SEVENS SUGGESTED SESSIONS

Lactate Tolerance Training

Lactate tolerance training will help you to recover more quickly from successive bursts of speed
and power. It will increase your tolerance to lactic acid and allow you maintain a high work rate
for longer. This type of training could also be called speed endurance, anaerobic endurance or
power endurance.
In competitive sports such as rugby, there is nothing more discouraging than trying to perform
the most basic of skills when your muscles are flooded with lactic acid. During multi-sprint
games players are frequently required to make explosive runs or sprints consecutively, without
rest. Receiving a pass or trying to make a pass or the right decision in this exhausted
state is often the last thing they want.

Speed Endurance Drills

No more than two speed endurance sessions are required in any one week. BUT, is reliant on
you keeping a good base. Because speed endurance training can be so demanding, keep
session duration to 20-30 minutes maximum. Rest intervals should consist of active recovery
exercises such as walking or jogging slowly. You don’t want to stand still while recovering.
The pool sessions I have included are quite demanding while you are doing them and leave you
feeling shattered however they don’t have any detrimental effects on your muscles ito DOMS
and so you can train without any problem the following day unlike a hard running speed
endurance session. The key in the pool sessions is to relax in the water, use goggles, fins
(flippers) and to have a bottle of fluid readily available which you sip on as and when required.
Please make sure you also rehydrate adequately in the hour following a pool session as you
sweat more than you think esp. if the pool is heated.
If at all possible get regular flushes by the masseurs which will help flush out the unwanted by-
products of these sessions. Use ice baths and or contrast baths too. Your recovery is really the
key come tournament days.
Naturally for all the running sessions you need to be adequately warmed up.
High Intensity Shuttle Run (Total distance = 1680m)
 Pace out 30 meters on grass or a running track. Place a cone at the start and at 5 meter
intervals (7 cones in total).
 Sprint from the starting cone to 5 meter cone and back. Turn and sprint to 10 meter cone
and back to start. Sprint to 15meter cone and back to start and so on until you sprint the full
30 meters and back. Record your time and try to maintain that for the rest of the reps!
 Rest for 90 seconds and repeat. Complete a total of 8 reps keeping rest periods to 90
seconds.
Pyramids (Total distance = 2400m)
 Pace out 50 meters placing a cone at the start and then at 10 meter intervals (6 cones in
total).
 Starting at the first cone sprint all out for 10 meters and walk the remaining 40 meters.
 Turn and sprint 20 meters and walk for 30 meters.
 Turn and sprint 30 meters and walk for 20 meters.
 Turn and sprint 40 meters and walk for 10 meters. Finally...
 Turn and sprint 50 meters and then turn and sprint 50 meters again back to the start.
 This is classed as one set. Rest for 90 seconds and repeat for a total of 6 sets. Rest for a full
3 minutes and repeat.
SEVENS SUGGESTED SESSIONS

Hollow sprint (Total Distance = depends how far you run therefore self calculation)
 Set 5 cones out in 30 meters intervals. Sprint 30 meters, jog 30 meters, sprint 30 meters
and jog 30 meters to the final cone.
 Turn around and repeat always alternating jogging and sprinting. Work for 2 minutes and
then rest for 2 minutes.
 This is one set. Try to complete a total of 6 sets.

Note: This is a very simple but very effective drill. After the very last shuttle of the very last set take your
pulse for 3 minutes while you walk around to recover. Make a note after minute 1, minute 2 and minute 3
to see how quickly it comes down. If you perform this drill just once per week, you'll notice after several
weeks how much quicker your pulse rate starts to fall.

