Martin's Rugby Coaching Forum

Part of the big 6 weeks Mid Season program is doing some weight training in the gym we have at the club.
Please comment: anybody experiences with this agegroup doing weighttraining? IS it safe? What are prerequisites?

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Martin, Rugbyhead

Gains in strength should be made during the close season.
It is important that before a player begins he has a high level of endurence.Any player without a high level of endurence should concentrate on this for at least a month developing both energy systems and muscular endurence before commencing a weights programme.
As your players are in mid season their endurence levels should be high but if they do not have regular weights sessions during the season the danger of a six week period in mid season is that they leave all thier energy in the gym.

Weight training should really be a focus of the pre-season plan. 17 year olds can cope with 2-3 sessions a week. We do upper body - lower body rotations 3 times for about two months. The players love it cause they get well-muscled and they cansee the progress they have made. However, your mid-season breakof 6 weeks is a bit different. I would suggest 3 weeks of hard weights, then 3 weeks of stamina related work.