In-Season Rugby

Two sessions a week, set around your match, to maintain the strength built in prep and make your neck, shoulders and hamstrings able to absorb a season of collisions, without ever letting the gym pollute the pitch. The strength session waits three days after the match, giving the body time to absorb the impact of contact before reloading.

Who is it for?

This program is for intermediate-level rugby players, in a fully equipped gym with a med ball: it assumes a base of strength already set in prep, which this cycle simply maintains with the minimum effective volume during a season of contact. The heavy session deliberately sits three days after the match, giving time to recover from the collisions, while the power session stays light as the next one approaches.

The method

A single three-week cycle, repeatable all season, at RIR 2-3. Session 1 · Strength sits at MD+3, three days after the match. Session 2 · Power + Robustness sits at MD-2, two days before the next one, in a light, snappy version, neck and hamstrings protected. At the end of every cycle, loads, contact feel and the state of the neck and hamstrings are reassessed before starting week 1 again with those new references. The cycle then repeats without interruption for as long as the season of collisions lasts.

How long does the In-Season Rugby cycle last?

The program runs on a three-week cycle, repeatable without limit throughout the season, with two sessions a week.

What equipment does In-Season Rugby maintenance need?

A fully equipped gym, with a med ball used for the MD-2 power and robustness session.

Does this cycle replace a full off-season prep block?

No: it comes after a prep block that has already built the strength, and simply maintains it at the minimum effective volume during the season of collisions, without redoing the groundwork.

What the program includes

• 3-week cycle · repeatable · 2 sessions / week · Intermediate
• Equipment : fully equipped gym + med ball
• 2 complete session sheets: exercises, sets, reps, tempo, rest and RIR
• Tracking columns to fill straight into the printed PDF, week after week
• Detailed how-to, warm-up routine, adjustments page and glossary

The programming

• Cycle · In-Season (3-week cycle, repeatable all season) : Maintain the maximal strength and explosiveness built in prep with the minimum effective volume: one heavy session 3 days after the match, one light snappy session 2 days before the next, neck and hamstrings protected.

Every week follows a defined cycle (baseline, intensification, accumulation): you always know what to do, at what intensity, and when to adjust. Nothing is left to chance.

Format : Downloadable PDF, yours for life, designed to be printed.