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Forum Guru
 
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Last Login: 10/06/2010 12:40:18
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| Hi there. Has anybody made use of the above fitness assessment tool if so: - Where can you download the necessary spreadsheet to allow calculations to take place at the training session?
- How effective a tool is it at assessing fitness?
- How effective a tool is it to motivate players to improve fitness?
For those who not aware of these tests follow this link. http://www.brianmac.co.uk/rugby.htm Jonesy
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Forum Guru
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Last Login: 13/01/2011 13:13:40
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They're a nice tool Jonesy, but the reality is you need to interpret the results and extrapolate something meaningful in Rugby terms from it... if your top international tryscoring winger isnt scoring better than your tighthead on the 30m sprint tests (I have the results to prove this happened in a top 3 ranked international side ;-) then do you cut him & get another winger or do you create opportunities for your tighthead to carry ball inside the oppositions 22?... I'd say focus on developing the weaknesses that you find in tests, rather than fociusing on the results themselves.
Rugbia floreat ubique
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 10/07/2009 03:31:18
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The problem I see with this is that some aspects of the test aren't really game specific. e.g. no. of press ups and sit ups in one minute, very rarely (if at all) would a player be required to perform these types of exercises in a rugby contets. An example of a game situation would be, a player handing someone off, or a prop lifting in a lineout, would it be more suited for a coach/ fitness coach to see specific results such as a one rep max in a shoulder press (lineout) or bench press (bench press)? I personally believe that fitness testing is best used as a tool to measure player development during a training programme, as well as a motivational tool for them.....
To comapre a winger to a prop in a try scoring contest would make an interesting discussion. There are many different factors (nothing that can be fixed in the gym) such as the style of play that the coach wants to play and the defensive arrangemnet of the opposition. Kees Meeues' try record comes to mind.
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Forum Guru
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Last Login: 13/01/2011 13:13:40
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Ja, it is an interesting one- most Academies & Pro rugby programs have 1RM test criteria when the reality in terms of game specifics is that it might be more sensible to know what those are but focus more on a range of 25-35 reps in terms of position specifics (how many lineouts would as prop/ 2nd row need to be explosive in the upper & lower body in; how may hand offs would a fullback make Vs a centre or blindside etc) as you say, conditioning tets are a good tool to tell us HOW the players are getting on, but at the end of the day, its about their ability to express the combination of their skills and physical conditioning under pressure in relation to the game plan and whats in front of them- HEL:L, I LOVE THIS GAME! 
Rugbia floreat ubique
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