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© RFL PERFORMANCE & COACHING 2010

RFL REGIONAL

STRENGTH &

CONDITIONING

PROGRAMME

Clive Brewer

Head of Human Performance

[email protected]


Regional Programme: Strength and conditioning delivery

Objectives:

• Develop the players movement competencies through progressive learning practices

• Develop the players postural control and strength through progressive learning practices

• Develop a training aptitude in players through commitment to a delivered programme in a

development environment

Ethos:

• The training outputs (movement competencies, postural strength and control) are about

working with quality: This requires attention to detail and, adequate recovery.

• Quality is a percentage of perfect – intensity is a percentage of maximum. Making the players

tired is easy – we need to get them to understand, from an early age, the need for quality.

• Develop commitment and work ethic:

o Record session attendance

o Start the sessions on time

o Model energy and enthusiasm from the time the player enters your environment

• Coach – don’t instruct: Provide mistake-contingent feedback

The Rationale:

• Rugby League is a collision sport with very high intensity impacts, rapid accelerations and

demanding decelerations. It is a game that requires the player to be athletic enough to be

able to put their body in a position to be able to resist or exert forces at any given time, for 80

mins duration. Recent evidence (obtained from a range of analytical tools within our

International and super league programme) demonstrates that our players need to be faster,

and more powerful: However, the fundamental building blocks from which to achieve these

objectives are often missing in our players. Therefore, we aim to create a player education

that encourages these foundations into place: Therefore we need to focus on the ability to be

able to maintain:

– Postural control in the sagittal plane

– Postural control in the transverse plane

– Postural control in the frontal plane

Through the following types of movement:

• Double leg support

• Single leg support

Whilst be able to exert force through, or control / withstand opposing forces in:

• Rotational control

• Dynamic actions

A strength and conditioning programme is designed to increase the players motor system capacity to

do work. This means influencing the:

• Neuro-muscular system (how muscles are activated)

• Musculo-skeletal system (how joints are positioned)

• Energy production mechanisms


Any effective player development system will be based upon building upon the foundations laid in

previous programmes. For many of the players at regional level, this will be their first experience of an

organised and well-coached strength and conditioning programme: it therefore needs to deliver, and

build upon, the key foundation areas identified above. We progress from generic, athletic, movement

competence based programmes to those at later stages of the player pathway, which are more

performance focused in nature.

PhysiotherapyPlaying

PerformancePlay

Exercise continuum

Technical assessmentMechanical assessment

Musculo-skeletal assessment

Coaching

decisions

• Simple

• Single

• “Unloaded”

• Generic Competency

Competence

based

• Complex

• Multi-dimensional

• “Loaded”

• Specific

Performance based

Typical movement dysfunctions identified in England Youth and Academy players through a rigorous

and functional postural screening process include:

• “Tight” Achilles

• “Tight” & dominant hip flexors

– Poorly developed & tight hamstrings

• Poorly recruited Gluteal muscles

– Lateral hip control

– Anterior-posterior pelvic tilt

• “Tight” thoracic spine

• “Tight” anterior shoulder regions

• Podiatry issues

The regional programme should educate the players in how to prevent (reduce the incidence /

severity of) these issues through appropriate motor system activation / education.

The programme:

• Movement competencies are progressive: The programme is designed to enable progression

in a number of movement competencies, which are outlined below.

• The ethos of the RFL programme is to guide local coaching practice:

o The session objectives should be met

o The session drills / practices are for guidance – experienced coaches should use the

developed “curriculum” as advisory, and are free to adapt or substitute these for their

own in order to meet the objectives


o Coach the athletes in front of you: Where they are able to meet the competencies of a

level, progress them – where they need to spend more time on a level, they should

do so

• Strength and conditioning contributes 8 sessions of 1 hour in length to the RFL Regional

programme

• Each session should last for an hour, with approximately 18 players per session as a

maximum number (quality is delivered with a high coach-athlete ratio, using support coaches

as much as possible). The sessions will probably be in a weekly rotation with rugby sessions

