Rugby – Home Training

Rugby Home Training

This at home workout will focus on skills and drills that will help improve your fitness and ball handling. These skills are the fundemental skills that every player should strive to become comfortable with. This workout can be done within an hour so and requires very little setup.

Time Required: 40 - 50 min

Equipment: Rugby Ball - 2 Markers (shoes, cones, pies, etc.)

Printable Copy

Warmup - 10 min

For this warmup you'll need about 10 feet. Each of these drill will be done once up and once back. If you have less apace, go back and fourth more often until you've done each drill for a total of 20 feet.

1: High Knee Karaoke

Bring your knee up high and step over across your other leg. Then repeat with other foot. Take two steps then start again.

2: Over Hurdle Step

Bring knee up high as though you were stepping over a hurdle or high object.

3: Knee to Chest

Balance then bring knee up and grab / stretch. Step and then repeat. Be sure to keep back straight.

4: Figure Four

Bring foot up in front to hip height and grab under foot and ankle. Pull up with slight stretch.

5: Lunge

Lunge forward with one leg while touching other knee to ground. Keeping back straight reach up and stretch with both arms.

6: Lunge & Twist

Same as before, only this time instead of stretching up, twist in the direction of the knee.

7: Toe Touch

A slow controlled kick out in front. Try to touch your toe with your opposite hand. Step and repeat. Be sure not to lean back.

Increase Intensity

1: High Knees

Start in place and jog bringing knees high with large arm swings. Continue in place for 3 seconds then slowly lean forward and continue to the other side. Try to keep fluid motion so opposite leg is coming up as the first one hits.

2: Butt Kicks

Same as the previous drill, but this time bring feet up to butt.

3: Side Shuffle - Left

Nice long side steps facing left. Stay nice and crouched with straight back. Keep hands in "boxer position."

4: Side Shuffle - Right

Same as before, but facing opposite direction.

5: Side Step & Upright Jumping Jack

Side step, but this time make it a jumping jack.

6: Sitting Arm Swings

While sitting on the ground swing your arms as though you are running. Start smaller and after every 10 seconds add more range and speed until you've reached 30 seconds.

7: Standing Arm Swings

Same as the previous drill, but this time standing.

8: Heel Walk

Walk back and fourth walking only on heels. Keep your toes pointed up.

9: Toe Walk

This time, walk back and fourth on your toes only making sure to keep heels off ground.

10: Bunny Hop

Place feet together and hop to end and back.

Ball Handling & Coordination - 5 min

Now we will work on some basic ball handling to improve hand / eye coordination as well as warming up hands and arms. For these drills you will need your ball and a bit of space around you.

1: Finger Juggles

Using just your fingers, juggle the ball back and fourth. Try to move the ball up and down from above your head down to your waist without catching or stopping. 20 - 30 seconds.

2: Fingers 2.0

Same as before, only this time you will keep juggling at chest level while lowering to one knee, then the other. Continue juggling as you come back to your feet. Do this 10 times.

3: Between the Legs (standing)

Stand in place and try to squat low. Move the ball in a figure 8 between your legs for 20 seconds. Be sure to switch directions.

4: Between the Legs (walking)

Start at one end of your markers. Transfer the ball back and fourth between your legs as you step. Make sure to keep nice and low. Do two sets of these.

5: Clap & Catch

Stand in place and throw the ball in the air. Try to clap as many times as you can before you catch it. Do as many as you can in 20 seconds.

6: Round the World

Stand in place and move the ball around the body at the chest, moving down around the legs and back up. 20 seconds. Try to speed up every 10 seconds, while still keeping control.

Core Skills & Fitness - 10 min

Now that our bodies and fingers are warmed up, we will work on the core skills that will make our overall game better. These should be done at the highest intensity you can for the most benefit.

1: Ruck n' Push

Start with the ball in front of you. Get into a ruck position (on hands and feet with knees close to the ground). Crawl forward (keeping knees off the ground) while pushing the ball forward with one hand and then the other. Keep back straight and head looking forward - 20 feet (10 and back).

2: Ruck n' Balance

Same drill, but this time place a ball in the small of your back. Try to get to one side and back without the ball dropping. These two drills are key skills to scrums and rucks.

3: Place n' Pick

Start with ball on one side. Sprint to centre and place ball on ground. Continue to other end. Drop down to ground, touching tummy to ground (pushing position). Come back up and run to pick up ball and continue to end. Turn and repeat 5 - 10 times. Push hard.

4: Side Steps

tart at one side and start running towards the other. Keeping in mind proper ball carry technique (two hands at chest level) side step in middle and continue on. Repeat this 10 times.

5: Skutter Steps

Similar to before, but this time use the “Skutter Step.” This is similar to the “Goose Step”. 10 times.

6: Dummy Pass

Start on one side with ball. Run and dummy pass to the left, take a few steps then to right. Keep good pace during this drill.

7: The Punisher

This drill will combine the different skills into a final push. Keep the intensity up and try to push through hard until the end.

Start with the ball and sprint back and fourth

Run in a zig-zag (slalom) pattern there and back

Run and place the ball half way and continue to end - 10 jumping jacks - then pick up the ball back to start

Run and dummy pass left continue to end, turn dummy right. Continue to end and do 5 jump squats

Run and perform side step to left. Continue to end, turn and then to side step right.

Run to other end, then back peddle run back to start

Run and place ball in centre.

Get into ruck position and shuffle three steps left then back to centre then three right back to centre. Pick up ball and sprint to end. Turn, and repeat until you end at start.

Finally. Turn facing opposite direction. Roll ball behind you, drop and do 5 pushups, turn and pick up the ball. Continue to other side. Stop and repeat.

Cool Down & Stretch - 10 min

It is important that we cool down and stretch, especially considering all the sitting we are likely doing these days.

1: Slow Jog

Slowly jog from one end to the other to bring down heart rate.

2: Slow Walk

Bring down the pace again and walk from end to end a few times

3: Stretching

Take a few moments to stretch from neck to feet. Concentrate on legs with nice long stretches. This should take you a while.

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Art by
Jeff Walker

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Almostronaut

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Sooke Rugby is not associated with Rugby Canada, Rugby BC, Rugby Union, or any official Rugby club. Sooke Rugby is non-official and practices in a casual capacity. All players are required to sign a waiver before participating.

Art by Jeff Walker

Website by Almostronaut