as the Front 4 is concerned the program will depend on the training age of the individual and the
major area that is needed, for example Hypertrophy or Maximal Strength or a combination of the both.
Monday
Upper Body
Upper Body Hypertrophy/Lower Body Strength Speed
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Lower Body
Upper Body
Lower Body
Upper Body
Or;
Monday
Upper Body
Maximal Strength/Strength Speed/Strength Endurance
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Lower Body
Strongman
Upper Body
Lower Body
Circuit
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I like to use the training philosophy of Dr. Fred Hatfield when training for Hypertrophy, in order to target
all fibre types, I also like to increase the intensity of training by super setting push and pull movements in
training the upper body. In the Hatfield system three different zones of training are programmed, in an
attempt to improve Maximal Strength, Hypertrophy and Strength Endurance. An example of this is
shown below, for the upper body parts of the program;
Workout 1
Incline Bench s/s Chins
6 – 8 sets x 2 – 3 reps
Trap Bar Shoulder Press s/s
Bent over Row with Steel
Log
4 – 6 sets x 5 – 8 reps
Hindu Push Ups s/s
Horizontal Chins on chains
with feet on Swiss Ball
100 reps of each total
Workout 2
Workout 3
Bench Press s/s Seated Row Reverse Grip Bench Press
6 – 8 sets x 2 – 3 reps
s/s Bent over Row
6 – 8 sets x 2 – 3 reps
Steel Log Shoulder Press s/s
Seated DB Snatch
Military Press s/s Upright
4 – 6 sets x 5 – 8 reps
Row
4 – 6 sets x 5 – 8 reps
Dips s/s Chins
Hand Stand Push Ups s/s
100 reps of each total
Finger Grip Chins
50 reps of each total
The lower body will be targeted with a more traditional strength speed type program as listed below for
the other two sessions per week.
Session 1
Power Clean 5 sets x 5 reps
Safety Bar Squat 5 sets x 5 reps
Cambered Bar Good Mornings with Chains
5 sets x 5 reps
Tyre Flips 5 x 1 minute
Session 2
Band Box Squats 8 sets x 2 reps
Power Sprinter 5 sets x 8 reps
Reverse Hypers 5 x 10 reps
Beer Keg Lift & Carry 5 x 1 minute
As for the second category of Front 4 player, we will be targeting a Westside training regime with the
addition of a designated Strongman Circuit day on the Wednesday.
Strongman Options
Steel Log Clean & Press
Farmers Walk
Beer Keg Bear Hug Lift & Walk
Conan’s Wheel
Yoke Walk
Fingal's Finger
Thick Bar Dead Lift
Stone Press
Shoulder the Keg
Anchor Chain Drag
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The session will be approximately 45 minutes in duration and the players will operate in pairs, one works
for a minute the other player rests and motivates. I will not go into the Westside for Rugby here but
suffice to say that each players program will vary depending on their individual weaknesses, as would be
the case if you were working with a power lifter or other athlete. If there is an interest I will detail a
Westside for Rugby program in a later edition of Milo.
Middle 7
This grouping will be either trained using an upper body lower body split over 4 days per week or a full
body three day per week program using the same exercise selection criteria. The sets and reps will change
depending on the effect required.
The players in conjunction with the strength coach will select exercises from specific groupings to
maximize their effect. The categories with the top five examples of each are included below:
Lower Body Dominant
Olympic
Power Clean
Power Snatch
Hang Clean
Hang Snatch
Clean & Jerk
Squat
Box Squat
Front Squat
Safety Bar
Cambered Bar
Over Head
Single Leg
Power Sprinter
Sprinter Squat
Walking Lunge
Split Squat
Single Leg
Press
Hamstring/Lower
Back
Glute Ham Raise
Good Morning
Reverse Hyper
Deadlift
Romanian DL
Strongman
Beer Keg Lift
& Walk
Tyre Flip
Farmers Walk
Shoulder the
Keg
Conan’s Wheel
Upper Body Specific
Push
Bench Press
Incline Bench
Press
Shoulder Press
Hammer
Jammer
Push Press
Pull
Bent Over Row
Upright Row
Chins
Seated Row
Seated DB
Snatch
Grip
Finger Loop
Chins
DB Hammer
Curls
Thick Bar
Reverse Curls
Captains of
Crush Grippers
Heavy Hammer
Strongman
Sledge Hammer
Hits
Stone Press
Steel Log Clean
& Press
Fingal’s Finger
As for programming depending on the days of training 3 or 4 sessions per week the following will apply.
3 days per week
1 x Olympic
1 x Squat or Single Leg
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
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1 x Upper Body Push s/s with Upper Body Pull
1 x Strongman
1 x Grip
100 Core reps
4 days per week
2 x Lower Body Dominant, 2 x Upper Body Specific
Lower Body Days
1 x Olympic
1 x Squat
1 x Single Leg
2 x Hamstring/Lower Back
1 x Strongman
Upper Body Days
2 x Push/Pull superset style
2 x Strongman
1 x Grip
100 Core Reps
Now to give you an example of a program for each.
3 days per week
Monday
Wednesday
Power Clean
Power Snatch
Power Sprinter
Band Box Squat
Glute Ham Raise
Deadlift
Incline Bench s/s Seated
Chain Bench s/s Bent over
DB Snatch
Row
Keg Bear Hug walk
Tyre Flips
Finger Loop Chins
Heavy Hammer –
100 Core reps
pronation/supination
100 Core reps
4 days per week
Monday (Upper)
Close grip Bench s/s
Steel Log Bent Row
Jammer Press s/s
Chins
Sledgehammer Hits
Stone Press
Thick Bar Reverse
Curls
100 Core Reps
Tuesday (Lower)
Power Cleans from
blocks set above
knees
Band Box Squats
Power Sprinter
Reverse Hyper
Glute Ham Raise
Conan’s Wheel
Friday
Clean Pulls
Safety Bar Squats
Reverse Hypers
Push Press s/s Chins
Thick Bar Reverse Curls
Farmers Walk
100 Core reps
Thursday (Upper)
Chain Bench s/s
Hammer Push/Pull
Push Press s/s
Power Tackler
Fingal’s finger
Beer Keg Hug for
time
Finger Loop Chin
ups
100 Core reps
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Friday (Lower)
Power Cleans from
floor
Safety Bar Squats
Farmers Walk
Good Morning with
Chains
Single Leg Back
Extensions
Tyre Flips
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Rule of 24
Many years of talking and reading have led me to the conclusion that 24 reps in whatever combination
you wish to program is a valid method of increasing size and strength. The only caveat placed on this is
that the percentage of maximum loading used must be relative to the rep ranges used. The only exemption
to this would be a beginner where you could take two methods, one; since a beginner has very poor
strength endurance a large number of sets with a small number of reps should be used when teaching
complex technical lifts such as snatch and the percentage of maximum is irrelevant and two; go to the
other end of the set/rep continuum and have the beginner perform a large number of reps with
bodyweight exercises to establish a base upon which to build future gains.
Whichever method you choose and there are justifications for both the Rule of 24 after a qualifying
period of lifting regularly will greatly enhance your gains in strength and size and keep intensities
relative. This method will also fall into the old Fred Hatfield philosophy of varying sets, reps and load to
ensure that all energy systems and fiber types are trained in the one workout. You could also add 12 sets
of 2 to this table as well, with excellent results, maybe with an Olympic lift, repetitive sets of low reps
with high intensity is essential in establishing technique with heavy loads or you could utilize a Westside
protocol and establish the 8 and/or 12 set exercise as your speed exercise and perform at the correct
percentage of maximum for you to ensure optimal speed of performance.
Also if you are still employing a traditional periodisation approach to your programming you could work
from the high rep/low set end of the continuum and over a period of weeks work towards a peaking phase
utilizing high sets and low reps. Of course, if you are employing conjugate methods, based on the
philosophy of Louie, “whatever you do not train you lose” then you would be employing an array of
different set and rep patterns to ensure continued improvement in all strength qualities.
As a rugby strength coach I employ a conjugate method of strength training specifically because the game
of rugby is a hybrid sport where, speed/strength, strength/speed, maximal strength, position specific
hypertrophy, and strength endurance are all essential in the development of the player for the modern
game.
Number of Sets
Number of Reps
Percentage of Maximum
8
3
90+
6
4
85+
4
6
80+
3
8
75+
2
12
70+
1
24
60+
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Utilising a four day a week training schedule with whichever training days work best for you, a plan
could look like the following, of course any combinations could be used, my own training biases are
obvious from the exercise selection.
Monday
Block Power Snatch
Power Cleans
Bent Row
Seated DB Snatch
Chins
Fat Mans Chins
Wednesday
Over Head
Squat
Front Squat
Box Squat
Kneeling Squat
Sprinters Squat
Super Yoke
Walk
Friday
Split Jerk
Push Press
Shoulder Press
Seated DB Press
Dips
HandStand Push Up
Saturday
Good Morning
Glute Ham
Raise
Romanian DL
Reverse Hyper
Single Leg
Back Ext
Tyre Flips
Sunday
Band Bench Press
Incline Bench
Low Incline DB Press
Dips
Weighted Hindu
PushUps
The sets, reps and loads used follow the table from above top to bottom, so a total of 24 sets per training
day with a total volume of 144 reps.
Or if you prefer a slightly abbreviated program per training day and work Monday to Friday with your
weekends free you could try this program, the workout time is approximately 40 minutes, get in train hard
get out and recover and gain the benefits.
Monday
Block Power
Snatch
Tuesday
Band Bench
Power Clean
Incline Bench
Bent Over
Row
3 Board Press
Chins
Low Incline
DB Press
Wednesday
45 cms Box
Squat with
Weight
Releasers
Front Squat
Thursday
Rack Split
Jerk
Friday
Safety Bar
God Morning
with Chains
Push Press
30 cms Low
Box Squat
with
Cambered Bar
Kneeling
Squat
Military Press
with Trap Bar
Band Glute
Ham Raise
Romanian
Dead Lift
Seated DB
Press
Reverse
Hyper
Exercise 1 each day is either 12 x 2 or 8 x 3, exercise 2 - 6 x 4 or 4 x 6, exercise 3 – 4 x 6 or 3 x 8,
exercise 4 – 3 x 8 or 2 x 12.
