With training camp starting in six weeks, everyone should be getting theselves to thier highest level of fitness.  Below are guidelines for training to ensure that you are ready for camp:

 

 

ENDURANCE 

You should be doing some kind of running to help build up both your base fitness and the strength endurance in your legs, pre-season is the best time for doing this. Please don't go off on 30- 40 minute runs on concrete. After a 15 min warm up you will be ready for a session such as this:

 

25metres, there and back, five times with 30 sec rest in between each one.

250m in straight line (or around a field) x3 with 2 min rest b/n each one.

back to short distances - 20m, there and back, 5 times, 30 sec rest b/n each one.

200m x 3 - 2 min rest b/n each one.

10m, there and back, 5 times, 30 sec rest b/n each one.

100m x3

 the above shouldn't take more than 40 minutes.

 

Alternate this kind of drill with interval running - walk, jog, run, sprint etc up and down a field. this is much more rugby specific. The underlying theme to your running work should be stop-start -short bursts of high intensity work followed by short periods of active recovery. (as in a game)

 

Also use bikes, steppers, cross-trainers and rowers in the gym -they're all good for endurance but again avoid too much even-paced exercise. Combining this with the more demanding and effective interval training as listed above, will see you make quicker progress.