Progressive Shuttles (Total distance = 2000m or 3000m)

An excellent variation on classic shuttles! Set out 5 cones 10 meters/yard apart. Look at the
diagram above. Starting on cone 1, jog to cone 4 then immediately sprint to cone 5. Turn and
jog to cone 3 and then sprint to cone 1. Turn and jog to cone 2 and sprint to cone 5. Finally,
turn immediately and sprint to cone 1. Rest for 60 seconds and repeat 5 times. This is one set.
Take 3mins in between each set. Complete 2/3 sets depending on how your legs feel.
High INTENSITY Running – Runways – need a timer or watch you can set the timer
on. WARM UP!!! (Total distance = needs to be measured individually)
Set 1:
Start on line standing, sprint to 5m, back to start, squat jump and sprint until 10secs is up.
Recovery is 25secs. Repeat 8 times. Rest before next set is 90secs.
Set2:
Start on line on stomach, sprint 20m, down and up facing the starting line, sprint back to 10m
line, down and up on the turn and sprint until 15secs is up. Rec. is 40s Rpt 6 times. Rest =
2mins
Set3:
Start on line on stomach, up and sprint to 5m, hit the line, back off to start, down for 3 press ups,
sprint to 20m line, down and up facing start, sprint back to 10m, down for 2 press ups up and
turn for final sprint until 24secs is up. 60sec rest. Repeat 5 times.
An adequate recovery is required after this session!
SEVENS SUGGESTED SESSIONS

Pool Sessions:
Requirements:
 25m pool (20m will suffice)
 Goggles
 Fins/Flippers
 Minimum of 500ml bottle of water or your normal drink.

Session 1:

Warm Up:
8 lengths easy with no rest at each turn consisting of;
 2 length swimming frontcrawl up, breathing every 6 strokes and backstroke or breastroke
back
 2 lengths arms only breathing every 4 strokes,
 2 lengths kicking – any kick
 2 lengths normal swim

Set 1: Kicking only – use a kick board if there is one and fins if there are any
In a 25m pool the first 5m and last 5m marked out at poolside – use anything you can find…
Kick easy for the first 5m, then as hard as you can (for 15m) until the last 5m marker, then easy
to the end, turn and repeat until you have finished the 10 lengths. If you have fins then do 14
lengths.
60secs rest – drink!
Set 2:
12 lengths
Sprint swim (Frontcrawl with fins if you have) But NO BREATHING FOR THE ENTIRE LENGTH, jog
back to the start or kick on your back if you have fins on, Repeat for 12 lengths
60secs rest – drink!
Set 3
12 lengths
Swim underwater as far as you can to the other side, as soon as you break the surface sprint to
the end of that length if you were unable to do the full length and turn and jog back to the start.
Repeat as soon as you get to the start for 12 lengths.

Cool down with 8 lengths of normal swimming / jogging lengths

Session 2:

Warm up:
8 lengths easy with no rest at each turn consisting of;
 2 length swimming frontcrawl up, breathing every 6 strokes and backstroke or breastroke
back
 Jog for two lengths with high knees
 2 lengths arms only breathing every 4 strokes
 Jog for two lengths with high knees

Set 1:
20 lengths:
Sprint kick a length, turn and swim back using arms only. Rest 10secs and repeat
60secs rest – DRINK!
Set 2:
10 lengths
Sprint swim (Frontcrawl with fins if you have) But NO BREATHING FOR THE ENTIRE LENGTH, jog
back to the start or kick on your back if you have fins on, Repeat for 10 lengths
60secs rest – drink!
Set 3
10lengths
Swim underwater for half a length, sprint run to far end, 5 secs rest and repeat
SEVENS SUGGESTED SESSIONS

Cool down with 8 lengths of normal swimming

Session 3:

10 lengths of alternating crawl and back stroke. With legs gentle kicking

10 lengths of sprints – frontcrawl take 20 secs recovery after each length

Set 1
1 length sprint crawl and 10 poolside squats – 20s recovery
1 length sprint no arms with a kickboard and 10 pushups 20 sec recovery
DO THIS SET FOR 10 LENGTHS

Two minutes recovery

Set 2:
1 length sprint front crawl – 10 pushups, straight into the water and underwater as far as you can
go – 30 sec recovery
REPEAT for 10 Lengths

COOL DOWN

6 lengths double arm backstroke

Session 4:

Only can be done if the pool is deep enough!

