[DOCUMENT TITLE] IT Services HCUK GROUP High Intensity Rugby Training Hooker

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Steven Pearson
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1 [DOCUMENT TITLE] IT Services HCUK GROUP High Intensity Rugby Training Hooker

3 The Hooker has to be many things to many people. They require the brute strength and raw aggression of the front row to compete one to one in the scrum, yet have the calmness and precision of a goal kicker at lineout time. You have to carry and tackle hard, yet possess fleet of foot to break through and link forwards and backs. The High Intensity Rugby Training (H.I.R.T.) we ll use a professional and scientific approach to forging your body into the ultimate hooker that can scrum, carry, tackle effectively and deliver solid ball every time in the line. In this program we ll be building strength for four different uses: Isometric contractions (no change in joint angle) in the scrum. Holding the body tight and prepared for the line out throw. Eccentric contractions (muscle lengthens under tension) absorbing force in the scrum Concentric contraction (muscle shortens under tension) Holding a strong body position in the scrum as you strike for the ball. Dynamic strength for making pulsating runs around the pitch, driving through tackles and driving a maul. And do all of these things under fatigue and game scenario pressure. The layout of this manual is as follows: first, I ll give you a brief overview of High Intensity Rugby Training H.I.R.T., second I ll give you a no-bullshit overview of how to follow the read/follow the programme in this manual, and third I ll give you the workouts. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 2

4 High Intensity Rugby Training is what I call the way professional rugby players train. They use scientific, performance-based training to prepare their bodies for the stresses of rugby and their position. Generic workouts that most players use might make you look better, but they have nothing to do with rugby performance. They will not give you explosive power in contact. They will not allow give you the strength to dominate your opposition. Generic workouts are training for training sake, not for rugby. H.I.R.T. is better than generic workouts for five reasons: 1. Individualized by emphasizing player choice and addressing strengths and weaknesses of the individual, H.I.R.T. is much more powerful than a generic workout made for the masses. 2. Structured H.I.R.T. trains you differently in different parts of your season. By training differently in your off-season, pre-season, and so on, your training can take you much further. 3. Progressive H.I.R.T. uses meso-cycles (1-4 week cycles) that build on each other. In this programme, you re going to strategically combine meso-cycles for mass, strength, and strength-speed to build you into a powerful athlete. More on meso-cycles in a moment. 4. Specific Exercises H.I.R.T. handpicks specific exercises that mimic the stresses your body endures on the rugby field. 5. Specific Tempos simply being strong isn t useful for rugby. You need to be powerful. You need to be able to deliver your strength quickly in a scrum, tackle, or at the breakdown. By using specific lift tempos, you re training your muscles to deliver force quickly which you will make you more effective. In this programme, we re going to use three meso-cycles. A mesocycles is a 1-4 week cycle where you do the same workout sessions that focus on the same component. Here is what we ll use: H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 3

5 Hypertrophy means adding muscle mass to your frame. The purpose of this is not to get big just for the sake of getting big. The purpose is to increase the muscle cross sectional area (CSA) so you have more muscle to turn into strength and power later on. Hookers need to have an abundance of strength. In this programme you ll get the best exercises for building raw strength. But it s about more than just having the right exercises. To train like a professional, you need to know the right number of sets/reps and lift tempos to get maximum results. We cover all of that in this manual. Being strong is great, but can you apply that force quickly? Can you strike for the ball then get your foot back in position to drive in under one second? In other contact situations, when carrying or tacking, it also the player who can deliver their strength the fastest that will win. The strength-speed meso-cycle is all about taking the strength that you built in meso-cycle 2 and making sure you can deliver it explosively. Let s take a quick look at a meso-cycle so you can read them properly. Here s a sample meso-cycle for hypertrophy (mass): Meso Cycle #1 Hypertrophy Sessi on 1 Exercise Notation Notes Bench Press Lat Pull Down 3 x 70% 3 x 70% Use a wide grip (wider than shoulder width apart) Hands wide, knuckles facing you. Pull the bar down to the top of your sternum H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 4

