Improving my 'kick'

[Tibbs]

Hi all,

Being an ex prop, speed around the park is the main thing that makes my refereeing suffer. Weight loss is the biggest target, and I'm on the way, down to 108kg (17st) from a high of 124kg (19.5st). I hope to hit my target of 89kg (14st) by Christmas.

What I really lack is a 'kick' that allows me to go from a standing start to full speed very quickly. This normally catches me out when there's an interception or a blocked kick, when I have to change direction and chase at full speed.

I'm already doing roadwork and time in the gym to increase my endurance and hasten my weight loss, but I was wondering if any of you had specific tips on improving my acceleration.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Chris

 

[tim White]

I'm afraid it is sprint training you want if you want to improve your sprinting.

Short, sharp, shuttles rather than long endurance weight reducing ones.

Check out the New Zealand RFU and South Africa RFU web sites for fitness and training. BEWARE these may be aimed at top level refs, take the idea and adjust distances/reps. I'll post links next time I visit them.

Good luck

 

[Davet]

If you are on the solid side - and at around 18 stone I would suggest that is the case - then sudden turns and accelerations can play hell with the joints - especially knees and ankles.

Do some excercises to strengthen cruciates, and avoid doing an "Owen"; and also achilles (Heel lowering rather than heel raising is good for that - stand toes on a 2 inch block and drop heels to floor - coming back up leve)

 

[tim White]

Try this one.http://www.nzrugbynet.co.nz/NZRFU/P...s/Waikato+Rugby+Referees/Fitness+Training.htmhttp://www.nzrugbynet.co.nz/NZRFU/P...s/Waikato+Rugby+Referees/Fitness+Training.htm

 

[willsie]

There are a number of drills available to someone who wants to improve their sprinting. I am happy to send you my ARU fitness programme with a sprint specific programme which involves a big variety of things to keep on entertained. It works on a 13 week programme from memory, and i am currently in the middle of it, but the results are really starting to show with my 100 time already dropping from 11.8 to 11.5 after just 8 weeks!!

Speed Sleds are another good option, but are difficult to come across and can do more harm than good if used incorrectly.

One drill i can recomend is the ABCD drill. You create a square with 4 cones, ten metres apart from one another. you then SPRINT to A, JOG to B, SIDEWAYS to C and then BACKWARDS to D. You do this continually for 3 mins, and complete 5 sets with a light 400 between the sets!! This is good cause it helps practice some of the movements we use during the game and as a result of changing it can emulate game situations!

 

[tim White]

Try this one as well. http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/runningworkouts/a/speeddrills.htm

 

[Tibbs]

Wow, what a lot of great responses!

Thanks for all this - as my rugby has only ever been on the [ahem] social side, The only organised fitness regime I've been exposed to was trying to keep up with the 1sts whilst attempting to avoid vomiting, so any help is gratefully received.

Willsie, if you could forward the programme you have, that would be fantastic,

Thank you all,

Chris

 

[OB..]

Advisor's fitness plan
Days 1-5
1. Sit in a comfortable armchair to plan your inactivities.
2. When you wake up, try to remember where you last saw a pencil.
3. Spend a while looking for it. Fail. Blame it on the wife/dog/children.
4. Return to armchair.
5. Get wife/dog/children to pour you a beer.
6. Think up some witty remarks to amuse the referees next season.
7. When you wake up, finish off the beer.

Day 6
Rest

Days 7-10
1. Repeat Days 1-5, except that you should now be able to pour your own beer.
2. Now try again, remembering to reverse the order of items 4 and 5.
3. Try raising and lowering a law book (with your non-drinking hand, of course).
4. By Day 10 you should be able to open it.
5. You will then need your glasses (no, not the ones with beer in).

Day 11
1. Plan visit to opticians.

Day 12 - 34
Repeat 4 and 5 from Days 7-10 until optician is free.

Day 35
1. Realise season started two weeks ago.
2. Order more beer.

Day 36
1. Open appointments letter received 1 month ago.
2. Plan letter of apology for not attending the first two games.
3. Get serious.
4. With the help of another beer.

Day 37
1. First game.
2. First free beer at club.
3. Lose notes on way home.
Days 38,39
Rest.

Day 40
1. Write up report from memory

Day 43
1. Finally remember to post it.

Day 44
1. Realise you put the wrong name on the report.
2. Phone to correct it.
3. Discover you got the game wrong too.
4. Get told it is Saturday and you should be in Lowestoft.
5. Console yourself with the thought that if the ref doesn't turn up, the players might not get a game, but if the adviser doesn't turn up the ref just breathes a sigh of relief.
6. So does the bar steward.