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32 | P a g e
Rule of 24
Power, Strength & Size
Program example
Training
Day
Training
Specifics
Power/
Strength –
8x3
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Olympic
Upper
Body
Push/Pull Horizontal
Lower
Body
Glut/
Hamstring
Upper
Body Push
/Pull vertical
Power
Snatch
Band
Bench
Press s/s
Bent Over
Row
Incline
Bench
Press s/s
Hammer
Low Row
Lower
Body –
Squat or
Single Leg
Option
Power
Sprinter or
Band
Box Squat
Good
Morning
Push Press
s/s Chins
Sprinters
Squat or
Front
Squat
Glut Ham
Raise
Walking
Lunge or
Kneeling
Squat
Romanian
Dead Lift
Cambered
Bar
Shoulder
Press s/s
Hammer
High Row
Trap Bar
Shoulder
Press s/s
Pulldown
to Chest
Strength/
Cleans
Size – 6 x 4 from
Blocks
Size/
Strength –
4x6
Resisted
Band
Platform
Deadlift
2 Board
Press s/s
One Arm
DB Row
Power/Strength emphasis-12 x 2, 8 x 3, 6 x 4 or Power/Strength/Size emphasis–8 x 3, 6 x 4,4 x 6
Program Example
Training Day
Training
Specifics
Monday
Lower Body Squat
Strength –
6x4
Overhead
Squat
Strength/Size
–4x6
Front Squat
Tuesday
Upper Body
Push/Pull Horizontal
Chain Bench
Press s/s Bent
Over Row
Incline Bench
Press s/s
Hammer Low
Row
Wednesday
Lower Body –
Single Leg
Option
Power
Sprinter
Thursday
Lower Body Glut/Hamstrin
g
Good Morning
Friday
Upper Body
Push/Pull Vertical
Military Press
s/s Chins
Sprinters
Squat
Glut Ham
Raise
Cambered Bar
Shoulder Press
s/s Hammer
High Row
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33 | P a g e
Size/Strength
–3x8
Safety Bar
Box Squat
2 Board Press
s/s One Arm DB
Row
Walking
Lunge
Reverse Hyper
Trap Bar
Shoulder Press
s/s Pulldown to
Chest
Strength/Size emphasis – 6 x 4, 4 x 6, 3 x 8
Strength/Size/Endurance emphasis – 4 x 6, 3 x 8, 2 x 12
Program Example
Training Day
Monday
Training
Lower Body Specifics
Squat
Size
3x8
Harness
Front Squat
Size/Endurance Safety Bar
2 x 12
Box Squat
Endurance
1 x 24
Yoke Walk
Tuesday
Upper Body
Push/Pull Horizontal
DB Bench
Press s/s Bent
Over Row
Incline Bench
Press s/s
Hammer Low
Row
Wednesday
Lower Body –
Single Leg
Option
Power
Sprinter
Sled Press s/s
Rope Pull
Farmers
Walk
DB Walking
Lunge
Size/Endurance emphasis – 3 x 8, 2 x 12, 1 x 24
More 24 Programs Guide
Saturday
12 x 2 Band Box Squats
8 x 3 Power Snatch from floor
6 x 4 Power Clean from Blocks
4 x 6 Band Platform Dead Lifts
Rollouts
Sunday
8 x 3 Combo Good Morning with Cambered Bar s/s Sprinters Squat
6 x 4 Zercher Lift s/s Step Ups
4 x 6 Glute Ham Raise s/s Walking Lunge
Turkish Get Ups
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Thursday
Friday
Lower Body Upper Body
Glut/Hamstring Push/Pull Vertical
Good Morning DB Shoulder
Press s/s
Chins
Glut Ham
Cambered
Raise
Bar Shoulder
Press s/s
Hammer
High Row
Tyre Flip
Stone Press
s/s Rope
Climb
34 | P a g e
Monday
8 x 3 Band Bench Press s/s Bent Over Row
6 x 4 Incline Bench Press s/s Hammer Low Row
4 x 6 Floor Press s/s One Arm DB Row
Swiss Ball Leg Raises
Tuesday – OFF
Wednesday
8 x 3 Front Squat
6 x 4 Box Squat with Safety Squat Bar
4 x 6 Kneeling Squat
Full Body Twists
Thursday - OFF
Friday
8 x 3 Steel Log Push Press s/s Chins
6 x 4 Cambered Bar Shoulder Press s/s Hammer High Row
4 x 6 Trap Bar Shoulder Press s/s Lat Pulldown to Chest
One Arm Side Dead Lifts
Triple Treats Revisited
In an edition of Milo I looked at the use of three exercises where you can work the same part of the body
with increasing loads, as the either range or speed of the exercises change to allow this progression to
occur. For example, using a snatch grip overhead squat as your starting exercise and continuing to add
weight to the bar after you successfully complete say 5 repetitions each set until you are unable to
complete the set. The next set you maintain that same load but know you perform the front squat and
continue till you fail to achieve 5 repetitions with increasing loads each successive set. Then you switch
finally to back squat and continue the procedure until you fail to complete a set of 5 repetitions at that
weight. So a Triple Treat of squatting.
Numerous methods can be employed using triple treats. A trainee can start with low reps for the exercise
with the greatest range of movement or complexity of performance and then increase the number of
repetitions with each exercise change as the movement becomes less complex to perform or the range of
motion decreases. An example of this would be to start with power snatches and perform singles or
triples, then switch to power cleans and perform triples or 5’s and finish with clean pulls or clean grip
deadlifts for 5’s. 6’s or even 8’s. All dependant of course on what your goal from training is and your
level of training experience
A few new treats have entered our training programs. Whilst looking at exercise selection alternatives for
our main training program such as horizontal upper body pushing movements and it s integration with a
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35 | P a g e
Westside philosophy the use of bench assistance movements came up. This spawned a bench press triple
using flat bench as the starter exercise then moving to a 3-board press as the next installment and
finishing with a 5-board press. Of course, this can be worked both ways and the stress of the exercise
would then alter considerably as the reverse method starting with a 5-board press would exhaust the
triceps and place an increased activation on the anterior deltoids and the pecs as you work down to the
main exercise of flat bench.
Using assisted band cleans or deadlifts as your first exercise then progressing to performance of the
movement without any assistance then completing the triple treat with a resisted deadlift such as a band
deadlift on the Get Strength Pulling platform. Conversely starting with the resisted and finishing with the
assisted would also make for an interesting Triple Treat.
Continuing on this line of thought, you could perform a band assisted clean in a power rack, a great
neural primer, and also maximum assistance from the floor, then move into a regular power clean from
the floor, thereby having no assistance from the floor, and then finishing with a band resisted deadlift on
the Get Strength Pulling platform, providing maximum resistance from the start of the pull and also
overloading the end range ensuring that the athlete will continue to pull hard against the resistance. One
important point to ensure is that the athlete still completes the pull and racks correctly on the band
assisted clean and does not get lazy with the movement since the speed of the bar generated with the
bands will be quite a bit faster than used to.
Also the use of the Elephant Steps pulling blocks makes for a novel Triple Treat, by first starting with the
bar set on the highest block position the bar would be positioned at the top of the thighs, then the next
position would be with the bar positioned in the second pull position and finally you could perform the
movement from the floor. Any pulling exercise can be utilized in this method, snatch, clean and deadlift
would benefit from the strengthening of the movement from different positions to ensure the entire
kinetic chain has no weak links.
Another very simple Triple Treat, would be to start with the old Poliquin favourite of the Cuban Press and
continue to add weight until you can not complete the movement then move onto to snatch grip upright
row to nipple height and finish with snatch grip shrugs till you can no longer get a good shrug.
So a weeks training on the Triple Treat plan could look like this, it allows for a large amount of work to
be performed in a relatively short period of time, this combined with adequate recovery should give your
training an effective change of pace and produce of solid gains in whichever area you want by
manipulating the training variables.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Power Snatch
Military Press
Snatch grip
High Position
Bench Press 3’s
3’s
3’s
Over Head
Snatch 3’s
Squat 3’s
3-Board Bench
Power Cleans
Push Press 3’s
Knee Position
Press 3’s
3’s
Front Squat 3’s Snatch 3’s
Rack Split
5-Board Bench
Clean Pulls 3’s Jerks 3’s
Back Squat 3’s Snatch from
Press 3’s
Floor 3’s
(or in reverse)
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Start the year as you intend to continue it
Whilst I await the return of my players to commence pre-season training I thought it would be a good
time to write down a few ideas for you to consider in your training going forward into 2011. As most of
you know I have been a student of strength training for many years, I love the Strength Pentathlon as a
way of gauging your all around strength using the competition lifting of the 2 Olympic lifts and 3 Power
Lifts as a testing protocol and training regime.
Before you train I like these options for warm ups, taken from a variety of the current crop of great
writers around the world, if you are unsure of some movements the Exercise index provided by
www.elitefts.com is a great reference as is you tube and google, you actually may know these by different
names, for the bodyweight circuit go to www.combatconditioning.com and see what Matt Furey has
produced. Remember that is you do not think you have the time to warm up then you definitely do not
have the time to work out!
Option 1
High Hurdle Mobility Circuit – Forward/Back, Under/Over +
Skipping + KB Swings – 30 seconds Hurdles/30 seconds skip/30 seconds KB swings mix it up rest 30
seconds repeat
Option 2
Plate Circuit (6 each movement x 3 times through)
Plate Swings/Overhead Squat/Plate Head Circles/Plate Horizontal Push/Plate Wood Chop/Alt.
Reverse Lunge with Twist/Plate Bent over Row
+
KB Circuit (6 reps each exercise x 3 times through)
MMA Row/MMA Press/Alt. Upright Row/See Saw Shoulder Press/Clean/Snatch
Option 3
BW Mobility Circuit (Combat Conditioning options – 10 each)
Grasshoppers/Mountain Climbers/Hindu Push ups/Prisoner Jump Squats/Scorpions Prone &
Supine/Alt. Lunges/Table Maker/Reverse Push up/Rock & Rolls/No Momentum Sit ups/Legs to
Floor Overhead
Option 4
DB Shoulder Circuit (15 reps each exercise)
Arnold Presses/Lateral Raise/Front Raise/Bent over Raise/YTI’s/Drawing the Swords/L
Raise/Cuban Press/Overhead Shrug/Scarecrows
Option 5
Olympic lifting Complexes (bar only) 6 reps on each movement, do all 3 variations with a short rest
in between each
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37 | P a g e
1) Muscle Snatch from floor + Hang Power Snatch + Snatch Balance + Squat Snatch Press +
Overhead Squat
2) Clean Grip Power Snatch + Hang Power Clean + Front Squat + Sots Press + Push Press
3) Hang Snatch + Push Press + Front Squat + Hang Clean + Bent over Row + RDL
Okay, now you have warmed up, and in the course of that added a wee bit of prehab work and technique
work to the mix you can address the main session. My idea here is to work one of the Big Five on each
day of the week and then have the weekend free, or you can re-configure the week and take a day off
during the week and train on Saturday if you wish, there are no right and wrongs here whatever works
best for you is the key. Also I am not going to put down sets and reps as these will be specific to your
needs and you can play around with what works best for you.
