Rugby 
Rugby specific training
The following Sports Coach pages provide information specific to the sport of Rugby:
- Assessment of rugby training needs
- Acceleration techniques and speed development
- Agility Training to meet the demands of field games
- Does pre-season strength training protect rugby players from non-contact injury?
- Fitness standards for rugby
- Hip flexors - the most underdeveloped muscle group in strength training
- How to plan a Rugby training program
- How to improve the function of the hamstring muscle group for speed
- Interval training for the game's player
- Medicine ball workouts that can do wonders for your running velocity and power
- Stamina - the unwelcome word in rugby training
- Strength and power training
- Strength or size - which is a significant component for rugby players?
- Serious back training for rugby players
- Squat or ScrumTruk: which is best for quadriceps training for athletes?
- The ups and downs of hill training
- The benefits of explosive strength training for rugby football
- The performance benefits of flexibility training
- Training to increase energy supplies
- Training Program - 40-yard Dash
- Train like an athlete
- Vertical jump secrets
- Wilf Paish's Rugby football tests
- Why do rugby players scrum and maul at such different body heights?
- Find a Coach
Rugby - a dangerous sport?
Rugby has, for many years, been perceived as a dangerous sport. The IRB, SARU (S.A. Rugby Union), New Zealand & Australia rugby unions are all seriously driven for safety in rugby. In South Africa, they are driven to get their coaches, officials and players to adapt to make the game safer and more enjoyable.
Developing a training programme
You will find the following pages helpful in developing your Rugby fitness training program.
Planning the training
- How to prepare your training program
- Example training program
- Performance Profiling - how to identify weaknesses in your skills
General strength development
- Circuit Training - develops strength and endurance
- Weight Training program using dumbbells
- Weight Training program using free weights and machines
- Weight Training program for sprinters - uses Olympic lifts
Developing elastic strength
- Plyometrics
- Plyometric Exercises - Arms
- Plyometric Exercises - Legs
- Plyometrics High-Intensity Exercises - Legs
- Complex Training - using weights and plyometrics exercises
General conditioning
- Developing your Core Stability - Abdominals and lower back
- Conditioning exercises for the legs
- Conditioning exercises for the lower legs
- Conditioning exercises for the upper body
Agility training
Some of these pages contain performance evaluation tests, but they also make good training sessions.
Speed development
Endurance training - cardiovascular development
- Developing your VO2 max
- Interval and continuous training
- Hill training
- Training with a heart rate monitor - Training Zones
Nutrition
- Nutrition - determining your daily requirements
- What to eat when training and competing
- Nutritional tips
- Sports Drinks
Psychology
- Sports psychology
- Relaxation techniques
- Overview of mental imagery
- Mental imagery - developing the skill