I was at home this weekend and there are some fantastic hills nearby so I spent a couple of sessions using them. Sprints have to be done with maximum intent for 6-8 seconds.

Anymore and you start moving into the lactic training zone which is a curse if you are trying to develop power and strength. Don’t get me wrong lactic training has its place and it is necessary. After all rugby pitches are not meant to be comfortable places.

But this isn’t what we are after here. 10-15 sprints – walk back recovery – job done. how long are the sprints? Well…how long is the hill?

Just stick to the time range and let your intensity do the rest. We use sprints and short bursts of work alot here at Sphere Fitness. It is why we have the leanest membership base.

Sprints work for burning fat without putting too much stress on the body IF you adhere to the rest periods and don’t go looking for the burn.

Leave that prehab shit for time outside of the ‘training environment’ and do it in your own time.

To this end here is what I did yesterday for example:

Purpose of the session was strength and hypertrophy. You get out what you put in with this so be INTENSE.

It is why ALL of my players this season gained strength over the season not pussed it ‘maintaining it’ as I keep reading over the net.

1. Bench Press with Chains 10 x 1-3 – work up to a 1rm based largely on the west side methods. Today is max effort upper body.
Rest for 5 minutes
2a. Reverse Hypers 4 x 6
Rest 75s between exercises
2b. Eccentric only Pull ups 4 x 1 – 30-40s lowering

Done and pretty smoked by the end of the session.

How is your training going?

This year for me is the year of strength. My goals are set in stone and with brutal simplicity they are going to fall. Squat, Bench, Chin and Power Clean numbers will rise. That is all I am concerned about. I want to be lifting higher numbers by the end of the year.

Before Xmas I spent a day with Craig White, S and C to the British and Irish Lions, and I learnt a great deal about transitioning from weight training to ‘functional’ useful strength and fitness in rugby. It was a day spent learning from a true master with drills that will bridge the gap between lifting strength and pitch strength. Something that I felt was missing in my knowledge despite being subject to 20 years of pitch based conditioning throughout my career.

For instance, think of the strength required to bury your head in a ruck and force a turn-over. This is completely different to a squat strength. As he pointed out to some degree elite level players can have poor ‘gym’ strength yet dominate the contact area. Why is this?

A lot has to do with the player’s makeup and profile. Some players will be stronger in this area than others. The trick then is to identify it and incorporating it within the program.

I have been using it with a couple of rehab case studies to get them back to full playing intensity. So many of us rehab from an injury to a point that falls short of ACTUAL PLAYING INTENSITY. This is a big mistake. You need contact from the off even in acute level scenarios. Contact sports are called that for a reason.

Check out a short video of a 6 exercise circuit that I put together that works on contact conditioning for the two guys in question.

Seeing as this is the ‘year of strength’ at Get Fit for Rugby here are 5 ways to instantly improve your strength levels.

1) Cut your Training Programme Down to 4 exercises – Squats, Bench Press, Power Cleans, Chin Ups. Straight away you have removed half the fluff that makes up most amateur rugby player’s gym programs. Keep a training diary to record each and every improvement and dominate the bar!!!! Don’t train like a pussy!!

2) Increase the weight every time you train – novices should improve with every session. For this to happen extra weight has to go on the bar. Get some micro weight plates as I have found this to be useful to nudge up weight every week. 1 kg per week will mean a 100lb increase in your squat over the year. It works.

We have found that 50-100 reps per week per body part (upper body or lower body) works well to stimulate increases in strength and size. For example if you do 25 squats on Monday (5×5), try the same again on Friday (5×5). This works well for the novice lifter.

3) Rest out of the Session and During it too. Treat your gym work as practice. You are grooving and establishing movement patterns that take practice and many repetitions. Take 2-3 minutes rest between heavy sets. No rest in your warm up sets.

4) Eat big and shoot for 1g per lb of bodyweight in protein (use a Vegan based Protein along side meat, fish and poultry) for optimal health. Too much acid based protein wreaks havoc turning you into a spotty and pale looking angry sod. Take a rake of olive oil or coconut oil at meal time too.

5) Train 3 times per week, the morning of training if you have too. Toughen up and lash out 10 sets of QUALITY work on the same day of your training practice if you have too. Early morning gym sessions provided you are rested and fueled are great hormonally for you.

Let me know your thoughts on this

John

p.s. Make 2012 THE year http://www.getfitforrugby.com

- You need to make a read on all your players before they even start their warm up. You can see how much your players are up for it even as they set foot from their cars. I can see all the guys do this as I look out my office. Their body language is a huge giveaway. Watch your players. Ask them how they feel. See how they look.

