CrossFit for Rugby

[Zed]

If your goal is to specialize and compete in one sport, then CrossFit isn't for you. Instead, the goal of the CrossFitter is to become "competent" in all 10 domains.

I guess this quote sums it up - good for all round fitness, but not good just for one sport. Which really means if you play sports then it's not going to be hugely helpful, other than giving you a base fitness.

 

[ORothlain]

Which really means if you play sports then it's not going to be hugely helpful, other than giving you a base fitness.

I don't know if I agree. I get that if you are training for a specific sport there are sport specific things you should be doing, in the case of the Franks Bros. in the above videos. However, the "base fitness" as you call it is pretty relevant to sport. It's athletic movement centered around core stability, and secondly intensity.
I guess for me, I am not training solo at a high intensity, so it makes a huge difference for me to work in the CrossFit environment. Also it's making me do things I would avoid on my own, like climbing rope. I know there is no rope climbing in rugby, but the muscles I used in my 6am workout this morning will definitely be used on the pitch.
I feel a huge resistance to CrossFit is that it's just different. Honestly though, look at how long it took Rugby Union to adopt the training standards that League and sports like American Football were doing years before it.

 

[ORothlain]

So, I'm into my 3rd week and I'm loving it. I'm being pushed beyond where I would normally go and getting fitter and believe it or not stronger. I'll update periodically to give a bigger scope of the impact this has on my rugby.

 

[J. Dean]

The reasoning behind crossfit is that in a sport you don't simply use isolated muscles or motions while playing, so you should play like you train.

I see the good and bad to it myself. Personally when I work out (which I admit is not consistently) I do strength and conditioning separately.

Seems like it would be good to use crossfit on occasion, like once or twice a week, while the rest of the week is focused on iso-training (strength and conditioning separated)

 

[ORothlain]

Alright, I'm into my second month and I've got to say I'm seeing results. My fitness has increased and my scrummaging and rucking have improved. The focus on Olympic lifting I think is a big part in the scrum and ruck, but the overall nature of crossfit is what is driving my performance. I'm anxious to see where I'll be in 6 months time. I have to admit, that I'm addicted to crossfit now.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I've noticed a lot more pro players are getting in to it now - Shane Williams is opening a crossfit gym in his home town as well.

 

[big ginger 8]

Can people confirm whether or not these 2 sessions were crossfit.

First Session

8min Fartlek running
60m jog
20m sprint

Stongman Circuit
45s each exercise
15s rest

Prowlers
Sandbags carry
Kettlebell swings
Farmers Walk
Med Ball Smash Skipping
Tyre Flips

each done twice

Second Session
5m per station 1min rest

Station 1
100 kb squats
100 push ups
50 wg pull ups

Station 2
100 Trap Deadlift
100 bb floor press
50 db rows e/s

Staion 3
100 bench press
50 split squat e/s
etc.etc. can't remember every exercise

 

[TRF_Olyy]

No, they're just circuit training.

A lot of crossfitters seem to think that crossfit invented circuit training, the way they go on about it.

 

[big ginger 8]

No, they're just circuit training.

A lot of crossfitters seem to think that crossfit invented circuit training, the way they go on about it.

Cheers.

 

[ORothlain]

No, they're just circuit training.

A lot of crossfitters seem to think that crossfit invented circuit training, the way they go on about it.

Agreed...it's circuit training.

Olyy has a wee chip on his shoulder about crossfit. Where exactly did the crossfiters touch you, Olyy? Can you point to it on the doll?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I have nothing against crossfit, per se - I'm actually looking at trying one or two sessions out in the summer (it's a 1hr30 - 2hr round trip to the gym, so not going to be my local) - just that a lot of the people who do it just rile me up

 

[ORothlain]

Yeah, I get that. A few bad apples turn you off the lot. Anything that brands itself as "elite" is going to attract the general douchery that assume elite status. However, I've found there to be some really great people also involved. In fact, my dealings so far with the crossfit community remind me of the rugby community. I just got a guy I used to coach and now play with to join up. I feel next season we're going to dominate...haha!

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I have tried all these, rowing/swiming/cuircit training/ jogging/weight lifting (but admittidly not crossfit)
and out of everything the thing that has improved my rugby the most was interval training, Sprinting uphill (on a treadhill at the moment) for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds. Carry on untill your a deadman.
I also do 2 x Starting strength workouts a week (ie. Squat/Deads/ Bench/powerclean/ Sholder press).

