Agility Training For Rugby Players

Rugby players need to be strong and fast, which means that to be a great rugby player, one must be agile. But many make the mistake of just taking agility training for rugby players lightly, or completely do without this important preparation.

Just because one takes very short running warm ups, does not mean he's actually doing agility training.

Without proper, effective agility training, an athlete has low acceleration. In rugby, it is not very smart to go without acceleration, as well as quick speed off the mark. Sure it's great if you were blessed with fast running genes, but in rugby, you need more than that.

• Are your up for it? Make sure that your body is ready for the strain you're going to put it through.

• Did you carefully warm up? Agility training may not wear you out completely, but it uses a lot of your muscles. As with all sport activities, systematic warm up, and cool down, is required.

• Rest consecutively when doing sprints. A session normally is made up of 5 sets, where there are 10 reps per set. Do not complete all of the reps or sets without taking a quick breather.

• Do you have the proper equipment? It is much better to use cones, as it helps you systematize the training, so make sure that you have a few with you.

Map out a course for players using cones. Try to make out different shapes or sizes of numbers. A player should be able to complete one part of the course before moving on to the next. To make sure that the rugby player makes the most out of this sprint training, it is best to carry around the ball. This ensures that he will feel comfortable with the movements, to apply it on an actual game.

A good inclined location of 30 degrees should do, like a small hill. Players should be able to run up the slant without losing control. This exercise will help greatly with an athlete's acceleration. Once a player gets used to resistance, acceleration will not be a problem.

If an inclined plane is hard to find, then resistance parachutes will do. This equipment is especially used by running professionals.

It is also important to perform downhill dashes. Rugby players should to be able to run down at their top speed. This will help in developing a player's coordination.

Take note that we mentioned a small 30 degree incline. It is not a good idea to run up a hill on top speed. Avoid exaggerating the distance. A maximum of 15 meters is advised, to avoid putting too much strain on the muscles.

Arm movements while running up or down, will indicate if a player is in control or not. The way the arms are bent is always a dead giveaway to a player's control, or lack thereof.

This might not be applicable for all players, due to the variations in the weather, but it is worth trying when nature permits it. This has the identical effect of inclined sprint exercise.

For this workout mark a gap of 100m the starting point. Start with an easy jog that will progress to a full speed dash till 60m is reached. Just sprint for the remaining 40m.