Rugby Training

TheJoker

Hey Guys,

I started playing rugby recently as a second row forward. In training we dont do much fitness as we dont have a lot of time to train so it's mostly just drills and the like.

However, today my neck feels stiff. Suppose a better way of putting it would be to compare it to a person who had never ran a race before and did so without cooling down properly. Thats the kind of stiffness I am talking about.

Are there any particular exercises I could be doing to improve me neck muscle?

Also while I think about it...Although I would consider myself fairly fit, I go running about 3-4 times a week, upwards of 40 minutes a time. I was still shabolloxed after about 20 minutes of playing, all the scrums and driving mauls got to me. Is there any way of increasing my stamina. Should I be doing more weights or running or what?

Any advise welcome...

amazingemmet

Are you in season now?

TheJoker

amazingemmet wrote: »

Are you in season now?

As of next week we are.

theKramer

If U are going running that much, I would be inclined to think that U are just not used to the rugby. Rugby is a different type of fitness. Give yourself another few weeks for your body to adjust, and U should be fine.

I just started playing rugby myself, 2nd row/Nr 6, and I am finding myself really stiff around the upper body. I have only been doing legs in the gym of late as the upper body is too sore at the mo. I played a little last year as well and it was the same at the start.

As for the fitness, I would say that U are ok. Your body is used to running in a straight line for 40 minutes or so. The stop/start nature of rugby will be using different muscles. I would concentrate on building up your legs for driving and mauling, and maybe increase the length of your runs. Your body will automatically adapt to the rugby and U will find that you are not out of breath as much.

So to sum up: Give it some time and U will be grand

Colm_OReilly

Rugby's a sport that requires strength, agility, balance, coordination, power, endurance, stamina etc. etc.

As such you're training should aim to develop these, so a Crossfit protocol of training should be put in place. Obviously you need to temper the workouts sessions around skill development and match play, but running all the time is not only a waste of your time, it's counter productive to the power development needed to play and excel at rugby.

Here's an article on sportspeople and fitness.

Also, check out www.crossfit.com (main site) and www.crossfit.ie (Irish site)

If you've any questions let me know,
Colm

siochain

Hi,

When you go running do you run at a consistent pace?

If yes, change to intervals, walk, jog, run, sprint, walk, jog, run, sprint, ….. even throw in a few press ups along the way.

This partially replicates the type of fitness needed for rugby. As a forward the game is very stop start. Running to a ruck, jogging to the next line out, stopping while line out is formed and ball thrown in, sprinting to support the backs etc etc. As for the gym stick to power lifting routines the stiffness will get better as the body gets used to the impact.

As colm said above 'Rugby's a sport that requires strength, agility, balance, coordination, power, endurance, stamina etc. etc.' the first 5 of this attributes will benefit from a strong core.


Good luck and enjoy..

GerryRyan

OP wrote:

Are there any particular exercises I could be doing to improve me neck muscle?

You're not going to like this answer ... but you just have to learn to take the hits and gradually harden up to it.

I've been playing the game since I was about 12 and, personally, I found the longer I was at it the more accustomed I got to it. Less prone to picking up the smaller injurys

Now others will disagree with this - might come across as a foolhardy attitude.

That said - injuring the neck is no joke.
google wrestlers bridge(s) and do a bit of research. The exercise looks weird at first but it's helped me and a few others I play with.

Good luck with it, and as another poster said there's a lot to work on to get to a decent level in the game.

Everything from fitness, strength, agility, speed, skills, individual position skills, working with the pack, learning to use the head in a match situation - I could go on.