6 2 Squats DB Shoulder Press Lunges 10 x 90% 5 x 85% 3 x 75% Full depth Standard variation (knuckles facing out) Both knees bend to 90degrees drive back up off the front leg Push Press 5 x 80% In the far left column, you can see that this is a 1-4 week period (like all meso-cycles). This particular meso-cycle is for hypertrophy or mass building. Once again, this is typically used in the off-season period but it is entirely up to you. In the Session column, we can see that there are 2 sessions these are the amount of workouts pre week for the duration of the meso-cycle. The exercises within that session are to be completed within that session. The Notation column gives you the sets and reps to be completed for each exercise (this is further explained later). The notes column provides further information (if required) or coaching cues you may find useful. Think you can now read a meso-cycle chart? Good. Here is everything else you need to know about reading the workouts: Sessions The programme is split into sessions rather than days. This will allow you to personalise the sessions to meet your personal schedule and allow rest days when your body needs it. Do all the sessions, not just the ones you enjoy! During your season, the sessions you choose will be dependent on the volume of your practices and the intensity of games you have played that week. For example, if you have played an extremely competitive game on the Saturday, take Sunday as your rest day then Monday may well be a low weight, high volume session. If you had a H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 5

7 relatively easy game or only played for 20 minutes as a substitute then you may look to work a more intense session on Monday. Exercises Most of the exercises in the meso-cycles will be familiar to athletes. If you need a refresher, or see something you don t know then check out the video demonstrations that are included in the exercise library. Notations Prescriptions will be given using the following formula: For example: Exercise: Sets, Intensity (Load) Squat: 3 x 85% This would be completing a squat for 3 sets of 5 reps at a load of 85% of 1 rep max (1RM). Weight Prescriptions We re going to be using percentages to prescribe weights for each working set. These weights may need to be adjusted for certain individuals for a number of possible reasons. What I would suggest for all level of athletes is the mantra of: Form over load. In other words, leave your ego at the gym door, technique over bragging how many KG s you had on the bar is key. The weight prescribed is a percentage of your 1 repetition maximum (1RM). For example if your 1RM in the squat is 100kg and the prescription is 5 x 80%, you would lift 5 sets of 5 reps at 80kg (80%). Often, the movement is more important than the weight however. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 6

8 Especially at advanced levels, you may decide to sacrifice some weight in order to get a better range of motion. Tempo Some notation may include a tempo. Tempo is the speed in which you perform the lift or a certain aspect of the lift. Tempo is a variable you can manipulate to vary workouts or create conditions in which to focus your attention on specific physiological characteristics. Tempo is usually dictated by four numbers following the exercise prescription/notation. Here is an example Squat: 10 x 60% 4010 (tempo is bolded) The first number refers to the eccentric muscle contraction of the lift. Eccentric is when a muscle lengthens, and this usually occurs when lowering the weight. The second number is the pause between the eccentric muscle contraction (lowering the weight) and concentric muscle contraction (lifting the weight). The third number is the concentric muscle contraction (when the muscle shortens). This is traditionally when the weight is lifted. The fourth number is the pause between the completion of the concentric action and beginning of the next repetition. With this in mind, let s look at our example Squat: 10 x 60% 4010 This squat, with a 4010 tempo would have you take 4 seconds to lower the bar (flexing the hip & knee) into the bottom position. With no pause, you then take 1 second to extend the knees and hip back to the standing position, and then immediately start the next repetition without a pause. Tempo is absolutely key. Unloading H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 7

9 This term generally refers to the end of a meso-cycle and often lowers the volume and/or intensity to provide a period of recovery, before progressing to the next meso cycle. Recovery Quality beats quantity. Rest as you need to. 2 3 minutes in between sets is generally a good starting point. When completing a high volume session or heavy load session the requirement may increase to 4 5 minutes. Bring a stopwatch though, as the time can fly by. The best you can get is a good night s sleep. Schedule rest days when your body needs it. All the meso/micro cycles have recovery factored into them (for example you will very rarely do two body parts on consecutive days) but factor in your technical training and the intensity of those sessions. Key SA = Single Arm SL = Single Leg EA = Each Arm EH = Each Hand EL = Each Leg ES = Each Side DB = Dumb Bell KB = Kettlebell MB = Med Ball BW = Bodyweight Alt = Alternate Warming Up How you warm up is entirely up to you. I suggest using the R A M P method: R = Raise the heart rate, body and muscular temperature. (2-3 minutes of movement to raise heart rate and get blood flowing) Example: jogging, biking, rowing A = Activate the neuromuscular system, the energy systems and muscle groups you will be using. (Dynamic stretching routine, movement based skills) Example: Dynamic stretching M = Mobilise the joints and muscles with dynamic movements. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 8

