Martin's Rugby Coaching Forum

Hello Martin,

Do you have any experience with players diary's? I think it is a next step in the coaching of my team.

Cheers,
B.

Hello B.

I have some experiences I would like to share with you.

1. Keep the player central: he has to be obliged to update the form every day, especially morning pulse and weight scale are important. For younger players the parents should be responsible to make this happen. Players not filling the diary? No elite player behaviour, yellow card!


2. Once a week somebody (I have an assistant coach doing this) checks all diaries and scan for deviations:
- two successive days (or more) of a raised pulse indicate an overload,
- weight drop (1 kilo or more) for two successive days (or more) dito.

My assistant coach will then intervene, discuss with me or the teamphysiologists what, for example, trainings to skip.


3. Research?
This is an considerably examined area, the pulse and weight are good indicators.


4. pulse monitors
Beyond the morning pulse the recovery time from 150 beats/min to 120 beats/min is also an important indicator, but then you have to work with heart monitors for the whole team, a daunting task ......


5. Nutrition
My tip would be to include this in your diaries as well.


Hope this helps,
P.