For many years, I have attempted to program for my players by looking at their specific needs. Initially, I establish some general guidelines and then individualize each program to the needs of each player from an exercise selection and methodology perspective. In the past, I have favored a standard four-day-a-week upper and lower split but now feel that the full body three-day-a-week program is more suited to most players.
The three-day-a-week program allows more stimulation for each major area and ensures adequate time is devoted to the injury prevention aspects of each program as well.
I like to program from a metabolic, strength, or power (neural) focus. If you have read my book on Engineering Physical Performance, you will see that it has changed slightly over the years, but the concepts are still more or less the same.
For each of the program examples below, the movement preparation to train and the prehabilitation (CARE) programming to finish each workout is specific to the areas each player needs.
Metabolic
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
- Circuit/Complex
- Pull, Push & Squat Programming
- Specific Rehab Program (CARE)
Strength
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
- Pull, Push & Squat, Hinge Programming
- Specific Rehab Program (CARE)
Power
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
- Lower Body Contrast Programming/Major Movement + Plyometric
- Pull, Push Upper Body Programming
- Specific Rehab Program (CARE)
Pre-Season Rugby Program (Strength focus)
Warm-up & Movement Preparation (player specific)
- 5 minutes Mobility Drills
- 3 x 15 metres Banded Crab Walk
- 3 x 10 Face Pulls with External Rotation
Exercise Selection & Method
| Day/Movement | Squat | Hinge | Push | Pull | Loaded Carry |
| Tuesday | Safety Bar Squat B | Romanian Deadlift C | Incline Bench Press D | Hammer Iso Row A | Cross Lift Carry 4 x 25 metres |
| Thursday | Rearfoot Elevated Single Leg Squat C | Trap bar Deadlift A | Military Press B | Snatch grip High Pulls D | Farmer’s Walk 4 x 25 metres |
| Saturday | Box Squat A | Snatch grip Rack Pulls D | Swiss Bar Bench Press C | Trap Bar Row B | Yoke Walk 4 x 25 metres |
Methods (2-3 minutes between all sets) (2x3 week blocks)
A) Wave Load
- Wk1: 2 x (6,5,4) @ (75%, 80%, 85%)
- Wk2: 2 x (5,4,3) @ (80%, 85%, 90%)
- Wk3: 2 x (4,3,2) @ (85%, 90%, 95%)
B) Straight Sets
- Wk1: 5 x 5 @ 80-85%
- Wk2: 2 x 5, 3 x 3 @ 80%, 85%, 90%
- Wk3: 5,4,3,2,1 @ 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 100%+
C) Rule of 24 Undulating loading
- Wk1: 4 x 6 @ 75%
- Wk2: 6 x 4 @ 85%
- Wk3: 5 x 5 @ 80%
D) Cluster Sets (30 seconds break between each cluster)
- Wk1: 4 x 3/3
- Wk2: 4 x 2/2/2
- Wk3: 4 x 3/2/1
Prehabilitation Movements to Finish (CARE)
- Lateral Lunge 2x10 each side
- Copenhagen Plank 2x10 each side
- Y, T, I's on Incline Bench 1x15 each
- 4-Way Neck 2x10 reps each side
- Nordics 3x6 reps
- 3x20 seconds Single Leg Isometric Hold on a Roman Chair
Pre-Season Rugby Program (Metabolic focus)
Warm-up & Movement Preparation (player specific)
- Mobility Drills
- Single Leg Banded Hip Thrusts
- Walking Hurdles
Beastly Circuit
Option 1: Dead Lift/Power Clean from Hang/Front Squat/Push Press/ Bent Over Row / Romanian Dead Lift
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 Dead Lift
Option 4: 3 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/Combo Good Morning/Jump Squat/Power Clean from Hang
Choose one to do each day first and do a 750 metres row or a 500m ski erg or a 2km watt bike after each round x 6. Start light and build up each week; maintain your technique.