(as below)

• The sessions are designed to be structured as:

S&C session before rugby:

0-20 mins 20-40 mins 40-60 mins

Dynamic warm-up:

See “Dynamic warm-up”

guide

Progressive combination of 3

elements from:

Activate

Mobilise

Potentiate

Speed & Agility technique:

Competence based

progressions detailed below


elements from:

Reaction & decision making

Acceleration

Deceleration

Lateral movement

Landing mechanics

Backwards running

Chaotic multi-directional

speed

Strength development /

postural control:

Competence based



elements from:

Horizontal stability

Single leg support

Double leg support

Unilateral support

Jumping progressions

Throwing progressions

Controlling rotations

Upper body strength

S&C session after rugby:

0-25 mins 25-50 mins 50-60 mins

Speed & Agility technique:

Strength development /

postural control:

Anaerobic & power

endurance:

Competence based


Bodyweight circuits

Conditioning games

Anaerobic conditioning drills

Resources:

• The sessions are designed so that they do not require extensive facilities or equipment: You

should have available:

o Lots of space for running / moving in

o Broom handles

o Medicine balls 3kg & 5kg

o A floor-ceiling climbing rope (desireable not necessary)


o Floor mats (desirable not necessary)

o Mini-hurdles

o Agility ladders (for single leg hopping work only)

o Tennis balls

o Crazy balls (reaction balls, etc.) (desirable not necessary)


Dynamic warm-up structure:

Please refer to the RFL coaches handbook for dynamic warm-up for more guidance or examples of

specific activities:

Key theme: Quality of action: Joint positioning determines muscle function

• We need to educate our young players that quality work in all aspects of how they move will

make them better player and reduce their potential for injury in the future.

• Correct execution of basic movement patterns

• Opportunity for the coach to evaluate players competence

Component of warm-up Key themes to emphasise: Example practices

Activate

Joint positioning: Typically:

• Maintaining natural lumber

curve with the pelvis in

neutral

• Knees tracking along the

line of the toes

• Stabilising muscles working

to control movement in 3

dimensions

• Co-ordination of upper

body with lower body

segments in total body

movements

• Straight leg skips

• In-line lunge

• Bridge

• Planks

• Skip & Scoop

Mobilise Through a full range of

movements.

Utilising the hips / pelvic girdle

as a central focus from which

movement occurs.

Joint positioning is crucial

• Scorpion

• Single leg squat thrusts

• Frog squat thrusts

• Under / over hurdle

walking (if high hurdles

available)

Potentiate

Explosive power through

technique:

• Active, flat-foot take-off and

landing

• Total body movements

• Stabilising muscles as well

as power producing

muscles

• Proprioception is a key

component to incorporate.

• Up-tall and fall

• Springboks

• Animal walks

• Crazy ball games

• Reaction games

• Acceleration runs

• Maximal vertical jumps

• Single leg stance

wrestling drills


Speed & agility progressions:

Key theme: Quality of technique, intensity of intent

• We need to educate our young players that speed development is dependant on the player

running at 100%, and that sub-maximal work does not make you quicker. This is not well

understood in the game.

Key concepts

Key technical factors to emphasise Example practices

Reaction & decision-

making

• Posture is always in a position to

exert and resist forces

• Ready position

• Head steady – peripheral vision

• Boxing games (e.g. in

pairs, score points for

touching partner on inside

of the shoulder or on the

knee)

• Mirror drills

• Crazy ball games

• Verbal & visual response

drills

Acceleration technique

• Active flat foot contact (a coach

should always be able to insert a

credit card – nothing wider –

between the floor and the athletes

heel

• Many foot contacts in a small

space of time

• “Straight line” body position

• Must put the centre of mass

outside of the base of support and

in the direction of travel

• Low to high body position

• Players must understand the need

for maximal speed (quality,

intensity)

• Complete recovery time (60s for

every 10m)

• A-drills

• Wall Drills

• Up tall and fall

• Flying 10’s (gradual

acceleration for 10m, hit

top speed by 10m,

maintain for 10m)

