from 'How to play Rugby League' first printed 1964

 
Chapter 8
Keep Fit
 

the keynote to good football is fitness
 
 

PRE-SEASON CIRCUIT TRAINING
  For pre-season training a recent innovation called "circuit training" has been adopted for conditioning purposes by most first grade clubs.
  It has been most successful in achieving top condition and also it creates great interest with each player, as each week he tries to better the previous week's performance. The idea produces a combination of exercising and running, and those two functions in themselves account for a sizeable amount of the activity on a Rugby League field.
  On a circle with a circumference of between 20 and 50 yards, you mark out six spots, and at each spot you perform a different exercise  (e.g., body presses, Indian squats, etc.,) at least six times each and you go round the circuit twice, the time that it takes you to do the circuits being kept and recorded.  Then you do a 440-yard run, keeping the time for the lap under 60 to 70 seconds.
  Then you repeat the circuit training.  You may only do the circuit once this time, depending on your fitness and keenness, but you must record the time it takes you to do the circuit.  Then you do a further 60-70 second lap.
  To complete the circuit training you do a further circle of exercises, keeping the time, then you do a 440-yard lap as fast as you can, also recording the time.

A NORMAL TRAINING SESSION
after the football season has started

  It is important there is no interruption whatever once the training session has commenced.
  Jog trot around the football field two laps, the second lap a little faster than the first.
  The second lap is completed by the players running into a circle around the coach to go straight into physical exercises.  Before exercises actually begin, deep breathing should be practised as guided by the coach. This is exercise for the lungs and is also welcomed by the players to assist their wind after the lapping.  The coach then takes his team into the following exercises, no rest, one exercise leading into the other:

Jumping on the spot on either foot, and on both feet.
Arm swinging.
Trunk bending and stretching.
Toes touching.
Knees bending.
After these loosening-up exercises, the coach calls for his team to lie on their backs for the following exercises for strengthening back and stomach muscles.
Stiffened legs raised and lowered from five to ten times (depending on fitness of team)
Trunk raising to sitting position and lowering again five to ten times (depending on fitness of team).
The coach then calls for the team to roll over and lie on their stomachs, facing in towards the coach, and immediately go into the following exercises:
Body presses, eight times at least, body to be kept perfectly straight.
Trunk bending backwards, hands clasped in small of back in relaxed position, then at call from the coach "stretch", the whole body stretches in a curve with arms stiffened and hands still clasped.  The only part of the body touching the ground is the stomach.  At the call "relax" the body comes back to resting position - eight times at least.
  The coach calls for deep breathing at the end of the exercises.
  During the whole period the execution of the exercises in rapid succession is very necessary.  This assists in building alertness and quick thinking in the team.  It is desirable that the coach at least commences each exercise; the rest of the time he can call the beat for each exercise and see that the team do them conscientiously.
  Next the sprinting period commences. The wearing of running spikes is an asset here and the coach should see that as many team members as possible have them.
  After sprinting comes team training. This can be commenced by having all players in position for a kick-off.  At kick-off the forwards chase the ball, one of them falling on it and immediately playing it with the other forwards in their correct rucking positions. ?During this session the ball is to travel from wing to wing, everyone getting across the field at a fast pace and the coach seeing that the forwards do their work correctly. The coach calls for the ball to be played whenever he requires it. Drop-outs for the goal line and the 25-yard line should also be practised with the players following the ball and positioning themselves to commence movements.  Scrum formation should also be practised with attention being paid to the correct breaking of forwards when the ball is won or lost and to the correct heeling of the ball when won.  During this period the coach should correct faults of any phase of his team's game with which he is not happy.
  The night can finish with jog trotting one lap of the field.
  The whole training session is one of much activity and rapid progress.  Each exercise or practice should lead one into the other, no time being allowed between them and as little time as possible when changing from one period to the next.  The coach should have good control, allowing no idle chatter or playing the fool while training is in progress.
  It is to be understood that the above training sessions a normal one during the season.  For pre-season training emphasis would be more on building up strength and stamina, such as more lapping or distance running (if possible) interspersed with exercises and striding.  Exercises would be more strenuous such as pull-ups, abdominal work, pushing and pulling contests with partners, lifting and carrying a partner of equal weight.  These exercises could also be used during the season.
  The above training session is more suitable for teenagers and seniors and should be modified for school or junior teams.
  Football boots should be on at all training session; spikes and sandshoes when available can be introduced at certain parts of the training session.


 Method used by top players for
conditioning - a running machine.

  It can be safely said that nearly all, if not all coaches have neglected to school their teams in the rules of the game; it probably has never entered their heads to do so. But this is a very important part of coaching, especially in school and junior teams.
  A coach should allocate at least fifteen minutes per week to a talk on the rules of the game, before or after training on either one of the training nights. This can be made interesting by having either a magnetic football field or blackboard to illustrate certain points to the team members.  It can also be used for instruction on field and goalpost measurements and the names given to field markings.
  The training sessions can be finished with a game of touch football with the coach acting a referee.  He should have a tight control of this game, the ball being played correctly every time a player is touched and the players fanning out to their positions.  It is a better idea for players to be held rather than touched when the have the ball; this makes the defender run to his opponent to take hold of him instead of being content just to stretch to make a touch.
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