If you’re wondering how to become a better rugby player and improve your rugby game on your own, you’re in the right place. Rugby is a physically and mentally demanding sport, and you can enhance your skills and overall performance in several ways. Here are six rugby union expert tips to help you on your journey:
1. Train Your Mind and Body
To excel in rugby, you need both physical and mental strength. During a game, you must make quick decisions, anticipate opponents’ moves, and stay focused. Training your brain is just as crucial as training your body. To improve your cognitive abilities, consider incorporating mental exercises and visualisation techniques into your routine. This will help you make better decisions under pressure.
2. Focus on Strength Training
To get stronger in rugby, concentrate on compound exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. These exercises include squats (front, back, overhead, goblet, Zercher, etc.), deadlifts (conventional, sumo, Romanian, partial, etc.), power cleans, overhead presses (barbell, dumbbell, push-ups, etc.), pull-ups/chin-ups, bent over and seated rows, bench presses (barbell, dumbbell, flat, incline, decline, etc.), plyometrics, and medicine ball throws. Strengthening your body will help you handle the rigours of the game more effectively.
➡️ Read More: 6 WARM-UP EXERCISES TO DO BEFORE A RUGBY OR SPORTS MATCH
3. Build Your Fitness
Strength alone is insufficient; you also need endurance and stamina to keep up with the fast-paced nature of rugby. Lack of fitness can leave you lagging behind on the field. Incorporate workouts that improve your overall fitness, such as steady-state running, swimming, cycling, or rowing, circuit training, interval training, fartlek training, and rucking (hiking with a backpack or weighted vest). Ensuring you are in top physical condition is essential to becoming a better rugby player.
4. Try Some Sled Training
Sled training is a fantastic way to develop the conditioning required for scrums, mauls, and tackling. Pulling and pushing a sledge engages the same muscle groups used in rugby plays and helps you understand how to position yourself for maximum effectiveness. Additionally, sledge training is low-impact, reducing the risk of post-workout muscle soreness. If you can access a sled, it’s an excellent solo training tool to consider.
5. Work on Your Speed
Speed is a crucial asset in rugby. To improve your speed, engage in sprint training. Practice sprints over various distances, ranging from 10-20 meters up to about 100 meters, using the lines on a rugby pitch as your guide. Focus on mid-sprint accelerations and decelerations to mimic game scenarios. Try starting some sprints from a prone or supine position to simulate getting up quickly after a tackle. Speed can give you a significant advantage on the field.
6.Enhance Your Agility
Agility is the ability to change direction swiftly, a skill vital for navigating the opposition. To improve your agility, work on exercises that require lateral movement, such as ladder drills, cone drills, and shuttle runs. Developing your agility will help you manoeuvre around opponents effectively, making you a more elusive and valuable player.
Want to get better at rugby?
Improving your skills on your own is possible with dedication and the right training regimen. With consistent effort, you can become a better rugby player and make a significant impact on your team.
➡️ Read More: RUGBY 101: BASIC RULES OF RUGBY FOR BEGINNERS
If you’re passionate about rugby and looking to apply your skills in a team environment, join the County Carlow Football Club as the new season kicks off. Get in touch with us to be part of the action!