• 10m, 20, 30m

accelerations

Deceleration

technique

• Many foot contacts in a small

space of time

• Must bring the centre of mass

within the base of support

• High to low body position

• Dorsiflexed ankle with “credit card”

able to be exerted under the heels

• Gear change sprints

• Dead-stop sprints

Lateral movement

• Bringing centre of mass outside of

the base of support

• Learning to exert force through the

inside and outside of the ball of the

foot

• Hips and shoulders remain “square

on” (facing forwards without

• Single leg ladder drills

• Dot-mat drills

• Lateral “slide” drills


rotation) during the movement

Running backwards

• Low body position

• Chest high

• Hips and shoulders remain

“square on” (facing forwards

without rotation) during the

movement

• Push fully through foot with

dorsiflexed ankle

• Back-pedal

• Angled back pedal

Chaotic multi-directional

speed

• Keeping centre of mass outside of

base of support to achieve

acceleration in any direction

• Many foot contacts

• Active flat foot contacts with heel

slightly off the floor (credit card

rule) at all times

• Hips and shoulders stay square

on during movement in each

direction

• Acceleration into space (not when

in space) i.e. decelerating to

stand a defender up, then re-

accelerating past the opposition

so that the player is moving

rapidly as he passes the

defender.

• Acceleration –

deceleration – change

direction – straighten & re-

acceleration patterns

• Agility course drills (see

below for examples)

• Crazy ball drills

• Linked to decisions: Foot

contact / body positions

determined by what is in

front of the player (i.e.

progressively more open

practices)

• Linked direction change

(lateral, backward, forward

motions)

Example Agility drills (for guidance)

Lateral run

7m

Start in the press-up position

Sprint the pattern shown, touching the outside

of each line with your foot.

Run to either point 1, 2 or 3 in response to a signal

/ command.

* Run the drill in the opposite direction

* Run the drill laterally (side-stepping the lateral

components rather than sprinting forward).

Start

3m

12m

1 2 3


= flag or cone

Run backwards (5m)

Sprint left or right diagonally forward, depending upon

shouted instruction

Back and out

10m

= flag or cone

“Boomerang drill”

10m

Start

Sprint forward from start,

cutting around each cone

in succession, in cross

formation, and sprint

through finish. Finish

“Cutting circles”= flag or cone

Start

Press-up

From start, sprint around outside of the circle in an

anti-clockwise direction. At cone 1 (or in response to

a shouted command), cut in and sprint straight across

circle. When you reach other side, perform press-up,

then sprint in clock-wise direction, until 2 (or verbal

command), and cut inside again.

Vary length of sprints around the perimeter.

1

Alternative:

Weave in and out of cones:

1. Running forwards 2. Running backwards

3. Keeping back squared to inside of the circle

4. Keeping front squared to inside of the circle


Linked concept: Learning to land in jumping:

Landing:

Example competency stage

Key technical factors to emphasise

(competency checklist)

Double –leg landing and stick

• Ankle dorsiflexed in preparation for landing

• Flat foot landing

• Centre of mass lowered and directly above

the base of support

• Knees acting along the line of the toes

• Force absorbed through knee and hip

flexion upon landing

• Evenly distributed landing across single

foot & (where relevant) between both feet

• Naturally straight (i.e. natural lumbar curve)

spine with chest high

Double leg run, jump & stick

Double leg land, stick and

throw

Single leg land and stick

Single-leg run, land and stick

Single leg land, stick & throw

Linking skills:

Run – Jump – land

Run – throw – control

Jump – throw - land– run


Dynamic postural strength & control: Key theme:

• Controlling the posture is a key requirement for any player: Evidence from screening further down the pathway indicates that our (young) professional players are not good at this. The

regional programme is designed to address this.

