Balancing Rugby and Tri

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2007-01-02 10:50 PM

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Subject: Balancing Rugby and Tri

Well, I'm playing rugby for my school this year. Winger will be my position.

Anybody out there currently balancing these two sports? If so, any tips on how to approch it? My buddy wants me to start lifting with him. I think it would be wise to build some injury resistance in the upper body and hoping I can squeeze out some bike power out of those legs. But I've never followed a lifting program before.

2007-01-02 11:57 PM
in reply to: #640176

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Subject: RE: Balancing Rugby and Tri
I don't have a clue about rugby, but if you're trying to balance the 2 sports I think your time would be better spent by swimming, running or biking some, rather than spending a lot of time lifting.  My 2 cents.  Good luck.
2007-01-03 3:51 AM
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Subject: RE: Balancing Rugby and Tri
I play a lot of soccer (kinda close to Rugby)...my biggest problem is the soreness the two days after a full match. It prevents me from doing long runs or rides on those days. It's pretty much sprint-stop-sprint-stop during a game...I use my leg muscles much differently than during endurance training. I do not lift (only core exercises)...but you will be using your upper body alot more in Rugby.
2007-01-03 4:54 AM
in reply to: #640176

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Subject: RE: Balancing Rugby and Tri
jknapman - 2007-01-03 4:50 AM

Well, I'm playing rugby for my school this year. Winger will be my position.

Anybody out there currently balancing these two sports? If so, any tips on how to approch it? My buddy wants me to start lifting with him. I think it would be wise to build some injury resistance in the upper body and hoping I can squeeze out some bike power out of those legs. But I've never followed a lifting program before.



Which Rugby code are you playing?

The one true code is Rugby Union.

Rugby League is... well let's just say it's not my favourite.

I shall proceed as though we're talking Rugy Union.

I can't advise about balancing with Tri as I've never really done Tri training before, however I have played rugby for 31 years.

There are no easy positions in a rugby team although some will lead you to believe the backs have it easier than the forwards, they don't it's just a different job.

I have played Wing Forward/No. 8 my entire life and I love it.

Winger is often looked upon as the fast light man's job, it's sometimes forgotten that Winger has a defensive role too, quite often he is the last/2nd last man trying to prevent a Try, you will need speed, stamina and strength.

Upper body strength is vital if you want to play effectively, hands and forearms will need work unless you're a farmer or sheet metal worker.

Shoulders require slabs of muscle for those bone crunching impacts.
Josh Lewsey's Hit Australia 2003

We never used to wear any kind of armour at all, however you can now wear impact foam shoulder pads which I heartily recommend to protect your collar bones.

This is a reasonable fitness resource Scrum.com fitness

For me rugby is the best sport in the world, I have played or tried most things, nothing has ever matched it for me.

If you want to be competitive then you simply have to be an all-round athlete, fit, strong, fast and tough.

2007-01-03 4:57 AM
in reply to: #640222

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Subject: RE: Balancing Rugby and Tri
chris hughes - 2007-01-03 9:51 AM

I play a lot of soccer (kinda close to Rugby)...my biggest problem is the soreness the two days after a full match. It prevents me from doing long runs or rides on those days. It's pretty much sprint-stop-sprint-stop during a game...I use my leg muscles much differently than during endurance training. I do not lift (only core exercises)...but you will be using your upper body alot more in Rugby.


I agree completely, what I used to do the day after a match (when I was able) is a light warmup and then spend an hour in the pool, gently swimming lengths, it eases the 2nd day aches and pains a lot.

Edited by glennbb 2007-01-03 4:57 AM
2007-01-03 7:58 AM
in reply to: #640176

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Subject: RE: Balancing Rugby and Tri

This might be one of the only questions ever asked on this board that I'm fully qualified to answer.  I've been dabbling in both for several years and have tried to seek out a happy medium between the two. 

As a winger, the mix should be much easier than a lot of the positions that require size and brute strength (read: forwards).  Upper body strength is certainly important, and I agree that you want to get some lifting done. 

