[quote]W.F.Call78 wrote:
I’m not trying to split hairs and start an internet pissing contest, but here’s how I see it. While it is interval based, I have yet to see or play against many people (in the US, England, Ireland, or France) that could consistently “sprint” from ruck to ruck. Also, even if you run (for example) 60-90 second 400m sprints, resting 90 seconds between them for 5 iterations (a brutal conditioning session, if you ask me), you’re only looking at keeping your heart rate elevated for 15 minutes. In a game with 40 minute non-stop halves, I don’t think this represents enough work capacity. I do agree that the interval work should be prioritized.
I agree on the strongman comment, especially for lifting jumpers in lineouts and scrumming. The scrum sled does look almost like some crazy strongman implement.
Ideally, the scrum half and flankers should be the first to every ruck. But I can’t count how many times a prop, hooker, or lock is the first one there. Also, a forward moving from a ruck to the backline on the wings would be a good example of more cardio.
Again, not trying to start an argument, just trying to get as much info out there as possible.[/quote]
That’s cool, I’m not arguing, but I am interested in what other people think on the topic of rugby training.
I do agree with the your statement that not all rugby is just sprinting. I guess I forgot to mention one key reason for doing interval training, and that is interval training has been proven to produce the same, if not more, gains in fitness as a long distance cardio session, but in much less time. Using you example, if you go and run 5 x 400m sprints that’s 2km at high (>80%) intensity. Now a 2km slow jog would take maybe 10 minutes, not really enough to generate a big improvement in fitness, but I know how I’d feel after 5x400’s!
An equivalent in weight training would be the 10x3 vs 3x10 argument. 10x3 is more intense and produces greater size and strength gains over the same number of reps.
I do not disagree with needing to do longer distance stuff in the early pre-season, but I think when it comes to playing games you don’t want to waste away all your hard earned muscle with long, slow distance running. Because you have to back off on the weights during the season you need to preserve strength as much as possible. I like CT’s comments in his Running Man article about 400m sprints, he said that he found his ice hockey players got a lot stronger by doing these runs. I reckon ice hockey players would need similar fitness requirements to rugby players, sprints followed by some periods of less intense skating, so if it works with them it should work for rugby.
Cheers,
Ben