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

The old-school scrumhalf may have been just a distributor, but the new-school scrumhalf is one of your team s most deadly attacking weapons. You re often the smallest player on the field, but in today s game you have to pack a mean punch in terms of strength and speed. I want you to stop thinking of yourself as just the player that gets the ball from point A to point B and start demanding more from yourself. In this manual, you have the tools to become more than just the smart guy on the pitch; you ll be an explosive runner around the fringes of the ruck, a crisp and efficient passer of the ball, and a confident defender that cuts down runners that your forwards miss. I want you to keep your scrappiness, your intensity, your leadership skills, and your rugby IQ, but I also want you to look at what you can become: a truly lethal player that is a constant threat to the defence. The High Intensity Rugby Training (H.I.R.T.) we ll use a professional and scientific approach to forging your body into the ultimate scrum half that can drive the passes from the base of rucks and scrums, exploit gaps in the defensive line with devastating pace, put height and distance into your kicks, and tackle effectively. It is by training specifically for performance that you will unlock the next level of your rugby, whether it be playing in the 1 st XV for your club, getting a professional contract, or just blowing away the opposition with superior strength & conditioning. 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. 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. 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 S c r u m H a l f Page 2

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 strength, strength-speed and speed-strength to build you into a high performance athlete player. 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. 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 S c r u m H a l f Page 3

This meso cycle develops your bodies raw strength, both uni and bilaterally. 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 S c r u m H a l f Page 4

Session Exercise Notation Notes Back Squat Full depth, control the movement. 1 Barbell Shoulder Lunges (Front) 5 x 5 EL @ 80% DB Alt Shoulder Incline Bench 3 x 8 EA @ 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. Scrum Half Meso Cycle #1 Strength 2 Bent Over Row DB Flyes 5 x 5 @ 80% Feet High Inverted Row Snatch Pause Deadlift 3 x Max @ BW 3 x 5 @ 85% Maintain a strong posture. It should be the arms and back doing the work not momentum. 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 5 @ 80% 3 Bulgarian Split Squat 3 x 5 EL @ 80% Place the rear foot on a bench, lower until the back knee almost touches the floor. DB Shoulder 3 x 5 @ 85% 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 Tricep Ext Lat Pull Down 10 x 3 @ 85% 10 x 3 @ 85% 10 x 3 @ 85% Compound set these exercises. One follows the other with no rest. Rest after you have completed both. Compound set these exercises Bicep Curls 10 x 3 @ 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 S c r u m H a l f Page 5

Session Exercise Notation Notes Romanian Deadlift Keep a neutral spine position throughout DB Front Raise You can alternate arms or lift both at the same time Scrum Half Meso Cycle #1 Strength Progression 1 1 DB Overhead Step Up Upright Row Drop Set Drop Up 5 x 5 EL @ 85% 3 x 8 x 3 @ 75 / 65 / 55% 5 x 5 @ BW 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 Complete 8 reps @75% strip some weight off, complete 8 more reps, strip weight off, complete 8 reps. Rest = 1 set. Complete 3 sets. 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 3 x Max @ BW Wide grip knuckles facing you Alt DB Bench 5 x 5 EA @ 85% Hold both DB in air. Lower one to chest then back up, repeat with other arm. SA DB Row 5 x 5 EA @ 85% Keep strong back position, lift DB all the way up to chest, elbow high. DB Reverse Flyes 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 S c r u m H a l f Page 6

Session Exercise Notation Notes Front Pause Squat Lower to the bottom position and hold for a count of hold, 1, hold, 2 hold, 3 then finish the movement by standing up. Barbell Shoulder Scrum Half Meso Cycle #1 Strength Progression 1 3 DB Cossack Squat DB Reverse Flyes Incline Bench Bent Over Row Hold the DB at shoulder height, feet much wider than shoulder width. Push your body laterally so your weight moves to over one foot, pivot onto the heel of the other foot, so you can lower the body lower on the weighted leg. Drive back up to standing position. Have a slighter wider grip than shoulder, squeeze the shoulder blades together at the top of the movement. 4 Clockface Ups 3 x 1 @ BW In the press up position, heading pointing at imaginary 12 o clock. Complete a press up then walk the hands so the head is pointing to one o clock on the clock face, repeat for all numbers on the clockface = 1 rep. 3 sets x 1 rep. Pull Ups 3 x Max @ BW Close grip, knuckles facing away from you. 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 S c r u m H a l f Page 7

We ve developed our strength capacity 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%. 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 S c r u m H a l f Page 8