Monday – Snatch focus
Snatch balance
Snatch
Power Snatch from blocks or from hang
Snatch Pulls
Tuesday – Squat focus
Band box Squats
Max effort squatting movement (single or double leg)
2 x Hamstring/Lower Back movements
Heavy Abdominal movements (1 or 2)
(Rollouts, Turkish Get Ups, Suitcase Deadlifts, Zercher Lift & Squat, Full Body Combat Twist)
Wednesday
Bench focus (a la Westside)
Bench with Chains, Bands or Weight
releasers
Max effort upper body push
Max effort upper body pull
Repetition method upper body push/pull
Triceps 1 or 2 exercises
Jerk focus
Rack jerks
Push Press
Max effort overhead pressing movement
Jerk recoveries
Dips & Chins (if you wish)
Thursday – Clean focus
Squat Clean
Power Clean from blocks or from hang
Clean Pulls
Front Squat
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Friday – Deadlift focus
Deadlift (can be speed DL’s or band assisted)
2 x Hamstring/Lower Back exercises
Heavy Abdominal movements (1 or 2)
(Rollouts, Turkish Get Ups, Suitcase Deadlifts, Zercher Lift & Squat, Full Body Combat Twist)
4 day Olympic Lifting Program
Monday
Snatch (various set & rep protocols)
Safety Bar 30 cms Box Squat or Back Squat (3 weeks progression – 6/5/4/4, 5/4/3/3, 4/3/2/2)
Thick bar Zercher Lift & Squat (5 progressively heavier singles)
Tuesday
Power Snatch + Push Press Behind Neck
Power Snatch + Snatch Balance
Power Snatch + Over Head Squat
(variety of options here, could be 1 PS then 1 each of the other 3 movements to complete 1 set or do all 3
couplets with a 15 – 20 second intra set rest, or treat each couplet as a separate exercise)
Push Press or Military Press (3 weeks progression – 6/5/4/4, 5/4/3/3, 4/3/2/2)
Thursday
Front Squat working up to starting weight of Clean & Jerk
Clean & Jerk
Front Squat (doubles or triples starting at the finishing weight of Clean & Jerk)
Saturday
Barski Clean (3 squat cleans staring from the hang position between below knee and high thigh) great
article in IronMind Volume 3 Number 3 by Bill Starr, also another wonderful article "The Drill" by Bill
Starr (Vol. 4, No. 1)
Borreginne Complex – 1 Squat Clean + 1 front Squat (can be singles, doubles or triples)
Burgener Complex – 1 Front Squat + 1 Split Jerk Squat (can be singles, doubles or triples)
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39 | P a g e
Weights Program January 2011 week 1 – sets & reps vary by need
Monday
Mechanical
Lower Body
Strength focus
Tuesday
Mechanical
Upper Body
Strength focus
1 x Olympic
1 x Squat
1 x Single Leg
1 x Hamstring
1 x Loaded Core
Neural Full Body
Power focus
Wednesday
Speed Power
Combo
All Groups
Thursday
Mechanical
Upper Body
Strength focus
Friday
Mechanical
Lower Body
Strength focus
Bench Press
Bent Row
Military Press
option
Incline Bench
Press
Weighted Chins
Military Press
option
Metabolic Upper
Body Strength
focus
Metabolic Upper
Body Strength
focus
1 x Olympic
1 x Squat
1 x Single Leg
1 x Hamstring
1 x Unloaded
Core
Neural Full Body
Strength focus
Bench Press
Bent Row
Military Press
option
Incline Bench
Press
Weighted Chins
Military Press
option
Metabolic Beastly
Circuit + Lower
Strength
Metabolic Beastly
Circuit + Lower
Strength
1 x Single Leg
1 x Hamstring
1 x Single Leg
1 x Hamstring
Mechanical
Upper Body Size
focus
Mechanical
Upper Body Size
focus
Neural Full Body Power Focus
1 x Olympic or Band Assisted Dead Lifts
1 x Band Assisted Squats or Weight Release Box Squats
Rotataional Jammer s/s Power Tackler OR Hammer Standing Push/Pull
Heavy = 8 x 3 @ 70 – 80%
Light = 4 x 6 @ 40 – 60%
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40 | P a g e
Neural Full Body Strength Focus
1 x Olympic
1 x Squat
1 x Single Leg
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
Mechanical Upper Body Size Focus – select a different group each training session
Workout 1
Triple Angle Drop Incline DB Bench Press (45,30,15 degrees) 3 x 5/5/5
MMA KB Floor Press s/s KB Renegade Row 4 x 6 each side
KB See Saw Shoulder Press s/s KB Alternate Upright Row 4 x 6 each side
3 way Shoulder Raise (DB lateral, Plate Front, Bentover Cable Lateral) 3 x 12
E Z Bar Curls s/s EZ Bar Lying Triceps Extensions 3 x 6 - 10
Workout 2
DB Flat Bench s/s DB One Arm Row 5 x 6 – 10
DB Incline Bench Press s/s Seated DB Snatch 5 x 6 – 10
Seated DB Clean + DB Seated Shoulder Press 5 x 6 - 10
Dips s/s Chins
Workout 3
Hammer Incline Chest Press s/s Hammer Low Row 5 x 10
Hammer Shoulder Press s/s Hammer High Row 5 x 10
Triceps Death s/s Matrix Bar Curl – special sets & reps
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41 | P a g e
Neural - Mechanical - Metabolic
8 x 3 first exercise, compound, all sets above 85% after warm ups
4 x 6 second exercise, compound, all sets above 75%
2 x 12 third exercise, isolation or compound, both sets above 60%
A weekly schedule would look like:
Monday - Quad dominant + shoulders
Safety Bar Squat, Cambered Bar Box Squat, Step Ups
Standing Bradford + Military complex, Seated DB Shoulder Press, DB Lateral Raise
Tuesday - Chest + Back
Flat Bench Press s/s Bent Row
DB Incline Bench Press s/s Weighted Chins
Dips s/s Horizontal Chins
Wednesday - Olympic or Hamstring/Lower Back
Snatch, Cleans, Stone/Keg Cleans to alternate shoulders
OR
Deadlift, Good Morning, Glut Ham Raise
Thursday - Quad dominant + shoulders
Front Squat, Back Squat, Single Leg Bulgarian
Push Press, Hammer Military, Bent Over Lateral Raise
Friday - Chest + Back
Incline Bench Press + Prone Row
DB Bench Press + One Arm DB Row
Chins + Low Incline DB Flyes
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42 | P a g e
2010 Off Season Weights Options
Hypertrophy Group – 6 sessions per week (double on Tues/Thurs & no Wed)
Monday/Friday – Lower Power/Strength
1 x Olympic
1 x Squat
1 x Single Leg
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
Week 1 – Olympic/Squat 6,5,4,6,5,4 Single Leg/Hamstring 2 x 12
Week 2 – Olympic/Squat 5,4,3,5,4,3 Single Leg/Hamstring 3 x 8
Week 3 – Olympic/Squat 4,3,2,4,3,2 Single Leg/Hamstring 4 x 6
Tuesday/Thursday - Double Upper (am/pm)
Tuesday – Horizontal push/pull
Thursday – Vertical push/pull
1 x Upper Body Push/Pull (bilateral)
1 x Upper Body Push/Pull (unilateral)
1 x Upper Body Push/Pull (Bodyweight)
Week 1 – Bilateral 6,5,4,6,5,4
Week 2 – Bilateral 5,4,3,5,4,3
Week 3 – Bilateral 4,3,2,4,3,2
Unilateral 2 x 12
Unilateral 3 x 8
Unilateral 4 x 6
Bodyweight 1 x max reps
Bodyweight 2 x max reps
Bodyweight 3 x max reps
PM on Tuesday and Thursday - German Volume Training (10 x 10), using Hammer or DB or KB or BW
Options:
Hammer Incline Bench s/s Hammer Low Row
Hammer Seated Military s/s Hammer High Row
DB Flat Bench s/s DB One Arm Row
DB Incline Bench Press s/s DB Upright Row
KB Alternate Press s/s KB Upright Row
KB MMA style Floor Press s/s KB Renegade Row
Band Assisted Chins/Dips
Triple Drop DB Incline Bench Press (45/30/15 degrees) 3 x 5/5/5 or 4 x 4/4/4 or 5 x 3/3/3
3 Way Shoulder Raise (front, lateral, bent over) 3 x 12
Chins s/s Dips (30/60 reps total)
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43 | P a g e
Metabolic Group – 5 sessions per week
Monday/Friday – Full Body Strength
1 x Squat
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
1 x Upper Body Push
1 x Upper Body Pull
Week 1 – 6,5,4,6,5,4
Week 2 – 5,4,3,5,4,3
Week 3 – 4,3,2,4,3,2
Tuesday/Thursday – Beastly + Tabata Intervals
Beastly Circuits - (6 sets x 6 reps then 3 minutes hard cardio – bike/box/row/versa/rope pull)
Option 1: Dead Lift/Power Clean from Hang/Front Squat/Push Press/ Bent Over Row / Romanian
Dead Lift
Option 2: Power Clean form floor/Split jerk/Front Squat/Hang Clean/Lunge/Bent Row
Option 3: Power Snatch from floor/Push Press/Back Squat/Hang Clean/Split Jerk/Romanian Dead
Lift
Option 4: 3 position Clean/Push Press/Jump Squat/Hang Snatch/Split Jerk behind Neck/Good
Morning
Option 5: Power Snatch from floor/Overhead Squat/Push Jerk behind Head/Combo Good
Morning/Jump Squat/Power Clean from Hang
Wednesday – Full Body Power + Strongman
1 x Olympic + Jumps
1 x Squat + Jumps
1 x Push + UB plyometrics
1 x Pull
Heavy Power: 6 x 3 @ 60 – 80%, contrasts 3 x 6
Light Power: 3 x 6 @ 40 – 60%, contrasts 3 x 12
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44 | P a g e
Strength Group – 4 sessions per week
Monday/Thursday – Lower Body
1 x Olympic
1 x Squat
1 x Single Leg
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
Week 1 – Olympic/Squat 6,5,4,6,5,4 Single Leg/Hamstring 2 x 12
Week 2 – Olympic/Squat 5,4,3,5,4,3 Single Leg/Hamstring 3 x 8
Week 3 – Olympic/Squat 4,3,2,4,3,2 Single Leg/Hamstring 4 x 6
Tuesday/Friday – Upper Body
1 x Upper Body Push/Pull (bilateral)
1 x Upper Body Push/Pull (unilateral)
1 x Upper Body Push/Pull (Bodyweight)
Week 1 – Bilateral 6,5,4,6,5,4
Week 2 – Bilateral 5,4,3,5,4,3
Week 3 – Bilateral 4,3,2,4,3,2
Unilateral 2 x 12
Unilateral 3 x 8
Unilateral 4 x 6
Neural Group – 3 sessions per week
Monday /Friday – Full Body Power
1 x Olympic + Jumps
1 x Squat + Jumps
1 x Push + UB plyometrics
1 x Pull
Heavy Power: 6 x 3 @ 60 – 80%, contrasts 3 x 6
Light Power: 3 x 6 @ 40 – 60%, contrasts 3 x 12
Wednesday – Full Body Strength
1 x Squat
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
1 x Upper Body Push
1 x Upper Body Pull
Week 1 – 6,5,4,6,5,4
Week 2 – 5,4,3,5,4,3
Week 3 – 4,3,2,4,3,2
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Bodyweight 1 x max reps
Bodyweight 2 x max reps
Bodyweight 3 x max reps
45 | P a g e
Increasing Leg Strength Program options
Option 1
Dead stop Front Squats from low receiving position set up in power rack with a 5 second eccentric
5 sets x 3 reps
Option 2
3 x 3 x 3: 3 second pauses at quarter and half and full front squat position on the eccentric phase and then
explosive concentric for 5 sets x 3 reps
Option 3
One and One Half: descend into a full front squat come up to a half squat position pause for 3 seconds
and then go down and up explosively
5 sets x 3 reps
Option 4
Use front squat as a warm up for clean or clean & jerk work up to a triple at starting weight, complete sets
for clean & jerk then perform 8 sets x 2 reps with a load above your finishing weight for clean & jerk
Option 5
Complexes:
Set 1: 6 reps
Set 2: 3/3 with 20 seconds rest
Set 3: 2/2/2 with 30 seconds rest
Set 4: 1/1/1/1/1/1 with 30 – 45 seconds rest
Option 6
Wave Loading:
5/3/1 x 2
Rest 2 minutes between sets, starting set of 5 reps at around 80 – 85%, then 90 – 92.5% for 3 then 95 –
100% for 1, repeat the wave with an increase of 2.5% for each set
Option 7
Bulgarian Shock Micro cycle
Front Squats:
-30/3 x 1
-20/2 x 1
-10/2 x 1
MAX/1 x 3
-10/2 x 3
-5/1 x 2
MAX/1 x 2
-15/3 x 2
-10/1 x 1
-5/1 x 1
MAX/1 x 1 to 2
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Weight Training General Ratings (1 – 3 RM Loading)
Exercise/Rating
Back Squat/Deadlift
Front Squat 80%
Clean
Snatch 80%
Push Press/Jerk
Military Press 60%
Good
Better
Best
1.75
2.0
2.5
1.20
1.3
1.5
1.10
1.20
1.25
Outside Back Programs
Use 3 programs each week only no more, stay with a program for 3 weeks only then change to another 2
programs, you can alternate like this for the rest of the season.
