Hey {{First_Name|mate}},
Before I understood rugby performance properly, I trained like a bodybuilder, not because I was trying to step on stage or anything like that. I just thought that was what gym training was. Chest day, back day, arms, legs if they fitted in, and a pump at the end so it felt like I’d done something.
To be fair, it wasn’t all useless. I built some size. I got stronger. I probably looked more like someone who trained, but looking back, I wasn’t really training for rugby. I was training like someone who wanted to look like they trained, and that’s not the same thing. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look better. Let’s be honest, most of us care about that as well.
But if you play rugby, the question has to be:
“Does this help me perform on the rugby pitch?”
Does it help me hit harder, carry stronger, accelerate quicker, change direction better, win collisions, and stay powerful late in games?
Because a bodybuilding split doesn’t always answer those questions.
It can build muscle, but rugby performance is about using that muscle. You don’t just need bigger legs. You need legs that can produce force. You don’t just need a bigger upper body. You need shoulders, trunk and neck that can handle contact. You don’t just need a strong squat. You need strength that transfers into sprinting, jumping, tackling and carrying.
That’s why I’m big on this now:
“Train like a player. Not a bodybuilder.”
That doesn’t mean making training fancy or doing random circus exercises. It means your training has a job.
Your week should include:
Strength work to build force
Power work to express force
Speed work to move better
Conditioning to repeat efforts
Recovery so you can actually adapt
That’s what I’d change looking back. I’d still lift. I’d still build muscle. I’d still train hard, but I’d make sure the work had a purpose beyond just feeling good in the gym because if you chase fatigue, you’ll get tired. If you chase the pump, you’ll get a pump, but if you want to become a better rugby player, you need to train for rugby.
Next week, I’ll talk about:
“What happened when I got stronger, but it didn’t always transfer.”
Train like a player,
Craig Jones
Rugby Performance Coach
