Fwd: Vital 1v1 ruck exercise; 5% off all rugby balls; Boxing-style defence for better tackling; Decision-making skills game; Performance enhancing nutrition
Matt
Begin forwarded message:
From: Dan Cottrell <d...@rugby-coach.com>
Date: October 15, 2015 at 6:36:27 AM CDT
To: matt...@yahoo.com
Subject: Vital 1v1 ruck exercise; 5% off all rugby balls; Boxing-style defence for better tackling; Decision-making skills game; Performance enhancing nutrition
Issue number: 831
15th October, 2015
Dear Matt,
One of the most impressive skills on show during this World Cup has been teams' willingness to go into contact and still retain the ball. There are two essentials to this. The first is excellent ball placement skills. The second is the speed of the first player over the ball to make sure there's no chance the first defender can get their hands on the ball.
In this week's issue, Ian Diddams has a great exercise to develop those skills - one man rucks, taken from sevens training. And try out our defence session from our Print and Go Attack series.
I've also included a straightforward skills game which will help sharpen your players decision-making and core skills. It's taken from Damian McGrath's Skills Games for Rugby and until the end of the month you can get £10 off this manual!Yours in rugby,
Dan Cottrell, Editor.
Vital 1v1 ruck exercise
by Ian Diddams
Overview
In Sevens, winning a ruck with just one player is a vital skill to maximise numbers post contact.
Set up
Three attackers and three defenders.
A 10m x 5m box.
Three ruck pads.
Three balls.What you get your players to do
Place ruck pads and players as in picture 1. Players lie either side of the pad.
Players lie either side of the pads, with a ball by the pads. On your command,
they get up and drive over the pad, seeing who is first to win that contest.On your command, players contest a 1v1 ruck. The winner is the first player to drive over the ball.
Ensure players from prone, to all fours to a three-point stance to enable the to move into the ruck quickly and powerfully. (see picture 2)
Start with the players lying prone, then on their knees and then on their feet in a
three-point stance.Next, players face each other across the box. (see picture 3)
Make into a team game by having three players pass a ball back and forth. When you
call a letter, the ball carriers drop the ball and the two contest over the nominated
ruck pad. Keep a score to see which teams wins the most rucks.Teams pass a ball between themselves until you call which ruck pad to run to. When the letter is called, the players in possession of a ball drop it and contest a ruck at the ruck pad named.
Encourage
Low body positions.
Contact with the shoulder.
Driving low to high.
Continuous small, driving steps.Development
Two teams of three start by passing a ball between them either side of a 10m x 5m box that has no ruck pads in it.
Give each team a colour. When you call that colour, that team's ball carrier enters the box with a team mate along with two of the other team.
If a tackle is made, then there is a 1v1 ruck. No passing is allowed. Once the ruck has finished, players leave the box and return to their starting positions.
The aim is to score tries. Errors restart the game with possession given to the other team.
Notes
Small numbers maximises player involvement.
For larger numbers run multiple concurrent exercises.
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But coach Keith Holifield was astonished with the genuine results of his new training programme created from 10 simple ball handling activities.
And until 31st October, you can get the Sparta Special Training Guide for free with a trial to Rugby Coach Weekly.
To find out more, click here.
How to Improve your Players Tackling Technique
Use boxing-style footwork and arm movements to improve your players' tackling. The players stay light on their feet, keep their arms active before "punching" like a jab towards the ball carrier, arms going to the side, shoulder engaging and head going into the side.
Tell your players the purpose of this session is...
- Developing better tackling technique.
- Using balanced footwork to track and then tackle the ball carrier, like a boxer shadowing then punching an opponent.
Start with...
The non ball carrier in the pair shadows the ball carrier until you shout "TACKLE". The ball carrier stops, plants his feet and the other player drives his shoulder into the ball carrier. Develop by the non-ball carrier grabbing the ball carrier (but not putting him on the ground).
And then...
The tackler shadows the ball carrier as he moves side to side, using a boxing stance. When you shout "GO", the ball carrier aims to get to the other side.
Put into a game situation...
Play 2v3. The attackers can run anywhere. One defender must stay in each box, while the third roams freely.
This session is from Print & Go Rugby Sessions - Core Skills: Defence.
Click here to get more sessions like this.
Fluid and Nutrition Advice for Performance Gains
It is well accepted that fluids and nutrition play a vital role in sports performance, and that a player's requirements are different to that of non-rugby players.
