By Ashley Jones
Have you wondered like I have if you can combine all the elements you love into one integrated training system. Yes, I think you can.
I believe that each of the above lend themselves ideally to a prioritisation system throughout the year, I do not believe that you should drop off one aspect of your training completely and agree with the concurrent system style that you train all variables at the one time.
So to this end may I offer you a year round system to touch all bases and satisfy all needs, there maybe some debate as to percentages and I think that is a healthy debate, but I will state my position and then you can decide from there what you consider relevant to you.
Post Season ( 4 – 6 weeks)
I believe that you require only about 2 weeks of time away from the physical training elements of the game, so after this time you can jump straight back into the physical training aspects of the game, but leave the rugby side of the preparation for at least 4 – 6 weeks to ensure you are mentally fresh to start the next campaign.
My break down of this phase would be as follows:
Lower Body circuits
Upper Body Hypertrophy (Body Building style)
Any specific Prehab/Rehab program for you, this can be completed in the warm up before training or as a finisher after the main aspects of training
An example of a week plan would be if a player was needing Pelvic and Hip stability:
Warm up:
| Swiss ball roll out | Abdominal draw activated | 2 | 15 |
| Swiss Ball Bridge | Weight transfer; extend leg | 2 | 10 |
| Side bridge | Hip abduction (leg raise) | 2 | 10 |
| Swiss ball jack knife | Abdominal draw activated | 2 | 10 |
| Adductors | Manual resistanceShort adductors, flexion abduction
| 2 | 10 |
| Eccentric hamstrings | Nordic or glut hamstring bench | 3 | 4 – 6 |
| Swiss ball side curl | Abdominal draw activated | 2 | 10 |
| Single leg good morning | Maintain good alignmentAdd resistance as required
| 2 | 10 |
Then Lower Body Circuit:
Beastly Circuits – (6 sets x 6 reps then 3 minutes hard cardio – bike/box/row/skip)
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
Following this you could do any of the following depending on your split program options:
Upper Body Training Program Options
Shoulders
Option 1
Standing Military Press 6 x 2 – 6 reps
Snatch Grip Upright Upright Row 4 x 8 – 12 reps
DB Lateral Raises 2 x 15 – 20 reps
Option 2
Handstand Push ups with feet against wall 4 x maximal reps to failure
Rollover Bradford Press 4 x 6 – 8 reps
3 Way DB Raise 4 x 6 – 8
Option 3
Cuban Press
Snatch Grip Upright
Snatch Grip Shrugs
increase weight each set and move to the next exercise in sequence when you can’t get 6 reps in the set.
Option 4
Push Press with 6 – 10 sec eccentric, 6 sets x 6 reps
Snatch Grip Upright Row 4 x 6 – 8 reps
super set with
Super Slow DB Lateral Raises, 5:5 speed 4 x 6 – 8 reps
1 minute rest between supersets
Chest
Option 1
Incline DB Bench Press 4 – 6 reps (failure then decrease angle, triple drop style start at 45 degrees, then 30 degrees, then 15 degrees. No rest between drops other than changing the angle of the bench, 1 minute rest in between sets, 4 sets.
Dips 4 x 30 sec E + 30 sec C
Option 2
DB Flat Bench Flys 3:3 speed super set with Dips, BW to failure 3:3 speed for 4 sets
Option 3
Incline Bench Press 6 x 2 – 6 reps
DB Flat Bench Flys 4 x 8 – 12
Pullovers 2 x 15 – 20
Option 4
Bench Press 6 x 2 – 6 reps
DB Incline Bench Flys 4 x 8 – 12
Dips 2 x 15 – 20
Upper Back
Option 1
Chin Ups 4 x 30 sec E: 30 sec C
Bentover Row 4 x 8 – 12
Power Shrugs 4 x 6 – 8
Option 2
Chin to touch bar with lower sternum 4 x maimum # of reps
Seated Row 4 x 6 – 8
Pulldown behind neck 4 x 8 – 12
DB super slow shrugs 5:5 speed for 6 – 8 reps x 4
Option 3
Weighted Chins 6 x 2 – 6 reps
Seated Row 4 x 8 – 12 reps
Standing straight arm pulldowns 2 x 15 – 20
Option 4
Hang Cleans 6 x 2 – 6 reps
50 Chin ups in as few sets as possible with 30 seconds rest between sets and each set taken to positive failure
Biceps/Triceps
Option 1
Antagonistic super set
Barbell Curl/Close Grip Bench Press 6 x 2 – 6 reps
DB Incline Curl/Lying Tricep Extension 4 x 8 – 12 reps
Preacher Curl/Rope Pushdown 2 x 15 – 20 reps
Option 2
| Standing DB Twist Curls 4 x 8 – 12 repsSeated Hammer Curls 4 x 8 – 12 repsStanding Zottman Curls 4 x 8 – 12 reps | Lying Triceps Extension 4 x 8 – 12 repsDB Overhead Extension 4 x 8 – 12 repsDips 4 x 8 – 12 reps |
Option 3
| Barbell Reverse Curl 4 x 8 -12Close Grip Bar Curl 4 x 8 – 12Incline Hammer Curl 4 x 8 – 12 | Pullover & Press 4 x 8 – 12Decline Lying Triceps Extension 4 x 8 – 12One arm reverse grip pushdown 4 x 8 – 12 |
At the completion of this you may wish to include a finisher:
Finishers (from Gambetta, Cosgrove, and others on EliteFTS & T-Nation.com)
Finishers are just short body weight or single piece of equipment only, 3–5 minute routines at the end of each workout.