• Players should be challenged through an exercise prescription suitable to their individual movement control competence

• Players should not be progressed past their level of competence in terms of being able to control their movement through an exercise progression:

Horizontal stability

Progressive

exercises

(competence

levels)

Key technical factors to emphasise Within exercise example

progressions

Plank • Straight line (no deviations) position

between head, shoulders, hip, knees and

ankles

• Scapula retracted & stable

• Shoulders level

• Hips level

• Head / neck in neutral

• Plank on knees

• Full plank

• Plank with 1 leg raised

Bridge

• Feet hip-width apart and level

• Knees bent to 90 degrees

• Straight line position (no deviations) from

knees, through hips to shoulders

• No pain in the hamstrings – engage glutes

fully

• 2-legged with hands on

floor

• 2-legged with hands

pointing to ceiling

• Single leg with hands on

floor

• Single leg with hands

pointing to ceiling

2 & 3 point

balances

• Scapular retracted

• Shoulders stay level

• Hips stay level and in neutral, with natural

lumbar curve maintained (distance

between navel and sternum continuous)

From the “on all 4’s” position:

• Single arm raise

• Single leg raise

• Alternate arm & leg raise

• Unilateral arm and leg

raise

Lateral Planks

• Straight line body position between nose,

through sternum, navel and middle of the

legs

• No front-back sway

• On elbow

• On extended arm

• With non-supporting arm

raising & lowering

continuously

• With non-supporting leg

raising & lowering

continuously

• With both non-supporting

arm & leg raising &

lowering continuously


Dynamic pillar

strength

• Straight line (no deviations) position

between head, shoulders, hip, knees and

ankles

• Distance between navel and sternum

does not change


• Shoulders remain level at all times

• Hips remain level at all times

• Head / neck in neutral

• In press-up position, raise

1 arm but keep in under

the body, then lower

• In press-up position, raise

1 arm to the side of the

body, then lower

• Double arm roll-outs on

knees

• Double arm roll-outs on

toes

Single leg movements

Progressive

exercises

(competence

levels)


progressions

Single leg ¼

wall squat with

ball support


• Shoulders level

• Hips level

• Hips and knees simultaneously flex to initiate

movement

• Knee to track the line of the toe during the

movement

• Support (standing) foot flat on the floor

• Non-supporting foot in front (held as high as

possible)

• Stability ball

• Medicine ball

Single leg ¼

squat


• Shoulders level

• Hips level


movement


movement

• Support foot flat on the floor


possible)

• Single leg ¼ squat

with hand on wall (or

similar support)

• Single leg ¼ squat

Single leg

lateral squat on

box


• Shoulders level

• Hips level


movement


movement


• Non-supporting foot hanging from the side of the

box to enable hips to stay level

• Lateral box squat


Supported

single leg

squat

(1 below)


• Shoulders level

• Hips level


movement

• Natural lumbar curve & pelvic position to remain

continuous throughout the movement


movement



possible)

• Stability ball against the

wall

• Gradually increase

range of movement

towards full squat

position (where hips

come below the level of

the flexed knee):

Controlled descent,

explosive ascent

• Progress to a medicine

ball against the wall

• Gradually remove the

use of the arms as a

counter-balancing aid to

increase complexity

Single leg

squat to box


• Shoulders level

• Hips level


movement




movement

• Descent until the bottom touches a box (at

approximately knee height): the player should

not rest on the box, and the coach should

ensure that a change in lumbar back / pelvic

position does not occur as a result of a player

contacting the box



possible)

• On elbow

• On extended arm

• With non-supporting

arm raising &

lowering continuously

• With non-supporting

leg raising & lowering

continuously

• With both non-

supporting arm & leg

raising & lowering

continuously

Pistol Squat

(2 below)


• Shoulders level

• Hips level


movement




movement



possible)