10 Example: Dynamic stretching, foam rolling, exercise specific movements with a light load (bar only) P = Potentiate means increasing the intensity to get your muscles ready to workout. Exercise specific movements with light load / warm up set Example: Use a lightly loaded barbell to go through the movements you ll be doing Remember that warming up is not meant to look or feel like a real workout session. You are preparing the body for the stress of your workout, not stressing your body. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 9

11 H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 10

12 Let s get started. There are four workout sessions for hypertrophy. Complete all the sessions, every week. Most players will complete one session per day but if you train twice a day, you can do more than one session per day. Use this meso-cycle for 1-4 weeks and then advance to the Hypertrophy Progression 1 sessions for 1-4 weeks. After that, move onto the strength meso-cycle. How long you use the hypertrophy meso-cycle and progression is your choice, depending on your personal training goals and/or when you season starts. Both the Hypertrophy and Hypertrophy Progression 1 meso-cycles can be used for 1-4 weeks which means you should be spending 2-8 weeks gaining mass with hypertrophy. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 11

13 Sessi on Exercise Notation Notes Back Squat 5 x 85% Full depth, control the movement. 1 Snatch Grip Shoulder Press Lunges (Front) 4 x 75% 5 x 5 85% Bar racked across the traps, hands wide as you would for a snatch. The bar is racked in the front position. Resting on front deltoids, elbows high. DB Alt Shoulder Press 4 x 8 75% Keep the DB High. Start with both DB s in the air, lower one to the shoulder and back up, repeat with other arm. Incline Bench Press 3 x 75% Hooker Meso Cycle #1 Hypertrophy 2 Bent Over Row 3 x 75% DB Flyes 3 x 70% Feet High Inverted Row Snatch Pause Deadlift 3 x BW 3 x 70% Maintain strong posture, it should be the back and arms doing the work. Maintain strong posture, they should be a straight line from shoulders to hip and knee. Wide grip, pull the bar to just below the knee and hold for a count of hold, 1, hold, 2 hold, 3 then finish the movement up to hips DB Lateral Raise 3 x 75% Raise up to shoulder level. 3 Split Squat 4 x 70% Alternate lead legs for sets DB Shoulder Press 3 x 75% Arnold variation. Start with the knuckles facing away from you. As you push up twist the wrists so the knuckles are facing you at the top of the lift. Reverse on the lower. 4 Bench Press Lat Pull Down 10 x 60% x 60% 4010 This session may not seem much with the intensity of 60% but if you use the tempo correctly you should be struggling to complete 10 reps by the 7 th or 8 th set. Remember on the lat pull down, it is when the bar is moving away from you that is the eccentric movement. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 12

14 Sessio n Exercise Notation Notes Romanian Deadlift DB Step Ups 4 x 75% 4 x 4 75% Superset. Keep a neutral spine position throughout on deadlifts. Have the platform / step at such a height that when your foot is flat (full foot on platform) the axis of your knee is above your axis of the hip Hooker Meso Cycle #1 Hypertrophy Progression 1 1 Upright Row Drop Set 3 x 8 x 75 / 65 / 55% Front Squat 3 x 75% Barbell Shoulder Press DB Flyes Drop Press Up 3 x 75% 4 x 75% 4 x BW Complete 8 strip some weight off, complete 8 more reps, strip weight off, complete 8 reps. Rest = 1 set. Complete 3 sets. Bar racked across front deltoids, keep elbows high and torso upright throughout. Superset. The platform you are dropping off should be at shoulder height when you are in the press up position. Drop off the platform control your landing. Lower your chest to an inch off the floor, normal push back up, reset hands on platform. 2 Chins Pull Ups 3 x BW 3 x BW Superset. Wide grip knuckles facing you followed by close grip knuckles facing away. Alt DB Bench Press 3 x 8 75% Hold both DB in air. Lower one to chest then back up, repeat with other arm. SA DB Row 3 x 8 75% Keep strong back position, lift DB all the way up to chest, elbow high. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 13