- You need to have more than the grunt work up your sleeve when working with teams. Our rugby second row has a dodgy back. He is starting this week. What do you do? Wrap him in cotton wool. Yes. But you have to make him feel like he is ready for the game. Most, if not all players carry some form of injury it is how you manage them. So he set a PB in the floor press on Monday and then today it was on the treatment table for some A.R.T and N.M.T. on his back and hip flexors. His Neural Slump Test was brutal but within 15 minutes it was ‘normal’. He went from feeling like a patient to  ready to do some damage. I work hard at always learning and ‘up-skilling’. In times like these, boy it is worth it.

- You need to think outside the box with Rugby Players. I had the group of three in this week and had an awesome session mapped out for them. Power work with contrast jumps. Magic. What happened? I shouted them breakfast. As it happens all of them were up late studying and getting in assignments. Training on ZERO sleep would have served the same level of purpose.

- You need to communicate and draw on resources. I am surrounded by a really passionate coaching team. We can analyse where we need to take th players from where they are now to where they should be. You can’t do that if you work in a bubble. Surround yourself with experts.

- Simplicity Kills. My training programmes focus on 3-4 exercises. Any more and you confuse the sh*t out of players who attention span is of a toddler. How can you possibly see PBs in your lifts if your programme looks like an algebra textbook. Keep it simple. Your squat is going up or it isn’t.

- Winning is all that matters at this level. No-one cares how they did in the gym. It is what happens at 2.30 on a Saturday.

- My New Dumbbells Kick Ass. Yes – they are awesome and I can’t wait to unleash the 50kg DBs.

Tom, Fellow Sphere Trainer Gives them the Thumbs Up

- How much I love my Training Centre – I know how much I am grateful to work with an incredible team and a group of like-minded individuals who are willing to truly improve themselves. To this I don’t actually work. My work is my passion.

Folks Taking Part in the Body Challenge Event

What did you learn this week?

John

John Lark is Author of Get Fit for Rugby and Nutrition for Rugby – two great resources for the Amateur Rugby Player.

P.S. Check them out here =>

You know sometimes you have to step away and look at the bigger picture, give yourself a pat on the back and then reassess your progress from time to time.

This year alone I have gone through one major surgery, trained ass off for weeks on end (deliberately overtraining to see the effects), moved an entire business up the other end of town, had my young fella start school alongside juggling my role as a father and husband, manage a corporate fitness business that is working across 2 countries now and try to inspire a hundred or so athletes and joe public to reach their goals.

So do you think a week off training is going to do me any harm?

I don’t think so. In fact I would argue it is just what the Doctor ordered. Would I do this all the time? No. Sometimes it is an excuse for laziness. You almost have to earn a week like that.

Here are some other thoughts on the de-load or taking time back from your training schedule.

1) Plan them. If I know that there is a planned ‘de-load’ week coming up the intensity inevetiably increases. I have seen that with my rugby players. There is light at the end of the tunnel so to speak!

2) I like to follow a 3 weeks on, 1 week off mode with every training phase. Week 1 – Introduction and find your training weight Week 2 – Build it up Week 3 – Go nuts Week 4 – Deload

3) In the deload week I would drop the big bang exercise. Why? To give the nervous system a rest. The nervous system takes longer to recover than the muscles ever will, least that is what I have found and there is a body of research to support this; not only in a de-load week but also during a training session. if you have been following me for some time you will know that I like the big bang movements and very rarely will I prescribe more than 4 exercises in a session.

4) With the assistance work I would knock a set off these too. So if you are doing 4 sets of GH raises or 4 sets of chins, do 3 sets in your de-load week. Mentally it keeps the volume low but the intensity is still high.

5) If you are using track work as your conditioning methods then keep doing it but keep the volume the same but use a descending order. So if your last session in week 3 was 6 x 200 for a total of 800m in week 4 use a total of 800m but go 300,200,200,100m as your progression.

6) Find a cheap massage somewhere. I will leave that up to your imagination.

7) Use this time to eat more quality foods. Not pig out on crap but bunk up your nutrients. You won’t be so depleted this time with all the training stress so build up your nutrient reserves and watch your energy levels, sleep and body fat levels improve provided you don’t pig out on the carbs. This could be as simple as keeping your hydration levels up every day and eating a little more at each meal in the form of more veggies and good fats. Your testosterone will thank you as you do!

