Training
Optimization for Rugby Teams and Players
Plans for Long Term Success
To purchase the
book Periodization in Rugby...
Please click on the cover!
Periodization in Rugby
Home Periodization Authors The Book Resources Periodization Plans Links News Seminars
Periodization and its applications to Rugby
Periodization is, simply put, a way to cut general training into phases, each having their own development and purpose. Each of these phases interacts with the others like the links of a chain, making the final result an optimally prepared athlete or group of athletes, physically, technically, tactically and psychologically ready for the toughness of competition. The development of periodization for training in any sport is a pathway to success, and moreover leads to the great satisfaction of being as prepared as possible for the physical and mental challenges ahead. The athletic development through a periodized training system addresses the general and specific energy systems and bio-motor abilities for the sport, and enhances these in a step by step process from Preparatory to Competition and Regeneration/Transition phases, the fundamental elements of the sport such as: Endurance (aerobic and anaerobic), Speed, Strength, Power, Technical and Tactical Aspects and Psychological and Nutritional Aspects.
A great emphasis is placed today on the development of strength training for any sports activity, as well as the long term periodization of general core strength training, combined with programs specifically designed for each individual sport. Field evidence has shown that in most instances, the level of strength is a limiting factor for skill and technical/tactical further development.
It is therefore of the utmost importance, that a specifically targeted strength program, with a conversion of the gain in strength to power, power-endurance or muscular-endurance, been developed for ultimate enhancement of athletic performance in all sports.
Rugby is a complex sport, like all team sports, because many elements are involved in the training process. The ergogenesis (or production of work) in rugby is established as: 60% Aerobic, 30% Lactic and 10% Alactic. Limiting factors of this activity are: power, power-endurance, acceleration/deceleration under the extreme conditions of lactic and aerobic endurance.
Therefore the training objectives for rugby are:
-Development of all energy systems with emphasis to the aerobic endurance to last games and enhance recovery between bouts
-Development of starting power and power-endurance
-Development of agility with emphasis on fast feet
-Development of acceleration/deceleration and quick changes in direction (speed mostly non-linear)
With the above objectives in mind, the knowledge of the specific competition schedule of the team and the players physical development background, we can develop an annual training plan including all physical factors involved in training, together with the technical, tactical, psychological and nutritional aspects of the game.
Note: Speed, Power and Agility (quick footwork and changes of direction) are the result of the force the player applies to the ground. We can therefore say that these are the end result of maximum strength without which the player will not be able to apply more force on the ground. In one word: we can not develop powerful, quick, fast, and agile players without developing their strength first!
Periodization of training play an important part of the strength and power development in the preparatory phase of the training. The gain in these specific biomotor abilities will be specifically applied to the other physical, technical and tactical functions of the team.
All these elements will be taken into consideration to elaborate a thorough periodized plan to enhance players and team performances year after year. The concept is indeed applied on the long range to reach a team's ultimate success no matter what the level, from beginners to professionals.
We offer
players and teams the possibility to get their customized annual training
plan designed by Frederick
For more information, click here
All rugby action photos on this website (and the book) are courtesy of the Manawatu RFU New Zealand