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Ben Greenfield
The first two articles in this series discussed how your gym exercises should be structured for an efficient waist-slimming routine. In the last article of this series, I'm going to give you 5 practical tips to turn your body into a fat-burning...
Exercise Bikes - Reviews and Advice
Two types of exercise bikes are available. The design of
the upright bike resembles that of a typical road bike but
they are stationary. The pedals are positioned below the
rider and puts added stress on the joints. The seat on the
recumbent...
Here's To Better Golf Exercise
There is a lot of golf equipment to help you in your exercise
program. You've got weights, rubber tubing, and so on.
But what exactly is "proper" golf equipment, designed
specifically for exercise? This is the question that almost
every new...
Organize a Cat Skiing Trip, Ski at a Discount
What's better than backcountry powder shared with a couple of good friends? What beats chasing your buddies through the trees, sharing great lines on open slopes and watching your mates "pop" off bumps into the "pow"? Now, if that though...
Seven Tips For A Long And Healthy Life
As good as modern medical technology is, it can never save you
from the problems caused by a life style that is unhealthy.
Instead of getting a modern medical fix for every problem, it is
far better to live in such a way that you will hardly ever...
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Rugby - the most strength-oriented code of football
Rugby players spend considerably more playing time in physical
contact and contest with opponents than players in other forms
of football.
Much of this contact involves extended grappling and wrestling,
but what is also characteristic of rugby is the amount of time
spent attempting to drive forward under loads considerably
heavier than bodyweight. Obviously this is so in the scrum and
maul, but also at the tackle. Both ball-carrier and tackler may
strive to drive one another backward for an extended time after
engagement. American football and rugby league are also
primarily collision sports, but their tackles tend to terminate
much more quickly.
Recognition of the importance of physical strength has led to a
tendency for rugby selectors to favour increasingly heavier
players even for backline positions. A modern professional rugby
team is likely to average over 100kg bodyweight, compared with
less than 95kg and less than 90kg for rugby league and
Australian football respectively. Increased bodyweight appears
to confer no advantage in soccer.
No valid size comparison can be made with players in American
football. Its use of specialist teams means that individual
players are only on the field for limited periods and therefore
really massive players can be employed for the more static areas
of engagement.
For professional
rugby, players are often chosen on the basis of
their size and apparent strength but are then not really
expected to work to become significantly stronger. Much strength
training in rugby appears to have the aim of generating
hypertrophy - increasing muscle size and thus body mass - or of
maintaining strength levels rather than seriously exploring the
potential for markedly increased power.
Soccer, Australian football and rugby league are continuous-flow
type games, whereas rugby and, to a much greater extent,
American football are characterised by frequent stoppages and
thus require lower levels of aerobic fitness. But I see little
evidence that rugby coaches have fully realised the potential
this provides to gain a competitive edge by requiring their
players, backs and forwards, to seriously train for strength.
I would suggest that, given the development of very well-drilled
coordinated defensive lines, the next stage in the evolution of
rugby is likely to involve a concentration on the identification
of and development of heavy, very mobile players who possess
very high-range explosive strength.
About the author:
Bruce Ross is CEO of MyoQuip, manufacturers of
variable-resistance strength machines including the
rugby-specific ScrumTruk http://www.MyoQuip.com.au http://myoquip.blogspot.com/
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