6 minutes:

30 sec treading water with hands out of water and 30s recovery, i.e hands in the water
Do continuously for 6 minutes

90 seconds recovery

3 minutes

20 sec treading water with hands out of water and 15s recovery, i.e hands in the water
Do continuously for 3 minutes

90 seconds recovery

6 minutes:

20 sec treading water with hands out of water, out the pool for 8 pushups and 30s recovery back
in the pool treading water normally then repeat the cycle
Do continuously for 6 minutes

BASED ON RECENT TRIP’S GPS DATA OF GAMES

AIMS:
SEVENS SUGGESTED SESSIONS

TO REPLICATE THE STOP START NATURE OF GAMES WHICH ARE MORE TIRING THAN
CONTINUOUS RUNNING SESSIONS AND NORMAL TRAINING WHERE WE MIGHT RUN A
LOT WITH MINIMAL STOPPAGES

THESE ARE SHORT AND SHARP CONDITIONING SETS (8-10MINS DURATION) AND I
WOULD RECOMMEND DOING 3 / 4 OF EACH WITH 90SECS RECOVERY.

TREADMILL RUNNING, this is not continuous running, step off after each run set and do what
the non-running column says. BEWARE when re-mounting the treadmill as the belt will be still
moving and you will be spat off the end.

START SETTING:
INCLINE OF 1.5%, SPEED OF 10KM/H
15secs on, 15secs off
20secs on, 20secs off
25 secs on, 25 secs off
30secs on, 30 secs off
Incline of 2.5% speed of 12.5KM/H
15secs on, 10secs off
20secs on, 10secs off
25 secs on, 10 secs off
30secs on, 10 secs off
Incline of 2.5% speed of 15.5KM/H
15secs on, 5secs off
20secs on, 5secs off
25 secs on, 5 secs off
30secs on, 5 secs off
Incline of 2.5% speed of 17,5KM/H
15secs on, 10secs off
20secs on, 10secs off
25 secs on, 10 secs off
30secs on, 10 secs off
Incline of 3.5% speed of 20.0KM/H
15secs on, 5secs off
20secs on, 5secs off
25 secs on, 5 secs off
30secs on, 5 secs off

REST of 2mins

INCLINE OF 1.5%, SPEED OF 10KM/H

15secs on, 5 press-ups
20secs on, 3 burpies
25 secs on, 5 press-ups
30secs on, 3 burpies
Incline of 2.5% speed of 13.5KM/H
15secs on, 5 squats
20secs on, 5 press-ups
25 secs on, 5 squats
30secs on, 5 press-ups
Incline of 2.5% speed of 15.5KM/H
SEVENS SUGGESTED SESSIONS

15secs on, 5 burpies

20secs on, 5 press-ups
25 secs on, 5 squats
30secs on, 5 press-ups
Incline of 2.5% speed of 16.5KM/H
15secs on, 10secs off
20secs on, 3 press-ups, 3 squats, 3 situps
25 secs on, 10 secs off
30secs on, 3 press-ups, 3 squats, 3 situps
Incline of 3.5% speed of 18.0KM/H
15secs on, 5 squats
20secs on, 5 press-ups
25 secs on, 5 squats
30secs on, 5 press-ups

REST 2mins

Incline of 3% and Speed of 20km/h

5 secs on, 5 secs off

10secs on 5 secs off
5 secs on 5 secs off
10 secs on 5 secs off
30 secs on 5 secs off
10 secs on 5 secs off
10 secs on 5 secs off
30 secs on 5 secs off
5 secs on 5 secs off
20 secs on 5 secs off
10 secs on 5 secs off
5 secs on 5 secs off
30 secs on 5 secs off

Finished – you can take 3mins recovery and then repeat…