| A periodized approach to rugby fitness training | | | | determine the training phase and setting |
| Rugby union traditionally was a sport that was | | | | appropriate training parameters. Then using these |
| played by amateurs who trained like amateurs. | | | | you can cycle the parameters over the duration |
| Since the advent of professionalism which has | | | | of that training phase. |
| trickled down throughout the league structures it | | | | Let me explain, as an example, say you are |
| is now common place to see the majority of | | | | looking to increase the muscle size of the prime |
| rugby players training in their own time. As is seen | | | | movers used in rugby, this is known as specific |
| with many people in the gym the new found | | | | hypertrophy phase using traditional periodization |
| enthusiasm for fitness may not paralleled by the | | | | terminology2. The general guidelines for this would |
| same level of knowledge about how to train. | | | | be 6 - 12 reps with around 3 minutes rest using |
| Rugby produces some unique training | | | | the necessary exercises. A simple way to |
| requirements not seen in other sports. It is a | | | | introduce periodization would be, over a 6 week |
| sport that caters for all types of physiques and | | | | phase to vary the reps as below: |
| places demands on almost all the bodies' physical | | | | Week 1 & 2 12 Reps |
| characteristics. | | | | Week 3 & 4 9 reps |
| I will not go into an in-depth discussion of the | | | | Week 5 & 6 6 reps |
| various requirements of rugby and variations for | | | | This is using the foundation principles of program |
| each position. However, I will briefly review the | | | | design, it is increasing the intensity while |
| main requirements for success. The demands of | | | | decreasing the volume - Classic periodization!3. |
| rugby are varied and I could almost list every | | | | This method can and should be extended across |
| physical ability and say it impacts upon | | | | all the training phases within your resistance |
| performance, however the main factors are:o | | | | training routines. |
| Aerobic power - more specifically a high aerobic | | | | Let's take a look at a typical off-season. To |
| power over a pure steady state aerobic base e.g. | | | | maximise the gains from resistance training you |
| a good 6 minute run test score more important | | | | would build a base early in the off-season followed |
| than good 10 km time. (Obviously these two are | | | | by focusing on increasing muscle size then |
| highly integrated but still are different).o Lactate | | | | developing maximum strength and converting this |
| tolerance - The key limiting factor during play, | | | | to power so your are physically at your biggest, |
| affects both aerobic power and speed | | | | strongest and most explosive by the start of the |
| endurance.o Speed - More specifically acceleration | | | | next in-season. |
| and repeated sprint speed endurance.o Agility - | | | | To do this you could have four training phases, |
| The ability to decelerate and change direction or | | | | preparation, hypertrophy, strength and power |
| move in a non linear direction.o Strength - Both | | | | phase. |
| maximum strength and speed strength and as | | | | Off-season |
| any sport requires a strong core as a foundation. | | | | Preparation Hypertrophy Strength Power |
| To add to this you could easily point out | | | | With each phase you can associate the traditional |
| maximum speed is important in many situations | | | | training parameters to achieve the goal of that |
| and you can never be called too fast, but in | | | | phase's training. For example, preparation4 uses |
| general it is not too decisive. Muscles size is also | | | | sub maximal lifts for between 5 to 15 reps, |
| not hugely important to success as it is your | | | | hypertrophy uses 6 - 12 reps to failure, strength |
| strength, absolute, relative and fast speed that is | | | | 1 - 5 rep max and power for sake of argument 2 |
| more important. Though one factor affecting | | | | - 6 reps with sub-maximal loads (please note |
| maximum strength is of course muscle cross | | | | there are many methods for power development |
| section area. I have not mentioned above about | | | | beside this). |
| flexibility but just like core strength it is a | | | | Using these phases is already putting the science |
| fundamental that needs to be used to restore | | | | of program design into practise. This can be |
| ideal posture and muscle lengths. How much | | | | further enhanced by varying the reps within each |
| flexibility is optimal past these ideal lengths is an | | | | phase. This will maximise the training response |
| issue of much debate and beyond the scope of | | | | over the phase: |
| this article. | | | | Season - Off-season |
| To effectively cover all the main attributes a | | | | Phase - Preparation - Hypertrophy - Strength - |
| rugby player needs to optimize performance he | | | | Power |
| must cover six main types of training methods:o | | | | Reps - 15 - 10 - 5 - 12 - 9 - 6 - 5 - 3 - 1 - 6 - 4 - |
| Aerobic training - To develop lactate tolerance and | | | | 2 |
| aerobic power.o Sprint training- To enhance | | | | Through such simple variations of one training |
| acceleration and repeated sprint speed | | | | variable you have introduced intensity and volume |