15 Hooker Meso Cycle #1 Hypertrophy Progression 1 Sessio n 3 4 Exercise Notation Notes Front Pause Squat Barbell Shoulder Press 4 x 75% 4 x 75% Deadlift 4 x 75% DB Reverse Flyes Incline Bench Press Bent Over Row 4 x 75% 10 x 60% x 60% 4010 In the bottom position hold for a count of hold, 1, hold, 2 hold, 3 then finish the movement by standing up. Use hex bar if available Have a slighter wider grip than shoulder, squeeze the shoulder blades together at the top of the movement. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 14

16 After you ve trained for 2-8 weeks with the hypertrophy mesocycles, you re ready to turn that added mass into raw strength. On the next pages, you ll find our Strength meso-cycle and our Strength Progression 1 meso-cycle. Each has four sessions. Again, you have to decide for yourself to spend 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks on each of these. In total, you ll spend 2-8 weeks building strength. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 15

17 Sessio n Exercise Notation Notes Back Squat 5 x 85% Full depth. The 4 th & 5 th rep should be difficult. 1 DB Shoulder Press Bulgarian Split Squat 5 x 85% 3 x 5 85% Push Press 5 x 85% Place the back foot on a bench, with the laces of your shoe flat on the bench. Emphasise the dip drive, control the lower. Incline Bench Press 5 x 85% Pull Ups 5 x BW Narrow grip, knuckles facing away from you. Hooker Meso Cycle #2 Strength 2 SA DB Bench Press DB Reverse Flyes Snatch Grip Deadlift Barbell Shoulder Press 5 x 85% 5 x 85% 5 x 85% 5 x 85% Wide stance to maintain balance, keep posture strong. Hold a strong posture, proud chest, pull the hands up as high as they will go. Hands wide, as per snatch lift. 3 Split Squat 5 x 5 80% Keep the weight through the middle of the stance. Lower back knee til just off the floor. DB Lateral Raises 3 x 85% Slight elbow flexion, raise up to shoulder level. Bench Press 5 x 85% 4 Feet High Inverted Row Feet High Press Ups 3 x BW 3 x BW Keep posture strong, straight line from shoulders hips to knees. Keep posture strong, straight line from shoulders hips to knees. SA DB Row 5 x 85% H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 16

18 Sessio n Exercise Notation Notes 1 Deadlift Bench Press Bent Over Row 3 x 1 x 90% Cluster set for all three exercises. A cluster set is where you rest in between reps as well as sets. Lift once, rest for secs, repeat for 5 reps that equals one set. Rest 2 3 mins in between sets. Hooker Meso Cycle #2 Strength Progression Judoka Pull Ups DB Overhead Lunge Behind the Neck Press 3 x BW 5 x 5 85% 5 x 85% Back Squat 3 x 85% Bridging DB Bench Press Plate Pullovers Hindu Press Ups 3 x 85% 3 x 25kg 3 x BW Use two towels (strong material) over the chin up bar to grab and hold onto. Keep arms straight and weight overhead throughout. Move to where the shoulders blades are on the edge of the bench. Press up, push your glutes upwards, pivot on your toes and scrape your chest along the floor, then push yourself backwards to the start position. SA DB Row 5 x 5 85% Front Squat 8 x 85% 4 Push Press 5 x 85% Aggression on the dip drive Overhead DB Step Up 3 x 5 80% Keep the DB overhead throughout the exercise. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 17

19 We ve added mass, turned that mass into strength, and now we need to train our muscles to deliver that strength quickly. The equation for power is strength x speed. In this section, you ll find our Strength-Speed and Strength-Speed Progression 1 meso-cycles. Again, you should decide to spend 1-4 weeks on each. This meso cycle emphasises the strength portion of the equation. You still need to be performing the movements quickly but the load will be 60-80%. Meso Cycle #3 Strength- Sessio n 1 Exercise Notation Notes Power Snatch 5 x 60% Emphasise hip drive and triple extension of ankle, knee and hip. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 18

