Hey {{First_Name|mate}},

If you want to use the off-season properly, start with strength.

Not random gym sessions.

Not chasing a pump.

Not copying a bodybuilding split and hoping it helps your rugby.

Actual strength.

Because strength is the base for a lot of what you do on the pitch.

Contact.
Scrummaging.
Tackling.
Carrying.
Changing direction.
Holding body position.
Producing force.

If you’re weak, everything else has a ceiling.

Now, that doesn’t mean you need to max out every week.

And it doesn’t mean every session needs to bury you.

It means you need to progressively improve the lifts and movements that actually matter.

Squat pattern.
Hinge pattern.
Upper body push.
Upper body pull.
Single-leg strength.
Trunk strength.
Neck and upper back work.

Keep it simple.

Pick the big movements.

Track them.

Progress them.

Stop changing exercises every week because you’re bored.

A lot of players don’t need a more complicated programme.

They need to actually get stronger at the basics.

That’s where the off-season gives you a massive advantage.

You’ve got more space to push load.
More time to recover.
Less pressure from weekly matches.
More room to build.

But don’t confuse strength training with just lifting heavy and moving slow.

You still need intent.

Every rep should have purpose.

Controlled where it needs to be controlled.
Aggressive where it needs to be aggressive.

Because rugby isn’t slow.

So your gym work shouldn’t all be slow either.

Build strength now and you’ll have more to work with when speed, power and conditioning start to ramp up.

That’s how you build a better player.

Not just a bigger one.

Train like a player,
Craig Jones
Rugby Performance Coach