 

[ExHookah]

Do you have some steps near you?

I go over to the high school, and I run the steps of their football stadium. There are 4 aisles of steps, so I go up and down each section five times. The upwards portion forces you to spring yourself upwards, and the downwards portion gives you some work on stabilising muscles.

 

[SimonSmith]

Sudden change of direction?

Start playing squash. helped me no end.

 

[ex-lucy]

hookah
the bleechers ... i read Grisham's book recently about the Football coach who made his team do some laps of the athletics track and then go up and down the bleechers ... every one.
do you feel better for it ?

 

[Bryan]

Weight loss is the biggest target, and I'm on the way, down to 108kg (17st) from a high of 124kg (19.5st). I hope to hit my target of 89kg (14st) by Christmas.

Surprised nobody has said this yet but that is FANTASTIC! Hope you can keep it up!
I use the same documents Tim was referring to from the NZRU. The "training during the season" is lots of fun as it gives different variations of the same session. I use a Heart rate monitor as well as the University's indoor track for the sprint sessions and speed endurance drills.

 

[Chris Picard]

Tibbs,

Great news on the weight loss. Keep it up! Judah and I can attest wieght loss helps a lot with mobility around the pitch. As a former hooker, I no longer need the excess baggage to ref.

I went from 220 lbs to 190 lbs and what a difference. I hope to get to 175-180 lbs by Christmas.

Anyone up for a weight loss challenge? We could play the Biggest Loser!

Chris

 

[willsie]

squash is also a good way to give yourself a heartattack or do an ankle!!

 

[Tibbs]

I think squash is a bit much for me given my weight and current fitness state - maybe next summer!

There was a stand at my gym where a company did free gait analysis, and apparently I over-pronate, which apparently is one of the reasons my knees and ankles give me grief when I run on the treadmill. They let me try on some 'stability' trainers and what a difference! When normally I start feel twinges after about 10 minutes, I ran for 20, and felt nothing apart from tired!

So I've ordered a pair (last year's model to save money, naturally!) and they arrive today, hopefully. Man, I'm starting to take this fitness lark seriously...

Chris

 

[jboulet4648]

Tibbs,
Good job with the weight loss, its a great feeling. Went from 270 lbs to around 200lbs seven years ago and have kept it off and loving it!

what trainers did you get? I have the same problem, and have gone through a bunch of different stability trainers in the past few years. In terms of gait, they all work pretty well. I think the best one out there, and I have strayed to others these past few years but will be going back to it is the Brooks Beast. Not the prettiest of shoes, but its great. Also nice if you have a wide foot.

 

[Bryan]

I've got a pair of Asics Gel Nimbus VII (the VIII just came out and apparently they're even comfier). I run in the style that can only be described as Rhino-like. I'm surprised the treadmills at the gym haven't broken down under force of impact. In any case, I needed a stability shoe for a slight over-pronate and these are great.

Best to bring your old pair of trainers (running shoes) to a specialised running store and find a pair that works for you with the help of the folks there. Bring your running kit with you so you can have a run with them up and down the street to test them out. Then after 500-750 miles or so, get the same pair on Ebay and save some cash. Repeat as necessary.

 

[Davet]

Why pay money to go to a gym and then run on a treadmil?

I go to the gym 2 or 3 times a week - but refuse to bore myself to death on a treadmill - if I want to run I can do that in the open free of charge - the gym has specialised equipment that I can use - but running?

Why do people do it? Seriously - I simply don't get the concept behind a treadmill.

ps - What are "stability trainers" - I have a vision of two little wheels either side of the heel...

 

[didds]

I guess some people can't always run where there are not fast vehicles adjacent to narrow paths, or (perceived) muggerless green space.

then again some of us find running such a mind bogglingly tedious bore that the chance to watch sport (or soaps or whatever turns you on!) on the TVs before you helps forget the tedious activity that you are indulging in!

I find CV work fits nicely into a first half of a rugby match

didds

 

[Chris Picard]

Why pay money to go to a gym and then run on a treadmil?


Why do people do it? Seriously - I simply don't get the concept behind a treadmill.

I run on a treadmill or use an eliptical runner for a couple reasons:

1. For us bigger (read fatter) running on a treadmill will take pressure off the knee and ankle joints. Most newer machines are built with a cetain amount of give in them to reduced stress on the joints. Many doctors will recommend bicycling or treadmill use for just such a purpose.

2. Consistency - when setting up interval training, you cannot cheat and shorten sprints up as they are programmed in by time and/or distance.

3. The weather sucks in New England.

4. I can watch the news, sports, etc.

5. Lastly, the gym I attend has some strikingly beautiful women. So, more motivation.