elitefts™ Sunday Edition

Here is—I hope—an easy to follow template for training in the gym from game to game based on a seven-day turn around between games. This template is set up for a Saturday to Saturday timeline.

Although most players report high levels of muscle soreness on GD +2, I believe that it's an ideal time to do a heavier lower body workout to allow maximum recovery time before the next game. I've found that it assists in alleviating levels of post-game soreness as well.

GD +3 is usually the heaviest loading day of the week. In most programs that I've been associated with, this is often a double day of training with units, which means scrums for the forwards as well. Individual preference is allowed in the gym programming, as some players would prefer to flip flop the GD + 2 and GD +3 programs. This can be achieved with discussion so as not to compromise recovery and performance.

On the GD +3 or upper body day, athletes can do either two or three push/pull supersets depending on the individual and what he or she needs from the program. For most, it is two exercises from the push and pull options that we have available. The primary movement follows our step load formula with a second top end heavy set while the secondary movements are usually restricted to 4 X 6 to ensure adequate volume in the program to maintain appropriate levels of upper body mass. The third movement added is for those players who require extra stimulation of upper body hypertrophy in their individual programs.

GD -3 is usually a rugby free day, so we try and keep people away from the training facility unless it is to chat about specifics in their programming. It can also be used as a make-up day if an athlete missed a session during the previous few days.

GD -2 is short, sweet, and intense without fatigue. Some may just do one push and pull for upper body if they require that extra stimulation, but for most, it is a day to get ready for the final intense rugby training of the week. Although some players like to do this light power session on GD -1 and an upper body strength session on GD -2, we will monitor both recovery and performance to ensure that they're at optimal levels for the game.

We keep game day free of weight training just in case a player is called in late to the team due to illness or an injury during warm ups. However, I remember not doing this once. I gave a few players an intense power session and then one of our wingers went down in the warm up and a player who had done the session was called in at the last moment. He went on to play the game of the year, so psychology trumped physiology on that one. But it isn't an ideal preparation.

The programs below are the ones that I'll be running for our season. Once again, this is a template that I have run for a while now. Don't just blindly follow it with your teams, but experiment with elements of it and come up with what works best in your own environment.

In-Season Weight Training Programs

Upper body strength

Push/pull superset X 2

Push:

  • Incline (bar, dumbbell, close grip, cambered)
  • Shoulder (bar, dumbbell, cambered, trap, close grip)
  • Flat press (close grip, reverse, floor, bench, dumbbell)

Pull:

  • Row (bent-over, Pendlay, trap bar, dumbbell, kettlebell)
  • Chin (bar, towel, rope)
  • Traps (Reverse shrug, dumbbell, trap bar, upright row, Yates)

Week 1: 4 X 6 at 75%
Week 2: 6/5/4/4 at 75, 80, 85, 85+%
Week 3: 5/4/3/3 at 80, 85, 90, 90+%
Week 4: 4/3/2/2 at 85, 90, 95, 95+%

Lower body strength

Push/pull superset X 2

Push:

  • Squat (back squat, front squat, box variations)

Pull:

  • Olympic (power snatch, power clean, pulls)

Push:

  • Single leg (split squat, sprinter’s squat, step-ups, Bosch), 4 X 6

Pull:

  • Hamstring/lower back (deadlift, Romanian deadlift, good morning, hip thrusts), 4 X 6

Week 1: 4 X 6 at 75%
Week 2: 6/5/4/4 at 75, 80, 85, 85+%
Week 3: 5/4/3/3 at 80, 85, 90, 90+%
Week 4: 4/3/2/2 at 85, 90, 95, 95+%

Full body strength

Push/pull superset lower body X 1

Push/pull superset upper body X 1

Pull:

  • Olympic (power snatch, power clean, pulls)

Push:

  • Squat (back squat, front squat, box variations)

Push:

  • Single leg (split squat, sprinter’s squat, step-ups), 4 X 6

Pull:

  • Hamstring/lower back (deadlift, Romanian deadlift, good morning, hip thrusts), 4  X 6

Push:

  • Incline (bar, dumbbell, cambered)
  • Shoulder (bar, dumbbell, cambered, trap)
  • Flat press (close grip, reverse, floor, bench)

Pull

  • Row (bent0over, Pendlay, trap bar, Yates)
  • Chin (bar, towel, rope)
  • Traps (reverse shrug, dumbbell, trap bar, upright row, seated snatch, seated clean)

Week 1: 4 X 6 at 75%
Week 2: 6/5/4/4 at 75, 80, 85, 85+%
Week 3: 5/4/3/3 at 80, 85, 90, 90+%
Week 4: 4/3/2/2 at 85, 90, 95, 95+%

Light power

  • Snatch or clean or pulls, all from blocks or band box squats supersetted with push press or split jerk from rack, 6 X 3 at 50%

Heavy power

  • Warm up with superset of Bosch squat and Borzov hops, 2 X 10
  • Clean or snatch or pulls from floor or band box squats supersetted with knees to feet jumps or box jumps or depth Jumps
  • Push press or split jerk or band bench press supersetted with medicine ball side-to-side push-ups or clap push-ups

Week 1: 4 X 6 at 60% jumps/push-ups, 4 X 12
Week 2: 5 X 3 at 80% jumps/push-ups, 5 X 6
Week 3: 6 X 4 at 70% jumps/push-ups, 6 X 8
Week 4: 4 X 2 at 90% jumps/push-ups, 4 X 4

Beastly circuits, 6 sets X 6 reps and then 3 minutes hard cardio (bike, row, skip, treadmill incline run)

  • Option 1: Deadlift/power clean from hang/front squat/push press/bent-over row/Romanian deadlift
  • Option 2: Power clean from 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 deadlift
  • Option 4: Three-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/combination good morning/jump squat/power clean from hang