Rugby Coaching Blog | Professional Rugby Advice & Coaching


Blast your team before the game to blast away the opposition in the game by David Clarke

Canadian Team Warm Up

Canadian Team Warm Up

Players need to get to near the same intensity in the warm up as they would in the match, says top sports fitness expert Chris Jones. That means the same physical battering and exertion. His thoughts are backed up by Huw Bevan, formerly conditioning coach with the Ospreys and now a high level fitness consultant.

 

Activate the brain and muscles

 

This blast of hard work is short-lived, and does not use up too much of the energy needed for the game. The anaerobic energy is restored with a short break before the start of the game, supplemented with energy foods and drinks.

 

The workout engages the brain and muscles together so they are working in unison in readiness for the match.

 

In an series of articles in next month’s Rugby Coach Newsletter, I will explain how Chris Jones’ research, based in part on the Gold Medal winning success of our athletes in the Olympics, can be used for your team’s benefit. Also Huw Bevan will show you how to put this into practice with your own team.

 

It will give you key ways to:

-          manage your team’s warm up,

-          use food and drink to restore the right energy levels prior to the match,

-          understand what gets the players ready the quickest,

-          know what to avoid in the warm up.

 

I have tested these methods in the last month on my own teams, and I can testify that the first 15 minutes of the performance has been excellent, well above normal expectations.

 

For further information on Chris Jones and his high performance techniques, click here.



Rugby pre-season conditioning: keeping the form by David Clarke

 

There are too many “beach” fitness gurus around these days and not enough true sports’ fitness experts. By beach fitness I mean people who will tell you how to look great on the sand this summer but don’t know whether it will help you last 80 minutes on the rugby field.

 

The other week I had the pleasure of meeting someone who is at the cutting edge of fitness. Chris Jones trains Olympic triathletes and his services are in demand all around the world for high performance coaching.

 

(more…)



Rugby coaching and judo – five questions that need answering by David Clarke

Craig McKay, a Rugby Coach subscriber from Grimsby, UK, says that certain professionals in rugby are telling us that judo is a necessary part of development training for young players, even Premiership players. He wants to know why.

 

Something is bothering me.

 

My son trains with the local professional club’s development squad and so I get hear about some of the current thinking in rugby. And one of those ideas which keeps coming up is using judo training to enhance the ability of players in contact.

 

I want to know more. It sounds like a good thought, but I need some more convincing.

 

Here are my five must know questions… (more…)




Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.