| endurance.o Resistance training- To build | | | | manipulation throughout the course of the |
| maximum and fast speed strength.o Agility | | | | off-season and within the phases themselves. This |
| training - to learn effective mutli-directional | | | | will produce more optimal results. For each training |
| movements and changes of pace.o Plyometric | | | | phase a different exercise routine would be |
| training - To support speed strength in linear and | | | | followed to introduce specificity and you could also |
| multi directional movements.o Core and flexibility | | | | vary the rest periods to further extrapolate the |
| training - To create the underlying foundations of | | | | volume, specificity and intensity relationships. |
| all the above training. | | | | If you now start introducing recovery weeks you |
| These methods will develop all the attributes that | | | | begin to incorporating the other needs of |
| are stressed on the rugby field. These can be | | | | periodization - avoiding overtraining and maximising |
| combined into three sessions, a track session - | | | | adaptation. This can be furthered enhanced by |
| Sprint training, agility and plyometrics, a gym | | | | using specified variations in training intensity within |
| session - Strength and core training and an | | | | the weekly micro cycles, e.g. heavy and light days |
| aerobic session. This does not need to take up | | | | and before you know it you are applying the main |
| your whole life but just a few hours per week if | | | | bulk of periodization and reaping its benefits on |
| following an optimal training routine. | | | | athletic performance. |
| To go through each training method is of course | | | | The above serves to exemplify how to easily |
| beyond the length of this article and is | | | | introduce periodization into resistance training, of |
| comprehensively covered in my book1. Ignoring | | | | course these principles need to be taken and |
| the specific details of each training method we | | | | applied to the other training methods also, e.g. |
| can instead focus upon the underlying design of | | | | aerobic, agility, plyometrics etc. Again the |
| the training programmes within each of the six | | | | exercises within each phase and variation in |
| methods above. | | | | training parameters, e.g. volume, intensity need to |
| Periodization principles | | | | be designed and altered to mediate the required |
| Most of us are aware of periodization, yet so few | | | | changes across the off-season or during the |
| people integrate this fully into their training | | | | in-season. |
| programmes. I believe this is due to the | | | | If this sounds too simple then just remember that |
| complexity of the theory. The reason | | | | periodization is a relative rather than an absolute. |
| periodization was created was to: | | | | It is about maximising the response from training |
| 1) Maximise the response from the training | | | | while ensuring the athletes does not suffer injury |
| stimulus. | | | | or over training. The benefits of using an |
| 2) Allow continuous gains to be made from week | | | | undulating model versus a linear model5 or the |
| to week and year to year. | | | | fitness fatigue theory over classical6 are all well |
| 3) Avoid injury and overtraining. | | | | and good, but the crux of the matter is putting in |
| Periodization seems to suffer from an all or | | | | place a periodized routine of some sorts. This can |
| nothing approach, either a scientifically designed | | | | be done by:o Applying training phases during the |
| programme is used or nothing is implemented. | | | | year to achieve a certain training outcome.o |
| However most trainers are using the theory | | | | Varying the reps, rest, intensity over the training |
| without knowing it. Forget macro cycles, training | | | | phase.o Using recovery weeks, days and |
| variables and such, if viewed on a sliding scale | | | | techniques to ensure the body is fresh. |
| then the most basic form of periodization is | | | | This is all covered in my book Rugby fitness |
| setting a new programme every month. Which | | | | training: A twelve month conditioning programme. |
| most people do, the next level up would be | | | | Though it is a book designed for rugby players |
| applying a certain type of training for a few | | | | the principles outlined above are central to its |
| weeks then changing the focus, e.g. an endurance | | | | theme. It will teach you how to take the general |
| phase then strength phase. This again is easy to | | | | principles and apply them to you or your clients |
| implement. How far to advance the system up to | | | | training routine. |
| the traditional theories of step load progression of | | | | In the programme section I have added three |
| intensity and macro, meso cycles, weekly load | | | | rugby programmes, these serve just to as an |
| variation etc is dependent on many a factor | | | | example of a possible routine, the success of the |
| including the athlete you are working with. | | | | programme will rely more on how you as the |
| I present here a method of using periodization | | | | coach manipulate the training variables within each |
| that can be implemented by trainers or players | | | | training phase and change the training between |
| alike. The key to using periodization is to | | | | the individual phases. |