So in this fitness for rugby blog - it has been been a while since the last post - can’t be helped, families to see, kids to feed, people to train. I had alot of fun back home in the UK this past weekend.
Great seeing the brother who has warped his body using very much an alkaline approach gaining about 14lbs of muscle and dropping a great deal of body fat in about 8 weeks. he was ‘physically’ challenged to say the least and after a stressful passed few months decided to give it a lash following primarily an Alkaline Nutrition plan that I learnt from Phil Richards and tweeked with the works of Dr Robert Young.If you want to find out more real word applications then I suggest you check out Ross Blog’ site Energise for life. It works. here are the photos. and for all you meat heads out there (and I used to be one) protein requirements we worked out were met at about 0.6g per lb. F**k all if you ask me in this day and age of powders. The whole programme was built around good qaulity food choices and hard work in the gym and outside of the gym. I take my hat off to him. He worked bloody hard, phoning me every hour god gives asking questions. that is the way to do it.
Anyway I will let the pictures do the talking for you
After 4 weeks
After 8 weeks (looking like one of those Dodgy German Porn Slides with a faint tint of Yellow)
In the meantime - my training is heating up for the pre-season We have most of the lads tested. 0% fell inside my targets. Relative Strengh Ratios for Deadlift, Bench, Pull Ups, Press ups, inverted rows then we will be getting someone. Yo have to remember this - there is ZERO lifting culture at the club. Until now. However, that is the point. If we can fall into them as a squad and make 50% of the team into these guidelines then that will be awesome progress.
I went home and pick a good hill to crank out a hill session.
I am MR SLOW TWITCH meaning I can Forrest Gump it all day long but to counter this I need to work on my explosive work. Sprints fit the bill when there is no gym to hit.
10 minute warm up (jog to the hill) - few dynamic stretches and then 15 sprints with a walk back recovery of about 30-45 seconds. Each sprint was about 40m long. Jog back to a lovely brekkie prepared by my Mum (who was a legend turning our family home into the Hilton - she can cook….)
It was a good conditioning session NOT a speed session.
I have a meeting with the rugby fitness coaches this Thursday. I will have a special set of slides - if you are interested then drop me a comment in the box and I will be sure to help you out as much as I can.
In the meantime - shameless plug for my book. If you want to check it fine here is the link www.getfitforrugby.com. If not that’s fine too.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Your brother’s looking good for 8 wks John, but I BET he worked his A$% off & was V disciplined in his eating!
hi john im now 6 months post shoulder stabilisation surgery and have been hitting the gym relatively hard and become tunnel visioned by getting back to as you so put it a meat head lots of good solid foundation moves with some sculpting of the guns for the ladys
hi john im now 6 months post shoulder stabilisation surgery and have been hitting the gym relatively hard and become tunnel visioned by getting back to as you so put it a meat head lots of good solid foundation moves i have let my cv slip and the season is rapidly approaching i am 6ft 4 and weigh 106 kgs with 16% body fat i am what i consider strong for rugby how can i get fit for rugby im a natural 7 but do play all over the back row cheers mate.p.s. can you mention the relative strength ratios you refer to
great progress! hope he keeps it up.
hey john, i must say that is almost impossible to achieve within such a short period of time. your bro must realy be a determined lad and a very hard worker too
i hope the bro chips in with his experiences but yes, it is not impossible. but he had to work hard and really want it. Not just a flimsy ideal - but REALLY WANT IT. thanks for all your comments and best of luck with the shoulder, Ryan.
I must admit it has been hard but I have enjoyed it 100%, in fact i am loving it. I had an urge to get big and strong following on from some personal issues, but now it is simply a way of life and i wouldn’t consider changing it at all. I have never trained before and have relied very heavily on the bro’s coaching, realistically without him i am sure i wouldn’t be seeing the results i am now. I started off in week 1 with a 3 gym session all over body exercise, but after day 1 i was a write off for a week, OUCH!! My gym circuit changed monthly and now i am hitting the gym 4 times a week concentrating on 4 key exercises, the bench, the deadlift, the military press and my favourite the squat. Apart from the gym my diet has been very regimented and i have switched to an extremely alkali diet (with exception to saturdays, this is my day off.. i eat anything and everything i can see!!) If i’m honest I can’t get enough of it and am totally focussed on achieving my goal of gaining 2 stone by the end of the year of pure muscle, I will keep you updated!
Very impressive results. John, i am only 14 and am reading all of your emails regularly, but i am finding most of the fitness uses weights, which i am not allowed to use yet. Would it be possible for you to send me an email with some exercises and maybe even a fitness routine, as I am working hard towards the start of the season.
Thankyou,
Niall Brown
Niall - I dont send emails like that. It is way beyond the scope of thie blog. If you want - you can invest the measly 40 bucks and pick up a copy of my book where all of this is detailed for you.
Oi mr.John
its very good programs for endurance..and so simple
cheers