Rye Rugby Club Conditioning Programme
All players should now be hitting the gym to develop their fitness for the rugby
season ahead. Visiting the gym and training for shape rather than condition
will almost certainly hinder your performance on the field. It is essential that all
players follow a rugby and position specific programme when training in the
gym. The following programme should provide you with the essentials for the
correct training over the year.
Please ensure that you follow this programme rather than completing your
own training. It is designed for rugby and to fit in with the playing season.
Body sculpture as we know many of you enjoy will not improve your
performance, however correct training may indeed improve performance and
body sculpture.
PERIODISED SEASON
PHASE
JULY / AUG
TARGET
MAX STRENGTH
CORE STABILITY
CARDIO
OLYMPIC/POWER
CORE STABILITY
CARDIO
PLYOMETRICS
CORE STABILITY
CARDIO
INTENSITY
85%
SETS/REPS
3/5
60%
75%
MIN 2 x 40 MINS
3/10
60%
MIN 2 x 60 MINS
60%
JAN
MAX STRENGTH
CORE STABILITY
85%
2 x 60 MINS
1 x 80 MINS
3/5
FEB
OLYMPIC/POWER
CORE STABILITY
SPEED STRENGTH
CORE STABILITY
75%
3/10
65%
2/14
SEPT / OCT
NOV / DEC
MARCH / APRIL
PROGRESSION and OVERLOAD are also key to development. All
intensities are relative, so weights that you lift will increase week by
week. For example, in week one if you bench 60kg and that is 85% of
your maximum then in week 2 you will have developed some strength
and 85% of your maximum may now be 65Kg. You are not working if you
are not progressing and overloading. Do not increase reps and sets, the
key is to increase resistance and intensity.
MAXIMUM STRENGTH EXERCISES
FREQUENCY
INTENSITY
TIMING
TYPE
2/3 TIMES PER WEEK
85% OF MAXIMUM
2/3 SETS OF 5 REPS. 2mins rest between sets
MAX STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT (SEE EXERCISES BELOW)
WARM UP
2 PER WEEK
3 PER WEEK
COOL DOWN
SESSION DURATION
TREADMILL/ROWING
3 SETS/EXERCISE
2 SETS/EXERCISE
CARDIO/STATIC STRETCHING
EXERCISE
LOWER BACK EXTENSION
SHOULDER PRESS / DUMBELL
BACK SQUAT
BENCH PRESS
SIT UPS
CHIN UPS
HAMSTRING CURLS
FLAT FLYS
20 mins
9 mins x 8 exercises – 1hr 12
5m20s x 8 exercises – 43 mins
15 mins
INSTRUCTION
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Resistance held under chest
Start from static, no swing
Start from 90 degree hip flexion
Raise until maximum hyper-extension
Lower slowly
Pause at bottom 0.5s
8 seconds per extension
No back rest
Palms rotated forwards throughout
Weight to touch shoulders
Extend to full arm extension
8 seconds for full press
Feet parallel
Legs shoulder width apart
Squat to 90 degree knee joint
Extend to straight leg
Always head up/back straight
8 seconds for full squat
Use bench between legs and touch
Shoulder width plus 2 thumb grip
Lower to 1” above chest
Return to straight arm
8 seconds per press
Heels maintain floor contact
Knees bent
Arms cross chest
Resistance held on chest
Keep elbow contact with ribs
Curl until elbow touches quads
Lower until head touches floor
8 seconds per sit up
Palm forward/Wide arm grip
No swing to aid lift, Slow lift and lower
Lift to chest
Lower to straight arm
Pause for 0.5sec between chins
Use resistance or aid
Standing or lying
Curl with plantar flexed foot
Curl past 90 degrees
Return to straight leg
8 seconds per curl
Start slightly flexed elbow, weights
touching
Lower palms inwards flexed elbows
Lower until dumbbells level with shoulder
Raise like squeezing a tree, elbows flexed
8 seconds per rep
OLYMPIC LIFTS AND POWER DEVELOPMENT - ALL
PLAYERS
FREQUENCY
INTENSITY
TIMING
TYPE
2/3 TIMES PER WEEK
75% OF MAXIMUM
2/3 SETS OF 10 REPS
POWER DEVELOPMENT
SESSION DURATION
WARM UP
2 PER WEEK
3 PER WEEK
COOL DOWN
EXERCISE
POWER CLEANS
TREADMILL/ROWING
3 SETS PER EXERCISE
2 SETS PER EXERCISE
CARDIO/STATIC STRETCH
INSTRUCTION
 Feet approximately shoulder width apart, feet flat on the floor, bar touching shins
 Arms locked, regular grip, thumbs around bar, back straight, head facing forward
 Thighs parallel to floor, shoulders over bar
 Easy pull off floor, bar comes up straight (not around knees), bar stays close to body
 Bar touching top of thighs, back tight, arms straight
 Body extends fully, athlete up on toes, traps are shrugged to elevate bar
 Continued upward pull by pulling with arms
 Weight racked across top of shoulders, elbows point out and high
 Stand up, under control
 Exhale while lowering the bar to the start position
DEAD LIFTS
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POWER JERKS
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HANG CLEANS
20 mins
40 SECS PER SET/2 MIN REST
40 SECS PER SET/2 MIN REST
15 MINS
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Place barbell in front of you on the ground, feet flat on floor bar touching shins