3 week power progression
Week 1: 3 x 5 reps 80%
Week 2: 4 x 4 reps 85 – 90%
Week 3: 5 x 3 reps 90+%
3 week strength progression
Week 1: 4 x 6 80%
Week 2: 2 x 5, 3 x 3 85 – 90%
Week 3: 2 x (5,3,1) 85, 90, 95+%
Program 1
Split Power Snatch from blocks (3 week power progression)
Sprinters Squat s/s Borzov Hops (3 week power progression)
2 Stage Parisi Step Ups (3 week power progression)
Push Press s/s Weight Chin Ups (3 week strength progression)
Sprinters Sit Ups (3 x 15 each side)
Roll Outs (3 x 15)
Program 2
Hang Clean + Push Press (5 x 3)
Band Box Squat s/s Knees to Feet to Box Jumps (3 week power progression)
Bosch Squat into Step Up (3 week power progression)
Rack Split Jerks (3 week strength progression)
TGU Sit Ups (3 x 5 each side)
Hanging Leg Raises ( 3 x 15, 5 to left 5 to middle 5 to right)
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Program 3
Clean Grip Snatch from Blocks + Depth Jumps (5 x 3 reps)
Push Press (3 x 5 with a 15 second rest between each rep & 2 minutes between sets)
Rack Split Jerk (5 x 1 progressively heavier each rep)
Single Leg Hip Thrust (3 x 5 each side)
Single Leg with back leg braced against wall Good Morning (3 x 5 each side)
Single Arm Rollout (3 x 5 each side alternating)
Program 4
3 Position Power Snatch + Knees to Feet jumps(top of thigh, top of knee, floor x 2) 5 sets
Overhead Squat (3 week power progression)
Split Stance RDL (4 x 3 each leg)
Military Press in Split position (3 week strength progression)
Suit Case Deadlifts (3 x 5 each side)
Full Body Twists (3 x 5 each side)
Program 5
Trap Bar Dead lift (3 week strength progression)
Front Squat + Split Jerk (3 + 2) x 3
Band Bench (3 week power progress)
Bench Pull (3 week strength progression)
Windmills (5 x 3 each side)
Program 6
3 Position Power Clean + Knees to Feet Jumps (top of thigh, top of knee, floor x 2) 5 sets
Push Press + Split Jerk (3 + 2) x 5
DB One Arm Bench Press (3 week power progression)
Plate Bentover Row (3 week strength progression)
Zercher Lift (3 x 5)
Russian Twists on Back Extension (3 x 10 each side)
Strength & Power Continuum Training
Introduction
Following on from some discussions I had with colleagues in the Northern Hemisphere during the
Wallaby Spring Tour I though I would re-visit some strength programming concepts to cover all my
bases on the Strength/Power continuum in each workout that I program.
Qualities
The key areas that I feel need to be addressed in a workout structured in a way to stimulate all aspect of
the force velocity curve are as follows:
• Ballistic
• Speed Strength
• Strength Speed
• Maximal Strength
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I think Plyometrics can be included with or without Ballistics as my initial exercise or session “primer”
(if you prefer that terminology) to commence the training session.
Movement Speed
In a paper written by Louie Simmons on the speeds for Tendo use he devised this template to work from:
•
•
•
Speed Strength - Squat/Bench - 0.8 – 1.0 metres/second
Strength Speed - Squat/Bench - 0.6 – 0.7 metres/second
Absolute Strength - Squat/Bench - 0.3 – 0.5 metres/second
And when using the modified Olympic lifts the following:
Power Clean
1.25 metres/second
Power Snatch
1.50 metres/second
Block/Hang Clean
1.35 metres/second
Block/Hang Snatch 1.60 metres.second
Loading
Schmidtbleicher previously had looked at the percentages of maximum when attempting to train either
inter-muscular co-ordination and intra-muscular co-ordination. His reccomendations were are follows –
•
•
•
Inter-muscular co-ordination - 25 – 40% of 1RM
Intra-muscular co-ordination - 60 – 80% of 1RM
Maximal strength >80% of 1RM
Program Design
When constructing a program to train all aspects of the force velocity curve I would recommend the
following sets and reps:
•
•
•
•
Ballistic 2 x 12
o (Or until visually/proprioceptively as the movement begins to slow)
Speed Strength 3 x 6
Strength Speed 6 x 3
Maximal Strength (see below)
Maximal Strength
With maximal strength programming, I have used the following with good success:
Straight Set Wave Loading
Perform all sets for a given exercise before moving onto the next exercise. Example;
Box Squat
• 6 @ 100kg
• 5 @ 120kg
• 4 @ 140kg
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This can be done over a 3 week block where the subsequent weeks take the loading down to a heavy
double or single, add around 2.5% on the second wave.
Example:
• Week 1 – 2 x (6,5,4)
• Week 2 – 2 x (5,4,3)
• Week 3 – 2 x (4,3,2)
Marsh Protocol
4 x 6 either changing each week for a four week period or using a different method for each of 4 total sets
of 6 in one workout.
Example:
• 4 x 6 – straight style with no rest in between each rep
• 4 x 3/3 – 3 reps rest 10 seconds then perform a further 3 reps
• 4 x 2/2/2 – 15 seconds rest in between each block of 2 reps
• 4 x 1/1/1/1/1/1 – 20 seconds rest between each single rep
Thornley Variation
4 x 3/2/1 – 3 reps add weight rest 10 seconds
2 reps add weight rest 15 seconds
1 rep
Example:
So as an example using a session from a Pull, Push & Squat program
PULL
•
•
•
•
Medicine Ball Scoop throws in the vertical plane
Power Snatch from Blocks at knee height
Power Cleans from floor
Deadlift
Wave Goodbye to Strength Plateaus
Firstly let me start this article with a statement of philosophy, I believe we try and include way too many
exercises in our training programs, I have been as guilty as the next trainer in doing this and believe we
need to pull back but also increase the stimulus by increasing the overall number of sets that the organism
is exposed to, hence the value of wave loading in the strength & power training of athletes and anyone for
that matter.
Now there is nothing new in what I am about to say and there are many ways to program but if you would
give the following a good six week block of training I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised with the
results that you will get.
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The first sequences of wave loading patterns I believe are best applied to large muscle group compound
exercises, irrespective of the speed elements, attempt to always move the concentric phase of the exercise
as quickly as you can and perform a controlled eccentric to set you up for the next explosive concentric
movement. Also the sets outlined in the sample week plans apply only to work sets, perform a couple of
warm up sets to get up to the starting work weights. These sets are important but remember that they are
warm up sets and not wear out sets, they are more neural in nature and are basically to re-establish a
movement pathway and to get familiar with the load before embarking on the work waves.
In strength training I never go above 6 - 8 reps, also I believe that big is a by-product of STRONG, so
exposing the athlete to loads less than 80% of maximum in my book do very little to develop strength,
hence my standard 3 week wave for the development of strength looks like this, for an off season plan:
Week 1: 2 x (6,5,4)
Week 2: 2 x (5,4,3)
Week 3: 2 x (4,3,2)
With a small increase for the second have through does not have to be a percentage of maximum increase,
and this is where I highly recommend you purchase some fractional plates, even if you only put another
0.5kg on either end of the bar this is an increase and over time will result in large gains on the amount of
weight moved in a session.
Another way to do the load is a ladder load where the first wave is a descending rep scheme as per the
example above but instead of repeating this you go back up the ladder, with a small increase in load for
the second wave to increase the intensity of effort on each set, like this:
Week 1: 6,5,4,4,5,6
Week 2: 5,4,3,3,4,5
Week 3: 4,3,2,2,3,4
Another method where you do not increase the load on the second wave is to attempt to increase a rep on
each set with the same load as the first wave, this maybe more beneficial for less mature trainees, like
this:
Week 1: 6,5,4 5,6,7,
Week 2: 5,4,3 4,5,6
Week 3: 4,3,2 3,4,5
To prepare for the intensity increase that this method of strength training brings I suggest you do a block
of preparatory training prior to getting into the wave loading style, it will also assist in establishing a
1RM to adjust loads from when you start to catch the wave, like this:
Week 1: 4 x 6 (my baseline workout), can be a progressive step load or a plateau
Week 2: 2 x 5, 3 x 3 (progressive load)
Week 3: 5,3,1 (this popular Wendler set sequence, is also a popular wave load but we will save that for a
future session, in this workout we are just attempting to establish a solid 1RM)
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Also do not think that the wave method is only for strength training I have had individuals make good
gains with using a modified wave loading pattern for more isolated muscle groups and exercises, like this:
Week 1: 2 x (15, 12, 10)
Week 2: 2 x (12, 10, 8)
Week 3: 2 x (10, 8, 6)
Gym Based Circuits
Whilst most of the gym programs I write are based on a strength training bias I believe that we are
missing the point of specific conditioning for the game if we do not include some circuit style training in
the program. That is not to say we disregard strength and go entirely circuit based, dare I say Crossfit,
that would be like throwing the baby out with the bath water. Before you crossfit disciples howl your
protest I am not denigrating the mode of training, it is just that strength underpins everything in my book
so take the time to get strong and learn correct technique before embarking on high rep sessions with
complex motor skill exercises. As Louie Simmons has said “everything works, but nothing works for
ever”.
Here are my favourite circuits:
Warm up: KB Swings/Skipping/Sledgehammer Tyre Hits/Rope wave (30 seconds of each x 5)
1: Kettle Bell Circuit
KB Cleans/See SawKB Press/Alt. KB Upright Rows/ KB Snatches/Alt. KB Floor Press/MMA KB
Row/KB Squat Jumps/KB 2 hand Swing
30 seconds on each, rest 90 seconds at end of circuit and repeat for a total of 8 sets or
do 8 reps on each the Extermin8 or Termin8 circuit
2: Steel Log GPP Circuit
Clean and push press /Front squat/Bent over Rows/Romanian Dead lift
8 reps on each and then go again for 8 total sets.
