Rugby League

Its not about the exercises, its about the planning and preparation planning. Yes squats etc are important but the planning of the program will determine how successful it is. Luger and Pooks book is a good resource although lacks in any real planning of strength training.

Traditionally max strength phases are always followed by explosive strength. If you understand the theories of progressive overload and the target rep windows etc for different types of strength training, then you will make progress. Although I dont like a lot of Bompa's work, his periodisation books will give you a grasp of step loading and unloading which is necessary for progress. For example, increase intensity/load for 3 weeks and unload for a week to recover.

Are you still at Simms or have you left? I was there from 1999-2002 playing league for St Mary's.

Always good to hear from an oldboy. Did u play in that last oldboy game? were hoping to arrange another one for september but plans are pretty basic at the moment.

I've finished my first year and im going into my second year doing single honours sport science. They have just started a Stength and Conditioning degree for next year which I am a bit annoyed at as that is what I will be looking to specialise in. As it is a brand new degree I guess there will be some teething problems.

I have pretty basic knowledge in program design and tapering etc. Im trying to get myself prepared as well as I can pre season. I am currently using a lower body and upper body workout finsing off with a core session composing of:

Upper body

Bench press 5 x 5
Incline dumbell press 5 x 5
hammer strength bench press 2 x failure

supine maul up 3 x 6
lat pull downs 5 x 5
standing military press 3 x 8

tri-cep pulldowns with rope attachment 3 x 10
chin ups 3 x 5 (will do negatives to make 5)
dips 3 x 6
then work on power clean technique using bar only

Lower Body

Squat 5 x 5
deadlift 5 x 5

leg press 3 x 8
hamstring curls 5 x 5
leg extension 5 x 5

core workout

t - raises 2 x 10
superman 2 x 10
crunches 100 reps
russian twists 3 x 10

No I did not play in the last old boys game - I always seem to be away.

I saw the BSc S&C course being advertised at the recent UKSCA conference in Cardiff. I am sure there will be a lot of crossover with sports science. Do you know who is lecturing and leading the course?

With your training, dont split upper body and lower body as you will only train each part once a week. Plus accumulated fatigue of a single session on the area of the body will be massive.

Set out training so that you squat one day and deadlift another etc. You are also trying to put a huge amount into each session. I would keep a session to 6 exercises and superset them.

Always do your power exercises before strength - cleans need to be at the beginning of the sesssion. I wouldnt worry about isolation exercises yet - just getting strong will be good enough to start off with. Get rid of all your machine weight training and swap them for body weight or weighted alternatives - good mornings, SLDL, Glut/Ham raise etc.

Your sets and reps are static - you need to make progress by changing loads or volume. eg week 1 3 x 5, week 2 3 x 6, week 3 3 x 7, week 4 (recovery) 3 x 5-6. This means you are not stagnating adaptation.

A session should only last 60 min or so with warm up and core. Dont try to cram too much into a session as the focus is lost. You also need a goal with your training and a plan to direct it.

Verkhoshansky's understanding of organisation and planning of training is phenomenal. The link below is the first of his texts of program planning although he state that he did not agree to it being translated and that the translation does not fully credit the authors understanding. http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=222&pid=68

A new text is out from ultimateathleteconcepts.com which I do not know if they are still taking orders for. It should be released very soon. The link is http://www.ultimateathleteconcepts.com/store/newbook.html

Where Bompa fails in his methods of 'periodisation' is the rigidity of his planning and the consistant blocks of training no matter what the sport is. I listened to him speak a few weeks ago. His views/methods are exactly the same as they were 30 years ago. It was apparent that he does not credit other more relevant and up to dates of planning. Where as Verkhishansky (with the help of Mel Siff before passing away) is still abreast of training and works heavily in Italy applying and teaching this. Bompa's focus is on strength training as a seperate entity running along side a technical/sports specific program. This is near impossible to achieve real success if the preparation planning is viewed as strength training and sports training. Why Bompa's (and Mateyev too) did is create a model of training that suited western models of training where there is a strength coach and technical coach. A preparation plan must consist of all assets of training. Looking at the great athletes who had real success, they had one plan, delivered/organised by one guy.

Other areas where Bompa's methods is not necessarily correct is the periods of training sequence - anatomical adaptation, max strength, power, power endurance etc. What is apparent is the loss of focus from the goal in terms of strength training. This model will work on max strength for say 8-10 weeks followed by power for 4-6 weeks to reach a greater power output. This output has been predetermined to have an impact on performance. If you folllow this model, you lose sight of this output and try to make a huge leap towards this predetermined goal in a time frame that is potentially unrealistic. With other models, there is a continuous cycle of progression to reach that goal with max strength, explosive strength, speed strength all systematically developed so that power output gradually increases with each cycle of 3-4 weeks. This is so important when looking at the technical side of training. A long jumper may be limited by there speed-strength qualities. If this is only developed after an extensive block of strength training, you have missed say 10 weeks of training where using Verhoshansky's model would allow the athlete to adapt and utilise this necessary quality within technical training. This model will allow the athlete to continue making progress throughout the season and potentially life. How often have you seen athletes succeed continuously over a season or 2 then tail off and have to work so hard to try and make progress to find that there they are no better than before. I could list many athletes whos planning of program is based on Bompa's out dated model and are struggling to make progress. Where as looking at Yelena Isinbaeva who continues to make progress. A jumps coach using a similar model to continually make progress with the goal always in the front of the mind with every cycling working towards it allowing technical work to utilise this quality. Therefore the technical quality is better making progress of technical work greater than it would be following Bompa's model.

Also the athlete will not be so biologically fatiqued following this model when compared to a heavy strength block. Verhoshansky makes it clear that Bompa and MAteyev misunderstood the model of block training and the biological significance of block training/planning/organisation. When I listened to Verkhoshansky speak last year, he did not have too many kind words for these guys! Another area in which Bompa speaks heavily on is the metabolic demand and use of strength training to induce metabolic stimulus similar to the demands to the sport. To me this is crazy. Special strength training is specific to that sport/event and it can only be developed within sports demands. Trying to do 300 reps of pulling exercises in succession in a gym is not going to make a better rower - this is what Bompa was suggesting when I listened to him talking about strength endurance. Strength endurance is important in any sport to an extent and can only be trained within the limitations of that sport. I would not get a sprinter completing 20 squat reps to work on speed endurance. @0 form bounds would be special strength for a sprinter. Bompa almost dismissed the relevance of mechanical uses of strength training. Plus the research clearly shows working on explsive strength training for endurance based athletes improves economy and time to failure at a given intensity. What will 200 reps do - hypertrophy, which is not needed for endurance athletes or for most athletes who are dependant on time or distance.

Just my 2 cents!

talking from my practical experience.... I have always been a union player but after it all went professional we had more and more people training us from rugby league.

There was a definate shift towards more explosive power work in our training. But I think both codes train very much the same now. ie a greater focus on explosive power.

There are some very good explosive exercises listed on www.exrx.net however, what you do should vary on which position you play.

What Alex says about planning is crucial.