This has helped me but i know that won't work for everyone though.
I think the main thing is finding what works for your body as all people are different and to a certain degree different positions require different requirements. I play Lock and so don't the same way as a prop or backrow for example.

 

[ORothlain]

So far (after 2 months) I can see a lot of improvements, speed, endurance and strength. It's 7's season here in the states and despite my un-seven's-like size I'm giving it a go to build on my endurance and have some fun. I'm curious to see where I'm at come fall (end of September) when real Rugby starts back up out here.
I would definitely recommend CrossFit to any player in any position. It will only help you get better.

 

[backrowlock]

Joining this a few months late, but I have been doing crossfit on and off for 2 years. Firstly I just want to say it is the most fun I have had working out ever. Secondly I think it works.
If you are going to do it for Rugby, I would not suggest just simply following the main site WODs, as that will be far to general. Use your head and find work outs that are more relevant to what us rugby players do. I have found that I will move slightly away from things that are strictly "crossfit" into things that are better described as circuits. But does that matter? No.
At the end of the day, rugby requires such varied conditioning, so doing any exercise program that varies what you are working on is a good place to start.
Crossfit has got me doing things like burpees, good explosive power from the floor. Plyometric jumps, great for lineouts. Running and weights one after the other with no break......ideal for rugby.
Could another program have got me doing this? Yes.
Crossfit isn't going to make you an expert at everything. But it has some great workouts. Don't be afraid or put off it.
My biggest dislike is the cost of membership. I have never been inside a crossfit gym, I have my own weights at home, and I decide what workouts I am going to do so that the training is all relevant.

 

[MattyEdgeworth]

I know a guy from another forum who does crossfit and he a dead on fella, he competes as well but on the whole the people who do it are elitist pricks. Now I have never met anyone personally who does it, and don't know of anyone in my area who does it but that's just my understanding from reading and hearing things about it.

I watched some crossfit tournaent on TV a few days ago and it actually looked decent enough, although I think I'll just stick to regular strength and conditioning training plus the stuff I do at rugby training.

 

[187]

So far (after 2 months) I can see a lot of improvements, speed, endurance and strength. It's 7's season here in the states and despite my un-seven's-like size I'm giving it a go to build on my endurance and have some fun. I'm curious to see where I'm at come fall (end of September) when real Rugby starts back up out here.
I would definitely recommend CrossFit to any player in any position. It will only help you get better.

Hey bro, how you going with your crossfit? I'm halfway into my 2nd week. Haven't done any form of training for 5yrs so struggling a bit (a few DNF's haha) but loving the group & community feel of our crossfit family. I only got into it because its my mate's box and they just opened so I thought I'd go along and support but am hooked. Going to get into the protein shakes and sort my diet out too.

I'm looking forward to where I'm going to be at in 6 months time. I've taken a before pic so will take a pic and measurements every month and see how I'm going. At the moment I only go 3 times a week but going to increase to 4 in a few weeks time.

"I'm not there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday"

 

[Zed]

I suppose it depends what level of rugby you are playing. Amateur level, training twice a week, game on sat, you don't need to be ultra fit and there are lots of types of conditioning that will help get you and keep you fit. But if you're playing a decent level, the majority of your training really needs to closely replicate what you do on the pitch. As Living Sacrfice said sprinting for 30 sec with a 30 sec helped his rugby fitness the most - because this is something that you would actually do in a game. I haven't seen many players doing burpees or pull ups on the pitch. But things like sprints, 400m training etc can be ****ing hard - so people opt for 'easier' types of fitness training. Part of our pre-season training we do a lot of 200 & 400m training and towards the end of the sessions you are so constantly short of breath you start panicking like you're drowning. Hideous way of getting fit, but you get very fit and very rugby fit. e.g 10 x 400m on say 1.20 with a minutes rest. After doing these 3 or 4 times a week for a month, you will find you can go flat out for over a minute, or at the very least at 75% and then recover very quickly.

 

[187]

2 and a half weeks in to my crossfit life and I've lost 4.73KGs. This is some of our crossfit crew after finishing our 2 week on ramp.