3: Body Weight GPP Circuit (info on these can be found in Combat Conditioning by Matt Furey)
15 reps on each non-stop circuit: Grasshoppers/Hindu Push Ups/Knees to Feet
Jumps/Scorpions/Mountain Climbers/Alternate Lunges/Rock & Rolls/Push Ups/Prisoner Jump Squats/Sit
Ups
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4: Beastly Circuits
(6 sets x 6 reps then 3 minutes hard cardio – bike/box/row/versa/rope pull/treadmill incline
run/grinder)
Option 1: Dead Lift/Power Clean from Hang/Front Squat/Push Press/ Bent Over Row / Romanian Dead
Lift
Option 2: Power Clean from floor/Split jerk/Front Squat/Hang Clean/Lunge/Bent Row
Option 3: Power Snatch from floor/Push Press/Back Squat/Hang Clean/Split Jerk/Romanian Dead Lift
Option 4: 3 position Clean/Push Press/Jump Squat/Hang Snatch/Split Jerk behind Neck/Good Morning
Option 5: Power Snatch from floor/Overhead Squat/Push Jerk behind Head/Combo Good Morning/Jump
Squat/Power Clean from Hang
5: Power Fitness
Power Clean or Pulls or Dead Lift 70% 5-4-3-2-1 (15 seconds between sets) then 3 minutes hard bike or
versa climber, rest 90 seconds repeat x 6
6: Power Circuit (5 x 5 + 500 metres row after each circuit)
Power Snatch – Clean + Push Press from Blocks – Jammer – Power Tackler – Band Box Squat
Ab Circuits after each of the Training Options Alternate Weighted & Unweighted
Weighted Abs 5 exercises for 5 sets x 5 reps in circuit:
½ Turkish Get Up/ Lateral Side bend & Pick up(windmill)/Zercher pick up/Suit Case Dead Lift/Combat
Twist
Unweighted Abs 5 exercises for 3 sets x 15 reps in a circuit:
Hanging Leg Raises/Rollouts/Cyclone Ball/Sprinters Sit ups/1 minute Bridge
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7: Borreginne Super Circuit (shared with me by Haydn Masters, it is designed by the greatest
weightlifting coach Australia has produced, a man I am proud to call friend)
Can alternate 20m shuttle runs with 100
metres on Concept 11 Rower or Prowler
1
10 x Squat Jumps (Bar)
17 10 x Burpees w P'UP
2
3
4
10 x Bench Press (60kg)
20 x Med Ball Russian Twist 10kg
4 x Shuttle Runs (20m)
18 10 x BB Curl to Press (16kg)
19 20 x Med Ball Russian Twist 10kg
20 4 x Shuttle Runs (20m)
5
6
7
8
10 x Hang Cleans (40kg)
10 x Bent Over Row (40kg)
10 x Hanging Knees to Chest
4 x Shuttle Runs (20m)
21
22
23
24
10 x Squat Jumps (Bar)
10 x Bench Press (60kg)
20 x Chinnies
4 x Shuttle Runs (20m)
9
10
11
12
20 x BB Step Ups (Bar)
10 x Bench Press (60kg)
20 x Med Ball Crunches (6kg)
4 x Shuttle Runs (20m)
25
26
27
28
10 x Hang Cleans (40kg)
10 x Bent Over Row (40kg)
10 x Hanging Knees to Chest
4 x Shuttle Runs (20m)
13
14
15
16
10 x Snatch Squats (Bar)
10 x Upright Row (30kg)
20 x Chinnies
4 x Shuttle Runs (20m)
29
30
31
32
20 x BB Step Ups (Bar)
10 x BB Shoulder Press (30kg)
20 x Med Ball Crunches (6kg)
4 x Shuttle Runs (20m)
33
34
35
36
10 x Burpees w P'UP
10 x Upright Row (40kg)
20 x Landmines (20kg)
4x Shuttle Runs (20m)
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Off Season Weights Program
If you have taken a bit of a break you should do a week at least of break in work again to get everything
firing, say 5 straight days of the following:
Monday – Power Snatch from floor 8 x 3, Band Box Squat 12 x 2
Tuesday – Block Power Clean + Push Press 12 x 2, Combo Good Morning 8 x 3
Wednesday – Block Split Snatch 12 x 2, Safety Bar Squats 8 x 3
Thursday – Clean + Jerk 12 x 2, Dead Lifts 8 x 3
Friday – Clean Grip Power Snatch 12 x 2, Front or Back Squat 8 x 3
The following programs can be used as an off season loading when you want to place more emphasis on
explosive strength. It is a fairly advanced program and should have at least 5 years of regular weight
training as a background to attempt it. Use it for 3 weeks then change the movements and go again if you
have the luxury of a 6 week or longer off season.
The Wednesday workout is used as a conditioning workout, I have found this workout extremely
beneficial when trying to drop a few kilograms of fat off players and improve their power to weight
ratios. Also builds a great anaerobic endurance with heart rates at around 180 beats per minute at the
completion of each set.
Monday
Cleans from low block - alternate 3 x 6 @
60% with 6 x 3 @ 80%
Cambered Bar Box Squat with Blue band 8
x3
Good Morning with Safety Bar – 4 x 6
Complex Style Weight Release Bench
Press with 60% bar weight & 40 – 60%
release weight – 5 x 5 (15 second rest
between reps)
Bent Over Row – 4 x 8 – 12 (triple drop
style)
Friday
Cleans from high block - alternate 3 x 6 @
60% with 6 x 3 @ 80%
¼ Explosive Squat from pins in power rack
alternate 3 x 6 @ 60% with 6 x 3 @ 80%
Deadlifts with bands on platform - alternate
3 x 6 @ 60% with 6 x 3 @ 80%
Push Press with thick bar with 6 seconds of
eccentric - alternate 3 x 6 @ 60% with 6 x
3 @ 80%
Weighted Chins (rest pause 15 seconds
between reps) 5 x 5 reps
Wednesday
Warm up with couplets either pressing snatch balance + squat snatch press or sots press for 6 sets of 2 – 3
reps progressing the loading each set.
Beastly Complex – 6 sets of 6 reps with 90 seconds between sets
Clean Grip Power Snatch from floor/Push Press /Overhead Squat/Hang Squat Clean/Front
Squat/Romanian Dead Lift
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Mechanical Group
Tuesday & Thursday
Upper Body Training Menus
All super sets are 30 seconds between push & pull then 1 minute between couplets!
Workout 1
Cambered bar Incline Bench Press s/s Band assisted Wide Grip Chins 5 x 6 - 10
Trap Bar Shoulder Press s/s Thick Bar Upright Row 5 x 6 - 10
Bench Bar position 2 Close grip Bench Press s/s Prone Row 5 x 6 – 10
E Z Bar Curls s/s EZ Bar Lying Triceps Extensions 3 x 6 - 10
Workout 2
Triple Angle Drop Incline DB Bench Press (45,30,15 degrees) 3 x 5/5/5
MMA KB Floor Press s/s KB Renegade Row 4 x 6 each side
KB See Saw Shoulder Press s/s KB Alternate Upright Row 4 x 6 each side
3 way Shoulder Raise (DB lateral, Plate Front, Bentover Cable Lateral) 3 x 12
Workout 3
DB Flat Bench s/s DB One Arm Row 5 x 6 – 10
DB Incline Bench Press s/s DB Upright Row 5 x 6 – 10
DB Seated Shoulder Press s/s Seated DB Snatch 4 x 6 each side
DB Twist Curls s/s Seated DB Overhead Extensions 3 x 6 – 10
Workout 4
GVT Style modified – 5 x 10 or Full version 10 x 10
Hammer Incline Chest Press s/s Hammer Low Row
Hammer Shoulder Press s/s Hammer High Row
Triceps Death s/s Matrix Bar Curl
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Actual Training Programs for a Variety of Rugby Players at International, Professional and
Amateur Levels
Before you start your Weights Program
“If you do not have time to warm up, then you definitely do not have time to train”
Option A – Lower Body/Power Session Emphasis
Skipping + KB Swings - 3 x 30 seconds skip/30 seconds KB swings, High Hurdle Mobility Circuit –
Forward/Back, Under/Over (10 reps each), Jumps + Squats Sequence: 5 of each
- knees to feet jump/ jumps up to box/repeat long jumps/depth jump options/Overhead Squat
against Wall/Single Leg Squat on a Box
Olympic lifting Complexes (1 to 3 reps of each with bar only, or select one complex and do three
progressively heavier sets),
1. Muscle Snatch from floor + Hang Power Snatch + Snatch Balance + Squat Snatch Press +
Overhead Squat
2. Clean Grip Power Snatch + Hang Power Clean + Front Squat + Sots Press + Push Press
3. Dead Lift + Hang Clean + Push Press + Front Squat + Bent over Row + RDL
Option B – Upper Body Session Emphasis
DB Shoulder Circuit (10 reps each exercise)
- Arnold Presses/Lateral Raise/Front Raise/Bent over Raise/YTI’s/Drawing the Swords/L
Raise/Cuban Press/Overhead Shrug/Scarecrows
Option C – Full Body Combination Session Emphasis
BW Mobility Circuit (Combat Conditioning options – 5 each)
- Grasshoppers/Mountain Climbers/Hindu Pushups/ Prisoner Jump Squats/Scorpions Prone
& Supine/Alt. Lunges/Rock & Rolls/No Momentum Sit ups/Legs to Floor Overhead
KB Circuit (6 reps each exercise)
- MMA Row/MMA Press/Alt. Upright Row/See Saw Shoulder Press/Clean/Snatch/one hand
swing and alternate catch
Plate Circuit or Med Ball (6 each movement)
- Plate Swings/Overhead Squat/Plate Head Circles/Plate Horizontal Push/Plate Wood
Chop/Alt. Reverse Lunge with Twist/Plate Bent over Row
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Mid Field Back Super Rugby
Tuesday
Thursday
1 x Olympic (Snatch)
1 x Olympic
(Clean)
Knees to Feet Jumps
1 x Squat
(Cambered Bar Squat)
Seated to Box Jumps
1 x Hip Dominant
(RDL)
Repeat Long Jumps on Rubber
Flooring
1 x Unilateral
(Step Ups)
Repeat Hurdle or Box Jumps
1 x Hamstring
(Reverse Hyper)
Knees to Feet Jumps
1 x Squat
(Safety Bar Box Squat)
Seated to Box Jumps
1 x Hip Dominant
(Deadlift)
Repeat Long Jumps on Rubber
Flooring
1 x Unilateral
(Bulgarian Squat)
Repeat Hurdle or Box Jumps
1x Hamstring
(Glut Ham Raise)
Alternate 1 week of 3 x 5 @ 60% with 1 week of 5 x 3 @ 80%, contrast a set of 3 or 5 jumps in between
each set of the exercises.