So there you go – a few ideas to get you going!

P.s. Don’t forget the critical importance of nutrition in rugby. Here are my thoughts and a concrete plan to take your game from zero to hero!

CLICK HERE ==>

When you drive your car would you leave it in 1^st gear on the motorway speeding along at 120 km/hr? Training is intense and geared towards stimulating a response with your body. Hormones (our chemical messengers) are kicked into gear in the right direction, fat is melted and rugby fitness levels improved.

The trouble is you can’t keep up this pace forever. If you do you will likely breakdown, suffer from a niggly illness and then not be able to train! The car packs in!

Can you see where this is going?

We would use exercise in the sense that it is a gentler form of training that can be done at any time, any place any where. This should ideally be performed between training sessions and act as a balance. It is like move your car up through the gears to save your engine! Walks, toss a ball around, skills sessions are ideal in this situation. Just move!

Tip No 2 – Know Your Programme

A training programme is split into ‘phases’ which normally last 4-5 weeks. Any longer than that and the body adapts and you begin to plateau. This is one of the biggest mistakes people make then they go to the gym. They don’t change anything! The same weights, same programme with the same exercises! Here is what a programme means:

Exercise – this is the exercise that we want you to peform

Order – This is the order of the exercise within the context of the programme. Where you see 1a and then 1b you will complete these as a circuit of exercises. For example, perform 1a  and then 1b and then back to 1a.

Sets – This is the number of times you will do this exercise within the circuit. In this case you will make 4 rounds of this.

Reps – This is the number of times you will perform the exercise. Let the number of repetitions prescribed determine the weight you pick. If it asks for 8 reps pick a weight that allows you to perform the exercise with good technical form. If you can do 15 it is too light. Likewise if you can do 5 it is too heavy.

Rest – This is crucial. This is the amount of time you will take after you finish the exercise. Some of us will want to rush this if we don’t have time. Don’t. You are defying your own physioslogy and the quality of your exercise session will deteriorate into nothing! Most of us rush through things. This is one exception!

Tempo – this is how fast you need to perform the exercise. In this case the first number denotes the lowering speed (4 seconds), the next number denotes the pause at the bottom of the exercise (0 seconds), the third number denotes the speed with which you lift the weight (X for Explosive) and the fourth number denotes the pause at the top of the movement (0 seconds).

Tip No 3 – Keep to the Rest Period

Do not rush your training session. If you are stuck for time drop the number of rounds you need to do. Instead of doing 4 sets of the exercise, do 3 for example. Remember the old adage – stimulate don’t annihilate. Having said this 45 minute is ideal for a training session. Any longer and your testosterone (male AND females) tends to drop off.

Tip No 4 – Train Hard, Rest Harder

Unfortunately we don’t grow or change during most of our training sessions. It is merely a stimulus for change in the period following our sessions.

We get firmer, fuller, thicker, leaner mainly in the period following our training sessions.

But this is dependent on one factor – rest.

No rest, no gains.

We must ensure that we are eating cleanly, sleeping 8-10 hours per night and taking time for ourselves. Most of us feel the need to get our money’s worth with gyms and make sure we are training at least 3-4 times a week.

Unfortunately being frugal doesn’t outwit mother  nature. If you are tired then modify your training sessions to walks, jogs, stretch and core, a sauna, low intensity conditioning and best of all nothing! You will then be fully recovered to the point whereby you can then give it 100% time and time again.

Tip No 5 – Exercise Between Training Sessions

To enhance your results, reduce your stress and get more from your training then you need to exercise between your sessions. 40 minutes of walking on most days of the week is recommended. If you struggle with this then divide this up into 20 minute walks twice per day. A walk in the morning, lunch or evening is ideal.

John Lark is author of Get Fit for Rugby – A No-Nonsense Guide for Total Rugby Fitness for the Amateur Rugby Player

http://www.getfitforrugby.com

2. Shorten your workouts to 45 minutes. Your hormones will thank you.

3. 80% of your training program should include the Big 5, Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press, Clean and Chin. Anything else is surplus to requirements at the amateur level.

4. The other 20% should be made up of mobility work

5. Recover just as hard as you train. Pick 2-3 ways of unwinding and train in them.

6. Understand that training is a stimulus. That is not to say that you shouldn’t train like a maniac. But not 7 days of the week 52 weeks of the year.

7. Shut down the rational side of your brain (Ross Dewar and just lift, eat and train/recover hard.

8. Functional movements are fine in small doses. Just don’t lose sight of the fact that you will be running as hard as you can head first into someone on Saturday. That requires more than just ‘multi-directional-core-adjusted-transverse-frontal-bosu reaches’.