Screamers:
3 push-ups, 1 tuck jump
6 push-ups, 2 tuck jump
9 push-ups, 3 tuck jumps
12 push-ups, 4 tuck jumps
15 push-ups, 5 tuck jumps
Continue to add three push-ups and one tuck jump to each set until you miss a rep. Then climb back down the ladder.
Leg Matrix:
24 squats
12 lunges each leg (alternating)
12 lunge jumps each leg (alternating)
24 squat jumps
(If you can complete this in under 90 seconds, do two rounds with no rest.)
Squat series:
20-second squat jump
20-second squat
20-second isometric squat
Off Season (4 – 10 weeks depending on competition)
In the next phase of training I would place my emphasis on maximal strength training, so a shift towards a power lifting style of programming.
I am a firm believer in what has become known as the Westside Barbell style of training or you could use the Wendler 5-3–1 spin off as well.
You should still use a rehab/prehab program to warm up with is you had a shoulder stability issue you could use this as a starting point:
Shoulder Prehab/Rehab
Mike Delany
2 sets x 12 reps of each exercise
Perform in a circuit fashion as warm up before other weight training sessions
1. DB Lateral Raise (small bend only at elbow joint slow controlled raise to side, make sure that elbow is always above wrist throughout the movement)
2. Arnold Press (palms facing shoulders at start slowly rotate as you push up to finish with palms facing out)
3. I’s on bench pull high bench
4. Cuban Press (5 count, snatch grip, shrug, upright row, external rotation, internal rotation, down)
5. Over Head Shrugs (snatch grip, make sure you elevate and depress the scapula fully through range on each rep)
6. Weight plate front raise (scapula controlled, slight bend at elbow raise the plate till over your head pause and return to the starting position)
7. Empty Can raises (45 degrees with thumb turned down the entire way)
8. T Bench Internal/External Rotation with a bar (make sure right angles at both shoulder and elbow joints, go slowly through range and pause for god stretch on each rep)
9. Straight arm Rhomboid Shrugs with DB’s on the high Bench Pull bench (try not to bend arms, keep straight for the full range)
10. KB Renegade Row (make sure you keep the movement slow and controlled, with a pause each rep at the top)
Then you could commence your program:
6 Day Program
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| Snatch from Floor 12 x 2 | Clean & Jerk |
12 x 2Block Split Snatch + Push Press Behind Neck 12 x 2Block Power Clean + Push Press 12 x 2High Block Power Snatch + Overhead Squat 12 x 2High Block Power Clean + Push Press
12 x 2Band Bench Press
8 x 3 Military Press
5/3/1 protocol Incline Bench Press
5/3/1 protocol Band Box Squat
8 x 3Front Squat
8 x 3Cambered Bar Combo GM 8 x 3Safety Bar Squats
8 x 3Gorilla Grip Dead Lift 8 x 3Back Squat
8 x 3
And Finish with the following abdominal workout:
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
Double Leg Lowering
In Season (14 – 30 weeks)
I believe that an emphasis on Olympic weight training during the season will reap dividends for your training squad, depending on your selection into different groups within the week in week out campaign.
Before doing any weight training a warm up of one of these options should be performed:
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
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
Week Physical Planning Based on Selection
Below are what I think are minimum number of sessions for each category of player, a determination will be made between the players and the S & C coach into what the player actually does each week.
Selected in 1 – 15: 1 – 2 gym based sessions
Selected 16 – 22/23: 2 – 3 gym sessions
Selected outside 22/23: 3 – 4 gym sessions
Weekly Programs Set ups
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
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
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
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
Conclusion
I hope you have found this an interesting read, again it is only one man’s thoughts on how to prepare a player for the demands of rugby. In the 20+ years that I have been preparing players for battle one thing stands out more than any other that there is no one way that is the best, trial, question, appraise then re-appraise and if it works for you then it is good for you, Train hard and make a difference in someone’s life, all the very best in 2013, cheers, ashley jones