Good post mate, and I can see where you are coming from.

I like the way the routine is designed, mainly around compound movements, but I still encourage the lads to go with complete body and initially start off with machine weights. These are Hammer Strength, so it does give a reasonably natural flow to any movement.

My reasoning behind this, is that I know I they are going to be in the gym at times when I cannot supervise them. Even though the gym owner is very vigilant, she still has other customers to look after as well.  However, the lads are moving on to free weights now and are confident in using them. The initial introduction though is based around safety, although I take on board your comment about the machines restricted movement.

I also added some isolation movements into the routine as well to keep the lads interested. Boys being boys are still interested in the vanity muscles, and I don't think this will ever change.  I know I was exactly the same at their age.  Yes, the smaller muscles will be utilised in the compound lift, but try telling a teenage boy that he can't do bicep curls. He will still do them behind your back.

Good post though FOZ, even though we are using slightly differnt routines. I am glad we can agree that strength training should be part of a young players training schedule.

On a side note, we have a regional and international player in our gym who is an absolute machine when it comes to training in the gym.  I have discussed his training with him as he does a lot of core work and we swap ideas now and again.

He introduced me to single arm bench dumbell bench presses, which I saw him do with 110ib dumbells. This builds up the chest and core pretty quick, and he says he was advised to do this to help retain the ball in contact while handing/driving off with the free arm.

It's funny though when he leaves the gym, as some guys are itching to have a go at this exercise.  Saw one guy fall off the bench sideways doing this.  He wasn't hurt, and did laugh about it afterwards... Along with the rest of us.

Your are either stuck in a time warp or enjoy perpetuating myths that have no basis in fact whatsoever. How is it in the 1980s?

A lot of thought is now given to the development of player, which is why strength training is incorporated in to a rugby training program, including over-training.

American sport system  - They don’t peak at college level, there is just nowhere to play if they don’t make it to professional level, where is the evidence that ‘alot’ are forced to retire through injury? What injury, from strength training?

Please DO bore me with cons of weight training an U16.

Epiphyseal plate (growth plate) fractures may be the key concern in this controversy. Damage to these plates induced by weight training is frequently cited as a reason for avoiding weight training in children. The existing medical and scientific data do not support this as a valid contraindication. One instance of epiphyseal fracture attributed to weightlifting has been reported in preadolescents (Gumbs, 1982). In pubescent athletes, five publications have reported instances of fractures related to weight training (Benton, 1983; Brady, 1982; Gumbs, 1982; Rowe, 1979; Ryan, 1976). The overwhelming majority of these injuries were attributed to improper technique in the execution of the exercises and excessive loading. Each report failed to consider that the injury may actually have occurred as a result of contact with the floor or other object subsequent to loss of balance and falling, and not be attributable to the actual weight training movement. Further, proper diagnosis and treatment of this rare injury resulted in no detrimental effect on growth (Caine, 1990).

It has also been noted that weight training does not interfere with growth by other means (Ramsey, 1990; Sailors, 1987; Seigel, 1989; Weltman, 1986). Research reviewed by Theintz (1994) seems to suggest that sport training for less than 15 hours per week was not disruptive to hormonal status, growth or puberty.

Training programs in which training loads are prescribed and monitored and in which training activities are supervised have proven to be remarkably safe in terms of the frequency of injury occurrence. Several studies have followed the rate of injury during training programs of several weeks to a year in duration (Pierce, 2000; Ramsay, 1990; Rians, 1987; Servidio, 1985; Sewall, 1986). Rians’ 14-week long study (1987) reported only one minor shoulder strain which resolved itself by the end of the study. One study of importance to the competitive weightlifting community, or any other group using higher percentages of maximum, is the one-year study of a USA Weightlifting Regional Development Center program that included more than 70 pediatric athletes in which no reports of injury were noted (Pierce, 1999). The bottom line is that it seems to be the level of supervision, not the practice of weight training that is problematic. Qualified coaches need to be in the weight room any time a youth is training.

The key is to develop their overall athletic ability by developing all the elements required for success in any sport: speed, agility, strength, coordination, power, flexibility and conditioning.

Strength training is just 1 element and I WOULD recommend it at any age as long as the player is mature enough to follow instructions.

The RFU (Who do prescribe to the LTAD) also has recommendations on Strength Training for Young Rugby Players - www.rfu.com/TakingPart/Fitness/~/media/Files/2009/Fitness/071203%20sw%20RFU%20position%20statement%20-%20strength%20training%20for%20young%20players.ashx

I have now been training\coaching my son in all things rugby for 6 years. Since the age of 9 he has been a skilful player but it was at the point when he was not selected for the County system at 12 years old that we began to look at developing his overall athletic ability. The next year we worked speed, agility, strength, coordination, power, flexibility and conditioning. At the county trial the following year he was selected because he was a stronger, quicker and more powerful athlete.

