Rugby Union - Scrums and Core Stability From Home

The scrum in rugby union is one way of restarting the game after an infringement. It involves the forwards (8 from each side) interlocking their team mates and going up against their opposition. It is a powerful offensive tool and can give your team a platform to victory as well as a psychological edge over the opposition pack. It is a great physical battle for supremacy. The scrum consists of 2 props either side of a hooker, 2 locks that bind behind them and form the 2nd row, and a No.8 at the back who is flanked both sides by an open and blindside flanker. It is a highly technical area utilising basic biomechanical principles such as force velocity relationship and torque-angle relationship to overcome opponents.

 The old days of props being short and fat are long gone. The modern game requires them to have good ball handling skills and be mobile, as well as great strength to withstand the physical hardships of being a forward. England's Andrew Sheridan (6'3 and 19st) is a prime example of the modern prop.

England's Andrew Sheridan

Studies have found as much as 7928N of forward force can be generated through the front row of an International scrum at the point of engagement; that's 813kg of pressure! Preparing your body for these forces is not only vital for your personal success, but also in the prevention of injury. Players involved in the scrum, particularly the front row (Props and Hooker) need to have a strong neck and shoulders along with great core strength. Propping is a highly specialised position and although rare, catastrophic injury can occur with a heightened risk when a scrum collapses. In order to minimise this risk, rules state that a player cannot engage with their shoulders lower than their hips. Scrum coaches suggest a player should take a low body position, with a straight back and a knee angle of 115-125 degrees.

Building A Solid Base From Home


Front Plank


Lie prone (face down) on the floor. Place your forearms on the ground, elbows under your shoulders. Inhale and slowly raise your torso up, keeping weight on the forearms and balls of your feet. Exhale at the top and hold, continuing to breath relaxed and controlled throughout. Don't allow your hips to rise or drop. Imagine trying to balance a glass of water on your lower back without spilling it. Hold for: Beginner - 10secs, Intermediate - 20secs, Advanced - 30secs +.

Progressions

• Raise one foot off the ground by flexing at the knee.
• Perform on stability ball.

Side Plank

Lie on your side and support your bodyweight with your elbow (directly under your shoulder), hip and ankle. Inhale and slowly raise your torso so that the weight is now firmly on your elbow and foot. Exhale at the top and maintain relaxed and controlled breathing. Keep the other hand on your hip. Maintain a straight line from head to toe; don't allow your hips to deviate. Hold for: Beginner - 10secs, Intermediate - 20secs, Advanced - 30secs +.

Progression

• Perform in front of a cable machine. Use non weight bearing arm to row cable towards you whilst maintaining perfect form and posture.

Bird Dog

Get on all fours, knees and feet shoulder width apart whilst positioning your hands directly under your shoulders, fingers facing forward. Whilst keeping the spine in a neutral position, squeeze your abs, then flex one shoulder joint and extend the opposite hip. The arm should straighten and move forward, your opposite leg should straighten and move backward. When both are parallel to the ground hold position keeping both shoulders parallel to the ground. Slowly lower back down to start position. Hold for: Beginner - 5secs, Intermediate - 15secs, Advanced - 25secs +.

Progression:

• When in the top position, draw 4 squares with each raised limb.

Hope these simple exercises you can do at home help. They are also beneficial to anyone looking at improving their core strength. I'll blog about neck strengthening later in the month, so keep an eye out for that.

I'm going to finish off with a short video clip of New Zealand All Blacks' Scrum coach, Mike Cron, doing a wonderful warm-up/core drill during an All Blacks scrum session.

Happy Training.

Sam B

Hamstring Injuries in Football

Watching easter weekends Premiership football got me rather fustrated, seeing two Sunderland players dropping to the ground clutching their hamstring. Stoke's Matthew Etherington also suffered the same injury Tuesday evening against Tottenham and Carlos Tevez missed the big Manchester derby FA Cup semi final with a hamstring injury. This is sadly a common occurrence, even at the highest level of the game. However, many of these injuries can be prevented.



I used to be quick to point the blame at the player's training regime, however experience has taught me that it's not as simple as poor training methods or work load management, we don't always know the full story. Fatigue has a large role to play in these injuries. There are various methods of monitoring athlete's fatigue levels, which can then be a good indicator for injury risk. Fatigued athlete = Higher risk of injury. Simple. However Strength and Conditioning coaches often face an uphill battle, you try telling Alex Ferguson that Wayne Rooney shouldn't play against Chelsea this weekend as his data levels indicate high fatigue. The money involved with the game sadly means a player's welfare isn't always number one priority.

