Training on the treadmill
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Hey there<br />
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I was wondering if someone could give me some advice on getting fit to play rugby rugby again.<br />
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For various reasons (work, recent injuries), I'm limited to running on a treadmill at the gym at the moment. I've got the time to do up to a 40 minute work out at the moment. I want to be able to get as fit as I can, with the ultimate aim of playing in the back row again. <br />
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I'm not chronically unfit by any means - can row a 5K in under 20 mins and run 3 miles in under 24 mins, if that gives an indication. Just wanted to know if anyone could offer any hints / tips / training plans suitable for the treadmil. I thought about interval training, but I'm not sure of the sort of duration of session / speeds I should be aiming for. <br />
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Any help would be much appreciated - thanks guys!Â
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Just crank up the incline and the speed <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' /><br />
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Do a bit of interval work - crank the speed up to sprinting and hold it for as long as you can, then bring it back down to jogging and repeat as often as you can. This KIND OF simulates a game where you're going from ruck to ruck but ultimately nothing gives you the kind of prep that playing will.<br />
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I'd advise you to find a local touch footy game to be part of, or start one at work. -
Cheers NTA. <br />
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Obviously not the most popular conversation topic! -
Nick is right. You need to combine stamina (enough to get you through the 80 mins) with explosive training (for ruck-2-ruck, ball carrying, tackling etc.).<br />
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Treadmill will help with general stamina, but interval training is what you need for the explosive stuff. <br />
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Fartlek training is good interval training if you like running.<br />
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If you are in the SH then the touch-footy is a great way to get a bit of fitness, ball handling skills and fun before the season starts. It will be a good introduction for your knees, without throwing knees and shoulders straight into a full contact game.<br />
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Bart posted some great training schedules on the old TSF site, maybe he can resurrect some of them... -
Heh heh. He said "FARTlek" <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /><br />
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[quote name='Nero']<br />
Cheers NTA. <br />
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Obviously not the most popular conversation topic! <br />
[/quote]<br />
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Nero - its nothing personal I'm sure <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> Personally, I frickin hate the treadmill and would rather haul my fat arse around the oval a few times. Speaking of which, if you have a park nearby I recommend getting a footy and running around it while kicking the ball. Kick the ball on the move, then run after it and scoop it up at the best pace you can manage. This helps stretch and strengthen the back and hammies, and get the hands right. -
I run for 20mins to warm up and get the heart pumping. I do it in 4 minute intervals. Jog/fast walk for 1 minutefollowed by a sprint for 3mins. Repeated 5 times. I find that this allows me to pace myself throughout the 20, pplus it breaks it up a bit.
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someone did a study and found that putting a treadmill on a 1% incline is the best approximation to real running.
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That's true Gary because when you run you actually lean into it to balance your body. So running upright on a treadmill where your mass is essentially not moving through the air needs counterbalancing. NEVER run on a 0 degree incline because the impact is all wrong for your body.
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[quote name='Nick the Aussie']<br />
That's true Gary because when you run you actually lean into it to balance your body. So running upright on a treadmill where your mass is essentially not moving through the air needs counterbalancing. NEVER run on a 0 degree incline because the impact is all wrong for your body.<br />
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Nice one guys. I was wondering why runnign a 0% was hurting my mid -lower back. Then again I am very, very unfit and can just about manage to do 2 mile in 15 minutes before I'm stretchered off the bloody thing. -
Running on the treadmill without incline is essentially jumping up and down as there is no push-off from your calves! crank the incline up to 2 or 3 (sorry not sure of the % incline) rather than worrying about speed. Once you've got your lower legs used to the motion up the speed.<br />
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Good advice posted earlier about moving into interval training and trying to replicate game situation movement (pick up ball while running etc).<br />
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After trying treadmill for pre-season last year and running around a park this time around I can advise that results come faster off the treadmill... If you can find a park where the turf is soft or the slack groundsman lets the grass grow longer start cranking out laps (don't worry about your time). Means there's less impact on joints etc and I found last year that treadmill fitness doesn't equate to on field fitness (Doh!)<br />
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Nothing wrong with starting on the treadmill but try and incorporate some outdoor running as soon as you can. Google rugby training and there is a new NZ rugby site that lets you set up a training plan and gives detailed instructions about cardio, weights etc.. -
yeah, there is no substitute for running if you want to get fit for rugby. First training of this season for the local team, and I joined in with a series of minute runs, then minute off, hard as you could. Next day, my quads were dead. THis is despite rowing 4 or sohours a week. So aerobically fit for rowing, and my lungs were pretty fine for the running, but the leg muscles were not!!
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Have the same issue with the bike - the motion for exercise machines is different to propelling yourself along the grass. To that end I've resolved that once per week I head to the local oval in appropriate footy gear and do some running and a bit of work e.g. throwing lineouts at the goal post, kicking practice off the tee and a few punts. Bought a bike pump last week with a gauge on it, and decided since it came with a needle to inflate the Gilbert XT500 to appropriate pressure now that I had something to measure it with. The damn thing is so tight at 10psi I think its going to explode the first time I put the boot to it... or break my ankle :nta
