Increasing my speed?

[Rod555]

I have just started playing rugby again after a 6 year break. I really want to try and increase my short distance sprinting speed. What is the best way to do this? I have heard plyometrics could help?? (Sp) Could anyone explain this to me and how i should work it into my training routine?

Secondly, I am still very much into the aesthetic side of working out/bodybuilding so at the moment im just training for strength/size on my legs. Heavy squats, leg presses, curls, extensions, deads, raises etc. I thought that having stronger legs would make me faster or at least a more powerfull runner, is this true?

I am currently playing at open side flanker (no 7) so i need to be reasonably big/strong but also quite quick of the mark.

Any input from american Football players past or present would be greatly appricated as these two sports are quite similar.

Karma on offer for answers

 

[Illuminati]

I have just started playing rugby again after a 6 year break. I really want to try and increase my short distance sprinting speed. What is the best way to do this? I have heard plyometrics could help?? (Sp) Could anyone explain this to me and how i should work it into my training routine?

Secondly, I am still very much into the aesthetic side of working out/bodybuilding so at the moment im just training for strength/size on my legs. Heavy squats, leg presses, curls, extensions, deads, raises etc. I thought that having stronger legs would make me faster or at least a more powerfull runner, is this true?

I am currently playing at open side flanker (no 7) so i need to be reasonably big/strong but also quite quick of the mark.

Any input from american Football players past or present would be greatly appricated as these two sports are quite similar.

Karma on offer for answers

hey bro. good luck with the rugby. that shits too hardcore for me. i played football for a year in college, but quit because i had to work to pay bills.

work on strengthening your hamstrings. as this plays the majority roll in your speed. our leg work out included squats, SLDL, and ham. curls. we also did a lot of short distance sprints...10yd, 20yd, and 40yd. and occassionally we did 100yd sprints. we did some plyo stuff as well. ill try to remember more of the stuff we did, and hit you up later.

 

[Rod555]

Thanks bro.

Bump for more replies!

 

[trez]

Short distance running speed is as much about upper body strength as it is about lower, shoulder strength being the main factor.

Obviously having stronger legs will help you push in a scrum or hold your ground against a maul though.

IMHO the most important things for a flanker would be strong legs and shoulders. To work on your explosive strength in your legs (good for feinting) try jump squats.

As always though the best training for a sport is the sport itself so get out on the field!

I don't know a thing about plyometrics though, hope this makes sense I can elaborate if you want.

 

[vezpolo]

when does your rugby season start! i do have to agree with trez, the only way to get better and faster is by playing the sport. i lift year round and play rugby 9 out of 12 months a year and i never have the wind i think i have becuase you find your self pushing for that extra ruck or scrum. I am a tight head so the fact that i have to drive and puch more in the scrum is obvious but being able to jog/run the enitre game is much more important than muscle size. the team with the most energy at the end should win the game, in most cases the most fit team wins not the strongest. anyways enough of my rant. i hope you could pick up on where you left off 6 years ago. its not how strong you are but how strong the 15 of you are! 15 as 1

El Vez
any time you want to chat rugby let me know i love the game and love helping fellow packies out!

 

[Rod555]

Short distance running speed is as much about upper body strength as it is about lower, shoulder strength being the main factor.

Obviously having stronger legs will help you push in a scrum or hold your ground against a maul though.

IMHO the most important things for a flanker would be strong legs and shoulders. To work on your explosive strength in your legs (good for feinting) try jump squats.

As always though the best training for a sport is the sport itself so get out on the field!

I don't know a thing about plyometrics though, hope this makes sense I can elaborate if you want.

My upper body is pretty strong its my legs that are the week link.

Jump squats are sort of plyometric. I read up a load about plyo last nite and its excersises like Bounding (powerskipping for 20 yards), Tuck jumps, and depth jumps (stepping of a small platform and bouncing back up) . In theory this should traing your muscles for the type of explosive power needed for faster sprinting. Im gonna keep on heavy weight training as well and doing plyo twice a week, see how it goes.

vezpolo, our season started a few months ago.

Heres another question. Is it just that im genetically not supposed to very fast? or is speed somthing you can always work on?

 

[trez]

I'd say speed is definately something you can work on... obviously there are genetic limits.

My suggestion would be to train something like this (advice given to me by a high school coach):

Run about 70 metres in total in the following order

25 metres of acceleration (breath slowly)
10 metres at top speed (hold your breath!)
25 metres at moderate pace (breath slowly)
10 metres at top speed (hold your breath!)

Then slow down to a rest. Rest about 5 minutes then do it again. And again...

As you get better there are other things you can do... such as running up hills or carrying hand weights (yes the girly aerobic ones).

Hope this helps?

 

[curgeo]

If your gym has a Glute/ham machine......make sure to also hit that hard.

Roney has a book on the 40 yard dash that a lot of pros use in the nfl combine. You might want to check that out on www.elitefts.com

Also check www.charliefrancis.com for a good board by the King of speed, Charles Francis.

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

I'd definitely hit the glute/ham raises hard like curgeo suggested, twice a week if you can. Since I started doing them my legs in general have gotten stronger and my hams are starting to balance with my quads in size. I can feel the strength of my whole lower body from the glutes down increase by the week and I'd bet my sprinting and vertical speed is higher than ever at this point do alot to the GHR.

I'd make it your #1 exercise for legs besides full squats and basic sprints.

 

[AirWolf]

If you are looking for good on field speed increases - remember that its not necessarily how fast you are but also how quick you are. This is something I learned playing american football in HS. You can run sprints till you drop, but the second you get on the field and start running routes you won't be able to walk the next day because it hits so many other muscles....so in addition to doing looking into a plyometric routine and sprint training I would also look at running routes.

When I do this sort of training I'll typically pick a mark 10-20 yards down field and practice making a hard right or hard left at the mark. Typically I try to run the full passing tree...meaning curls, ins, outs, posts, fades, etc to get all the motions in. Of course if you are playing the sport multiple times a week this isn't as beneficial...more of an off-season thing.

Hope that helps.