Thread: Olympic lifts for rugby

Hi,

I have been in my rugby off season since mid april, and spent 2 weeks working on flexibility and getting over all my niggling injuries. I have been following a basic program of olympic lifting for 6 weeks now and believe it has helped me get used to the movements and am getting slightly deeper in my clean. I cannot do lunges as have broken both big toes but split jerks do not hurt.

My program was 3 x a week.

Normally Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

I followed the ABA BAB style training.

Session A
Snatch 8sets x 1 rep
Clean and Jerk 8 x 1
Front Squat 3 x 8

Session B
Snatch 8 x 1
Clean 8 x 1
Behind the Neck Jerk 3 x 3
Front Squat 3 x 6

I have been taking 30 seconds rest between sets to reduce workout time

I am now trying to do 5 shorter sessions a week in my lunch hour (inc. shower, warm up, cool down and trip to and from work 5 mins each way). Also 30 seconds rest between sets.

Monday:
Clean and Jerk: 10×1
Front Squat: 5×5
Back extentions: 2×20
Tuesday
Snatch: 10×2
Chin ups: 3×8-12
Abs
Wednesday
Clean and Jerk: 10×1
Front Squat: 3×3
Back ext: 2×20
Thursday
Snatch: 10×2
Chins: 5×5
Abs
Saturday:
Snatch: Single
Clean and Jerks: Single
Front squat: Single

Since the first 6 weeks I have put 3-4 kg of weight on (I think mainly muscle). 84kg - 88kg

Just started rugby again and had 12 minute distance test round a 1km cross country track which was not enjoyable and I did not feel as aerobically fit as last pre-season. But soooo much stronger and very quick off the mark.

Could anyone help me with what to do next?

I would like to continue with Olympic Lifting style training but would not mind throwing in a sprint session now and again.

Can anyone recommend a good speed session for rugby fitness?and How I can further progress my Oly lifting?

Clean and Jerk: 105kg
Clean: 110kg
Snatch: 90kg
Front Squat (from floor): 110kg

Look forward to hearing your ideas and advice.

Your workouts seem to figure very highly in singles. As a result, there are two issues.
Issue #1: There is a risk that such training leads to regular attempts at near maximal weights. This will likely have negative affect on your technical development, and may lead to injury.
Issue #2: 8 or 10 singles means that the number of lifts you perform per exercises is very small. The total volume of lifts performed is an important factor in performance improvement. I suggest that at least in half of your sessions, you perform sets of 2 or 3 repetitions, keeping the weight to around 80%. This percentage allows for best development of speed and technique. The additional number of lifts thus performed is an important stimulus for improvement of power, strength, and technique. You will be more satisfied with your workout. I suggest 8 sets of 3 reps (24 lifts) should be a default. This can be changed to 5 sets of 3 reps plus 3 sets of 2 reps. This would work reasonably well for technical exercises such as snatch, power snatch, power clean, power clean and jerk, clean and jerk, etc.

I Just started rugby again and had 12 minute distance test round a 1km cross country track which was not enjoyable and I did not feel as aerobically fit as last pre-season. But soooo much stronger and very quick off the mark

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