Carl jennings Strength & Conditioning Consultancy

Articles
              


                         
                            Rugby League World magazine UK (Published Nov /08 )














Speed Training for Rugby League

In this month’s article I hope to explain the various forms of speed, and how to prioritize them within the training program

Many of you reading an article about speed, will automatically visualise the great Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt flying down the 100m track at the Olympics on his way to smashing the world record. It is quite natural to assume that Usain’s amazing sprinting ability would be well suited to the Rugby league field. Spending too much time on developing maximal speed and velocity, which is what he possesses in abundance, is not the major speed priority to improving Rugby League performance.

Modern defensive structures rarely enable a player to achieve top maximal speed, but effective play does rely on the athlete performing repeated quick bursts over short distances in attack and defence. For this reason the majority of speed drills and activities should be practicing this skill. 

There is no substitution for Speed. Players who posses good speed always have a tremendous advantage over players that don’t. Developing good sport specific speed is crucial for success in all sporting events, Rugby League is no exception.

Speed is the ability to move a limb through a movement as quickly as possible, it is as simple as that. But this simple statement hides the complex nature of the human body’s ability to generate different forms of speed, whilst performing in a controlled, and uncontrolled sporting environment. An athlete’s ability to generate good speed is determined by their muscular power, maximal strength, strength endurance, mobility, as well as technique.

During a game of Rugby League players are required to perform multiple speed efforts that in most cases only last for 6 seconds or less, making the body rely on its Anaerobic (without Oxygen) Alactic (without lactate) energy systems. Therefore this required energy system must be trained to make the athletes sport specific speed, more efficient. It is also important to build a good Aerobic base to support the Anaerobic and Alactic system.

So let’s talk about prioritizing the different aspects of speed development. I have listed below in order of sport specific importance the 5 different aspects to speed. This is my personal point of view and I will try to explain the reasons for this choice within this article.

They are;
1.Acceleration
2.Agility /Coordination
3.Reaction
4.Speed – Endurance
5.Maximum Speed / Velocity

Obviously other sports have a different order of priority.


Basic principles on how to develop speed for Rugby League. 

Warm Up
Before you begin a speed session it is imperative that a comprehensive warm up routine of between 10 – 15 minutes is performed, this should include low impact warm up sprint drills, as well as some dynamic stretching. The warm up should ensure that muscle core temperature is increased, and that the athletes achieve fluid running movements through a full range of motion. You need to perform warm up drills that simulate movements that the player will be performing in the speed session. Completing a  good warm up directly affects the stride length and frequency, which is essential for achieving maximal speed within the drills performed , as well as achieving good acceleration.
A common mistake is to perform static stretching in a warm up routine. Static stretching reduces power output if it is performed before a speed session. Static stretching is more useful when performed at the end of sessions as part of the warm down.
Technique

It is obvious that before any aspect of speed is improved, good technique in the various running actions must be learnt. The body needs to learn and develop the correct firing order of muscles during speed activities, developing good coordination in this process. If an athlete doesn’t have good coordination at full speed, their brain will compensate for poor balance and the athlete will slow down. You develop good coordination by utilizing drills that are performed initially at slow speeds, and build up to high speeds over time. Without this gradual adaptation, developing good running technique and coordination, the athlete will not only be unable to perform the drills at full speed, but will also increase their chances of injury. As I wrote in last month’s strength article, “Slow constant improvements are the key”. 

Poor running skill and technique can also be attributed to the athlete having poor strength in the legs abs hips lower back. For this reason the strength development program should be planned in conjunction with the speed training program; these two forms of training complement each other, and help to enhance adaptation, in both areas.

Choosing the correct speed drills and exercises, is extremely important. First of all the drills and exercises need to be developing the correct biomechanical skills for the chosen sport, secondly  the athlete needs to be improving the correct form of speed for their chosen sport. Incorrect drill and exercise selection is the biggest inhibiter of improvement.


The most effective time in the training schedule, to train speed

All speed sessions need to be carefully planned within the weekly training schedule. It is essential that the athlete is totally recovered before participating in a speed session. If the athletes regularly perform speed sessions without being totally recovered, they will eventually become over trained, this will lead to a drop in improvement, a reduction in quality competitive performance, and eventual injury.

