elitefts™ Sunday Edition

This article will deal with the training of rugby prop forwards and I feel there are some aspects of this training that maybe transfer well to the training of football players, specifically down linemen. Gone are the  days where a prop could be well satisfied with his game if he did his set piece job well, ie the scrum and line out. Today, he has to hold those aspects of his game performance but he has to be far more mobile around the field, not just cleaning out at rucks but getting off the ground quickly and re-loading into a position to potentially receive a pass or be an effective link to the backs. To this end, here is an example of a testing profile that would be well suited to the modern prop.

Testing Profile

Anthropometric

Body weight 115 – 120kg with sum of 7 skinfolds < 100mm in total

The ideal height of a prop is more problematic since there have been shorter very effective props as well as taller, from 180 – 185 cm.

Running Ability

10 meter speed <1.85 seconds (We no longer really do any further distance as it is inapplicable for the position and has a higher injury potential.)

YoYo Intermittent Recovery Test: >17.1 level

2.4km time trial: <10 minutes

Strength (estimated 1RM from training data of 2–6 reps)

Power Clean: 120+kg

Back Squat: 220+kg

Bench Press: 140+kg

Push Press: 120+kg

Deadlift: 220+kg

To achieve this impressive physical resume requires one of the highest work ethics in a team and a resilience and tenacity to pursue strength and power goals like no other member of a rugby squad.

 

Props Special Core/Neck Menu

Perform the following twice a week: 

1. Loose Head Prop Band Iso hold from bottom position in power rack 3 x 30 secs OR Tight Head Prop Standing Bar + Band Crunch from top position in power rack 3 x 30 secs (Both these movements are held at the engagement position of a prop against prop in a scrum, roughly equal to the bottom position of a good morning, where the back is parallel to the floor.)

2. Zercher Lift 3 x 5 OR Single-Leg Back Extension 3 x 10 each leg

3. Weighted Rollouts 3 x 5 OR Weighted Prone Hold 1 x max time goal is 3 minutes

4. Suitcase Deadlift 3 x 5 OR KB/DB Windmill  3 x 5

5. Russian Twist 3 x 5 OR Standing Full Body Twist with bar 3 x 5

6. Neck

  • Forward/Backward Neck Bridging 2 x 10 each side
  • Hammer/Nautilus 4-way Neck 2 x 10 each side
  • Rotary Neck 2 x 10 each side

Prop Off-Season Program: Option 1

 

MONDAY: Beastly Circuit + Lower Body        

Beastly Circuit (run version)

Clean Grip Snatch from Blocks

Front Squats

Bulgarian Squat

Special Core/Neck Menu

 

Tuesday: Upper Body Push/Pull      

Push Press s/s Weighted Chins

Steel Log Shoulder Press s/s Trap Bar Row

DB Bench Press s/s

One Arm DB Row

 

Wednesday: Speed Power 24 Combo + Acceleration Focus  

Band Box Squats 12 x 2 every 30 seconds

10 x 10m sprints with weight vest

Power Snatch from Floor 8 x 3 every 60 seconds

6 x 10m Harness + 15m sprint

Power Cleans from Blocks 6 x 4 every 60 seconds

4 x 20m sled sprints

Gorilla Grip Dead Lifts 4 x 6

20 x Prowler Tabata Intervals

 

Thursday: Upper Body Push/Pull      

Trap Bar Bench Press s/s Rope Chins

Close Incline Bench Press s/s

Yates Row

DB Press s/s

Klokov Raises s/s Lu Raises 3 x 10

 

Friday: Strongman Circuit + Lower Body

Strongman Circuit

Good Morning Combo

Romanian Dead Lift Split-stance 4 x 6

Reverse Hyper 2 x 12

Special Core/Neck Menu

 

Sets and reps will vary between players depending on goals. This is why I have left most blank.  I believe the 3-week strength progression will be ideal for most players when they attempt this training plan.

The run component of the Beast Circuit can be one of the following:

  1. Vo2 Grid, 50m run in ten seconds then a recovery jog of 25m in the same time in a continuous rectangle for three minutes.
  2. Malcolm Drill: Start lying on the ground, get up, and back pedal 10m, drop to the ground, get up, and run 20m forward, drop to the ground, get up and back pedal 10m to the start position and drop to the ground. This is continuous for three minutes around six reps.
  3. Sprint 22m rest five seconds, sprint 22m twice as a shuttle rest ten seconds, sprint 22m three times rest 30 seconds, repeat for three.

 

Off-Season Option 2

*Start each workout with a dynamic warm up and finish each workout with core and individual prehab/rehab exercises.

Off-Season Option 3

If time is short, but you still want to get in and get full value for your time, the 3-week strength progression will work well on all these movements  with 3 x 5 for the abdominal/core work.

Conclusion

I hope this has given you an insight in the physical preparation of prop forwards for the modern game. For those of you with an interest in football, I hope I may have given you a few ideas to ponder on when designing programs for your sport as well. Please by all means ask any questions to allow me to specify.