Rugby Strength Coach 2015

2015 Seminar
Series
 Welcome

Day 1 Day 2
09:00-09:30: Arrival & welcome 09:00-11:00: Special strength
09:30-11:30: Training theory, overview development
and periodisation 11:00-13:00: Strength and power
11:30-13:30: Linear speed development development
13:30-14:30: Lunch 13:00-14:00: Lunch
14:30-16:30: Change of direction speed 14:00-16:00: Energy system
development development
16:30-17:30: Programme management 16:00-18:00: Injury prevention and
17:30-18:00: Q&A rehabilitation
20:00- Evening social 18:00-19:00: Q&A
 Ground rules

1. Some of this is wrong (sorry)- if only I new which parts :(

2. There are many ways. This is mine (sorry UKSCA).

3. Ask lots of questions. Leave with everything answered.

4. I’m here to learn too.

5. Please tell me about any injuries BEFORE we do practical

6. Leave here with a lot of new friends

 Overview outline

Key training concepts

Periodisation overview

Training theory and philosophy

Development of the rugby strength coach model

Practical example: 2015 Rugby Championship & World Cup

 Stress

Stress

“The mobilisation of bodily resources to secure the immediate survival

of the organism in response to a perceived threat to homeostatic
balance”

a.k.a something is trying to eat, kill or fuck me. I need rapid energy for
all three!
 General Adaptation Syndrome

● Alarm- mobilisation
● Resistance- recovery
● Exhaustion- depletion
 Overtraining

● Tolerance is finite
● Rate of recovery is finite
● You can't ride 2 saddles
with one ass
● Neglect leads to disaster
 Undertraining

● Adaptation is expensive
● Adaptation must be
retained
Optimal training

●
Superimposi
tion of one
stimulus
upon
another
● Repeated
bouts of
stress
● Progressive
adaptation
over time
 Dose-response curve

● More is not better. Optimal is better

● You can't become a world champion in one session
● You can break in one session
 Dose-response curve

●
Optimal is always narrowing
●
More experienced trainees need an extremely
focussed stimulus
●
The price of inaccuracy is far higher
Threshold of adaptation

●
You have to exceed the
threshold
● Training is a poison
● All stimuli become
desensitising
● The threshold is on the move
Diminishing returns

● Eventually it all stops

working
● You want to avoid
diminishing returns as
long as possible
● Get the most adaptation
from the least stress
● You don't treat a cold
with chemotherapy
 Overcoming diminishing returns

●
Shout louder or shout smarter
●
But only when required!
● Use the minimum to get the job done
Finite stress tolerance

● Current adaptive
reserves
● Functional adaptive
reserves (avoid using)
● You can only slice the
pie so many ways
● Eventually threshold of
adaptation > adaptive
reserves
 Periodisation

● Periodisation is simply the organisation of training

variables to ensure the greatest sum development of
relevant biomotor abilities at the desired time.
● To ensure gradually improving, consistent and
predictable performance
● What to do when the newbie gains stop coming and the
pie cannot cover all your bases at once
 Popular methods of periodisation

●
Concurrent
● Sequential: long and short
● Block/conjugate
● Vertical integration (concurrent emphasis)
Concurrent approach

●
Kitchen sink approach
●
It works, but not for long
●
Blunts physiological
adaptation
● Why crossfit is retarded
● Compounded by
inherent demands of
sport training
 Sequential approach

● A little history
● Building the pyramid
● Focussed adaptation
● Long vs short
● It works better than concurrent
 Sequential problems

● Incompatible with team sport structure

● Insufficient loading
● Detraining effects
● Why stop training something that is still working?!
Block approach

●
When sequential stops
working
●
A little more history
● Concentrated loading
● Delayed transformation
● Training residuals
● Micro re-stimulation
blocks
Block problems

●
Rugby competition and
physical demands
●
Injury is never far away
● It probably isn't
necessary
● Time consuming
● Logistically difficult to
implement sometimes
Vertical integration

●
Charlie Francis
●
Combining all three
●
We know it works
● Limits detraining
● Focussed development
● Sequenced progression
in intensity and
specificity
Vertical integration layout

●
Restoration < retention <
developmental loads
●
Target abilities & non-
target abilities
● General → specific
● Volume → intensity
● Isolated → integrated
● Long → short residual
 Physical preparation philosophy

Speed of
movement

CNS Neuromuscular Metabolic

output output
output

Maximise the intensity, repeatability and efficiency of sporting skill.

