I asked ChatGPT to design a scrum training

This is what it came up with:

Scrum training according to ChatGPT

Setting up a training session for Scrum in rugby union involves focusing on key aspects of scrummaging technique, individual skills, and team cohesion. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you organize a productive training session for scrummaging in rugby union:

1. Define Objectives: Determine the specific goals and objectives of the training session. These may include improving technique, enhancing strength and stability, developing communication, and building teamwork within the scrum.
2. Communication: Emphasize the importance of effective communication within the scrum. Teach players the necessary calls and signals to coordinate their movements during the scrum engagement.
3. Warm-Up: Begin the session with a comprehensive warm-up routine that includes general mobility exercises, dynamic stretches, and low-intensity activities to prepare the players’ bodies for the demands of scrummaging.
4. Technique Drills: Allocate a significant portion of the session to individual scrummaging technique drills. Focus on body positioning, engagement, footwork, binding, and applying pressure. Use appropriate equipment such as scrum machines, tackle bags, or cones to simulate scrummaging scenarios.
5. Live Scrum Practice: Progress to live scrum practice, where players engage in full-contact scrums. Start with controlled scrums with limited numbers and gradually increase the complexity and intensity. Provide feedback and corrections to players’ technique during these practice sessions.
6. Scrum Variations: Introduce variations to scrum practice, such as uncontested scrums, uneven numbers, or specific game scenarios. This helps players develop adaptability and decision-making skills within the scrum.
7. Fitness and Strength Training: Include exercises to improve the players’ overall fitness, strength, and conditioning. Focus on exercises that target the muscles and movements used in scrummaging, such as squats, lunges, core exercises, and upper body strength training.
8. Teamwork and Communication Activities: Engage the players in activities that enhance teamwork, cohesion, and communication within the scrum unit. Encourage players to analyze scrum performances together, discuss tactics, and provide constructive feedback.
9. Match Simulations: Conclude the session with match simulations that involve scrums. Implement scrummaging scenarios that mimic real-game situations, such as lineout to scrum sequences or scrums near the goal line. This allows players to practice their skills under game-like conditions.
10. Cool-Down: Finish the session with a thorough cool-down routine, including static stretches and light cardiovascular exercise, to aid recovery and reduce the risk of injury.

Remember, safety should always be a priority during scrummaging sessions. Ensure that all players are using proper technique, and monitor the scrums closely to prevent injuries. Encourage open communication and foster a positive learning environment throughout the training session.

How good is this?

I think pretty good! It touches all the correct aspects of scrummaging. Based on this you can now detail your scrum sessions. You do not have to do all steps in one sessions even. You could do for example:

• 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 10
• 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 7 – 10
• or more tactical with 1 – 2 – 3 – 6 – 8 – 9 – 10

You decide what is best fit!

How come this is so good?

Perhaps you are a bit surprised about all this? In brief, what this AI tool is doing is scanning the internet and finding websites that describe training sessions for rugby scrums. It than builds all these pages into one summary that is presented right here.

You want to do this too? Just create an account and start typing your questions.

How to detail your scrum session?

The final step is now to find and detail the correct exercises. This is what I would do for example:

3. Warming-up: I use the Scrum Ready program for suitable exercises. Great resource that also gives you different level of exercises depending on age;

4. Technical stuff: same resource;

5. Live practise: for smaller clubs / selections you have to go with the scrum machine I suppose, but 8 v 8 is a special dynamic during the training session and loved it when I could do that;

6. Scrum variations: I also asked ChatGPT and it gave: “It’s worth noting that while the scrum formation itself remains relatively consistent in Rugby Union, variations can occur in how teams execute and strategize within the scrum, such as different techniques employed by front-row players or specific tactics adopted by teams. These variations are often based on coaching styles, team strategies, and individual player skills rather than official rule changes”. So not much help here….

8. Teamwork and communication: I love this and it really resonates with me, engage with the players and pull them into the learning process, mindset, jungle tiger this whole thing. I have a great example of Line-Out work.

9. Simulations: yes, this is what I did a lot: when you do Line-Out work, the End Game should all be LO Restart based, same for Scrum and Kick-Off. It is an opportunity to verify what you all agreed upon when doing 8.

SuperCoach Online

This tool uses not AI models but a classic data model and automates the process of plotting exercises in the yearplanner and distributing the trainingplans. Point 3. to 10. that ChatGPT gave us actually looks very much like the SuperCoach Online Training Template on which the tool decides what exercises to pick.

So you could work with ChatGPT to decide on that Training Template and than use SuperCoach Online to “translate” to a usable trainingsplan.

Thoughts?

Like in other areas, AI is not replacing us coaches, it gives us directions, options to consider and in the end we coaches should decide how to make this specific to this moment in the development of our team.

So yes, I can use ChatGPT but would still cal Job….