Therefore I believe that speed training sessions should be planned as a priority session, the first session of the day, early in the week, when the athlete is in a state of good recovery. It must also be noted that after a speed session only low intensity drills, routines, and exercises should be performed on that day. Recovery is everything when planning a speed development program; it is during the recovery period that the improvements are made.

Another important factor is to understand that it takes time for the muscular and nervous system to adapt to moving quickly, therefore  it is essential that speed sessions are performed on a weekly basis all year round, maintaining the adaptation. If speed sessions are not performed on a regular basis the athletes muscular and nervous system will need to re learn this ability, with the possibility of losing form in the process.

Top 3 speed priorities
As I have mentioned earlier choosing the correct speed drills is essential. It is important when trying to develop speed that the drills are performed at full speed for the correct duration, remember as most speed activities during a game are less than 6 seconds the drills need to replicate this time frame, anything more than this and the incorrect speed ability will be trained. Although speed endurance (longer duration, shorter recovery) does play some part in the overall speed program, it should not be the main aspect to work on.
Whatever angle you assess the speed requirements for Rugby League there is one aspect that continues to become prevalent, that is Acceleration. I believe this is the No1 key for improving speed performance, in Rugby League.
No 1. Priority
Acceleration is the rate in which an athlete can move from a standing position or walking, through to top speed, in most cases acceleration takes place in roughly the first 20 - 40meters or after 3-6 seconds from the start of the sprint, after this time the athlete will start to hit top speed and velocity. 
As I mentioned earlier in the article to develop a sport specific speed program the majority of speed drills should be developed around these distances and time frames, as they relate directly to the requirements of the sport.
A simple example of how to develop good acceleration would be to perform multiple sets of 20m - 30m sprints; it is recommended that for every 10m sprinted at maximal speed, you should allow for approximately 1minute recovery. Without achieving full recovery between efforts you’re muscular and nervous system will fatigue, reducing the effectiveness of your  acceleration speed development. Planning recovery times into your speed program is essential.


No 2. Priority
Agility & Coordination
Speed Agility & Coordination plays a massive part during a game of Rugby league, as well as other field sports. There are hundreds of drills that can be developed using equipment that is currently on the market, low hurdles, marker cones, fast foot ladders, agility poles.

Try to remember my basic rules for developing Rugby League sport specific abilities, when planning the workout. Design agility grids that cover a distance of 20m -30m, and ensure that the duration of the drill at full running speed does not exceed 6 seconds. Also remember the rules for recovery between maximal efforts.  

It is also important to note that when performing speed agility drills the athlete performs a number of sub maximal efforts for the athletes to learn the skill. Try to follow my 1-2-3 principal when planning these drills.

1 X Repetition at a slow speed 30sec recovery
2 X Repetitions at a medium speed 1min recovery between efforts
3 X Repetitions at top speed, correct recovery 1minute for every 10m ran between efforts

I believe 3 drills per agility & coordination routine is sufficient, taking approximately 20mins to complete.


No 3. Reaction
Reaction speed training is the link between pure athletic performance and skill development; this is why it is so important to Rugby League. Reaction can be defined as the ability to respond to a situation in the least amount of time. During a game of Rugby League players are constantly reacting to what their opponents are doing, against what they need to do, having faster reaction rates gives the athlete a massive advantage. A simple explanation of a reaction drill would be to perform a drill using various cues, verbal or visual to change direction, pace, or perform a skill during the pre described drill.  It is the unpredictability of the situation and the athlete’s ability to react effectively that is the key to measuring good reaction abilities.


Having focused on my top 3 speed priorities, it does leave Maximal Speed & Velocity, as well as Speed Endurance. These are 2 aspects that do need to be developed but as I have mentioned not a main priority to enhancing performance in Rugby league. I work on Speed Endurance early in my pre season to develop a good running endurance base. This aspect of speed development only lasts for about 6 weeks of the year. The 40m sprint test is widely utilized as a measure for Maximal Speed & Velocity; therefore it is wise to perform a number of this type of distance throughout the year to maintain adaptation. What you should find is the development of acceleration speed, will improve your 40m sprint time. 


There is an old saying that states “You can’t make someone fast, but you can make them faster. This is very true and with a good well planned sport specific speed program, good improvements can be achieved that will enhance performance in the competitive arena.