• Body weight – arms

out to counter-

balance

• Bodyweight – hands

on hips


behind head

• Holding a medicine

ball to chest


ball at arms length

Overhead

Pistol squat


• Shoulders & hips level

• Object is held above the rear of the head, with

arms fully straight

• Bodyweight – arms

straight above the

head

• Holding a broomstick



movement




movement



possible)


ball in 2 hands

1 2

Double leg support movements

Progressive

exercises

(competence

levels)


progressions

Gorilla Walk • Scapula retracted & stable

• Shoulders & hips level

• Hips below knees, whilst keeping feet flat on

the floor and the chest high

• Arms move in a swinging action, whereas

legs move in a walking action

• Hips and knees simultaneously flex to

initiate movement


movement

• Forward / backward

movement

• Lateral movement

• Jumping movement in

“gorilla” position

Bodyweight

squat

• Scapula retracted & stable, elevating the

chest

• Shoulders & hips level throughout the

movement

• Natural curve evident in the lumbar spine

throughout movement

• Controlled descent initiated through

simultaneous flexion of the hips and knees

• Knees track along the line of the toes

• Descent continues until the hips are below

the knees, with the feet kept flat on the floor

and the chest high

• Ascent without posture changing

• Hands in front of the body

• Hands on hips

• Hands touching shoulders

• Hands behind the head


Overhead split

squat

• Scapula retracted & stable with broomstick

held in fully extended arms above the rear

of the head

• Shoulders and hips are kept level

throughout the movement

• Hips and knees simultaneously flex to

initiate movement, with the weight

transferring onto the heel of the front foot

during the movement

• Posture is maintained in an upright position

• The knees track the line of the toe during

the movement

• Broomstick

• Medicine ball held above

the head

Medicine ball

squat


chest


movement


throughout movement






and the chest high


• Medicine ball held to

chest

• Medicine ball held at arms

length

Springboks

See photo

sequence

below

• Focus is on strength and correct posture

• Push both feet into the floor as you drive upwards into standing

• Use the arms for balance

• Try not to round your back as you sit up and stand: Keep a straight back throughout – straight is strong!

• The person who is holding the legs can lean backwards and pull on the lower legs as their partner tries to stand if they need more help – moderate the pull according to the ability levels

• Ensure that the drive is too a “straight” standing position

• Start from lying on the

floor – enabling

momentum in the sit-up to

aid athlete to standing

• Start from seated upright

as per photo sequence

• Reduced assistance from

partner aiding the

standing

Partner

squats

• Co-ordinated working together

• Upright trunk to push off the floor

• Push from the glutes to drive to standing

• Back-back squats

• Squat – sit – legs out

straight – legs back in –

push to standing


Overhead

squat


chest


movement


throughout movement






and the chest high


• With Broomstick

• With medicine ball

High bar

broomstick

back squat


chest


movement


throughout movement

• Feet shoulder width apart






and the chest high


• Bodyweight – arms

straight above the head

• Holding a broomstick

• Holding a medicine ball in

2 hands

Press behind

neck from

squat

position

• Player descends to the bottom position of

the squat with broom behind the neck

• Broom is pushed upwards to a straight arm

position with the broom above the top of the

head

• As the broom is pushed upwards, the

posture should not change and the player

does not rise from the squat position

• Body weight – arms out to

counter-balance

• Bodyweight – hands on

hips


behind head

• Holding a medicine ball to

chest

• Holding a medicine ball at

arms length

Springboks:


Uni-lateral support movements

Progressive

exercises

(competence

levels)


progressions

Standing lunge

(stepping

forward onto

front foot,

pushing back

to standing)


• Shoulders & hips remain level

• Trunk remains upright throughout the

movement

• Lunge forward is sufficient to enable the

player to lunge to a position where the knee

is level with the hip

• The front foot should land flat on the floor


movement

• The player should be able to perform the

movement equally on each side

• Broomstick behind neck

• Broomstick above head

• Holding medicine ball

Cross-over

lunge

• From a standing lunge position, the player

brings the left (or right) foot across in front

of the body, keeping the ankle dorsiflexed

and facing forward upon landing, so it is

completely perpendicular to the direction of

the body’s travel.

• The knee of the front leg should be directly

over the toes upon landing. The centre of

mass of the athlete should be switched out

with the base of support, so the nose of the

athlete is now over/outside of the knee of

the front leg, which is now holding most of

the athlete’s body mass.