Prop Forward Super Rugby
Monday
Band Box Squats
DB Step Ups
Combo Good Morning with
Safety Bar
Wednesday
Romanian Dead Lifts
Sprinters Squat
Blue Band Good Morning 1 x 50
reps
Friday
Chain Safety Bar Box Squats
Power Sprinter
Combo Good Morning with
Cambered Bar
Steel Log Shoulder Press off
Pins in Power Rack s/s Weighted
Chins
70 degree DB Press s/s Pull
Down to Chest
Seated DB Clean + DB Shoulder
Press
Thick Bar Band Bench Press s/s
KB Alternate Prone Position
Row
DB Floor Press s/s Prone Row
Bench Pull
Core 100
KB See Saw Press + KB See Saw
Upright Row
Cuban Press + Overhead Shrug
Combo
Lower & Upper Body
Week 1 – 4 x 6
Week 2 – 2 x 5, 3 x 3
Week 3 – 2 x (7,5,3)
Week 4 – 5,3,5,3,5,3
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58 | P a g e
Lock Forward NZ Provincial
Monday
Full Body
Strength
Tuesday
Upper
Body
Size
Stretch
Short
Repeated
Speed
Wednesday
OFF
Thursday
Full Body
Power
Friday
Upper
Body
Size
Stretch
Rowing
Session
Long
Repeated
Speed
Saturday
Boxing
Session
Sunday
OFF
Swim
Fartlek
Run
Monday
Full Body Strength (week 1: 6,5,4,4), (week 2:5,4,3,3), (week 3:4,3,2,2)
Dead Lift
Single Leg Sprinters Squat
Bench Press or Incline
Weighted Chins
Short Repeated Speed
5 minutes continuous run warm up/dynamic stretch session/mobility drills
20 x rolling 25’s every 20 seconds (gradual build up over 10 metres then run 25 metres)
2.5 minutes rest
10 x 50 metres with jog through 50 metres every 30 seconds
2.5 minutes rest
10 x off the ground & sprint 10 metres, every 15 seconds
2.5 minutes rest
Jog/Sprint field drill – jog 78m sprint 22m, turn around, jog 50m sprint 50m, turnaround, jog 22m sprint
78m turnaround walk 100m x 5
5 minutes continuous run
Tuesday
Upper Body Size
DB Flat Bench s/s DB One Arm Row 5 x 6 – 10
DB Incline Bench Press s/s DB Upright Row 5 x 6 – 10
DB Seated Shoulder Press s/s Seated DB Snatch 4 x 6 each side
DB Twist Curls s/s Seated DB Overhead Extensions 3 x 6 – 10
Wednesday – OFF/Recovery
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Thursday
Full Body Power (medium weight & move it fast or attempted fast – 3 x 6 alternate each week with
6 x 3 reps heavy and attempted acceleration)
One arm DB Snatch
Hang Cleans or in rack
¼ explosive squat or jump squat
Push Press
Full Body Combat Twist with bar
Long Repeated Speed
5 minutes continuous run warm up
10 x 300 m (6 x 50m shuttle) work:rest (1:1)
5 minutes continuous run\
3 x 22 m in <15 seconds then jog to far try line in <30 seconds and repeat (2 sets x 15 reps with a 2.5
minute walk recovery between sets)
5 minutes continuous run
Friday
Upper Body Size
Triple Angle Drop Incline DB Bench Press (45,30,15 degrees) 3 x 5/5/5
Close Grip Bench Press s/s Seated Row 5 x 6 – 10
BW Dips s/s Chins 4 x max reps
3 way Shoulder Raise (DB lateral, Plate Front, Bentover Cable Lateral) 3 x 12
E Z Bar Curls s/s EZ Bar Lying Triceps Extensions 3 x 6 - 10
Fartlek Run
5 minutes continuous run warm up, followed by 35 minutes, every minute a burst of fast running for
either 45, 30 or 15 seconds and then return to regular speed up to the minute, then finish with 5 minutes
of continuous running.
Saturday
Swim after Boxing
200 metres easy warm up
Hypoxic 20 x 25 metres with walk back recoveries in between each effort no dive in, try and take 6 – 10
strokes between each breath
200 metres warm down
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Mid Field Back Super Rugby
Rule of 24 Weights Program
Monday
8x3
6x4
4x6
3x8
2 x 12
1 x 24
Thick Bar Band Bench Press with 2 Boards
Incline Bench Press
DB Bench Press
Floor Press
Dips
Hindu Push ups
Tuesday
8x3
6x4
4x6
3x8
2 x 12
1 x 24
Bentover Row with Chains
Hammer Low Row
Seated Row
One Arm DB Row
Prone Support KB Alternate Row
Horizontal Chain Chins with feet on Swiss Ball
Wednesday - OFF
Thursday
8x3
6x4
4x6
3x8
2 x 12
1 x 24
Steel Log Push Press
Cambered Bar Shoulder Press
Trap Bar Shoulder Press
Band Military Press
Seated DB Shoulder Press
Hand Stand Presses
Friday
8x3
6x4
4x6
3x8
2 x 12
1 x 24
Weighted Finger Chins
Hammer High Row
Lat Pulldown to Chest
Seated DB Snatch
Cuban Press
Band Assisted Chins
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Olympic Lifting for Rugby
4 workouts per week
Workout 1
Snatch warm up complex
Power Snatch/Split Snatch(R)/Split Snatch (L)/Squat Snatch/Overhead Squat
Squat Snatch working up to max then backing back to 80% and hitting 3 x 3
Snatch Pulls 3 x 3
Snatch Grip Deadlifts 3 x 5
Workout 2
Clean warm up complex
Power Clean/Split Clean (R)/Split Clean (L)/Squat Clean/Front Squat
Squat Clean working up to max then backing back to 80% and hitting 3 x 3
Clean Pulls 3 x 3
Clean grip Deadlifts 3 x 5
Workout 3
Overhead Pressing Warm up complex
Military Press/Push Press/Push Jerk/Split Jerk
Rack Jerk 5 x progressively heavier singles then back off to 80% and do 3 x 3 push press
Steep Incline DB Press 30’s method
Seated DB Laterals 3 x 8
Workout 4
Squat Clean + Front Squat doubles
Front Squat + Split Jerk doubles
Alternate each week FS or BS working up to a heavy 5 or 3 or 1
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3 workouts per week
Workout 1
Snatch warm up complex
Power Snatch/Split Snatch(R)/Split Snatch (L)/Squat Snatch/Overhead Squat
Squat Snatch working up to max then backing back to 80% and do 3 x 3 power snatch
Snatch Pulls 3 x 3
Snatch Grip Deadlifts 3 x 5
Front Squat working up to a heavy 5 or 3 or 1
Workout 2
Overhead Pressing Warm up complex
Military Press/Push Press/Push Jerk/Split Jerk
Rack Jerk 5 x progressively heavier singles then back off to 80% and do 3 x 3 push press
Steep Incline DB Press 30’s method
Seated DB Laterals 3 x 8
Workout 3
Clean warm up complex
Power Clean/Split Clean (R)/Split Clean (L)/Squat Clean/Front Squat
Clean & Jerk working up to max then backing back to 80% and hitting 3 x 3 power clean
Clean Pulls 3 x 3
Clean grip Deadlifts 3 x 5
Back Squat working up to a heavy 5 or 3 or 1
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63 | P a g e
2 workouts per week
Workout 1
Overhead Pressing Warm up complex
Military Press/Push Press/Push Jerk/Split Jerk
S/S
Snatch warm up complex
Power Snatch/Split Snatch(R)/Split Snatch (L)/Squat Snatch/Overhead Squat
then
Rack Jerk 5 x progressively heavier singles then back off to 80% and do 3 x 3 push press
S/S
Squat Snatch working up to max then backing back to 80% and do 3 x 3 power snatch
Back Squat working up to a heavy 5 or 3 or 1
Workout 2
Clean warm up complex
Power Clean/Split Clean (R)/Split Clean (L)/Squat Clean/Front Squat + Split Jerk
Clean & Jerk working up to max then backing back to 80% and hitting 3 x 3 in Power Clean
Squat Clean + Front Squat doubles
Front Squat + Split Jerk doubles
Front Squat working up to a heavy 5 or 3 or 1
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64 | P a g e
1 workout per week
Snatch warm up complex
Power Snatch/Split Snatch(R)/Split Snatch (L)/Squat Snatch/Overhead Squat
Squat Snatch working up to max then backing back to 80% and do 3 x 3 power snatch
Clean warm up complex
Power Clean/Split Clean (R)/Split Clean (L)/Squat Clean/Front Squat +
Overhead Pressing Warm up complex
Military Press/Push Press/Push Jerk/Split Jerk
Clean & Jerk working up to max then backing back to 80% and hitting 3 x 3 in Power Clean
Front Squat 3 x 3 at best c & j weight for the day
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Hypertrophy/Strength for Lock Forward
1st Program
1st exercise – 4 x 6
2nd exercise – 3 x 8
3rd exercise – 2 x 12
Monday – Shoulders
Bradford Press
DB Seated Shoulder Press
DB Standing Lateral Raise
Tuesday – Legs
Cambered Bar Box Squat or Front Squat
Safety Bar Squat or Back Squat
Leg Extension or Bulgarian Sprinter`s Squat
Wednesday – Back
Chins
Bent Over Row
Pulldown to Chest
Thursday – Chest
Incline Bench Press
DB Bench Press
Dips
Friday – Hamstrings/Lower Back
Good Morning
Romanian Dead Lift
Back Extension
Program 2
Sets and reps as per program 1
Monday AM– Shoulders
Bradford Press
DB Seated Shoulder Press
DB Standing Lateral Raise
Monday PM – Legs
Cambered Bar Box Squat
Safety Bar Squat
Leg Extension
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66 | P a g e
Tuesday AM – Back
Chins
Bent Over Row
Pulldown to Chest
Tuesday PM – Chest
Incline Bench Press
DB Bench Press
Dips
Wednesday – Hamstrings/Lower Back
Good Morning
Romanian Dead Lift
Back Extension
Thursday AM – Legs
Front Squat
Back Squat
Bulgarian Sprinters Squat
Thursday PM – Shoulders
Military Press
Seated Press Behind Neck
DB Front Raise
Friday AM – Chest
Incline DB Press
Close Grip Bench Press
Low Incline DB Flyes
Friday PM – Back
DB One Arm Row
Close Grip Pulldown
DB Pullover
Saturday – Lower Back/Hamstrings
Dead Lift
Reverse Hyper
Single Leg Back Extension
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67 | P a g e
3rd Program
1st exercise – 3 x 3
2nd exercise – 4 x 4
3rd exercise – 5 x 5
Monday – Shoulders
Push Press
Military Press
Trap Bar Shoulder Press
Tuesday – Legs
Overhead Squat
Front Squat
Back Squat
Wednesday – Back
Bent Over Row
Weighted Chins
Seated Row
Thursday – Chest
Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Barbell Floor Press
Friday – Lower Back/Hamstrings
Power Snatch
Power Clean
Clean Pulls
Program 4
First 3 days
1st exercise – 3 x 3
2nd exercise – 4 x 4
3rd exercise – 5 x 5
Monday am – Shoulders
Push Press
Military Press
Trap Bar Shoulder Press
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68 | P a g e
Monday pm – Legs
Overhead Squat
Front Squat
Back Squat
Tuesday am – Back
Bent Over Row
Weighted Chins
Seated Row
Tuesday pm – Chest
Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Barbell Floor Press
Wednesday am – Lower Back/Hamstrings
Power Snatch
Power Clean
Clean Pulls
Second 3 days
1st exercise – 4 x 6
2nd exercise – 3 x 8
3rd exercise – 2 x 12
Thursday am – Shoulders
Bradford Press
DB Seated Shoulder Press
DB Standing Lateral Raise
Thursday pm – Legs
Cambered Bar Box Squat
Safety Bar Squat
Leg Extension
Friday am – Back
Chins
Bent Over Row
Pulldown to Chest
