This article is in response to a request made from a reader in Romania who wanted some ideas for a four- to six-week training block. This was originally written for a player who had a hard time battling off-season fat gains. He needed some direction as to what to do, how much to do, and when to do it in order to present himself at pre-season camp as the best conditioned version of himself as possible. To that extent, I hope that this article helps any club rugby player get into great physical condition in order to play the game he wants to play.

Full Body Weights

Make sure to choose a different exercise for each workout

1) 1 x Squat or Single Leg

2) 1 x Hamstring or Lower Back

3) 1 x Upper Body Push

4) 1 x Upper Body Pull

Week 1: 4 x 6

Week 2: 5 x 5

Lower Body

1) 1 x Olympic

2) 1 x Squat

3) 1 x Single Leg

4) 1 x Hamstring or Lower Back

Week 1: 4 x 6

Week 2: 5 x 5

Week 3: 6 x 4

Upper Body

Make sure to change exercise combinations every three weeks

1) 1 x Barbell or Two Hands on Bar (e.g. chins); Push & Pull Supersets

Week 1 & 4: 4 x 6

Week 2/5: 5 x 5

Week 3/6: 6 x 4

2) 1 x DB , Hammer equipment, or Kettle Bells; Push & Pull Supersets

Week 1 & 4: 2 x 12

Week 2 & 5: 3 x 8

Week 3 & 6: 4 x 6

3) 1 x Body Weight Push & Pull Supersets

Week 1 & 4: 3 x maximum reps

Week 2 & 5: 4 x maximum reps

Week 3 & 6: 5 x maximum

Full Body Power

Choose two (2) exercises from each category:

Week 1: 3 sets x 5 reps @ 60% — Contrasts 3 sets x 10 reps

Week 2: 4 sets x 4 reps @ 70% — Contrasts 4 sets x 8 reps

(1a) Power Snatch or Power Clean or Clean Pulls or One Arm DB Snatch

 (1b) Repeat Hurdle Jumps or Knees to Feet Jumps or Box Jump Ups or Band Jump Outs

 (2a) Quarter Explosive Squat or Band Box Squat or Jump Squat

 (2b) Repeat Hurdle Jumps or Knees to feet Jumps or Box Jump ups or Band Jump Outs

(3a) Push Press or Band Bench or Split Jerk or One Arm Barbell Throws or Push Press

 (3b) Clap Push Ups or Plyo Rebounds or MB Cross-Over Push Ups

Beastly Circuits

Complete 6 sets x 6 reps. Do not put the bar down until you finish all 36 reps!

Option 1: Power Clean from Floor/Front Squat/Push Press/Power Clean from Hang/Bent Over Row/Romanian Dead Lift/Skip or Row—Perform for three minutes

Option 2: Power Snatch from Floor/Overhead Squat/Push Jerk Behind Head/Combo Good Morning/Jump Squat/Power Clean from Hang/Skip or Row—Perform for three minutes

Option 3: Deadlift/Romanian deadlift/Bent Over Row/Power Clean/Front Squat/Push Press/Back Squat/Good Morning/Skip or Row—Perform for three minutes

Option 4: Snatch Grip Deadlift/Snatch Pull/Upright Row/Power Snatch/Reverse Lunge/Push Jerk/Jump Squat/Skip or Row—Perform for three minutes

Conditioning Sessions

1. Fartlek or Continuous Running

  1. Start with around 20 minutes of continuous running. Try and do this in a park or on a track, and try to stay off the road. You can do the Fartlek run at a jog pace.
  2. Then, every one and a half to three minutes, introduce a much harder run for 30, 60, or 90 seconds.
  3. Build up gradually by adding about five minutes of running each week for a maximum of 40 minutes.

