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Help for Back Row muscle and mass training.

09cwyles

Academy Player
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Oct 9, 2010
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England
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London Wasps
Hi,
My name is Chris, I'm 15 and I play No.8 and Open Side flanker for my school/club teams.
I am 5ft 11 and 152lbs. I am quite lean and need some help on how to build effective muscle mass.
Thanks.
 
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Hi,
My name is Chris, I'm 15 and I play No.8 and Open Side flanker for my school/club teams.
I am 5ft 11 and 139lbs. I am quite lean and need some help on how to build effective muscle mass.
Thanks.

At your age, you can't go wrong with just thrashing pushups. Its a more effective workout than people give it credit for
 
I think your a bit young to start doing weights yet matey :/ as Ranger said stick to push ups sit ups and pull ups , use the next few years where there wont be so much an emphasis on physical size to work on you skills and technique .
 
Okay, it's just that my coach has said that we will be playing senior rugby (u18) next year and that we will need to grow and get bigger. I was already doing the push up, pull up and sit up rota. Thanks anyway.
 
At youth is best to start weights imo as you're gonna be up against guys older than you, so this season tbh just work on stuff mentioned above like pushups etc then between the end of the current and start of next season then start weights imo but not too much you dont need to be huge to play youth level rugby.
 
High weight as possible 8-12 reps. Do more of the compound exercises. high carb/protein shake. Compound exercises- Bench press,squats, any type of row exercise, lat pull down and military press should also work well for shoulders and tri-ceps. A pre workout drink like muscle science xplode...or ask for something similar...will help you train at your best most of the time ,(Energy and muscle pump). oh...and do at least 8 sets of each exercise a week.
 
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When i was in high school they put us on programs as we got there...13 years old...if you do push ups often it won't hurt going full out from the start...should not get too stiff.
 
Try to get your BMI to above 25 over the next year or so...will help a lot. When you hit 17 try to push for 28 bmi. But, body fat must not go over 12%. try keep it around 10% or less if possible.
 
High weight as possible 8-12 reps. Do more of the compound exercises. high carb/protein shake. Compound exercises- Bench press,squats, any type of row exercise, lat pull down and military press should also work well for shoulders and tri-ceps. A pre workout drink like muscle science xplode...or ask for something similar...will help you train at your best most of the time ,(Energy and muscle pump). oh...and do at least 8 sets of each exercise a week.

The amount of reps you do and the weight at which you do them changes as you progress through different stages of the season, which is called periodisation. I would be looking at performing between 6-8 reps of a 90-95%max weight rather than 8-12 reps of a max weight, and focussing on explosive movements.
Military press will not be incredibly beneficial for the triceps as they are acting as an antagonist for the delts. Still a good exercise though!
But the other compound exercises you have listed would be great.

What are you basing the 8 sets a week on???
 
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I don't think there's an age per se to start lifting, your age is fine. Just make sure to stretch before and especially after. Flexibility is your friend, and it's much easier to keep what you naturally have versus trying to make up for it when you're say, 27. :/
 
Hi,
My name is Chris, I'm 15 and I play No.8 and Open Side flanker for my school/club teams.
I am 5ft 11 and 152lbs. I am quite lean and need some help on how to build effective muscle mass.
Thanks.

At your age, you can't go wrong with just thrashing pushups. Its a more effective workout than people give it credit for

I think your a bit young to start doing weights yet matey :/ as Ranger said stick to push ups sit ups and pull ups , use the next few years where there wont be so much an emphasis on physical size to work on you skills and technique .

Okay, it's just that my coach has said that we will be playing senior rugby (u18) next year and that we will need to grow and get bigger. I was already doing the push up, pull up and sit up rota. Thanks anyway.

Like ranger and lucky said DONT DO weights, not till your 17-18 (preferably 18). Push ups, sit ups, knee bends, resistance and plyometrics is good for your still-developing body. Eat plenty of proteins, constantly pig out on Chicken make it your most favourite food, become a real meat eater, if your metabolisim keeps you slim dont look to weights.

Remember no weights, just meat eating and resistance exercises constantly. That will put you in great shape for a 15 yrd old.
 
The amount of reps you do and the weight at which you do them changes as you progress through different stages of the season, which is called periodisation. I would be looking at performing between 6-8 reps of a 90-95%max weight rather than 8-12 reps of a max weight, and focussing on explosive movements.
Military press will not be incredibly beneficial for the triceps as they are acting as an antagonist for the delts. Still a good exercise though!
But the other compound exercises you have listed would be great.

What are you basing the 8 sets a week on???

4 sets a week will build strength, but the extra 4 sets will help to build new muscle...well that is what happened to me when i was around 16. Yes, weight does have to cahnge depending on the season, but he asked for mass building and i told him what he needs to know to gain weight and size...those exercises should also build strength anyway. Instead of military press i should have put seated dumbell press...get confused with the names some times. My inner tri-ceps developed more than my shoulders did when i was starting off...the main thing is that he will work his shoulders well and develop the traps.
 
I just eat chocolate. Lovely, lovely chocolate.



And crisps.
 

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