URTV5

Ulster Rugby's pre-season training continues with a weights session in the gym at Newforge for the forwards.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Ulster
• Rugby
• Training
• Fitness
• Newforge
• Weights.

[KarlMccallumUk]

surprised stevie isnt in this showin up a few people :L

[kiwinrg]

@halifaxtanning bang on there mate to many keyboard heros commenting , as halifaxtanning said these guys are rugby players not bodybuilders , explosive power, and aerobic conditioning,would love to see all you ronnie coleman wanabees run around a rugby field for 80 mins

[hadwll]

@ajpurdon OK mate why dont you apply for the job of SC at ulster rugby next time it comes up i would be happy if you could make them stronger and fmore powerful might win it again lol

[LikeARollingRock]

Wow, love the amount of people behind computer screens thinking they could seriously compete with these lot. Makes me actually laugh, ridiculous people. Grow up.

[halifaxtanning]

@ajpurdon You have to have been round these guys to appreciate just how conditioned they are as all round athletes, and it's pretty impressive. You would have to put in a lot of work and have genes on your side to get close. None of them lift light and every professional team will have some who lift big...... very big in some cases.

[halifaxtanning]

@ajpurdon It doesn't look to me like any of them are trying to do RM1s. There is a clip on here of Carl Hayman box squatting 220kgs twice and Owen Franks squatting (without box) something similar 3 x. That's your benchmark for an international front row, and it's big. Of course top powerlifters or even some NFL linemen would lift more, but they have no aerobic conditioning.

[ajpurdon]

@halifaxtanning I can't see any of the people in this video getting anywhere near those numbers. I realise they have to be all round athletes and have injury problems. This is their job after all, it's not like its a hobby. I just think that being the case they should be able to develop a higher level of strength and power in the gym than these are showing, especially as these are some of the best in the world.

[halifaxtanning]

@ajpurdon They also have to be good at rugby and totally willing to put their bodies on the line. Most of these guys are never more than 70 or 80% fit, they play whole seasons with niggling injuries, broken fingers, cracked ribs, that kind of thing. Even fewer of the big lifting bodybuilders or powerlifters you see on thursday afternoon would be willing to do that...... if they were, they'd be doing it....

[halifaxtanning]

@ajpurdon So which gym do you go to then? I know what professional rugby players are expected to lift, and it's very heavy by normal standards (e.g.bench of 160kg + for a back, 190kgs + for a front row forward).

but them on top of that you have to be conditioned to run around for 80 minutes non-stop.

Combining that level of strength with HUGE aerobic fitness is very difficult - I bet very few of the big lifting bodybuilders or powerlifters you see on thursday afternoon could do it.

[ajpurdon]

@hadwll that doesn't mean they are as good as they should be in the gym. Maybe this is an accepted level of strength in rugby but they are no where near reaching there potential for strength or power.