20 Jerks 5 x 60% Snatch High Pulls 5 x 80% Focus on dip drive then pulling yourself underneath the bar. If the bar is going above chest height the weight is too light. Behind the Neck Press Snatch Deadlift DB Flyes 5 x 85% 5 x 85% 5 x 3 60% Slight elbow flexion, lower to shoulder height. 2 DB Chainsaw Incline Bench Press 5 x 3 60% 5 x 60% Pull Ups 3 x BW Narrow grip, knuckles facing away from you. Back Squat Counter Movement Jumps (CMJ) 5 x 85% 5 x BW Superset these exercises. On the counter movement jump, place your hand son your hips and perform ¼ squat before driving up. Aim for height. 3 Behind the Neck Press 5 x 85% Superset these exercises. Aim for distance on the overhead throw. MB Overhead Throw 5 x 5-10kg MB 4 Bench Press SA MB Chest Press Chins MB Catapult 5 x 85% 5 x 5 10kg MB 5 x BW 5 x 5 10kg MB Superset these exercises. Aim to push the MB as high as you can. You need a partner for this one to catch MB then reset. Superset these exercises. Aim for height on the catapult. Cycle #3 Strength- Speed Sessio n Exercise Notation Notes 1 Power Clean 5 x 60% H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 19

21 Snatch Grip Push Press 5 x 60% Hands wide, bar racked across traps. Control the lower. Clean Pulls 5 x 80% DB Alt Shoulder Press 5 x 5 80% Back Squat 3 x 85% MB Press Ups 3 x BW Start with one hand on a MB, perform a press up, push the MB across the floor to the other hand which goes on the MB, repeat. 2 Feet High Inverted Row 3 x BW Maintain strong posture. They should be a straight line from shoulders to hip and knee. Bench Press 5 x 60% DB Reverse Flyes 5 x 60% Squat Jumps 5 x 60% Maintain strong posture, it should be the back and arms doing the work. Use hex bar if possible. Only go to ¼ squat before driving upwards, height is what you are trying to achieve. Jerks 5 x 60% 3 Lunges (Front) 5 x 5 60% Power Jerks 5 x 60% Box Jumps 5 x BW Aim for the platform you are jumping onto to be mid-thigh height when you stand next to it. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 20

22 Postural strength should be completed every session. The purpose of these sessions are to supplement your main workouts (hypertrophy, strength and strength-speed) with more dynamic exercises. It is up to the individual of how they would like to incorporate it into the session. Some individuals wait until the end of the session and complete all the exercises in one. Some like to complete a postural exercise after each main exercise. H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 21

23 Sess ion Exercise Notation Notes 1 Plank Swiss Ball Crunches Windmills Supermen Swiss Ball Obliques Postural Strength 2 Dorsal Raises 3 x 10 V-Sits 3 x 15 Good Mornings 3 x 10 KB Side Bends Hip Raises 3 x 10 3 Scissors Fire Hydrants Plate Side Touches Keep the hips and shoulders square 4 Waiter Holds Up Down Planks DB Chops H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 22

24 Sess ion Exercise Notation Notes 1 Hands Out Plank Knee Up Swiss Ball Rolls Windmills Supermen Swiss Ball Obliques 3 x 15 Postural Strength Progression Hyper Extensions 3 x 10 V-Sits 3 x 15 Good Mornings 3 x 10 Side Plank Seated Med Ball Side Throws Scissors Seated Overhead Plate Holds Plate Side Touches 3 x 30Secs 4 Leg Throw Downs Flutter Kicks Band Chops High to Low H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 23

25 Sess ion 1 Exercise Notation Notes Barbell Roll Outs 3 x 6 Hanging Leg Raises Windmills Supermen MB Drops Postural Strength Progression MB Slams 3 x 10 Rebound Ball or Med Ball Twists 3 x 15ES Good Mornings 3 x 10 KB Side Bends Weighted Hip Raises Swiss Ball Plank Glute Bridge with Leg Raise Plate Side Touches Weighted Hyper Extensions 3 x 6 3 x 10EL Swiss Ball Pikes 3 x 6 Barbell Pivots 3 x 6ES H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 24

26 This concludes the H.I.R.T. hooker program. What you have now is a tool that you can use to transform your body into that of an elite hooker. By training like a professional with meso-cycles, you will separate yourself from your competition and be a stand out performer on the pitch. This is what will get you noticed and selected for higher honours. I look forward to hearing about your progress and being your coach as you achieve success. -Kevin Shattock H i g h I n t e n s i t y R u g b y T r a i n i n g H o o k e r Page 25