The risk of a hamstring injury is heightened in any change of direction sport as they require constant acceleration, deceleration and maximal sprinting. Studies have found in elite professional football, as much as 17% of all injuries involve the hamstrings. Up to 31% of hamstring injuries reoccur within the first year with over half (54.5%) of these recurrences happening within two weeks of return (i.e. Danny Wellbeck). They can be difficult to rehabilitate and because of this, careful planning and smart training is needed during rehab to reduce the chance of recurrence.

Why do they happen?

Hamstring injuries generally occur during two actions; explosive high speed running (Sunderland's Asamoah Gyan) and extreme Range of Motion (ROM) during stretching movements. Injury can also be associated to:

• Strength inbalance between the quadricep and hamstring
• Lack of flexibility
• Inadequate warm up
• Fatigue (probably more common in the Premiership)
• Ability to decelerate (slow down)

They can occur during maximal sprinting due to the hamstring's role in decelerating hip flexion and knee extension.


Sunderland's Asamoah Gyan pulls up.

How can I get better?

Obviously resting is important but it's not the only thing that you should do. Incorporating a progressive training programme that involves strength and flexibility work is important. Your aim should be to:

Avoid:

• Any reduction in flexibility
• Muscle wastage (atrophy)
• Collection of scar tissue

Improve:

• Range of Motion
• Eccentric strength

Example Training Progression

Phase 1 - Basic Strengthening - Focus on hamstring specific exercises such as Romanian Deadlift and hamstring complex exercises (stability ball roles) whilst continuing to increase ROM through stretching.
Perform stretches 3-5 times a week, holding for 30-45secs and repeat up to 4 times.


Hamstring complex

Phase 2 - Low velocity eccentric strengthening - Begin to introduce exercises such as Nordic lowers and split squats, while continuing to develop concentric strength and ROM.


Nordic lowers

Phase 3 - High velocity eccentric strengthening - High velocity plyometric and sport specific exercises to increase hamstring torgue at high speed. Squat jumps, bounding and depth jumps. Strength and ROM should continue to be improved.

Phase 4 - Sport specific - Multidirectional activites should be introduced, such as lateral hurdle hops, double and single leg zig-zag bounding and hopping.

Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome; aka Shin Splints

Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS) or more commonly, shin splints, is a problem many recreational runners and even professional athletes suffer from. It is characterised by a dull pain along the edge of the tibia after exercise and is often very painful to touch and can even cause bruising to the skin, as I’ve experienced myself.

Why does it happen & what can be done?

Often, MTSS is caused by poor running technique which can be very hard to break. Tight hamstrings can also be an issue. They cause a compensatory dorsiflexion of the ankle, increasing the stresses on the lower leg during gait cycles. Studies have also found that people with high or low foot arches are twice as likely to suffer from MTSS, with hamstring and heel tightness also being a good predictor of shin splints. I suffered with Achilles Tendonitis from a young age, which could have foreseen my own MTSS problem.

Other causes of MTSS are:

• Muscle imbalances
• A more pronated foot type
• Inadequate foot-wear (Wrong type or old trainers)

The pain is often subdued with rest, only to return once training resumes. So what can be done to ease the pain?

Introducing a static stretching programme (see below) that focuses on the hamstrings, gastrocnemius, and soleus will help to alleviate the pain and result in their permanent elongation. Before performing any stretches, carry out an adequate warm-up to increase blood flow to the muscles and enhance nerve impulses. As jogging will most likely cause pain, try and warm up on a stationary bike.

Other Stretches and Therapy

Including dorsiflexion (toes towards knees), plantar flexion (toes toward the ground), inversion and eversion with lightweight therabands would also help. Ask your gym trainer for some help with these if you’re unsure.

Applying ice to painful areas will also help to reduce inflammation and can be done a few times a day.

Hope this helps.

Happy training,

Sam B

Stretching Session – Hold for 30secs, rest 15secs – Do this 3 times

 










1. Supine self hamstring stretch
                                      


2.Hamstring stretch with partner

3. Gastrocnemius wall stretch

                                           

4. Elevated calf stretch

This stretching regime can also prevent the onset of MTSS in non-sufferers.

New Blog!

Thought I would start a blog going so I can bore people (other than those around me) with all my thoughts on life, training and Strength and Conditioning in general!

Hopefully you'll enjoy some of my entries and get an insight into my methods and thoughts on the mad world of S and C!