How should I prepare for my first season of rugby?

Shadow: What should i do to prepare for my first season of rugby?
Hi, i know that this may seem really early to ask this question, but I would really like to get a head start on preparing myself on my first season of rugby, as I will be joining a rugby club later this year before the actual season starts for this next coming year. Any advice would be great on how i should get started.

Thanks!

Answers and Views:

Answer by G
i’ve never played before either but i’m also starting this year so i’m answering to mark it so i can see ur answers when u have them. sorry i don’t know what to tell you though…

Answer by Mark L
The essential fact of rugby for preparation is that, allowing for some dead-ball time, you will run for about 60 minutes in a game, and most of that will be half-pace or harder. In high-school rugby, you will probably will run 6 to 8 km in a game , perhaps 10.

So the short answer is you need to run, seriously and routinely. Part of that running should be for general aerobic conditioning, at distances of about 10 km per run – perhaps a bit more at least one day a week. But part of it needs to be interval workouts, with varying rates, including some sprints at about 40 m, some longer runs (100 m, 100m, 400 m) at 3/4 – 2/3 pace, and some half-pace to warm up and down. It is very well if you can work out some place to train part of the time with either hills or stairs (sand dunes are best of all).

Here’s the key (at least in my experience): Find some friends, ideally teammates to run with you. This not only helps with the monotony, but by committing to each other you assume extra accountability for making all the training sessions and working hard to help benefit your mate, as well as yourself. The good news is that if you are starting far ahead of time, as you seem to be, you can build up your workouts at a reasonable pace to be ready by start of season. At least initially, set aside 4 days/week for running – and be sure to warm up/stretch, and back down afterward. As you get closer to season, you can add a 5th day, though that may not strictly be necessary. Running every day is too hard on your body.

It is crucial to successful preparation that you learn to hydrate properly – you need to take in about 3 L/day of clear liquid (water really is best); you should be passing 2 L/d and it should be the color of pale straw. Avoid diuretics (like coffee and tea) and of course alcohol. Eat well-balanced meals at routine times in normal, healthy portions. Lose the fast food and simple sugars. It’s dollars to donuts you already have plenty of protein in your diet so long as you live in the Western world. However, if you really want to have a single protein shake per day, it will do no harm. For any other supplements, get advice from a qualified professional in diet and human health before you begin – you need ot understand what it is and how it will affect your biochemistry.

Good luck – starting early is a great plan.

Mark L.

Answer by Jake Schep
Well for your diet lots of children is very good and high in protein. For other things run up stairs made of nails.