Prop Transition

[sthompson@getstrength.com]

Ashley,
I’m making a comeback into the rugby universe after 8 years off. I’ve kept up with a mediocre strength training program for the bulk of my hiatus and over the past couple of months I’ve built up the start of aerobic and anaerobic fitness. Our small senior side has a serious problem at prop and I volunteered to make the transition. I played blindside at 1.95m and 99kg…years later at 114kgs I think I can step up. My concern is that many of the opposition are 125kg (though not in a state resembling fitness). I’ve got from now (beginning of June) till September to build the right kind of strength to be effective against a larger opposition. In addition, I’ve got a bit of a recurring hamstring strain. It sounds pathetic, but can you give me any advice on how to prepare? I’ve got a good bit of equipment at my disposal, bar and bumper plates, 53 and 70# KBs, a 125# sand bag and 9ft. slosh pipe. Any advice would be a great help as I don’t know quite where to start and the clock is ticking.
Cheers,

Adam Jacobs
Blue Mountain Beach, Florida

[ashley]

Well Adam good on you for lacing up the boots for another tilt, 3 months should be enough time to really get your strength levels up, I would use the following approach:

Training Month with Weekly Variation

Program follows the sets and reps and load/intensity protocols as listed, you can follow this for the entire three months, re-assessing your loading at the beginning of each month based around an estimation of your improved 1RM.

Weekly Volume

Week 1 330 reps – Medium/Heavy Load 39%

Week 2 216 reps – Heavy Load 26%

Week 3 222 reps – Medium Load 26%

Week 4 72 reps – Maximal Load 9%

Total for month – 840 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.

Or as an alternative you can utilise something like this:

If you are unfamiliar with any terms it is bets to google or you tube then as most of them will have a page or 2 dedicated to them, you may like to combine the programs and warm up with one or two of these complex movements before starting the body of the program or you may also like to build your entire workout around these movements and perform maybe 4 in each of 3 workouts a week, utilising a 6 x 3 set/rep scheme

Sots Press Squat Military Press

Pressing Snatch Balance Snatch Grip Squat Press

Squat Clean Front Squat

Clean Grip Power Snatch from low blocks Push Press

Power Snatch Push Press behind neck

Power Clean Push Press

Power Snatch Step Up

Zercher Lift from floor with thick bar Zercher Squat

Squat Snatch Overhead Squat

Push Press Split Jerk

Simmons Good Morning Squat Complex

Rakhmanov Good Morning Complex

Hang Power Clean Hang Squat Clean

Hang Clean Romanian Dead Lift

Split Jerk Split Squat

Power Snatch Step up

best of luck and let me know how you get on, cheers, ashley

[onspeed]

Hi Ash

great programme mate – thanks for sharing it

this would be excellent for those starting off in track and field throwing as well

I would maybe add in a little extra torso work for throwers? Maybe some ax/chopping movements?

and given throwers are always wearing out their L5 lumbar region maybe reverse hyperextensions for a little extra recovery!

Thanks mate

[ashley]

sounds like very sound adjustments to me, we tend to work that core circuit fairly hard, but throwing in the reverse hypers will work a treat, ash

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