As has the other soccer/rugby players have mentioned, rugby and tri's have nearly polar opposite demands on the body.  What it comes down to is what is your 'A' sport at what time.  In the spring, Tri's get the priority from me.  If I have a big long run or a big lift to do, the long run get's done and the lift get's scaled back.  The opposite is true in the late summer/fall when rugby becomes my 'A' sport.  The long runs fade away and the big lifts and sprint workouts come to the forefront.  It basically boils down to which is the bigger priority at what time.

bts

2007-01-03 9:16 AM
in reply to: #640176

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Subject: RE: Balancing Rugby and Tri
I too tried to balance the two sports, last year I gave up rugby. I couldn't find the time to dedicate to tris with 2 practices and 1 match a week, not counting the recovery time I needed to heal after a match, and the older I get the longer that recovery is. I played inside center and love the sport, I think you can participate in both but if you want to excel in either you will probably have to choose one to focus on. If I were young I would play rugby in season and do some sprints in the off season. I figure you only have so many good years in rugby, just look around at a big tournament, there are few people above the age of 40. Look around at a tri and I see many people over the age of 50 going strong and kicking butt. Just figure out which sport is more important to you.
2007-01-03 1:37 PM
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Subject: RE: Balancing Rugby and Tri
It's a shame we can't combine the 2 sports and make up our own.
2007-01-03 3:45 PM
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Subject: RE: Balancing Rugby and Tri

nighthawk - 2007-01-03 12:37 PM It's a shame we can't combine the 2 sports and make up our own.

I would love that.  Full contact all the way through... the drowning rate during the swim would skyrocket and the casualties during the bike might get unacceptably high, though.

bts

2007-01-03 10:49 PM
in reply to: #640176

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Subject: RE: Balancing Rugby and Tri
jknapman - 2007-01-02 10:50 PM

Well, I'm playing rugby for my school this year. Winger will be my position.

Anybody out there currently balancing these two sports? If so, any tips on how to approch it? My buddy wants me to start lifting with him. I think it would be wise to build some injury resistance in the upper body and hoping I can squeeze out some bike power out of those legs. But I've never followed a lifting program before.

 If you play on a team anything like my old team then the winger never got the ball. Just hang out on the pitch, pretend your doing something and have a fun at drink-up...just like all the other wingers in there dirt free uniforms.

Wingers don't need much in the way of strength as it is all about speed out there among the backs. but I see no problem lifting with your buddy focusing on agility and leg power for rugby. I also assume that you'll be getting plenty of interaval training during pratice so I'd focus on base training on your off days. 



Edited by Jackemy 2007-01-03 10:50 PM
2007-01-04 7:00 AM
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Subject: RE: Balancing Rugby and Tri
i know nothing about iron man and i am new to this board,but...............
i am a competive powerlifter,and i have played rugby for years.

trust me when i say all you need to do in the weight room is this.
1 the power clean.{so important this one as it builds your fore arms, lats, and builds explosive strength}
2 the squat.{can and will produce a natural anabolic affect on your body,1 of only 2 known exercises proven to increase bone mass,so in short will make everything bigger.
3 the bench.{a compound move. building massive tricep ,front delt and pecs.MAKE SURE YOU PAUSE THE BAR FOR A SECOND ON YOUR CHEST.trust me,this will make you stronger.

in conclusion.
aim for 2 short but heavy workouts a week.{50 minutes each.}
do 5 x10 powercleans then,
do 5x10 squats.
which will expand your rib cage warming you up for the bench.
do 5 x 10 of this.


thats it. thats all you need for the rugby .espeially if you swim,run ,bike aswell.


i am attemting my first iron man this year,and that also will be my workout.
hope this helped you out.

"irish by birthright, MUNSTER by the grace of god"
god bless our team...




Edited by thebullmccabe 2007-01-04 7:02 AM

2007-01-04 8:50 AM
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Subject: RE: Balancing Rugby and Tri

thebullmccabe - 2007-01-04 7:00 AM i know nothing about iron man and i am new to this board,but............... i am a competive powerlifter,and i have played rugby for years. trust me when i say all you need to do in the weight room is this. 1 the power clean.{so important this one as it builds your fore arms, lats, and builds explosive strength} 2 the squat.{can and will produce a natural anabolic affect on your body,1 of only 2 known exercises proven to increase bone mass,so in short will make everything bigger. 3 the bench.{a compound move. building massive tricep ,front delt and pecs.MAKE SURE YOU PAUSE THE BAR FOR A SECOND ON YOUR CHEST.trust me,this will make you stronger. in conclusion. aim for 2 short but heavy workouts a week.{50 minutes each.} do 5 x10 powercleans then, do 5x10 squats. which will expand your rib cage warming you up for the bench. do 5 x 10 of this. thats it. thats all you need for the rugby .espeially if you swim,run ,bike aswell. i am attemting my first iron man this year,and that also will be my workout. hope this helped you out. "irish by birthright, MUNSTER by the grace of god" god bless our team...

Jordan, please, he doesn't know you are still in HS- it may be good avice for a fully grown man, but as you still have some good natural and automatic growth left in you, and since you want to be swimming, running, biking and  forEVER, your lifting should be for injury prevetntion. That's my vote anyway!

2007-01-04 2:55 PM
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Subject: RE: Balancing Rugby and Tri
you are quite correct. i assumed he was in collage, and at least 20.
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