Maximise athlete capacities relative to demands of the environment
(performance and injury prevention).
 Development of CNS potential

Central
nervous
system

Maximise Assist
Maximise movement problem
“tool box” efficiency solving

Maximally exploit the motor potential of the neuromuscular system

 Development of movement literacy

Twist Squat Lunge Bend Get up

Land Pull Accelerate Push Crossover

Decelerate Brace Jump Sprint Shuffle

Equip athletes with the movement tools they need to solve

sporting problems in all three planes of movement in an
unpredictable and changing environment
 Motor learning progression

Isolated Integrated

Slow Progression of athlete motor Fast

learning environment as
mastery is developed. Drill
progressions/regressions are
Simple developed at each stage Complex
according to athletes degree
of mastery.
Closed Open
 Neuromuscular development

Force-velocity curve qualities

Eccentric Isometric Limit Strength Max Speed Reactive

strength strength strength speed power strength Speed strength

Other physical qualities

Tissue Speed of Stretch

Stiffness relaxation potentiation Mobility Stability Stability
quality

Maximally develop the “horsepower” of the engine. Develop a

blend of physical qualities that allows the athlete to meet the
general demands of the game. Concentrate more training
resources on those physical qualities that most underpin athlete
performance.
 Development of Metabolic potential

Central Energy
Energy supply demand internal
internal feedback nervous + external
system feedback

Aerobic Glycolytic Alactic

Maximise the intensity, frequency and sustainability of high intensity

efforts, interspersed with low intensity activity
 Injury prevention

Demands

Capacity

Maximise stress tolerance capacity of the organism relative to the

stress demands of the environment (short term and long term)
 Transfer and training age

High specificity, high intensity in late career/preparation

Low specificity, lower intensity in early career/preparation

 Dynamic correspondence

Muscles used

Direction and magnitude of force

Contraction type

Movement velocity

Range of movement Specificity

Peak force range of movement

Contact time

Regime of muscular work

Energy system
 Exercise classification

Less variety, more intensity in late career/preparation

Competition exercise- performance of the sport or variations of
the sport in highly realistic, maximum intensity environments

Specialised developmental preparation- high dynamic

correspondence, max or near max intensity, direct transfer to
competition exercise

Specialised preparatory preparation- higher dynamic

correspondence, lower intensity, lays foundation for specialised
developmental preparation

General physical preparation- no direct transfer, lays foundation

for SPP development

Higher variety, lower intensity in early career/preparation

 Sample progression: sprinting

Competition exercise- normal and applied sprinting variations

Specialised developmental preparation- resisted and assisted

sprinting variations, intensive special strength drills

Specialised preparatory preparation- extensive sprinting drills,

tempo, extensive special strength drill, generalised gym based
power exercises

General physical preparation- general strength, hypertrophy

and muscular endurance programme
 Organisation of training

Objective Time

Build a base of athletic development, develop work capacity,

Phase
mitigate for injury risk using a high variety of lower intensity
1
training means

Phase Develop general maximal outputs with higher intensity, general

2 training means, introduce the body to specific training means

Phase Develop specific maximal outputs with highest intensity,

3 specific training means,

Phase Develop optimal strategies to realise training adaptation in sport

4 and position specific context, maximise readiness
 Phase 1 emphasis

Two to eight week mesocycle

General physical preparation- no direct transfer, lays foundation
for SPP development

Higher variety, lower intensity in early career/preparation

 Phase 2 emphasis

Two to six week mesocycle

Specialised preparatory preparation- higher dynamic
correspondence, lower intensity, lays foundation for specialised
developmental preparation

Higher variety, lower intensity in early career/preparation

 Phase 3 emphasis

Specialised developmental preparation- high dynamic

Two to four week mesocycle

correspondence, max or near max intensity, direct transfer to
competition exercise

Higher variety, lower intensity in early career/preparation

 Phase 4 emphasis

Competition exercise- performance of the sport or variations of the

sport in highly realistic, maximum intensity environments

One to three week mesocycle

Higher variety, lower intensity in early career/preparation
 Training ingredients

Linear/COD Sport Traditional

SST
speed practice power

Accessories,
ESD rehab & Strength
prehab

Combat &
grappling
 Organisation of training
Plyos,
Accessories, Energy
Linear COD jumps, Traditional
Strength rehab and system Combat
speed speed med ball power prehab development
throws
Address
Technical Technical Low intensity, Higher volume, Sub max Low intensity
emphasis in lower intensity individual Wrestle
Phase emphasis, emphasis, strength weaknesses and aerobic
development multiplanar approach, adaptation technique
development with injury risk factors
1 of work of work
deceleration in
wide variety of
development of
technique and moderate with and alactic and contact
capacity capacity developmental prep work preparation
patterns work capacity volume load volume load