Session Exercise Notation Notes Power Clean 5 x 3 @ 60% Push 5 x 5 @ 60% Emphasise dip drive 1 Bulgarian Split Squat (Front) 5 x 3 EL @ 60% Have the bar racked on the anterior deltoids (as you would for front squat) Jerks 5 x 3 @ 60% Back Squat 3 x 5 @ 85% Scrum Half Meso Cycle #2 Strength-Speed 2 Incline Bench Pull Ups SA DB Bench DB Chainsaws 5 x 5 @ 60% 3 x Max @ BW 5 x 5 @ 60% 5 x 5 @ 60% Squat Jumps 5 x 5 @ 60% Emphasise the drive upwards. Narrow grip, knuckles facing away from you. Use hex bar if possible, only go to ¼ squat before driving up. Aim for height. 3 Barbell Shoulder Lunges (Front) 5 x 5 @ 60% 5 x 5 EL @ 60% Emphasise the drive of the lead leg back into the standing position DB Lateral Raises 3 x 5 @ 60% Bench 5 x 5 @ 60% 4 Feet High Inverted Row Feet High Ups 3 x Max @ BW 3 x Max @ BW Maintain strong posture. They should be a straight line from shoulder to hip and knee. Maintain strong posture. They should be a straight line from shoulder to hip and knee. SA DB Row 5 x 5 @ 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 S c r u m H a l f Page 9

Session Exercise Notation Notes Scrum Half Meso Cycle #2 Strength-Speed Progression 1 1 2 Deadlift Box Jumps 5 x 3 @ 60% 5 x 3 @ BW Clean Pulls 5 x 3 @ 60% Jerks SA MB Shot Putt Pull Ups Plank Row Incline Bench SA MB Chest 5 x 3 @ 60% 5 x 3 EA @ 5-10kg MB 3 x Max @ BW 3 x 5 EA @ 5-10kg DB 5 x 5 EL @ 60% 5 x 5 EA @ 5-10kg MB Superset. Have platform you are jumping on knee to mid thigh height. Emphasise the triple extension of ankle, knee and hip, rather than tuck jumping feet onto the box. Superset. Superset. Superset. The emphasis on the MB Chest is to push the MB as high as possible (A partner to catch and reset MB on hand is advised)! Behind the Neck Farmers Walk 5 x 50m @ 20kg EH 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 S c r u m H a l f Page 10

Scrum Half Meso Cycle #2 Strength-Speed Progression 1 Session Exercise Notation Notes 3 4 Power Clean Depth Jumps Split Squat Broad Jump Push MB Shoulder Bent Over Row Incline Bench 5 x 3 @ 60% 5 x 3 @ BW 5 x 6 @ 60% 5 x 3 @ BW 5 x 3 @ 60% 5 x 3 EA @ 5-10kg MB 10 x 3 @ 60% 10 x 3 @ 60% Superset. Have platform you are jumping from knee to mid thigh height. Emphasise the triple extension of ankle, knee and hip,and aim for as little contact with the ground as possible time wise. Superset For split squat change lead leg after 3 reps. Superset. Aim to press MB as high as you can, catch or let hit floor reset. 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 S c r u m H a l f Page 11

We ve added strength, turned that into strength-speed and now we need to train our muscles to deliver speed, speed, SPEED! In this section, you ll find our Speed-Strength and Speed- Strength Progression 1 meso-cycles. Again, you should decide to spend 1-4 weeks on each. The equation for power is strength x speed. This meso cycle emphasises the speed portion of the equation, to build your very own muscular turbo charge. 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 S c r u m H a l f Page 12

Session Exercise Notation Notes Hang Power Clean into Push 5 x 5 @ 30% Jerks 5 x 5 @ 30% 1 Box Jumps 5 x 5 @ BW Focus on the triple extension on hip, knee and ankle to propel you upwards Scrum Half Meso Cycle #3 Speed-Strength 2 Behind the Neck Snatch Deadlift MB Chest Pass DB Chainsaws Barbell Throw Aways MB Overhead Throws 5 x 5 @ 30% 5 x 3 @ 85% 5 x 5 @ 5-10kg MB 5 x 5 EA @ 30% 5 x 5 @ Bar Only 5 x 5 @ 5-10kg MB Drive the legs first then pull up to shoulder height Split the stance for balance push and pull the bar at chest height Hang Power Snatch 5 x 3 @ 30% Push 5 x 3 @ 30% 3 Snatch Bala nce DB Lateral Raise 5 x 3 @ 30% 5 x 3 @ 30% Start with a small dip drive to give the bar a small amount of momentum, then drop into catch position. 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 S c r u m H a l f Page 13