2|Page 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 3|Page 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 4|Page Table of Contents Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 7 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 18 Page 20 Page 21 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 30 Page 34 Page 36 Page 38 Page 39 Page 41 Page 42 Page 45 Page 46 Page 46 Page 47 Page 49 Page 51 Page 54 Page 56 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 60 Page 61 Page 65 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 83 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 5|Page 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 6|Page 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 7|Page 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 8|Page 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 9|Page 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 10 | P a g e 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”. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 11 | P a g e 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; Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 12 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 13 | P a g e 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 14 | P a g e 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”. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 15 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 16 | P a g e 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 17 | P a g e 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 18 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 19 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 20 | P a g e 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) Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 21 | P a g e 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 22 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 23 | P a g e 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 24 | P a g e 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# Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 25 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 26 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 27 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 28 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 29 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com Friday (Lower) Power Cleans from floor Safety Bar Squats Farmers Walk Good Morning with Chains Single Leg Back Extensions Tyre Flips 30 | P a g e 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+ Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 31 | P a g e 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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) Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 36 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 38 | P a g e 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) Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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% Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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) Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 46 | P a g e 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) Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 47 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 48 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 49 | P a g e 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. Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 50 | P a g e 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) Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 51 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 52 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 53 | P a g e 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) Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 54 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 55 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 56 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 57 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com Core 100 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 59 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 60 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 61 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 62 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 65 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 70 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 71 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 73 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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) Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 75 | P a g e 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) Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 76 | P a g e 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) Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 77 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 79 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 81 | P a g e 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 Ashley Jones eBook Series Distributed By www.r80rugby.com 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 88 | P a g e Walk Farmer’s Walk Conan’s Wheel Yolk Stone Sled Keg Walk Wheel Barrow Push Option Hammer Push / Pull