Friday am – Chest
Incline Bench Press
DB Bench Press
Dips
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69 | P a g e
Saturday am – Hamstrings/Lower Back
Good Morning
Romanian Dead Lift
Back Extension
Program 5
Monday (Shoulders)
am
3 x 3 Push Press
4 x 4 Cambered Bar Press
5 x 5 Trap Bar Press
pm
4 x 6 Bradford Press
3 x 8 DB Shoulder Press
2 x 12 DB Lateral Raise
Tuesday (Squat/Quad dominant)
am
3 x 3 Overhead Squat or Band Box Squat
4 x 4 Front Squat
5 x 5 Back Squat
pm
4 x 6 Cambered Bar Box Squat
3 x 8 Safety Bar Squat
2 x 12 Bulgarian Single Leg Sprinter`s Squat
Wednesday (Back)
am
3 x 3 Wide Chins
4 x 4 Bent Over Row
5 x 5 Seated Row
pm
4 x 6 Weighted Chins supinated grip
3 x 8 One Arm DB Row
2 x 12 Pulldowns to Chest
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Thursday (Chest)
am
3 x 3 Band Bench Press
4 x 4 Incline Bench
5 x 5 Close Grip Bench Press
pm
4 x 6 Incline DB Press
3 x 8 Flat DB Bench Press
2 x 12 Dips
Friday (Hamstring/Lower Back)
am
3 x 3 Power Snatch
4 x 4 Power Clean
5 x 5 Deadlift
pm
4 x 6 Good Morning
3 x 8 Romanian Deadlift
2 x 12 Back Extension
Program 6
Monday (Shoulders/Legs)
am
3x3
4x4
Front Squat s/s Standing Military Press
Back Squat s/s Seated Press Behind Neck
pm
4x6
3x8
Cambered Bar Box Squat s/s Seated DB Shoulder Press
Leg Extension s/s DB Lateral Raises
Tuesday (Chest/Back)
am
4x6
3x8
Incline DB Bench Press s/s Hammer Low Row
Flat DB Bench Press s/s Hammer High Row
pm
3x3
4x4
Barbell Bench Press s/s Bent Over Row
Incline Bench Press s/s Weighted Chins
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Wednesday (Olympic)
am or pm
3 x 3 Power Snatch
4 x 4 Power Clean
5 x 5 Deadlift
Loaded Ab work – Suitcase Deadlift, Shovel Lift, Turkish Get Up, Zercher lift
Thursday (Shoulders/Legs)
am
3x3
4x4
Front Squat s/s Standing Military Press
Back Squat s/s Seated Press Behind Neck
pm
4x6
3x8
Cambered Bar Box Squat s/s Seated DB Shoulder Press
Leg Extension s/s DB Lateral Raises
Friday (Chest/Back)
am
4x6
3x8
Incline DB Bench Press s/s Hammer Low Row
Flat DB Bench Press s/s Hammer High Row
pm
3x3
4x4
Barbell Bench Press s/s Bent Over Row
Incline Bench Press s/s Weighted Chins
Saturday (Glutes/Hamstrings/Lower Back)
am or pm
4 x 6 Good Morning
3 x 8 Romanian Deadlifts
2 x 12 Glute Ham Raise
3 x 25 Rollouts or unloaded Ab work or your choice
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72 | P a g e
Push/Pull/Squat (Workout Option 3 day split Any Level)
Pulling Workout
Rack Cleans - wave style with a twist, set 1: 3/3, set 2: 2/2/2, set 3: 1/2/3 or 3/2/1 then repeat with an
increase in loading (15 seconds intra set rest, 60 - 90 seconds inter set rest)
One Arm DB Snatch - 6 x 6 (step load method)
Romanian Deadlifts - 3 week strength progression either wave or straight style
(wk1: 6/5/4/4, wk2: 5/4/3/3, wk3: 4/3/2/2)
Supinated grip Chins - either weighted or 4 x maximum reps
Hammer Row or DB One Arm Row - 3 week hypertrophy/strength progression
(wk1: 12/10/8/8, wk2: 10/8/6/6 wk3: 8/6/4/4)
Pushing Workout
Push Press - 3 week strength progression either wave or straight style
(wk1: 6/5/4/4, wk2: 5/4/3/3, wk3: 4/3/2/2)
Incline Bench Press - 3 week strength progression either wave or straight style
(wk1: 6/5/4/4, wk2: 5/4/3/3, wk3: 4/3/2/2)
Seated DB Shoulder Press - 3 week hypertrophy/strength progression
(wk1: 12/10/8/8, wk2: 10/8/6/6 wk3: 8/6/4/4)
3 Way Shoulder Raise - alternate each week between: 3 x 12 - 15 and 4 x 8 - 12
Squatting Workout
Front Squats - 3 week strength progression either wave or straight style (wk1: 6/5/4/4, wk2: 5/4/3/3, wk3:
4/3/2/2)
Bulgarian Style Single leg Squats - 3 week strength progression either wave or straight style (wk1:
6/5/4/4, wk2: 5/4/3/3, wk3: 4/3/2/2)
Kneeling Squats - 6 x 6
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International Team Weights Training
SIZE GROUP
Hypertrophy Upper Body Group (6 exercises)
3 x Upper Body Push & Pull
Training Options
5 x 6 – 8 reps
Double Rest Pause
Clusters
Super Sets
4 x 8 – 12 reps
Rest Pause
Drop Sets
Super Sets
3 x 12 – 15 reps
Giant/Tri/Super Sets
STRENGTH GROUP
Full Body Strength (5 exercises)
1 x Olympic
1 x Squat
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
1 x Upper Body Push
1 X Upper Body Pull
Upper Body Strength (4 exercises)
1 x Horizontal Upper Body Push/Pull
1 x Vertical Upper Body Push/Pull
Lower Body Strength (4 exercises)
1 x Olympic
1 x Squat
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
1 X Unilateral Lower Body
Training Options
Double Rest Pause
Clusters
Contrast Jumps
Tri weekly periodised
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74 | P a g e
- 6,5,4
- 5,4,3
- 4,3,2
POWER GROUP
Power Lower Body (3 exercises)
1 x Olympic
1 x Squat
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
Full Body Power (5 exercsies)
1 x Olympic
1 x Squat
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
1 x Upper Body Push
1 X Upper Body Pull
Training Options
Contrast Jumps
Circuit Style
Clusters
Alternate 3 x 5 @ 60% max with 5 x 3 @ 80% max
Lock/Number 8
Option 1: 3 days per week
Monday
Box Squat (MT method)
Rack Dead Lift (3 week strength progression)
60degrees Incline Bench Press s/s Chins (palm facing you) (30’s method)
Seated DB Shoulder Press s/s KB Renegade Row (3 week size progression)
Wednesday
Sprinters Squat (3 week strength progression)
Block Clean Pulls (MT method)
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Standing Military Press s/s Towel Chins (30’s method)
Close Grip Bench Bar Press s/s Prone Row (Ladder method)
Friday
Double Step Ups (3 week strength progression)
Romanian Dead Lift (3 week strength progression)
30degrees Incline Bench Press s/s DB One Arm Row (30’s method)
Push Press with Thick Bar s/s Weighted Chins (palms facing wall) (3 week strength progression)
Option 2: 4 days per week
Monday
Overhead Pressing Complex
Military Press/Push Press/Push Jerk/Split Jerk
4 x 1/1/1/1 (use same weight)
60 degrees Incline DB Press (30’s method)
30 degree Incline Cable Flyes (Rule of 24 method)
Close grip Bench Bar Press (3 week strength progression)
Tuesday
One Arm DB Power Snatch (MT method)
Block Cleans (Rule of 24 method)
Double Step ups (3 week strength progression)
Chins (30’s method)
Bent Over Row (MT method)
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Thursday
Incline Bench Press (3 week strength progression)
Seated DB Shoulder Press (30’s method)
DB Flat Bench Press (ladder method)
Seated DB Lateral Raise (3 week size progression)
Friday
Box Squat (Rule of 24 method)
Rack Deadlift (MT method)
Weighted Chins (3 week strength progression)
Methods Explanation
30’s
Start with a weight that is about 6RM, then go to failure with that weight rest 30 seconds only and try and
get as many reps as you can each time resting only 30 seconds between sets until you have completed 30
reps total.
MT
Based on 24 method with a twist
Wk1: 4 x 6
Wk2: 4 x (3/3) with 15 – 20 seconds intra set rest
Wk3: 4 x (2/2/2) with 20 – 30 seconds intra set rest
Wk 4: 4 x (3/2/1) with 30 – 40 seconds intra set rest (increase weight slightly within the set)
Wk 5: 4 x (1/1/1/1/1/1) with 30 – 45 second intra set rest
Rule of 24
Use a set and rep combination that adds up to a volume of 24 reps for that exercise:
1 x 24, 2 x 12, 3 x 8, 4 x 6 (more for size/endurance)
6 x 4, 8 x 3, 12 x 2, 24 x 1 (more for strength/power)
3 week strength progression or progressive wave load
Wk1: 6/5/4/4 or 2 x (6/5/4)
Wk2: 5/4/3/3 or 2 x (5/4/3)
Wk3: 4/3/2/2 or 2 x (4/3/2)
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3 week size progression or progressive wave load
Wk 1: 15/12/10/10 or 2 x (15/12/10)
Wk 2: 12/10/8/8 or 2 x (12/10/8)
Wk3: 10/8/6/6 or 2 x (10/8/6)
Ladder
Perform 1 rep rest 10 – 15 seconds only, then perform 2 reps, continue in this style until you have
performed a final set of 10 reps (you will have performed a total of 55 reps)
Prop Forward Super Rugby
Couplets + Strongman
Monday
Tuesday
Squat Clean + Clean Grip
Front Squat
Power Snatch
from Low
Block + Push
Press
Steel Log
Good Morning
Push Press +
+ Back Squat
Split Jerk
Wednesday
Squat Snatch +
Over Head Squat
Power Clean from Thick Bar from floor
High Block + Push Zercher Lift + Squat
Press
Power Snatch
from Low Block
+ Step Up
Conan’s
Wheel
Farmers Walk
Incline Bench Press s/s
High Row
Anchor Chain
Drag
Yoke Walk
Seated DB Cleans s/s
Seated DB Shoulder
Press
Viking Press
Prowler Push
Band Bench
Press s/s
Weighted
Chins
3 Board Press
s/s Low Row
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Thursday
Power Snatch from High
Blocks + Push Press
Behind Neck
Friday
Hang Clean +
Squat Clean from
Hang
78 | P a g e
Hypertrophy Program Provincial Level
Monday/Thursday (Chest/Back)
Bench Press s/s Prone Row (20/20's session)
Incline Bench Press s/s Pulldowns to Chest (4 x 6 variations)
DB Low Incline Press s/s One Arm DB Row (30's session)
Dips s/s Chins (1/2 Ladder)
Tuesday/Friday (Shoulders/Arms)
Seated Miltary Press from dead stop in racks set at shoulder height (4 x 6 variations)
Seated DB Shoulder Press (30's session)
Seated DB Lateral Raise (3 week Hypertrophy)
Bench Bar Close grip s/s Barbell Curls (4 x 6 variations)
Lying Triceps Extension s/s DB Twist Curls (30's session)
Triceps Pressdowns s/s DB Hammer Curls (3 week Hypertrophy)
Methods Explanations
All sets have between 60 - 90 seconds rest in between
20/20's session
3 x 5 with a 15 second rest between reps, then 5 x 1 with a 60 seconds rest between sets
4 x 6 variations
week 1: 4 x 6
week 2: 4 x (3/3) rest 20 seconds intra set
week 3: 4 x (2/2/2) rest 20 seconds intra set
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30's session
Pick a weight you can get around 6 or 7 max, go to positive failure, only count the full reps with no spot,
rest 30 seconds and go again until you have completed 30 reps.
1/2 Ladder
Perform 1 rep rest 15 seconds then perform 2 reps rest 15 seconds continue until you complete 10 reps,
starting weight is about 70% of your best for 1 or there abouts.
