Advertise on podcast: The Rugby Muscle Podcast

Unlock your rugby strength and conditioning potential by understanding why context is king! In this video, we delve into why conflicting advice in rugby training can all be true and how to make smarter training decisions for your performance on the pitch. You'll learn why applying a generic programme might not be the best approach and how to tailor your physical preparation for rugby to your unique circumstances. Many rugby players hear vastly different advice regarding their training, from specific exercises like squats to conditioning methods, and often assume one side must be wrong. However, this episode explains that context is everything. We'll explore how understanding your individual needs, available time, and playing style is crucial for optimising your rugby performance. Discover how to move beyond generic guidelines and truly personalise your training, whether you're focusing on speed, power, or aerobic development for rugby players. Get the Rugby Muscle Training Week Playbook Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint #RugbyTraining #StrengthAndConditioning #RugbyPerformance Support the show

Improve your rugby performance with this crucial training shift! Many rugby players make the same mistakes in the gym, training harder but not seeing the benefits on the pitch. This video reveals the one fundamental change you need to make to ensure your gym time isn't wasted and actually enhances your game. After 20 years of performance training and over a decade coaching amateur rugby players online, I'm making the case for full-body training. Discover why this approach is superior for rugby athletes, especially compared to traditional body part splits. I'll delve into how it provides more frequent quality exposures to key movement patterns, offers greater flexibility for in-season niggles, and allows for varied training stimuli throughout the week. Crucially, full-body training frees up your week to prioritise conditioning, speed, and actual rugby training, which are often overlooked in favour of gym-focused off-season programmes. Learn why fitness is often the real bottleneck to your best performance and how to avoid sacrificing it for temporary gym gains. Get the Rugby Muscle Training Week Playbook  https://rugby-muscle.com/playbook Join Team Rugby Muscle https://rugby-muscle.com/team  Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C https://rugby-muscle.com/aaa  Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint https://rugby-muscle.com/blueprint If you found this video helpful, please give it a thumbs up to support the channel! Subscribe for more rugby training insights and hit the notification bell so you don't miss out. Let me know in the comments if you've ever struggled with your training programme falling apart due to missed sessions or if you've prioritised gym work over fitness, I'd love to hear your experiences! #RugbyTraining #FullBodyWorkout #RugbyFitness Support the show

Unlock your rugby potential: In-season training secrets for amateur players! Discover how to optimise your fitness, recovery, and performance without overtraining. This episode challenges traditional methods, revealing breakthroughs in in-season training that will help you stay stronger, fitter, more explosive, and injury-free throughout the season. We'll cover everything from strategic recovery days to effective game day nutrition, ensuring you're firing on all cylinders every match. Learn how to revolutionise your weekly schedule, understand the hidden benefits of aerobic fitness for strength, and optimise your gym sessions for maximum progress with minimal fatigue. We'll also debunk common myths about pre-game meals, focusing on what truly impacts your performance on the pitch. Get ready to transform your approach to rugby fitness and see real results! Get the Rugby Muscle Training Week Playbook If you found these insights useful, please hit the like button, subscribe for more actionable rugby advice, and comment below: Which breakthrough will you implement first this season? Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint 00:00 Training Breakthroughs Intro 01:17 Fix In-Season Fatigue 03:04 Smarter Weekly Schedule 05:06 Recovery Days  06:10 Sort Your Priorities 09:02 Cardio Plan For Rugby 10:57 Strength Volume Needed 12:44 How Many Sets for Strength? 14:42 Game Day Nutrition Truth 16:44 Coaching Offer And Wrap #RugbyTraining #AmateurRugby #InSeasonFitness Support the show

In this episode, I break down the most effective upper body movements I use to build real rugby strength and on-field performance. This isn’t bodybuilding or powerlifting, it’s practical training that carries over directly to tackles, contact, and shoulder resilience. 00:00 Intro 02:18 Pull-ups 05:50 Bench press 07:58 Explosive push-ups  10:52 Single-arm rows  13:07 Face pulls 14:23 Tricep extensions 15:43 Hammer curls  16:45 Wrap up  Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint Support the show

In this episode, I break down the most effective lower body movements I use to build rugby strength, speed, and resilience. I explain how each exercise transfers directly to on-field performance and how to program them correctly for real results. Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint Support the show

In this episode, I break down the biggest mistake amateur rugby players make in the gym, copying pro-level training. I share my own journey, explain why pro methods don’t work for players balancing work, school, and life, and show the simple framework I use to help athletes get stronger, fitter, faster, and stay injury-free. I also walk you through my first-principles approach so you can build a sustainable system that actually improves your rugby performance.  In this episode: 00:00 Introduction: The Common Mistake in Rugby Training 01:40 Personal Journey: From Amateur to Coach 03:04 The Problem of Information Overload 04:31 The Reality of Amateur Training 07:11 The First Principles Approach 09:44 Conclusion: Building a Sustainable Training System Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint Support the show Support the show

In this episode, I break down one of the biggest problems I see in rugby strength training players who lift hard in the gym but don’t actually get stronger where it matters: on the field. After 15+ years coaching rugby athletes, I’ve seen it over and over again, guys following bodybuilding or powerlifting programs that don’t translate to real rugby performance. So today, I explain two proven approaches I use with my athletes. In this episode:  00:00 Intro 01:49 Common Mistakes in Rugby Strength Training 05:42 The Berserker Approach: Max Effort Method 07:41 The Tactician Approach: Percentage-Based Progression 09:29 Why These Methods Work 10:44 Wrap up Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint Support the show