Extensive Max power Max effort Moderate

execution, output in strength Support intensity General
Development Development
Phase of maximal of technique
general
general with development aerobic combat and
running, of maximal
2 outputs at full speed exercises, developmen adaptation contact
jumping and outputs
developmen tal volume and alactic skill
cutting
power
patterns tal volume load
Intensive Max power Submax Support High intensity Applied
Application of execution, output in retention of
Phase Application of strength aerobic
maximal high degree special combat and
technique in with other adaptation
3 outputs in of transfer to strength drills, contact
game context sporting developmental retention movement and alactic
game context skill
volume volume load qualities capacity
exercise

Phase As phase 3 with retention volume load only

4

Evolution of loading parameters to desired “peak”

 Designing your own

●
How long do you have? Work backwards
●
First time: divide evenly for simplicity
● Get more complicated if you need to
● What are your priorities within each phase?
● Set retention and developmental training loads
● Implement, monitor and adjust the programme
 Real world example: Pumas 2015
Week Phase Notes
Rosario- camp
Preceded by small break (assumed
French Barbarians (F) 2
adaptation from block 1 still present)
French Barbarians (F)
Sydney- camp Reintroduction of European based
1
Sydney- camp players

New Zealand (RC)

Moderate developmental load in bye
Australia (RC) 2
week
Bye
South Africa (RC)
3 We actually started to play well here!
South Africa (F)
Argentina- camp Last opportunity for heavy strength,
2
Argentina- camp power and sprint work before world cup

Leciester (F) Last opportunity for development of

3
Camp positional outputs before world cup

Pool 1 All emphasis on readiness, heavy

Pool 2 4 modification of programme where
required
Pool 3
Pool 4 3 Squad rotation, micro-block
Quarter final All emphasis on readiness, heavy
Semi final 4 modification of programme where
required
Final
 Sydney camp block 1
Day AM PM

Bodybuilding, low intensity

Monday Low intensity rugby aerobic conditioning, prehab and
rehab

Acceleration warm up (30 mins), Sub max power, sub max strength,
Tuesday
high intensity rugby + units dev. accessories (Squat focus)

Wednesday Off

Shuffle/crossover warm up (30 Sub max power, sub max strength,

Thursday
mins), high intensity rugby + units dev. accessories (Bench press focus)

Bodybuilding, low intensity

Friday Low intensity rugby aerobic conditioning, prehab and
rehab

Vmax warm up (30 mins), high Sub max power, sub max strength,
Saturday
intensity rugby + units dev. accessories (Deadlift focus)

Sunday Off
 Championship block 2
Day AM PM

Bodybuilding, low intensity

Monday Low intensity rugby aerobic conditioning, prehab and
rehab

Acceleration/vmax warm up (15-20 Max power, max strength,

Tuesday
mins), high intensity rugby + units accessories (Lower body focus)

Wednesday Off

Shuffle/crossover warm up (15-20 Max power, max strength,

Thursday
mins), high intensity rugby + units accessories (Upper body focus)

Friday Captain’s run

Saturday Game

Sunday Recovery
 Championship block 3
Day AM PM

Bodybuilding, low intensity

Monday Low intensity rugby aerobic conditioning, prehab and
rehab
Applied acceleration/vmax warm SST, sub-max strength,
Tuesday up (15-20 mins), high intensity accessories (Lower body focus)
rugby + units

Wednesday Off

Applied shuffle/crossover warm up SST, sub-max strength,

Thursday (15-20 mins), high intensity rugby accessories (Upper body focus)
+ units

Friday Captain’s run

Saturday Game

Sunday Recovery
 Rugby World Cup block 4
Day AM PM

Bodybuilding, low intensity

Monday Low intensity rugby aerobic conditioning, prehab and
rehab

Rugby specific warm up, high SST, timed strength, optional

Tuesday
intensity rugby and units accessories (Lower body focus)

Wednesday Off

Rugby specific warm up, high SST, timed strength, optional

Thursday
intensity rugby and units accessories (Upper body focus)

Friday Captain’s run

Saturday Game

Sunday Recovery
Questions?