A while back I wrote an article on martial arts in rugby (see here). The focus of that article was more on the tactical side of things; strategic approaches in martial arts which can also be used (and are as a matter of fact) in other sports like rugby.
An interesting development in New Zealand rugby over the last two years has been the increasing use of martial arts techniques and training methods in rugby. One of my colleagues was heavily involved with the Manawatu Turbos last year playing under Dave Rennie. Rennie of course is now coaching the Chiefs and one can clearly see some of these techniques now being used by the Chiefs. According to my colleague, Rennie has acquired the services of a martial arts expert in Hamilton who is now working with the Chiefs.
Recently I found a youtube video of the Highlanders training with a martial arts club in Dunedin. This Highlanders video shows them focusing mostly on strength and fitness during their session with the martial arts club. What the Highlanders video does not show is how the martial arts techniques are used in the tackle and ruck situations to create turn-over ball.
Below is an example of one such technique.
I will post some more such tutorial clips in the next couple of months. These are creative and very powerful innovations in rugby and one of the reasons why teams like the Highlanders and Chiefs are doing particularly well (not the only reason of course but certainly innovations that gives them an edge) at the tackle ball.
South African rugby players are so focussed on power and size that they seem to neglect the technical side of the sport. A smaller player will create turnover ball 90% of the time against a bigger and stronger opponent if he manages to do these manoeuvres well, at game pace.
It may look easy but does require and extensive amount of training to get right. It took my son almost 30 minutes of repeated rehearsal -first at standing and walking speed- before he sort of got it working right. In the video clip above that I do with my son you need to develop the ability to shift (I’ll write about that next). If you can’t shift properly it’s hard to do the manoeuvre. Timing, hands, feet, shoulder and head positions are crucial as you go into contact. Thereafter the direction in which you move and how you plant your feet are also extremely important.
You’ll notice in the video clip that I shift my body ever so slightly on impact to get the shoulder charger to actually move past me. However, if I shift too much he’ll charge right past me. Also I don’t step on impact and stay low by shifting my body weight. Second my back foot hand (right hand) goes immediately to the opponents elbow. Success in turning the attacker and in getting the ball depends to a large extend on my ability to get my back foot hand (right hand in this case; would be left hand if he charged in with the other shoulder) on his elbow. I rotate the attacker because (1) I’ve shifted slightly to the side thereby forcing him to move past me and (2) by controlling his elbow (or ball carrying wrist). You turn the attacker by pushing his elbow forward and across his body and not by trying to pull at his shoulders. If you try to pull at the shoulder your top hand (left in this case) will slip around his neck.
Excellent!
On the first clip of the Highlander training, the idea of the ring exercise is to find your opponent’s center and to push him out without using much power. The Highlander players are just using brute force to push their opponent out of the ring, so they don’t understand the concept.
On the second clip. It’s easy to close the space with a small person standing still. If you try to do this with a 120kg rugby player running at you, it’s a different story. Your not going to change the direction of his momentum that easily.
The Bulls added grappling to their training a few year ago, so its not just a New Zealand thing.
This is a fascinating topic, thanks for the post! I have tried something similar in my current role as a player-coach using wrestling techniques. I always noticed that new players with a background in Olympic wrestling excelled at the breakdown. I had those players give a demo to the rest of the squad on some basic moves, double leg, single leg, ect. and observed some good returns.
Very nice article. Habana used to make use of spatial awareness coach in the past, Sherylle Calder I think. Things like martial arts or even amateur wrestling, visual coaching and hey…what about sign language, could only be an advantage. The first couple would not only increase your skill, but also build upper body strength. Sign language could give you the edge in line-outs. The possibilities are endless and they should all be explored.
leon wrote:
Of course it’s easier with a smaller person. I never suggested it’s easy in real time and against big strong people. However in rugby we’ve got 120 kg against 90 to 120 kg pushing against each other. The 120kg person with knowledge of how to manipulate the elbow will be better able to came out tops. Also if you know what you are doing the bigger they are and the faster they come at you the harder they fall. It’s about using the momentum and moving the opponent of his center. If you’re heavy and you crash into someone at pace you came down pretty quickly if you’re moved of your center. Lastly if you manipulate the elbow the opponent will spill the ball and that’s enough. You don’t actually need to throw or turn him.
leon wrote:
Excatly. The idea of using brute force are so ingrained that it’s extremely hard to change it. With regular rehearsal and training they will get the concept after a while. Think of the advantage they’ll have once they clearly understand how to offset the center. In the meantime it’s actually good upper body training. More applied to rugby than bench press in the gym.
McLook wrote:
Very true. Its very difficult to train this into the body. The natural reaction of the body is to tense up and use force against force. Even elite fighters struggle with this. I’ve been researching centering training for a long time. Very few people understand centering and even less know how to teach it. Do you have any experience with Russain body-flow biomechanical exercise? I found this to be very good exercises to start finding your center.
McLook wrote:
Hmmm, bench press, squats and dead lifts are still the kings of strength training and should be the staple food of every rugby player.
leon wrote:
Absolutely agree. However you don’t do bench press or squats on the rugby field. At some stage you need to transfer to spending more time on applied strength work than on gym strenght work. Your periodization program will start off with maybe a 80/20 split (80% of strenght work in the gym and 20% applied stuff)and then move to a 60/40 spilt and later maybe even to a 20/80 split during the season.
Very common practice in season is to use a zig zag type pattern over 4 week cycles where you’ll begin with high volume gym work on week 1 tapering to more volume applied by week 4 and then back up in the opposite direction.
leon wrote:
That’s my experience too namely that most people rarely think about it when executing sport related activities. Classy or expectional athletes have a very good sense of centering and develop it through regular practice. It is essential in most sports and it’s the reason I believe why coaches always talk about head position. The moment your head is up you seemed to be more inclined to be centered. It’s the reason why Sonny Bill Willaims can off-load and hand-off so well; he developed it thanks to his boxing background.
I have no background in Russian body-flow biomechanical exercises but developed a keen sense of the importance of being centered during movement due to years of Karate training.
McLook wrote:
Actually you do 🙂 . All movements on the rugby field is just sub movements of your major movement patterns, which squats and bench press train. So strength in your major movement patterns have a huge carry over on to rugby skill. But, I do understand what you say about strength skill do not always translate to rugby skill.
i’m not a great believer in in-season periodization. I split everything into skill training. Strength skill, endurance skill, agility skill, mobility skills, speed skill, stability skill and the most important, sport specific skill. I cycle between these skills according to what the athlete need and not what I want.
This is a great article you wrote and got me thinking. I’m looking forward to your follow up articles.
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