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ash jonesFirst off, I would like to say that your website is extremely informative, and I have enjoyed reading through your vast supply of information..

Hi Ashley

First off, I would like to say that your website is extremely informative, and I have enjoyed reading through your vast supply of information regarding rugby and training.

I'm just 17 years old, living in Canada and trying to make my way as a Rugby player. My ultimate goal is to play professionally but I am an extremely long way away from ever getting their. Right now I am trying to break out into the National scene by playing in the National Championships this August. I play Loosehead Prop and I stand 6'3(191cm) and 102kg, quite small for a Prop at my height. I have been struggling to gain lean mass, since last year I have put on 5kg but not all of it was muscle. I have focused alot on Hypertrophy training, and much less on Maximal Strength and Power training, i've always been taught to use a linear periodization method of weight training and so far my gains have been minimal.

I really need some direction in the gym, I am already playing in one of the top Senior Mens Amateur Leagues, and I believe this to be quite an accomplishment at my age, so I do not feel that my skill of the game is what has kept me out of the Elite player pathway thus far. I've always stuck with compound lifts in my training. Bench Press', Squats, and Deadlifts are always the bulk of my routine.

My diet is what one would expect for a teenage boy, but I do keep fast-food to a minimum, once every couple of weeks. I try to eat 1.5-2 x my bodyweight (in pounds) of protein daily, but my protein doesn't always come from the cleanest sources so I get a reasonably amount of fat in there too.

Any knowledge you may be wiling to impart to me is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Craig

Hi Craig, thanks for your kind words I hope I can assist you with some programs, let me assure you first that size will come with the maturation process so do not be in too big a hurry as with your height it may take a few years to reach your optimal size, say between 115 and 120 kilogram, but with these new rule changes being trialled at present prop mobility and good scrummaging technique will be essential for survival in the modern professional game.

That being said I would probably have you follow a program very similar to the WestSide approach, when you see the powerlifting supermen that they turn out it looks like a prop forward assembly line. I would ensure that you include lots neck work as well, as well as doing some wrestling and or judo as an adjunct to your training. This may sound quite radical but I would follow this for the off season program and then do an Olympic lifting style program for the season as a power focus as well.

There are some very interesting articles on both www.t-nation.com and www.elitefts.com that will provide a wealth of information, one great article is westside for olympic lifters written by Louie Simmons, so read through those and if you have any questions please send them in, these programs are ones we have used at the Crusaders so hope you can make some great gains on them as well.

Training Month with Weekly Variation

* Olympic- Strength/Speed Movements (all workout weights are written as %)

Week	Work Out	Intensity Rating	Volume
1	(70 x 4, 73 x 4, 76 x 4) x 2	Medium/Heavy	24
2	(82 x 3, 85 x 3, 88 x 3) x 2	Heavy	18
3	(61 x 5, 64 x 5, 67 x 5) x 2	Medium	30
4	(91 x 2, 94 x 2, 97 x 2) x 2	Very Heavy	12

# Strength Movements

Week	Work Out	Intensity Rating	Volume
1	(70 x 5, 73 x 5, 76 x 5) x 2	Medium/Heavy	30
2	(82 x 3, 85 x 3, 88 x 3) x 2	Heavy	18
3	(61 x 7, 64 x 7, 67 x 7) x 2	Medium	42
4	(91 x 2, 94 x 2, 97 x 2) x 2	Very Heavy	12

Basic Program Example – Pull, Push, Squat, Posterior Chain – Heavy, Light, Medium

Monday	Wednesday	Friday
Snatch Pulls*	Power Snatch*	Power Clean*
Rack Jerks*	Military Press#	Push Press*
Back Squats#	Overhead Squats#	Front Squats#
Romanian Dead Lift#	Glute Ham Raise#	Good Morning#

Program follows the sets and reps and load/intensity protocols as listed by the symbols placed after the exercises,

Weekly Volume

Week 1 330 reps – Medium/Heavy Load 29%

Week 2 216 reps – Heavy Load 19%

Week 3 444 reps – Medium Load 39%

Week 4 144 reps – Maximal Load 13%

Total for month – 1134 reps

This volume only refers to work weights and does not take into consideration the number of sets or reps that would be required to get to the working weight required for the session.