Strength Program
| Monday | Wednesday | Friday |
| Box Squat | Deadlift | Safety Bar Squat |
| Bench Press | Military Press | Javelin Press |
| Bent over Row | One Arm DB Snatch | Snatch grip High Pull |
Week 1: Work up to a 6RM on all exercises, then calculate your estimated 1RM for each exercise
= (load x reps x 0.0333) + load
For example: 6 reps @ 95kg =
(95 x 6 x 0.0333) + 95 =
19.981 + 95 = 114.981 so 115kg
Week 2: 6 x 6 @ 75% of this estimated 1RM
Week 3: 6 x 4 @ 85% of the 1RM
Week 4: 5 x 5 @ 80% of the 1RM
Week 5: 6 x 3 @ 90% of the 1RM
Week 6: 3 x 6 @ 60% deload week, then we re-assess your progress
Prehabilitation Movements to Finish (CARE)
- Reverse Lunge 2x10 each side
- Petersen Step-up 2x10 each side
- Cuban Press 1x15 each
- Iron Neck Program
- Single Leg RDL with other leg pushing into the wall 3x6
- Suitcase Deadlifts using a Farmer's Walk implement 2x10
Pre-Season Rugby Program (Power Focus)
Warm-up & Movement Preparation (Player specific)
- Mobility Drills
- Single Leg Banded Leg Drive Drill
- Borzov Hops
Lower Body Power + Strength
(Perform one sprint, then one weighted power movement, then one unweighted plyometric movement for 5 sets)
Speed
10m or 20m or 30m: 5 reps through the gates
Weighted Power Movements (Choose one)
5 sets x 3–6 reps @ 60% - 70%
- Cleans or Snatch or Pulls from floor/hang/blocks
- Hip Thrusts with bands or bar
- Jump Squats or Quarter Squats in rack
5 x 10 metres
- Prowler Push (High or Low handles)
- Weighted Sled Sprint/March
Unweighted Lower Body Plyometric Movements (Choose one)
3 sets x 6 reps
- Box Jumps/Hops
- Depth Jumps
- Repeat Long Jumps/Hops
- Repeat Hurdle Jumps/Hops
- Alternating Bench Blasts
- Knees to Feet
Lower Body Strength immediately after Power
Monday – Box Squat
A) Straight Sets
- Wk1: 5 x 5 @ 80-85%
- Wk2: 2 x 5, 3 x 3 @ 80%, 85%, 90%
- Wk3: 5,4,3,2,1 @ 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 100%+
Wednesday: Zercher Squat
B) Rule of 24 Undulating loading
- Wk1: 4 x 6 @ 75%
- Wk2: 6 x 4 @ 85%
- Wk3: 5 x 5 @ 80%
Friday: Deadlift
C) Cluster Sets (30 seconds break between each cluster)
- Wk1: 4 x 3/3
- Wk2: 4 x 2/2/2
- Wk3: 4 x 3/2/1
Finish with the Upper Body Program by choosing one from each category:
| Upper Body Push | Upper Body Pull |
| Bench Press | Pendlay Row |
| Incline Press | Seated Row |
| Military Press | Yates Row |
| Landmine Press | DB Single Arm Row |
| Javelin Press | Weighted Chins |
Select one of the below methods to use for 2 blocks of 3 weeks each:
| Methods/Weeks | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Strength Wave | 2 x (6/5/4) @ (75%/80%/85%) | 2 x (5/4/3) @ (80%/85%/90%) | 2 x (4/3/2) @ (85%/90%/95%) |
| Size Wave | 2 x (15/12/10) | 2 x (12/10/8) | 2 x (10/8/6) |
| Size Variation | 10/8/6/15-20 | 8 x 8 @ 70% | 4 x 6-12-25 |
| RM Loading | 50 reps @ 10RM | 30 reps @ 6RM | 60 reps @ 12RM |
| Clusters | 4 x 3/3 @ 85-90% | 4 x 2/2/2 @ 90-95% | 4 x 3/2/1 @ 90+% |
| Maximal Strength (1) | 6 x 6 @ 75%% | 6 x 3 @ 85% | 5 x 5 @ 80% |
| Maximal Strength (2) | 3RM ramp @ 60 – 90% | 5 x 2 @ 90% | 3 x 3 @ 90% |
| Contrasts | 1 rep @ 80%/6 reps @ 60%, 1 rep @ 85%/6 reps @ 65%, 1 rep @ 90%/6 reps @ 70% | 5 x 5 @ 80% + upper or lower body plyometric as contrast for 5 reps | 5/4/3/2/1 then 90% AMRAP, 80% AMRAP, 70% AMRAP |
Prehabilitation Movements to Finish (CARE)
- Arabesque 2 x 10 each side
- Bosch Power Step-up 2 x 6 each side
- Neck Wrestling drills program
- Waiter's Walk with KB 2 x 20 metres
- 3-Way Shoulder Raise 2 x 12
Another method of programming to consider is based on variations of the Prilepin Table, the writings of Louie Simmons, the use of Velocity Based Training, and Paul Comfort's work on "Surfing the Curve." I have been very fortunate to have been able to work with Simon Price, currently at the Samoa Rugby Union, and also Jonathan Danaher, most recently an intern at the Samoa Rugby Union. This weekly sequence is based on the flow chart that I have previously published here at elitefts and will give you an idea as to how to sequence each week based upon the goal of the training program.
Three Week Loading x 2
| Program | Type | Percentage | Reps/Set | Optimal # Reps | Rep Range | Speed |
| 1 | Explosive | 30-70 | 3-6 | 36 | 24-48 | 1-1.2 m/s |
| 2 | Speed | 75-85 | 2-4 | 18 | 10-24 | .75-1 m/s |
| 3 | Strength | 90+ | 1-2 | 7 | 4-10 | 0.4 m/s |
Need Strength: 3, 1, 3, 2, 3, 2
Need Power: 3, 1, 2, 2, 1, 2
Balanced: 3, 2, 1, 3, 1, 2
For the player needing specific improvements in power or strength, or a more balanced approach to their overall development, they'd sequence six weeks as per the above. Irrespective of the group you are in, the first week will be a maximal strength week to attain an estimated 1RM and base appropriate loads for the following weeks in sequence. Here's the setup if the emphasis is power:
Week 1: Strength – 4x2 ramp to 2RM, then estimate 1RM from the equation
Week 2: Explosive – 6x6 @ 60%
Week 3: Speed – 6x4 @ 75%%
Week 4: Speed – 6x3 @ 80%
Week 5: Explosive – 6x6 @ 70%
Week 6: Speed - 6x3 @ 85%
I hope you will benefit from the options I have included above. Please use the comment box below if you have questions and comments.
Header image credit: membio © 123rf.com
Ashley Jones has worked in three professional sports across 30 years and four continents. He was awarded the NSCA's Professional Coach of the Year in 2016. Ashley holds his CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) since 1988 and is an honorary lecturer in the School of Therapeutic Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, SA.