Optimising fluid intake and nutrition leads to better health and higher standards of performance. And in this week's fitness feature we introduce you to performance enhancing fluid and nutrition.
Over the coming issues you'll also get...
- A fluid plan for sporting activities,
- Advice on how to gain muscle mass,
- Advice on how to lose body fat,
- A nutritional plan for sporting activities,
- A key guide to supplements you can use to improve performance.
Fluids for Performance
Losing fluid during training and playing is the body's way of controlling temperature and should be treated as a positive outcome. However, failure to replace the fluid is a major problem as excessive losses of fluid reduce your endurance capacity, power, reaction time and concentration.
A fluid loss above 2% of your bodyweight is detrimental and should be prevented by following a fluid plan, that covers pre, during and post-match drinking.
Thirst is not a good indicator of fluid needs - if you're thirsty then you're probably too late!
Hyper-hydrating has proved to reduce the negative effects of fluid loss during games and training. This involves raising your body fluid level above the normal rate to counteract the inevitable fluid loss during the game or training.
Fuel for Performance
To meet the demands of training and competing, players require food that can be broken down into usable energy. Carbohydrates are the most appropriate sources of fuel for rugby players, and they should form the bulk of caloric intake. Foods such as rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread are rich in carbohydrates and are broken down into glycogen (which produces energy) and distributed throughout the body to be used when exercising.
Intensive training and competing place heavy demands on glycogen stores. As these stores are depleted, fatigue occurs and performance drops until players "hit the wall" and run out entirely. Players can avoid emptying their glycogen tank by basing their carbohydrate intake on their body weight and activity levels.
Build and Repair
Due to the intensity of rugby and the high strength and power requirements, players require a higher intake of protein compared to non-players. Muscle mass increases rely on a high level of protein intake but also require energy from other nutrients (fat and carbohydrates) to facilitate a positive energy balance.
Guidelines for Fat Intake
Avoid saturated fats, such as visible fat on meat. Diets high in saturated fats and trans fats increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol levels and, therefore, the risk of heart disease, whereas most unsaturated fats have harmless or even helpful effects on one's lipid profile.
Eat fish two or three times a week to boost your intake of essential fish oils.
Use olive oil for cooking and in salad dressings.
Avoid eating fatty foods prior to and following exercise.Too nervous to eat?
Some players find it difficult to eat normally before a game. These players should focus on foods that they enjoy and perhaps a larger breakfast if they know that closer to the game they will struggle to eat. An energy shake may be a worthwhile option for such players.
TOP TIP
Players require extra protein to facilitate recovery from training and playing and to develop muscle mass.
Want to learn more about optimising your players fluid and nutrition intake?
Click here to get the best resources on performance enhancing nutrition, available with free delivery!
Skills game: Decision-making Warm-up
A straightforward decision-making exercise that highlights support play and running lines. It's a good game to use early on in a coaching session when you want to get your players' core skills nicely warmed up.
What you need for this game
- 5 players
- 1 ball
- 4 cones
Set-up
Use cones to mark out a playing area measuring 15m x 25m. One end of the area will be the try line.
Rules
Play two-handed touch rugby.
Each game ends when either a try is scored, the defenders take possession of the ball or the player in possession is tackled by a defender.What you do as coach
Line up five players at one end of the playing area, and position yourself halfway down the area just outside the right-hand side line.
On your whistle, the players begin passing the ball along the line as quickly and precisely as possible while moving down the area towards you.
When the last man in the line receives the ball, he first passes it to you and then runs round you and back into the playing area, where he becomes a defender.
You then pass the ball to the nearest of the remaining four players, who now become attackers. This sets up a 4v1, with the attackers aiming to score at the try line.
How you can progress the game
Make sure your players practice passing off both hands by positioning yourself to the left of the area and starting the ball at the other end of the attacking line.
Make the game more competitive by getting the last two players in the line to run round you and defend, making a 3v2.This game is from Damian McGrath's Skills Games for Rugby, and you can get £10 off until October 31st! Click here to learn more.
Rugby quotes
"You make a country happy. They say it is a football [country], and today it is a rugby [country] because of you. That's why I come, because, like you, I want a signed shirt."
Football legend, Diego Maradona, on the success of the Argentina Rugby team.
Best-selling manuals
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That's why I created Rugby Tactics Made Simple, where I've explained these difficult terms in plain, simple English and with large, clear illustrations.
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