Martin's Rugby Coaching Forum

I teach A Level Sport Studies and one of my students has decided to look at plyometrics and how it is used in Rugby and its effectiveness in training.

I would be glad of any information that you could give or some useful websites or articles that he could search for to help him with this.

Regards,
Martin

I have found a lot of useful info in a book "Jumping into Plyometrics". Check out that part of my site. Most important is technique:

1. Landing front foot, then heel
2. Immediately launch for the next jump
3. Pay attention not to use hard surfaces

The number of bounds/jumps can be slowly increased in each training session up to 50 jumps per session. I use the tackle backs and shields to jump over.

My advise is to do my plyometric sessions direct after the warming up, the players do not have tired legs. But most of all try to get the video...

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Coach Wilson

Hello Agmar,

PLyometrics suit rugby very good indeed and can be incorporated into club sessions for grassroots rugby too. THe pointers Coach Wilson gave you are correct.

Plyometrics are also part of the SAQ Program, the phases in that are:

Warming - up,
Focus on mechanics of movement,
Innervation, firing the nervous system and muscles efficiently,
Explosion, the place for plyometrics,
Expression of potential, the game play part of a session,
Cooling down,


Periodisation can dictate the time the individual parts take up. For example, later in the season you might want to drop the Mechanics part all together to have more time in the game play part.

Good luck,

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Martin, Rugbyhead