Grab the dumbbell with a little wider than shoulder width grip, hands outside legs
Reverse grip, thumbs around bar, arms straight, elbows slightly touching legs
Take deep breath at start of the movement
Head up, chest up and out, looking straight ahead or slightly up
Back straight, shoulders back, hips low, below shoulders, thighs parallel to floor
Exhale as you complete the movement
Bar lifted slowly, pulling is done by extending legs and hips
Arms remain straight, back remains straight, bar kept close to body
Pause at top, hold your breath as you lower the bar
Lower weight slowly
Bar on a stand at shoulder height
Feet flat on the floor shoulder width apart, grip bar with the palms facing upward
Hands just over shoulder width apart
Lift the bar from the stand and rest the bar on your shoulders
Elbows pointed slightly down and out , back straight , head facing forward
Bend the legs slightly with quick dipping action
Jump explosively to drive the bar up as high as possible
At the same time straighten arms to push weight above head
Drop below bar catching it straight over the shoulders
Legs can be kept shoulder width or split forward (if splitting then step back up
straight)
Lower the bar carefully to the shoulders
Complete as power cleans but bar starts at hips and returns to hips, not the
floor
POWER DEVELOPMENT - POSITION SPECIFIC
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THESE EXERCISES CAN BE USED IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL PLAYER PROGRAMME IN A
VARIETY OF WAYS
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AFTER EACH GENERAL SESSION
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IN PLACE OF THE 3RD SESSION
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AFTER ONE OF THE GENERAL SESSIONS
FREQUENCY
INTENSITY
TIMING
TYPE
2/3 TIMES PER WEEK
75% OF MAXIMUM
2/3 SETS OF 10 REPS
POWER DEVELOPMENT
BACKS and BACK ROW
JUMP SQUATS
STEP UPS
HALF SQUATS
SPLIT JUMP SQUATS
FORWARD ASTRIDE JUMP SQUATS
SEATED SPRINT ARM ACTION
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As basic squat with some changes
Only small knee bend
Both feet must leave floor (10cm)
Immediate rebound squats
To height to create 90 degree knee bend
Alternate lead leg on each step
As basic squat but only 45 degree knee bend
Repeat squat in fast repetition
Jumps squats in forward lunge position
Keep same leg forwards for full set then change
Feet must always face forwards
Back foot works on ball of foot
Front foot is flat
Both feet must leave floor (10cm)
As split jump squats but switch legs each jump
Sit on swiss ball, knees shoulder width apart
Maintain 90 degree elbow flexion
Swing arms in running motion
Dumbbell in each arm (5-15Kg)
Control pace of arm swing
FRONT 5 AND LINEOUT LIFTERS
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FRONT AND BACK JERKS
BACK SQUAT AND PRESS
STRAIGHT LEG DEAD LIFTS
SQUAT AND FRONT RAISE
PRESS UP AND REVERSE FLYES
SINGLE LEG BACK SQUATS
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As power jerks but,
Start bar at chest squat and jerk bar above head
Then lower to neck
Then squat and jerk bar above head
Then lower to chest.
This counts as one repetition
As back squat but
On upward phase shoulder press bar above
head
On downward phase lower bar to behind neck
As dead lifts but
Legs always remain straight
If possible stand on platform feet at bar height
Normal squats but with dumbbells in hands
On downward phase raise dumbbells upwards
Arms straight and raise until above head
On upward phase lower dumbbells to thigh
Medicine ball or plate may be used
Press up with hands on dumbbells
After upward phase complete reverse fly
Twist body until limit then return to floor
Alternate the reverse fly after each press up
Advanced may put feet on swiss ball
Place non working foot on bench or swiss ball
Complete squat with resistance on shoulders
CORE STABILITY - ALL PLAYERS
YOU WILL EACH NEED TO BUY A FIT/SWISS BALL
FREQUENCY
INTENSITY
TIMING
TYPE
DAILY
ROTATE EASY/MEDIUM/DIFFICULT. START WITH LIGHT WEIGHTS
3 X 10 OR 3 SETS OF BURNOUT DEPENDING ON EXERCISE
CORE STABILITY
EASY EXERCISES
Basic sit up
Sit and Twist
Single Leg Lunge
Wall Squats
Press Ups (2 or 1 leg)
Preacher Extensions
Medium Exercise
Caterpillar
From this position --------------------------------------To this position and back.
Overhead lifts
Press Ups
Harder Exercises
Ball kneel
Ball Kneel with weights
1. Bicep curls
2. Lateral Raises
3. Shoulder Press
Bench press and flies in the following two positions can be done. Shoulders on ball
and perform bench press or flies – you can use two legs on floor first then when you
are good at it you can use one leg as in pics below.