I was recently in Tokyo and was able to spend time with a colleague and friend Andrew Jackson, formerly of Christchurch, but now Head strength and conditioning coach of Ricoh rugby club, based in Setagaya, Tokyo. Ricoh is one of the 14 teams that make up the Top League competition within the Japan Rugby Union. I am very impressed with what Andrew has put together in his weight room to be able to train a squad of 50 players in just under 2 hours. The method he uses is both ingenious in both its … [Read more...] about Tokyo Training – Ricoh Rugby

As Thibadeau has been quoted as saying “complexity is the language of simple minds” this being a truism, I would like to believe that the reverse is also true that simplicity is the outcome of a complex questioning mind. I am a Physical Performance coach for rugby, so I have to juggle all the physical training elements to ensure that performance on the field each week is optimized. To allow one “fitness’ variable to excel at the detriment of another will at some stage have a negative … [Read more...] about Simplicity – Ashley Jones

Block work I believe is a much under used modality for training, often just the domain of Olympic lifters, it can add both variety and supplement your more traditional training elements. A good solid set of pulling blocks should form the cornerstone of every gym from the garage dwellers to Olympic training centres around the world. By performing your pulling/Olympic movements from different starting positions you train different portions of the kinetic chain and specifically … [Read more...] about Fun with Blocks

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.I know of an excellent coach … [Read more...] about Building a Better Strength and Conditioning Coach – Ashley Jones

Author Ashley Jones A few years ago I wrote an article for Milo on using three exercises of a similar theme in sequence, increasing load moving from one to the next. My rationale for the use of these triplets is that they cater for my needs of an intense short duration workout that I can do daily to ensure full body co-ordinated strength/power development. I have returned to the use of them as my time is limited but I still want to maximize my gains. I have always favoured the use of a … [Read more...] about Triple Treats Revisited – Ashley Jones

1. Cambered Bar Shoulder Press Usually a bar you associate with squatting and good morning but press it overhead and reap the benefits to the rotator cuffs and the stabilisation of the trunk as the bar swings slightly out of alignment as you press it overhead. Watch you don’t catch you hands on the support racks when you put the bar back into the racks at the completion of your set. 2. Trap Bar Shoulder Press Pressing with the hands facing into the body allows you a better range of … [Read more...] about Five (5) Favourite Overhead Pressing Movements