3 week Hypertrophy
week 1: 15/12/10/10
week 2: 12/10/8/8
week 3: 10/8/6/6
Loose Forward Super Rugby Level
Double Day Single Movement Program
6 Day Program
Monday
Snatch from
Floor 12 x 2
Tuesday
Clean & Jerk
12 x 2
Wednesday
Block Split
Snatch + Push
Press Behind
Neck 12 x 2
Thursday
Block Power
Clean + Push
Press 12 x 2
Friday
High Block
Power Snatch
+ Overhead
Squat 12 x 2
Band Box
Squat
8x3
Front Squat
8x3
Cambered Bar
Combo GM 8 x
3
Safety Bar
Squats
8x3
Gorilla Grip
Back Squat
Dead Lift 8 x 3 8 x 3
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Saturday
High Block
Power Clean
+ Push Press
12 x 2
80 | P a g e
In Season Weight Training Programs/Plan 2011
Neural Group
2/3 days post Game – Heavy Full Body Power + Upper Body Strength option
2 days before Game – Light Full Body Power + Upper Body Strength option
Mechanical
2/3 days post game – Lower Body Strength/Power
3 days post Game – Upper Body Size/Strength or Full Body Strength + Size
2 days before Game - Light Full Body Power + Upper Body Strength option
Metabolic
2/3 days post Game – Metabolic Circuit + Tabata
3/4 days post Game – Full Body Strength
2 days before Game - Light Full Body Power + Upper Body Strength option
Metabolic Circuits
5/4/3/2/1 session
Power Clean or Pulls or Dead Lift 70% 5-4-3-2-1 (15 seconds between sets) then 3 minutes cardio (not
rower), rest 90 seconds repeat x 6
Power Circuit (5 x 5 + 500 metres row after each circuit @ <1:40, rest same time)
Power Snatch – Clean + Push Press from Blocks – Jammer – Power Tackler – Band Assisted Squat
Beastly Circuit - (6 sets x 6 reps then 3 minutes hard cardio)
Dead Lift/Power Clean from Hang/Front Squat/Push Press/ Bent Over Row / Romanian Dead Lift
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Progressions Program (modified from Damian Marsh program idea)
Exercise
Rep Range
Sets
Rotation 1
Rotation 2
Rotation 3
Rotation 4
Rotation 5
Power Snatch
(PULL)
2-3.
5
Power Snatch
Power Snatch
Power Snatch
Power Snatch
Power Snatch
Push Press
(PUSH)
3-5.
4
Back Squat
(SQUAT)
5-8.
3
Chin Up
(BW/Calisthenic)
8-12.
2
Farmers Walk
(STRONGMAN)
200m
1
Push Press
Push Press
Push Press
Push Press
Back Squat
Back Squat
Back Squat
Chin Up
Chin Up
Farmers Walk
Full Body Power
Choose one exercise from each line
Power Clean/Power Snatch/Band Assisted Deadlift/Power Tackler
Jammer/Push Press/Split Jerk/Hammer Push-Pull
Jump Squat/Quarter Explosive Squat/Band Power Sprinter/Band or Chains Box Squat/Band Assisted
Squat/Weight Releaser Squat
Heavy: 6 sets x 3 reps @ 70 – 80%
Light: 3 sets x 6 reps @ 40 – 60%
Full Body Strength
1 x Olympic or Hamstring
1 x Squat or Single Leg
1 x Upper Body Push
1 x Upper Body Pull
Week 1: 6/5/4/4
Week 2: 5/4/3/3
Week 3: 4/3/2/2
Lower Body Strength/Power
1 x Olympic or Deadlift
1 x Squat or Single Leg
1 x Hamstring/Lower Back
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82 | P a g e
Week 1: 6/5/4/4
Week 2: 5/4/3/3
Week 3: 4/3/2/2
Upper Body Strength & Size
1 x Barbell (2 hands) Upper Body Push & Pull (Strength)
Week 1: 6/5/4/4
Week 2: 5/4/3/3
Week 3: 4/3/2/2
1 x KB or DB or Hammer Upper Body Push & Pull (Size)
Week 1: 12/10/8/8
Week 2: 10/8/6/6
Week 3: 8/6/4/4
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83 | P a g e
Ashley Jones
International Strength and Conditioning Coach
Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By R80 Rugby
Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com
Hammer Low Row
Horizontal Pull
Bent Over Row
- Normal Bar
- Steel Log
- Thick Bar
- DB/KB
- Plate Row
- Pendlay (dead stop start
each rep from floor)
- Yates (45 degree angle of
back)
Prone Bench Row
- Normal Bar
- Thick Bar
- DB / KB
Over Head Presses
- Bradford
- Press behind neck
- Bradford + Military
combo
DB / KB
- Seated
- Standing
- Alternating See Saw
Vertical Push
Military Press
- Cambered Bar
- Thick Bar
- Trap Bar
- Regular Bar
- Steel Log
- Jammer Press
- Calf Raise Machine
EXERCISE SELECTION CHART 13/14
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Incline Bench Press
- DB / KB
- Normal Bar
- Hammer
- 2 or 3 boards
- Thick Bar
- Bench Bar
- 15, 30, 45 Degrees
Chains
Weight releasers
Bands
Decline Bench Press
- DB / KB
- Normal Bar
- 2 or 3 Boards
- Thick Bar
- Bench Bar
Chains
Weight Releasers
Band
Upper Body Options
Horizontal Push
Bench Press
- DB/KB
- Normal Bar
- 2 or 3 boards
- Thick Bar
- Bench Bar
Chains
Weight releasers
Bands
83 | P a g e
Hammer High Row
Vertical Pull
Chins
- Weighted
- Wide Grip
- Close Grip
- Thick Grip
- Finger Grip
- Band (assisted/resisted)
- Rope
- Towel
- Olympic rings
Lat Pull Down
- Wide Grip
- Close Grip
- Behind/to chest
- Hammer Grip
Shrugs
- Barbell
- Trap Bar
- DB/KB
- Reverse (behind back)
- Overhead
- Calf Machine
Fat Man Chins
- Bar
- Chains
- Feet Elevated
- Steel Log
Vertical Pull
Upright Row
- Normal Bar
- DB / KB
- Alternating
- Thcik Bar
- Clean Grip
- Close Grip
- EZ Bar
Seated Variations
- Seated DB / KB
Cleans
- Seated DB / KB
Snatch
Vertical Push
Hammer Military
Seated Row
Horizontal Pull
DB / KB Row
- Supported
- No Support
- Swiss Ball
- MMA Alternating
- See Saw
EXERCISE SELECTION CHART 13 / 14
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Horizontal Push
Floor Press
- DB / KB
- Normal Bar
- Thick Bar
- Bench Bar
- Steel Log
- MMA Press
Chains
Weight Releasers
Bands
Push Ups
- Weighted
- Hindus
- Chain
- Feet Elevated
- Hands Elevated
- Swiss / Bosu Ball
- Olympic rings
Floor Prone Shoulder Bridge
Press
84 | P a g e
Front Squat
- Regular
- Harness
Power Snatch – High or low
Catch
- Block (high or low)
- Floor
- Hang
- 3 Position Floor,
Knee, Thigh
- DB’s/KB’s
- Clean Grip
- Deficit
Clean Pulls – High or Low
- Block (high or low)
- Floor
- Hang
- 3 Position Floor,
Knee, Thigh
- DB’s/KB’s
- Deficit
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Kneeling Squat
Overhead/Front/Back/Zercher
Bilateral Squat
Back Squat
- Cambered
- Safety
- Regular
- Box ( high or low)
- Belt Squats
- Assist
ed Chains
Weight
releasers
Bands
Good Morning
- Regular Bar
- Safety
- Cambered
- Combo
- Split Stance
- Single leg with one
leg against wall
Chains/Bands
Unilateral Squat
Hamstring / Lower Back
Single Leg
Dead Lift
- Bulgarian (Sprinters)
- Trap Bar
- Cambered
- Gorilla Grip
- Safety
- Regular Bar
- Regular
- Thick Bar
- Power Sprinter
- Dumbbells
- Box (high or low)
- Rack Deadlifts
- Belt Squats
- Sumo/Regular stance
- Bosch
- Platform + Band
- Bosch +
- Assisted
Step Up Chains
- Deficit(feet on pads)
Weight
- Seated Sumo
releasers
StepBands
Ups
Glut Ham
- Cambered
Raise
- Safety
- Weighted
- Bands
- Regular
- Single Leg
- DB / KB
- Eccentrics
- Parisi 2 Stage
- Kneeling to Acceleration
- Overhead/Front/Back/Zercher/DB’s/KB’s
EXERCISE SELECTION CHART 13 / 14
Olympic
Power Clean – High or low
Catch
- Block (high or low)
- Floor
- Hang
- 3 Position Floor,
knee, thigh
- DBs
- Steel Log
- Band Assisted
- Deficit
Lower Body Options
85 | P a g e
Zercher Lift
- Regular
- Thick Bar
- + Squat option
Lunge
- Static
- Dynamic
- Reverse
- Walking
- Cambered bar
- Safety bar
- Zercher hold
- Regular
- DB’s/KB’s
EXERCISE SELECTION CHART 13 / 14
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Neck Movements
- Hammer 4 way neck
- Nautilus Rotary
- Forward/Backward Bridging
Snatch Pulls – High or
Low
- Block (high or low)
- Floor
- Hang
- 3 Position Floor, Knee, Thigh
- DB’s/KB’s
- Deficit
86 | P a g e
Reverse Hyper
Back Extension
- Single Leg
- 45 Degree
- Regular
- Weighted
- Swiss Ball
Floor Glut Bridge/Hip Thrust
Shoulders on a Bench variation
Romanian Dead
Lift
- Regular
- Trap Bar
- Single Leg
- DB / KB
- Split stance
- Single leg with one leg
against wall
Hammer Jammer
- Two Arm
- Single Arm
- Rotational
Bench Press with:
- Bands
- Chains
- Weight
- Release
- 2/3/4 Board
Jump Squats
Push Press
- Bar
- Thick Bar
- Steel Log
Push Option
Jerks (push or split)
- Bar
- Thick Bar
- Steel Log
¼ Explosive Squats
Squat / Jump Option
Squats
- Assisted squats with bands
- Chains
- Weight Releasers
- Bands
EXERCISE SELECTION CHART 13 / 14
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Olympic / Pull Option
Power Clean – High or Low Catch
- Block (high or low)
- Floor
- Hang
- 3 position floor
- Knee, Thigh
- DBs
- Steel Log
- Band Assisted
- Deficit
Power Snatch – High or Low Catch
- Block (high or low)
- Floor
- Hang
- 3 position Floor, Knee, Thigh
- DBs
- Clean Grip
- Deficit
Clean Pulls – High or Low
- Block (high or low)
- Floor
- Hang
- 3 position Floor, Knee, Thigh
- DBs
- Deficit
Power Options
87 | P a g e
Push
One Man Scrum
Prowler (high / Low)
Mauling Sled
Sled Press
Viking Press
Stone Press
Squat / Jump Option
Plyometric Jumps Options
- Knees to feet
- Seated box jumps
- Band jumps
- Box jumps
- Depth Jumps
- Broad Jumps
- Band Broad Jumps
- Hurdle Jumps
- Single Leg
Wall Sprints with Bands
Single Leg with Bands
EXERCISE SELECTION CHART 13 / 14
Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com
Pull
Anchor Chain Drag
Stone Clean
Prowler Pull
Keg Clean
Stone Lift onto Barrel
Tyre Flip
Hand Over Hand Pull
Strongman Options
Power Tackler
Olympic / Pull Option
Snatch Pulls – High or low
- Block (high or low)
- Floor
- Hang
- 3 Position Floor, Knee, Thigh
- DB’s/KB’s
- Deficit
Power Options
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Walk
Farmer’s Walk
Conan’s Wheel
Yolk
Stone
Sled
Keg Walk
Wheel Barrow
Push Option
Hammer Push / Pull
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