Off Season WestSide Style

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Friday
Power Clean work up to a max set for 5 week 1, then 3 week 2 and finally a max for 1 in week 3	Push Jerk 6 sets x 2 reps increasing by 5% each week, 70%, 75%, 80% then work up to a new max and restart the progressions	Box Squat with Chains 12 sets x 2 @ 50% week1, 55% week 2, 60% week 3 then work up to a new max and restart the progressions	Bench Press with Chains 9 sets of 3 with 3 different grips 60% max
Safety Bar Back Squat week 1 - 4 x 8, week 2 – 4 x 6, week 3 – 2 x 5, 3 x 3	Incline Bench Press work up to a max set for 5 week 1, then 3 week 2 and finally a max for 1 in week 3	Hang Clean 6 sets x 2 reps @70% of whatever the top weight was from Mondays workout	Steel Log Press work up to a max set for 5 week 1, then 3 week 2 and finally a max for 1 in week 3
Sprinters Squat week 1 - 4 x 8, week 2 – 4 x 6, week 3 – 2 x 5, 3 x 3	Steel Log Bentover Row 4 x 6 – 10 reps	Back Squat with Cambered Bar work up to a max set for 5 week 1, then 3 week 2 and finally a max for 1 in week 3	Chins 3 sets of max reps try and increase total number each week
Good Morning with Cambered Bar week 1 - 4 x 8, week 2 – 4 x 6, week 3 – 2 x 5, 3 x 3	DB Lateral Raises/Seated Plate Front Raises/Seated DB Bent Over Raises Tri set 3 sets x 10 - 15	Walking Lunge 4 x 22 metres	Reverse Grip Bench Press week 1 - 4 x 8, week 2 – 4 x 6, week 3 – 2 x 5, 3 x 3
Zercher Lift from floor week 1 - 4 x 8, week 2 – 4 x 6, week 3 – 2 x 5, 3 x 3	Lying Triceps Extension s/s with E Z Bar Curls 4 x 8 - 12	Romanian Deadlift week 1 - 4 x 8, week 2 – 4 x 6, week 3 – 2 x 5, 3 x 3	Cuban Press 4 x 10

Start each workout with a dynamic warm up and finish each workout with core, individual prehab/rehab exercises.

Power Options In Season

Tuesday	Thursday
1 x Olympic (Snatch)	1 x Olympic (Clean)
Knees to Feet Jumps	Knees to Feet Jumps
1 x Squat (Safety Bar Box Squat)	1 x Squat (Cambered Bar Squat)
Seated to Box Jumps	Seated to Box Jumps
1 x Hip Dominant (Deadlift)	1 x Hip Dominant (RDL)
Repeat Long Jumps on Rubber Flooring	Repeat Long Jumps on Rubber Flooring
1 x Unilateral (Bulgarian Squat)	1 x Unilateral (Step Ups)
Repeat Hurdle or Box Jumps	Repeat Hurdle or Box Jumps
1x Hamstring (Glut Ham Raise)	1 x Hamstring (Reverse Hyper)

Alternate 1 week of 3 x 5 @ 60% with 1 week of 5 x 3 @ 80%, contrast a set of 3 or 5 jumps in between each set of the exercises.

Crusaders Off Season Weights Program (upper body hypertrophy emphasis)

Monday 5 x 6 – 8 reps Double Rest Pause Clusters Super Sets	Tuesday Double Rest Pause Clusters Contrast Jumps	Wednesday 4 x 8 – 12 reps Rest Pause Drop Sets Super Sets	Thursday Double Rest Pause Clusters Contrast Jumps	Friday 3 x 12 – 15 reps Giant/Tri/Super Sets	Saturday – optional Double Rest Pause Clusters Contrast Jumps
Bench Press	1 x Olympic (Snatch)	Incline DB Triple Drop angle	1 x Olympic (Clean)	Body Weight Circuit Chins/Dips/Fat Mans Chins/Hindu Push ups	1 x Olympic (Pulls)
Bent Row		One Arm DB Row
	1 x Squat (Safety Bar Box Squat)		1 x Squat (Cambered Bar Squat)	3 Way DB Shoulder Raise Complex	1 x Squat (Band Box Squats)
Military Press		Seated DB Shoulder Press		Cuban Press + Overhead Shrug
Weighted Chins	1 x Hip Dominant (Deadlift)	Upright Row	1 x Hip Dominant (RDL)	DB Fly + Press Chest Combo	1 x Hip Dominant (Good Morning)
				KB Swing
	1 x Unilateral (Bulgarian Squat)	DB Floor Press	1 x Unilateral (Step Ups)	KB Alt Press + KB Alt Row	1 x Unilateral (Walking Lunges)
		Hammer High Row
Core Circuit - Full Body Twist/Rollout/Leg Raises	1x Hamstring (Glut Ham Raise)	Core Circuit - Tornado Ball/MB Sit Up & Throw/ Samson Side Bend	1 x Hamstring (Reverse Hyper)	Core Circuit – Russian Twist/ Hanging Leg Raises/ Turkish Get Up	1 x Hamstring (Back Extension)

Cheers Craig and all the best, ash

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