The 10 biggest strength and conditioning mistakes I see rugby players make from overtraining and poor recovery to chasing the wrong goals. I’ll break down each one and show you how to fix them so you can perform better on the field.  In this episode:  00:00 Intro 01:30 Too Low-Level to Care 03:10 Too Much Gym Time 05:20 Expecting Perfect Recovery 07:50 Chasing Leanness 10:30 Overthinking Conditioning 11:50 Overthinking Exercises 14:15 Perfect Weeks Myth 15:25 Perfect Sessions Myth 17:10 Distracted Goals 19:40 Procrastinating 21:20 Wrap up  As we put the finishing touches on the Rugby Recovery Code, get early access by requesting it here Playbook Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint Support the show

In this episode, I break down why most recovery methods don’t actually work. I explain what true recovery really is, how it ties into your training, and why you don’t need fancy stuff to make progress. In this video 00:00 Intro 01:44 The Modern Recovery Industry 02:55 Understanding True Recovery 04:27 The Three Main Reasons for Recovery 04:42 Training Hard Enough to Make Progress 06:57 Making Adaptations Through Recovery 09:02 Handling the Demands of Rugby 11:36 Integrating Recovery into Training 12:28 Wrap up As we put the finishing touches on the Rugby Recovery Code, get early access by requesting it here Playbook Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint Support the show

In this video, I share my top 7 tips to help you minimize injury risk in rugby. From building strength and fitness to improving technique, managing training load, and recovering properly, these are the exact strategies I use to keep players strong, fit, and ready all season. In this episode:  00:00 Intro 01:52 Tip 1: Accept the Risk of Rugby 04:03 Tip 2: Get Strong 05:57 Tip 3: Get Fit 07:08 Tip 4: Improve Your Technique 08:21 Tip 5: Expose Yourself to Game Stresses 10:04 Tip 6: Manage Your Load 12:00 Tip 7: Manage Your Recovery 13:20 Wrap up Playbook Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint Support the show

In this episode, I break down why rugby players shouldn’t train like bodybuilders if they want to perform at their best on the pitch. I share the key differences between bodybuilding and rugby training, why strength and conditioning matter more than just looking big, and how to actually train like an athlete. 00:00 Intro 01:27 More Than Just Muscle Growth 02:40 Conditioning is Key 03:53 Functional Muscle Performance 06:25 Managing Fatigue and Training Load 08:13 The Fun and Reward of Training Like an Athlete 10:03 Embrace the Rugby Athlete Mindset Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint Support the show

In this video, I break down a big mistake I see all the time in rugby training like an athlete instead of as an athlete. I share my personal experience, including a story about a top-level player getting crushed by CrossFit, and explain why generic athlete training doesn’t cut it for rugby. You’ll learn how to align your strength and conditioning with the actual demands of the game, plus get free tools to help you train smarter with Rugby Muscle. In this video: 00:00 Intro 01:00 Understanding the Difference: Training Like an Athlete vs. Training as an Athlete 02:03 A Personal Story: The CrossFit Experience 03:57 The Key Differences in Training Approaches 07:49 Building the Right Base for Rugby 08:27 Aligning S&C with Rugby Training 10:28 Identifying Your Needs as a Rugby Player 12:22 Wrap up Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint Support the show

In this episode, I open up about my biggest nutrition mistake as a rugby player. I share how I fixed it and what you can do instead for long-term success on and off the field. In this video:  00:00 Intro 00:40 The Biggest Nutrition Mistake 01:33 Early Struggles with Diet and Training 02:07 The Paleo Diet and Its Pitfalls 04:01 The Cycle of Restriction and Binge Eating 06:37 Breaking the Cycle and Finding Balance 08:56 Flexible Dieting and Long-Term Solutions 10:33 Final Thoughts and Takeaways Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint Support the show

In this episode, I dive into the parts of rugby culture we don’t always talk about, from social pressure to training habits. I break down what’s really helping your progress and what might be slowing it down, even if it feels normal. Let’s get real about what matters for long-term success in the sport. 00:00 Intro 01:18 The Social Side of Rugby 05:21 Lazy Touch 06:33 Taking Training Seriously 07:38 Avoiding the Blame Game 10:37 The Power of Banter 11:31 Openness to Learning 13:01 Final Thoughts Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint Support the show

Zone 2 training changed the way I coach rugby players. In this video, I explain what Zone 2 is, why it works, and how to actually do it right. I cover heart rate, duration, timing etc. If you want better recovery, more endurance, and real match fitness, this is for you. In this episode:  00:00 Intro 01:27 Heart Rate Spikes and Zone Two 03:49 Overcoming the Hate for Running 05:55 Using Heart Rate Monitors 07:07 Duration and Frequency of Zone Two Sessions 09:21 Zone Two During the Rugby Season 10:51 Zone Two Feels Too Easy 13:16 Time Management and Zone Two 15:27 The Everlasting Benefits of Zone Two 17:36 Final Thoughts Join Team Rugby Muscle Get personalised 1on1 Coaching from me for S&C Get early access to the ALL-NEW 5-day Rugby Athlete Blueprint Support the show