• The player remains close to the ground as

they move into the end position. The back

leg should come off the floor to emphasise

the shifting of the bodyweight outside the

base of support

• From here, the athlete pushes off the

outside of the front foot back to the start

position, and repeats the drill to the other

side

Round the

clock lunge

Forward

Backwards

Sideways

(each side)

Diagonal

movements

Combination of




movement






movement

• Broomstick behind neck

• Broomstick above head

• Holding medicine ball

• Holding med ball above

head


head in 1 hand


the above • The player should be able to perform the


Walking lunge




movement






movement

• The player should be able to perform the


• Forward movement with

broomstick behind neck

• Transitioning from 1 foot

to a double foot stance

• Transitioning from 1 foot

to the other foot without

the double foot stance

• Backward movements

with broomstick behind

neck

• In-line lunge

• Forward / backward

movements with hands

behind head


head


head in 1 hand

Jumping progressions:

Example competency stage Key technical factors to emphasise (competency

checklist)

2-foot Vertical jump • Forcibly extend the knees, hips and ankles by

pushing into the floor with both feet, leaving the

ground at the same time, arms swing up and reach

upward during flight

• Centre of mass travels with the correct trajectory

(upward)

• Full triple extension of ankle, knee and hip

• Reach high with the body and arms for as long as

possible

• Bring the toes up towards the knees (flex the ankle)

prior to landing

• Cushion the landing by flexing the hips and knees

as the ball of the foot lands on the floor – coach a

flat-foot landing, even though this means that the

heels aren’t really contacting the ground at the

same time as the balls of the foot

2-foot Horizontal jump • Bend from knees and hips, arms straight and behind,

countermovement into take off, arms moving behind,

swinging from the shoulder

• Push through both feet evenly, force is generated by

straightening knees and hips, pushing down into the

floor through the feet

• Arms swing through with force and stretch forward

and upward, hips and knees fully extended as feet

leave the floor, trunk leaning forward


Reactive land (land and take off

again)

• Minimal ground contact time

• Controlled, active flat-foot landing without weight

transferring to heels

•

Example progressive practices:

Coaches should remember:

Single leg drills are more than twice as intensive as double leg drills

Lateral jumping and hopping movements are important for multi-directional games players

Quality is much more important than volume:

• Low intensity exercises – 6-10 reps

• Higher intensity exercises – 3-6 reps

Jumping down from relatively high positions (or landing from high positions, e.g in multiple jumps

over normal hurdles) requires a lot of strength, and should be discouraged within a repetitive &

formal programme until players are strong enough to cope with this.

Linked activities:

Vertical jump with maximal medicine ball throw for height

Horizontal jump with maximal medicine ball throw in front

Horizontal jump with maximal medicine ball throw behind

Jump onto box with medicine ball thrown behind

Multiple

straight

arms

bounces

Multiple

flat foot

jumps

Skipping

Jump rope

sequences

Jumps over

mini-hurdles

with box to

land on every

2-3 jumps

Partner games to

encourage hip

drive & flat foot

landing


Upper body movements

Progressive

exercises

(competence

levels)


progressions

Handstands • Stretched tight body, head tilted slightly to look at hands

• Abdominals and glutes braced

• Arms locked straight, with hands held shoulder width apart

• Push up through the shoulders from the hands throughout the balance

• Legs held tightly together, pointed high in the air, with feet pointed

• Face the wall, walk feet

up

• Face away from the wall,

spring feet up

• Using a spotter

• Unsupported

Press-ups • Full range of movement: arms fully straight

down to chest just off floor

• Maintain straight line body position through

knees, hips, shoulders and head

• Press-up on knees

• Press-up

• Press-up with hands wide

• Press-up with hands

together

• Press-ups moving over

the medicine ball

• Single arm-press-ups

• Clap press-ups

• Hand-stand press-ups

Bench Dips

Requires step

or box to raise

body from

• Full range of movement

• Scapula position

• Upright trunk throughout the movement

• With legs bent

• With legs straight

• With legs raised onto

bench or chair

• Dip bar action

Horizontal

pulling

• Body remains low to the floor – strength

developed by overcoming frictional drag

• Elbows lead the movement – then shoulder

/ back muscles contract to pull the body

forward

• If legs needed, look for co-ordinated action

between arms and legs

• Commando crawl – legs

assisted

• Commando crawl – upper

body only

Partner

wrestling

• Players should keep their abdominal / trunk region braced throughout the wrestle