2. Repeated Speed Flat Options

  1. Begin with a five-minute warm up run at a  steady pace
  2. Run for 20 x 40 seconds with a 20-second rest. Try and run between 175m to 220m each rep
  3. 10 x 400m—Sprint the bends and jog the straights, no stopping
  4. 20 x 30 seconds with a 30-second rest. Try and run between 150m to 180m each rep
  5. 20 x 20 seconds with a 40-second rest. Try and run between 110m to 140m each rep
  6. 12 x 100/200—Drill 100m in 20 seconds with a 40-second rest. Then, drill 200m in 40 seconds with a 20 second rest
  7. 30 x 100 in less than 17 seconds, going every 45 seconds
  8. End with a five-minute run at a steady pace

Hill Repeats Options

  1. Begin with a five-minute warm up run at a steady pace
  2. 5 x 1 minute; 10 x 30 seconds; 5 x 1 minute; 10 x 30 seconds—Include walk backs between each
  3. Complete 60 seconds/45 seconds/30 seconds/15 seconds of walk backs between each one x 10 repeats of the ladder
  4. End with a five-minute run at a steady pace

Cross Training or Swim Sessions

Swim Sessions

  1. Option 1: 20 x 25 meters walk back recovery.
    • Do the first 10 with normal breathing
    • Do the next five and breathe every six strokes
    • For the last five, breathe every eight strokes (500 meters)
  2. Option  2: 15 x 50 meters
    • For the first 25, breathe every eight strokes
    • Come back breathing every two or four strokes
    • Complete this with a 1:1 work-to-rest ratio (750 meters)
  3. Option 3: 10 x 75 meters
    • For the first 25 meters, breathe every 10 to 12 strokes
    • For the next 25 meters breathe every six to eight strokes
    • For the last last 25 meters, breathe every four strokes
    • Complete this with a 1:3/4 work-to-rest ratio
  4. Option  4: 10 x 100 meters
    • For the first 25 meters, breathe every eight to 10 strokes
    • For the next 25 meters, breathe every six to eight strokes
    • For the next 25 meters, breathe every four to six strokes
    • Finally, for the last 25 meters, breathe every two to four strokes
    • Complete this with a 1:1/2 work-to-rest ratio

Cross Training Sessions

These can be applied to whatever equipment you have available to you at the gym.

  1. Option 1: Work 30 seconds/Rest 30 seconds; Work 60 seconds/Rest 30 seconds; Work 90 seconds/Rest 30 seconds—Repeat x 10
  2. Option  2: Ladder for one min=2/3/4/5/5/4/3/2/1 with a 30-second rest in between each effort

Rowing Sessions

  1. Option 1
    • Start with a five-minute warm up at a 2:00 pace
    • Then, perform 45 seconds of work followed by a 15-second rest at a <1:45 pace x 20
    • Row for five minutes at a 2:00 pace
  2. Option  2
    • Start with a five-minute warm up at a 2:00 pace
    • Then, do 5 x 15 seconds of work followed by a 45-second rest at a < 1:30 pace
    • Do 5 x 30 seconds of work followed by a 30-second rest at a < 1:35 pace
    • Do 5 x 45 seconds of work followed by a 15-second rest at a < 1:40 pace
    • Finally, do 5 x 60 seconds of work followed by a 30-second rest at a < 1:45 pace
    • End with rowing for five minutes @ 2:00 pace
  3. Option  3
    • Begin with a five-minute warm up at a 2:00 pace
    • Then, do 5 x 30/15 at a <1:35 pace
    • Do 5 x 60/30 at a <1:45 pace
    • Do 5 x 30/15 at a < 1:35 pace
    • Do 5 x 60/30 at a < 1:45 pace
    • End with rowing for five minutes @ 2:00 pace
  4. Option  4
    1. Begin with a five-minute warm up at a 2:00 pace
    2. Then, do 5 x 15/15 at a <1:25 pace
    3. Do 5 x 30/15 at a <1:30 pace
    4. Do 5 x 45/15 at a 1:40 pace
    5. Do 5 x 60/30 at a <1:45 pace
    6. End with rowing for five minutes @ 2:00 pace