9. Bring a hardness and honesty to every training session. If you have to take longer psyching yourself up for it – make that time.

10. Include Bear Crawls in your training – sets of 25m should do it. Weight them for progress, drag something.

11. In the same vein carry heavy shit around the gym. Pick up some weights that scare you and take them for extended walks.

12. Train to Gain – Charlie Francis.

13. Sleep is totally underestimated. take a nap in the day if you have to.8-10 hours per night is ideal.

14. Consume carbs after training and at breakfast on training days. Never eat gluten unless you want your joints to be permanently in pain.

15. Keep a training diary

16. Change your program every 4 weeks

17. Make small tweaks if you are intermediate level. Make no tweaks if you are beginner. Just stick to a program until you no longer make progress in this case.

18. Pre-workout is more important than post workout in some cases. Make sure you are fueled to train and then consume a post workout carbohydrate and protein based drink immediately afterwards or just eat!

19. Stretch.

20. Control your stress levels. STress is the fastest way to sap your testosterone.

21. Hydrate – your bodyweight in kg x 0.033 = litters to drink per day.

22. Get some stainless steel flasks and use them as a target for water intake – bring them to training unless you want your mate’s flu?

23. Take Vitamin D coming into the winter months.

24. Eat a whole foods diet 90% of the time. Has a label? then this is not a whole food. Doesn’t need a label then this is food

25. Try phosphates if you haven’t played in a while. one 40m sprint every 30 seconds x 10. A trick I learnt from my colleague Phil Richards.

The Functional Movement Screen for example has its place (and other functional based tests). But to do it at the exclusion of ‘work’ that has a direct correlation to how they will PERFORM come 2.30 on a Saturday is just wrong.

Like anything it is another tool, and a sensitive one at that. You can pick up (to the trained eye) some imbalances, weaknesses and then work on correcting them. I do elements of it myself in a 1-1 setting when I have a good bit of time to take them through it.

The problem comes with ‘how far do you then take it?

You could end up spending the whole training session working on your ankle dorsiflexors and ‘core stability’ at the expense of ‘balls to the wall training’ that actually develops and nurtures rugby players. Remember your training is not just about physical development.

I spoke with my friend Tom McLaughlin, the Connaught Strength Coach yesterday and we agreed that it is a tool and should be a) used outside of the training sessions and b) as part of a movement prep based workout prioritizing 1-2 things that you can glean off the 400 page essay on how fecked up you are. I mean come on! Show me a rugby player who doesn’t have dysfunction. I could pull up some rather evil looking overhead squat videos which would make you wince in agony.

One of them has just qualified for the Olympics.

The problem comes when you try and dictate that a player can’t do X because of Y. I agree, but find a regression. Can’t squat, try and split squat but make it heavy and all out balls to the wall. Can’t Bench Press try an incline bench press or a loaded press up. Can’t deadlift? Stick a few plates on a reverse hyper and move on. Work round it. You can find a way.

The last thing I would make a rugby player feel like is a patient. Imagine turning to your star player the week of a match and telling him to just work on his bridge score and avoid all intense work. He will be softer than a pensioners turd come the weekend. I have played and train heavy with a fractured C5 (unaware) and now a stenosis at this level, a ruptured pec, torn lateral collateral ligaments, broken and dislocated fingers to the extent that I had to ‘make’ a gripper to hold onto anything as I finished out the season with it. This is not to brag or display random bouts of hardness. Merely to show that you can work round things. Make an excuse to train, rather than not to train!

Monday was the usual high intensity but mainly all over strength based workout with the higher reps to allow for a little more recovery time. We focused on Incline DB Bench with Chins and then some Reverse Hypers or GH Raises working in the 6-8 rep range.

Tuesday all the lads were in and ready to rock and roll working up to a workout that included Back Squats up to 3 RM with some reverse hypers and reverse crunches for the assistance work. I threw in a treat at the end to get a bit of blow on. Any lads who could’t load her up were lifting heavy on a DB split Squat for sets of 5.

It is a period of rest until next week where I want to focus on one all out balls the wall session on Tuesday before the league game on Saturday. Roll on….

For more information on a rugby fitness program that works check out

http://www.getfitforrugby.com

or need help with your nutrition – this is the best guide to making nutrition work at the amateur level with practical tips and tricks you cam use TODAY to get results on the pitch TOMORROW

http://www.nutritionforrugby.com