Following a recent article on the topic of weight lifting in rugby, the different types used in the sport will now be looked at, with their advantages and disadvantages weighed up;
Hypertrophy-
Hypertrophy is basically the increase in the volume of an organ or tissue due to the enlargement of its component cells. In weight lifting terms it is done for muscle size, but it does have other functions which will be mentioned later.
The way this form of weight lifting works is by using specific sets and repetitions of certain exercises. Usually in a repetition range of 8 to 12, hypertrophy, as all strength and muscle building exercises do, works by overloading the musculoskeletal system. The muscle strain and are essentially broken down and slightly torn. As they recover they regrow bigger and stronger, provided the right nutrition is taken on. Proteins essentially act as fuel for the broken down muscle and will help it recover and regrow, so this is a vital part of all weight lifting. Carbohydrates will provide the energy, and hydration is essential before, during and after to keep the body healthy.
Getting back to the specifics of hypertrophy training. It is usually used in pre-season training, when players are looking to put on mass. It puts a fair amount of strain on the body, so it is hard to maintain this intensity during the season with games and training schedules.
Hypertrophy is derived from body building, and will provide players with extra mass. The other gains include increased bone, muscle, tendon and ligament strength/size, improved joint function, reduced potential for injury, increased bone density and improved cardiac function. This is a useful way for a player to prepare his/her body for the season and the knocks that will come, but there are down sides.
Gaining strength and lean muscle is one thing, but a significant change in body composition can affect other functions. Players need to maintain speed and agility, and if the focus is on hypertrophy this is difficult to achieve. Also, if muscles become too big, a player can lose speed, and the constant contraction of hypertrophy lifting does not benefit the fast twitch muscles. If you combine this form of training with others injury can occur as the body is already under significant strain and changes due to the lifting.
Hypertrophy can be used successfully for a short time as a base to get smaller players bigger and at less risk of injury. However, used by the wrong person or body type for a prolonged amount of time it can certainly have detrimental effects on all-round, rugby specific attributes.
Strength specific training-
Strength training is similar to Hypertrophy in the exercises and general science behind it, but it concentrates more on strength gains as opposed to mass and size. Sets and repetitions will be reduced putting the muscles and body under more strain for less time, and longer recovery is needed.
The emphasis is on lifting heavy weight, usually in a range from 1 to 6 repetitions. The muscles will break down and regrow more intense lifts and less sets and reps means strength gains are the emphasis.
Some of the benefits of Hypertrophy will be achieved, perhaps at a lower level, but a player will achieve more strength. Teams will often do strength testing, measuring a player’s one repetition maximum lift, to the power output they are capable of. Of course being physically strong is an advantage for a rugby player, and strength training and testing are a big part of rugby weight lifting. However, lifting heavy weights can put the body under great strain. Essentially the outcome of this is increased strength, but there is only so much strain our bodies are supposed to take.
If we push and push our bodies beyond what they are capable of maintaining injuries will occur. Not every player’s primary skill is strength, so trying to get a less physically gifted player to the same level as naturally strong player may not be possible. Some teams will have certain goals for certain positions, but the body type, and person being tested should be taken into account.
When players start to lift too heavy, with incorrect form, injuries happen. If this carries on for a long time, the injuries can become chronic. The strain involved in this training also takes a lot of energy, so other types of training and playing may suffer.
Olympic lifting-
Olympic lifts are the events competed in during the Olympic Games. In the Olympics competitors compete for their maximum lift or a combination of their maximum lifts in two exercises. Rugby and other sports have recognised the explosiveness of these athletes, and have adapted the exercises, making use of their explosive nature.
Explosive is the key word for these exercises, and players can become more dynamic, and the use of their fast twitch muscles enhanced. When the correct technique is used the benefits are in power, strength and speed, and Olympic lifts have become integral in rugby weight training.
Olympic lifting for rugby players is not necessarily about the weight, rather the speed and technique in which it is performed under. If these are correct the benefits will be seen, but with too much weight, and the wrong technique the exercises will become detrimental.Due to the technical aspect and positions of the lifts, these exercises have potentially more danger of causing injury than normal weight lifting. The lifts are also performed at speed which poses more chance injury. If someone performs these lifts under supervision and caution, the benefits are certainly there, but nobody should attempt these on their own, with no knowledge of what weight and technique should be used. It is only asking for trouble, and even if injury does not occur, the wrong technique will mean the exercise will be of no benefit at all.
Circuit Weight Training-
Weight lifting exercises can be combined in sequence to provide a workout which will offer strength endurance and cardiovascular benefits. Combinations of 2-10 exercises are be repeated, one after the other with no rest. Usually the repetitions will be high (10) with the emphasis on muscle and cardiovascular endurance.
The weights used in each exercise will also be decreased from the weight they would be if performed on their own, taking into account fatigue and correct form. The fact that different muscles are engaged all in one “set” means that it is more specific to rugby than concentrating on one muscle. Also the fact that the exercises are performed under fatigue is more realistic to a game situation, in which a player is usually on the go non-stop for 80 minutes.
Of course there is potential for injury if the weight or technique is wrong, but compared to the other forms of weight lifting, circuits are far safer. Olympic lifts may be specific for one movement, and may benefit power more, but circuit training emphasizes an endurance component. Olympic lifts can also be incorporated in circuits, but it must be at a light weight as the person training will be fatigued.
Circuit training may not get players as big as they will get in Hypertrophy, as strong as they will in strength training, or as powerful as they will in Olympic lifts, but it can incorporate an element of all 3. It also has the cardiovascular benefit, and in general it’s the safest option.
These are just four of the types of weight training used by rugby teams, so as always any further thoughts, comments or views are welcome via;
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