PHYSICAL PREPARATION FOR RUGBY LEAGUE

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• PHYSICAL PREPARATION FOR RUGBY LEAGUE
• By Brad McGregor BHMS (App), Grad Cert Ex Med,
  Level 2 strength conditioning coach

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ENERGY SYSTEMS

• Anaerobic
• ATP-CP
• Lactic
• Aerobic

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COMPONENTS OF FITNESS

• Strength
• Endurance
• Speed
• Power
• Agility
• Balance co-ordination

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STRENGTH

• Amount of force output
• Measured by 1RM
• Consider training age
• Develop base 1st
• Technique and supervision
• Duration of workout
• Reps and sets

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SPECIFIC STRENGTH

• Free weights
• Compound exercises
• Balance (muscle groups)
• Position specific requirements
• Injury prevention

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CORE STRENGTH

• Development of trunk
• Importance of obliques and transverse
  abdominals
• Medicine balls/swiss balls
• Not just an add on

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SPEED

• Specific distances (positional)
• Reaction time
• Acceleration
• Max speed
• Speed endurance
• Intensity
• When to train speed

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POWER

• Speed - strength continuum
• Exercise selection
• Reps and sets
• Recovery (b/w sets and sessions)
• Development and maintenance

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POWER

• Contrast loading
• Plyometrics
• Isokinetics
• Sleds
• Medicine balls

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ENDURANCE

• Develop a base
• Muscular endurance (??)
• Group training (positional)
• Variety
• Concurrent training principles

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ENDURANCE

• Continuous
• Fartlek
• Interval

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AGILITY

• Ability to change direction at speed
• Drills
• Duration of drills
• Positional requirements

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BALANCE

• Injury prevention
• Between muscle groups
• Proprioception
• Unstable environments
• Timing of drills

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FLEXIBILITY

• Measurement (sit and reach?)
• Examine for weaknesses
• - hamstrings
• - hip flexors
• - groin

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FLEXIBILITY

• Static
• Dynamic
• Ballistic
• Repetition
• When to stretch

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PRINCIPLES OF TRAINING

• Specificity
• Progression
• Overload
• Frequency

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ATHLETE ASSESSMENT

• Why Test?
• Motivation
• Measure progress
• Identify strengths and weaknesses

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ATHLETE ASSESSMENT

• Tests must be specific
• Valid
• Reproducible
• Easy to administer to large numbers

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ATHLETE ASSESSMENT

• Sample Test Battery
• 1RM (squat and bench)
• Med ball throw/vertical leap
• 10m 40m/ladder drill
• Lumbo-pelvic stability
• Beep test
• Specific agility drill (timed)

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ATHLETE ASSESMENT

• When to test
• Start of pre-season
• Start of season
• Mid-season
• Before finals
• Should plan according to the draw

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FURTHER INFO

• NRL/state league clubs
• Strength and conditioning journals
• TAFE colleges/unis
• Internet
• Other sports

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AROUSAL LEVELS

• Inverted U
• Individual experimentation
• Consider experience skill level

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AROUSAL LEVELS

• Music
• Relaxation
• Self-talk
• Meditation

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GOAL SETTING

• Individual team
• Short long term
• Challenging but achievable
• Review goals

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MENTAL REHEARSAL

• When to do it
• Intrinsic or extrinsic
• Imagine success
• Specific to opposition
• Can use tapes

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MOTIVATION

• Intrinsic or extrinsic
• Know challenge your players
• Performance rather than outcome

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FAMILIARISATION

• Pre-game training at ground
• Warm-up on ground
• Dressing sheds
• Crowds (proximity intensity)

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CONFIDENCE

• Put in situations that success
• Support from team mates
• Enjoyment
• Mental toughness

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LEADERSHIP

• Leads by example
• Has respect
• Mental toughness
• Decision making
• Wants the job (responsibility)

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SELF-TALK CUES

• Verbal cues to re-focus
• Key words for situations
• Apply to training