• Players should try and keep their centre of mass within the base provided by the knees when being defensive. They should move it forwards or backwards to be offensive, as they try and move their partner off balance.

• Players kneeling in front

of each other – gripping

each other by wrapping

their arms around the

partner and securing the

grip by clasping their

hands

Inverted pull-

ups

Note: Requires

bar to hang

from

• Pulling from straight arm to fully flexed arm

• Straight line to be maintained between shoulder, hip and knee

• Knees bent

• Legs / body straight

• Legs raised

• Full chin-ups


Rope climbing

Note: requires

floor – ceiling

rope

• Coordinated action between legs (pushing)

and upper body (pulling) necessary

• Using arms and legs

• Using arms only

Shoulder walks • Straight line position required between

shoulder and hip at all stages

• As player progresses to toes or feet off

floor, the straight line position between the

ankles, knees, hips and shoulders is

maintained

• Scapula to remain retracted and stable at all

times. Winging or elevation should not

occur.

• Hands walk forward from

all 4’s position


press-up position


feet raised position


“wheelbarrow” position

with feet held

• Walk forward, backwards

and laterally from the

wheelbarrow position

Creating & controlling rotations

Progressive

exercises

(competence

levels)


progressions

Forward rolls • Hands flat on the floor, palms down and shoulder width apart

• Tuck the chin into the chest, allowing a roll over a rounded back

• Tucks the heels in quickly; Keep the arms strong and push against floor

• Reach up and forwards with the arms to standing

• From standing

• From walking / running or

jumping

Backwards

rolls

• Take off by pushing through the legs, fingers tucked under shoulders placing hands flat and should width apart on floor. Keep body tucked up.

• Chin is tucked in to the chest when rolling with a rounded back

• The hands are shoulder width apart, and placed beside the head

• When hands are on the floor, the player should push strongly through the arms to clear the head off the floor as the body rotates to place feet together on the floor

• Knees are tucked tightly into the chest, legs together, and heels are tight to the bottom

• Stand by extending the knees, hips and spine. Finish in a straight, standing position.

• Roll into standing is one fluid sequence of movement

• From crouched

• From standing


Seated twist

and throw

• Hips to be engaged as the player rotates

trunk to throw

• Scapula remains retracted, with the trunk

upright and natural lumbar curve maintained

• Rotations are forceful, and ball is caught as

early as possible / released as late as

possible

• Using arms and legs

• Using arms only

Cartwheels • Arms remain straight as the body rotates

over them

• Straight line is maintained throughout the

posture, with the feet moving directly over

the hands

• Abdominals remain braced throughout the

movement

• Single repetitions with

each side leading

• Double repetitions

• Multiple repetitions

• Cartwheel into rolls /

strength balances

Split stance

med ball throw

• Even split between front foot and back: The

trunk (centre of mass) remains directly

above the mid-point of the split

• Feet and legs remain facing forward

throughout the movement

• Hips remain level throughout the execution

• Rotations should be as forceful as possible,

and the throw as explosive as possible

• Double arm

• Single arm

Walking lunge

with trunk

rotations

• Knee continues to remain tracking along the

line of the toes as the trunk rotates

• Chest remains elevated and scapula

retracted as the players trunk rotates

• Rotation is from the waist and through the

thoracic spine

• Med ball twist opposite

side to front leg

• Med ball twist same side

as front leg

Windscreen

wipers

• Arms remain out straight, with shoulders flat

on the floor at all times. The back should

stay in contact with the floor at all times

• Rotation is through the hips

• Feet stay together at all times

• Movement is the same between the left and

right hand rotations

• Knees bent

• Legs / body straight

• Legs raised

Reverse

hamstring curl

• Straight line between the shoulders, hips

and knees is maintained throughout the

movement

• Abdominal area remains braced throughout

• Kneeling – lower to floor

• Kneeling – lower to floor

then hold

• Kneeling – lower – hold -

return


Reverse hamstring curl: Windscreen wipers:

Seated twist & throw:


Anaerobic & power endurance: Key theme:

• Players who have not gone through puberty yet should not do anaerobic work: reduce the intensity accordingly

• Work: rest ratio is important. In post-pubertal players, utilise a 2:1 work:rest interval for such short duration sessions

• Challenge the players through a range of activities that are based upon: o Total body movements o High – velocity movements

• Sessions that are easy to set up and transition to within the structure of the strength and conditioning session

• Encourage the players to self-set goals and targets that will focus their work and adherence to the training routine

Example sessions:

Note: these are only examples of ideas that might be used by coaches to achieve the objective

Circuit training:

Exercise Time Recovery

Press-ups 40 secs 20s

Sit-up with twist 40 secs 20s

Squat thrusts 40 secs 20s

Dips 40 secs 20s

Back hyper extensions 40 secs 20s

Multi-directional jumps over low hurdle 40 secs 20s

Maximal medicine ball vertical throw with burpee 40 secs 20s

Crunches 40 secs 20s

Alternate leg squat thrust 40 secs 20s

20m shuttle sprints 40 secs 20s

Conditioning game:

“Killer rectangles” is a modified conditioning game that combines anaerobic conditioning

with agility, balance, coordination, reactions decision-making and teamwork. It can be

played with eight or more players (it works better with 12+), and requires some marker

cones, open space and 8–12 foam or soft rubber balls to play. The playing area (size

determined by numbers involved) is shown below, with four equal playing zones, with

each of the two teams split between alternating areas.


Ball

Team 1

Team 2

On the coaches starting whistle, the players collect the balls as quickly as possible and

throw them at opposing team members. If a player is hit, he must run to the sidelines

(coaches can manipulate which one) and perform an exercise (eg 15 down and ups: lie

face down on the floor, feet together, arms outstretched into a crucifix position – from

here, stand up as quickly as possible and perform a maximum vertical jump, land and

return to the start position = 1 rep). After doing this, the player rejoins his team. If a

player catches a flying ball or hits an opponent with a ball, his team receives a point. If a

player throws a ball that is caught, he must go to the sideline and perform a different

exercise or sequence (eg 10 sit-ups into 10 press-ups) before rejoining the game. When

a player is exercising on the sideline, he is out of the game and cannot be targeted.

Resting players can be around the outside to retrieve any stray balls. The winning team

is the one with the most points.

Adapted Running Drill:

The ’Glory Grid’


To conduct the Glory Grid drill a coach will need six cones and a measuring tape.

How it works:

� The cones are set up as indicated above.

� On lap 1 the players run past cones in sequence shown at 70%.

� On lap 2 the players sprint from cones 1 to 2, 65% around rest of lap.

� On lap 3 the players sprint from 1 to 3, 65% around rest of lap.

� On lap 4 the players sprint from 1 to 4 (via 3), 65% around rest of lap.

� On laps 5 and 6 the players sprint to cones 5 and 6 respectively.

� On lap 7 the players sprint from cone 1 all the way around and back to 1.

� On lap 8 the players do a 2-minute recovery walk.

� On lap 9 the players repeat lap 7.

� On lap 10 the players repeat lap 6.

� After this, the players repeat laps 5–1 in descending order.

Notes:

� Distances can be altered to suit the facility that sessions are delivered in

� The player needs to show a definite change of pace at the start of the sprint on all

laps.

� Such sessions can also be done over very short distances with the players running

at 100% of their maximum.

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