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:
- Vo2 Grid, 50m run in ten seconds then a recovery jog of 25m in the same time in a continuous rectangle for three minutes.
- 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.
- 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.
I was wondering if you could help me out with my training programme for the upcoming season & also for long term as I am trying to pursue a career on the professional rugby field with a career in the business field too.
I am 17 years of age and currently preparing for next year's National Under 18 Rugby Competition which will start around May or June next year in our country. I am an utility front rower.
I really need to trim my weight down as I am sitting about 130kg at 6ft tall, so I'm probably thinking to do more conditioning & fitness. Earlier this year in pre-season, we had a yoyo test & I managed to score 13.1, the highest in our squad had 17.1. I aim to be more explosive in running, and to have the engine of a loosie & run all day.
Gym-wise, I used to do Crossfit but now I am currently evading it because of injury problems. I have torn my right knee ligaments twice, the last one being an acl, which actually happened on the field. I could say that I have a strong upper body, but because of my knee injuries in the past, the strength of my lower body has fluctuated ever since. I am familiar with olympic lifts as I learnt them at our local Crossfit Gym. Compound exercises are my go to exercises. I put my core & lower body my priority in the gym. I used to hate them, but after awhile, I learnt that the hardest exercises are the best.
All I ask of you, Sir, is to help create or put together a yearly strength & conditioning plan for a modern youth front row, which includes an offseason, pre-season & in-season. I know it's a big ask, but only know the best of the best can do it. We don't have many rugby fitness expertise in the country.
My email is "lincoln_mhk@yahoo.com"
My aim is to play in New Zealand & wear The Black Jersey one day, even though I'm from a country elsewhere.
In the country we live in, success is only determined by the amount of effort we put into our work because we are not a first world country.
May you have a blessed and a wonderful Christmas & a prosperous 2018, Sir.
Kind regards,
Matt.
Hi Matt, I will be in contact regarding some ideas for you, I will try and assist as much as I can, maybe we can look at a month by month approach, but I will detail in an email, best wishes and thank you for reaching out, cheers, ashley
Did you ever do any videos for these movements ?
Kind Regards
Josh
https://youtu.be/jhL1O77zGIM
https://youtu.be/c_Pq2CAONtk
I am a 47 yo emale powerlifter around 5'7" 185 lbs getting into the sport in the fall. My best lifts are 205b/385dl/275sq. I'm presuming this will be my position, since I was a distance runner for years. Is there are tweaking I can do to the above numbers in preparation? Or do you suggest I appeal for a different position.
Session 3 (Strongman Circuit):
1
–
Trap Bar Overhead Walk/Tyre Flip/KB Windmill
2
–
Prowler Push/Hang Clean & Push Press with Powerbag/Sui
tcase
Deadlift
3
–
Sled Drag/Walking Lunge with Power Bag Overhead/Half Turkish
Get Up
4
–
Farmer’s Walk/Power Ropes/Plate Sit Up