 He is now 15 years old and is currently in the Elite player development group (EPDG) and working very hard (but not over-training) to realise his dream of becoming a professional rugby player. He would not be in this position today if he had not integrated strength training to his program.

You don't have to do strength training to play rugby, it is your choice, but if you choose to then it is not dangerous for the Under 16s.

I have supervised everyone of his strength training sessions and he has NEVER been injured. He has however in the 6 years playing RUGBY broken his wrist, collar bone, metatarsal and torn an AC joint. So, maybe U16s should not play rugby at all in case they get injured.

I read a brilliant article some years back (and when I find it I will post it) on the development of young players and how some things should never be left out of a training plan. The usual stamina, core strength and speed were highlighted in different ways, but in surprised me on how much Balance, Stability and coordination plays in the development of strength.

I people feel strongly, and have the correct knowledge to carry it out safely, to introduce weight training into a young players training plan, of coarse do so. But I believe the benefits of joining a martial arts class far out "weigh" two night a week in a gym.

I think a lot of people miss the point when it comes to training the body for sport - If you really want to maximise your potential in ANY sport then there are certain prerequisites needed -  speed, agility, strength, coordination, power, flexibility and conditioning. Strength training will enhance all of these - YES all of them.

Not understanding these prereqs and how to achieve them, is why people will say 'the modern game is all about size instead skill ‘and 'Players are just gym monkeys', these people are misinformed and have not looked at the reasons for the gains in size.

The professional era has brought professional athletes. They are not bulking up to be bigger than the next player, they are trying to maximise their bodies’ potential and a by-product of that is muscular hypertrophy. But significantly they are after Myofibrillar hypertrophy NOT Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Myofibrillar hypertrophy is commonly seen in elite strength athletes whereas sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is more typical in the bodybuilders of the world.

Weight training in the correct manner is second to none when preparing the body for any sport. The structure and progressive loading of a lifting program is specific and measurable and the gains are staggering (not in size) on the rugby field.

I think I should be clear on what I have found to be the correct way of weight training for rugby or any sport.

First of all, forget bodybuilding and training to get a 'beach body'.

Train your Fast twitch fibers, those used in explosive activities such as sprinting or power lifting. Weight training with heavy weights will develop these muscle fibers and potentially produce significant gains in muscle mass (think of the huge legs you see on world-class sprinters).

Train for strength, not endurance - training with heavy weights and low reps, NOT light weights and high reps.

Use compound exercises - Squat, Bench press, Overhead press, deadlift, power cleans.

Use free weights - Balance, Stability and coordination is increased significantly, training with machines will not give you this.

Be explosive when lifting.

If you want to be fast, explosive and powerful, then lifting heavy weight is the only way to go!

I think you missed the point there. When I said a martial arts class has more benefits is a better way of training, i used martial arts as an example, i also mentioned horse riding, rock climbing and swimming.

I was also speaking about the benefits as a whole, the competitive spirit, hand eye coordination, physical conditioning, social interaction with other type of athletes and off coarse, enjoying sport as away from rugby.

I did say that i'm not oppossed to weight training if done under the supervision of an experienced instructor, I just feel there's more enjoyment to be had away from the Gym.

I do think we're missing the main point here, we're talking about 13 and 14 year old players. Is it our job as coaches to make sure we have the strongest players around or to ensure our players are fit enough to play and enjoy the sport.

The upside to Strength training
Increased muscle mass and strength
Strengthened tendons and ligaments
Increased bone density
Increased metabolic rate
Reduced body fat
Reduced blood pressure
Improved posture
Reduced injuries
Improved psychological well-being

The downside to strength training
Takes hard work
Not as fun as Xbox

Enjoy your horse riding!

Only this week, I took my son to the gym and noticed other players from our team were there. Although they are weight lifting for their sport, it is also a social occasion for them, where they get together with their friends.

Although my son comes to the gym with me, he then goes off with one of his teamates for his training. I get on with mine, but can keep a quiet eye on them if they mess about.

Going back to one of my previous posts, we have had some players go through to regional level, and one of these definately would not have made it without some form of strength training. These clubs are looking for physical players, where a slightly smaller and more skilled player sometimes gets overlooked. But, these regional players are do not make the team.

Look Guys, not all of the players in our teams are going to make a living from playing rugby, and most will probably play local club rugby for fun as they get older. So, if some SENSIBLE weightlifting helps them out at grass roots level and keps them in the game then I'm all for it.

I think the key word here is "sensible", and it should also be fun for them.