Introduction
When it comes to getting fitter, stronger and more explosive for rugby you can’t beat sprinting, lifting and jumping. Unfortunately, all those exercises can take a toll on your joints and bones. Is there a way that you can still challenge your fitness levels, save your joints and recover at the same time?
Yes!
Enter Swimming for Rugby….
Obviously swimming will never be a huge part of your training approach for rugby but it offers several benefits that make it an excellent tool for your rugby fitness toolbox. We especially like it for athletes who need to decrease body fat but are at risk of overtraining if they add more and more running/resistance metcons.
“Remember train smarter not just harder!”
Here are the many benefits of swimming for rugby:
Low Impact
Swimming is about as low impact as you can get when it comes to conditioning methods. This makes swimming a perfect add on for players who need to do extra work or a struggling with the running load they are faced with. Running and Plyo’s in the pool are a great way to progress back into full training when returning from injury too, for this very reason.
Increases Aerobic Fitness
This should be no surprise! Swimming is an excellent stimulus for the cardiovascular system. It is especially challenging if you aren’t an experienced swimmer because you aren’t efficient and will expend more energy. This is what you want if you are trying to burn fat!!
Increases Lung Capacity
Swimming challenges you to control your breathing in a situation where you’re desperate for more oxygen and is great for lung capacity development. Underwater swimming as well as being a mental challenge is excellent for this and improvements can be easily measured.
Improves Shoulder ROM
Shoulder issues are common in rugby and swimming will help you improve both shoulder and thoracic spine range of motion. After a few sessions you will see a huge improvement in your shoulder range of motion. Front Crawl alone has great benefits but if you can progress to Back Stroke and even Butterfly!
Increases Upper Body Muscular Endurance
As well as increasing ROM in your shoulders, the resistance of the water will challenge your upper body muscular endurance too. The benefit of swimming is that it will get you strong in the outer ranges of motion that other exercises can’t.
Recovery Stimulus
The pressure of the water has a massaging effect on the muscles which is why active recovery in the pool is recommended and so effective. The deeper you go the greater the pressure so another reason for hypoxic training!!
Example Sessions
For best results use a 25m pool!
Hypoxic Ladders:
2 Lengths to Warm Up (any stroke)
1 Length Front Crawl – Breathing every 3 strokes
1 Length Front Crawl – Breathing every 5 strokes
1 Length Front Crawl – Breathing every 7 strokes
1 Length Front Crawl – Breathing every 9 strokes
1 Length Under Water Breast Stroke – As Far As Possible
60 secs rest
1 Length Under Water Breast Stroke x2 Big powerful strokes (casual swim to end)
30 secs rest
1 Length Under Water Breast Stroke x4 Big powerful strokes (casual swim to end)
30 secs rest
1 Length Under Water Breast Stroke x6 Big powerful strokes (casual swim to end)
30 secs rest
1 Length Under Water Breast Stroke x8 Big powerful strokes (casual swim to end)
30 secs rest
1 Length Under Water Breast Stroke x10 Big powerful strokes (casual swim to end)
60 secs rest
1 Length Under Water Breast Stroke
1 Length Front Crawl – Sprint Rest 60 secs
x 4 sets
20min EMOM:
Every Minute on the Minute for 20 minutes:
Odd minutes (1,3,5,7 etc.) 1 Length Underwater Breast Stroke (or as far as possible)
Even minutes (2,4,6,8 etc.) 1 Length Sprint Different Stroke each rep (rotate through front crawl, breast stroke, back stroke, butterfly)
Closing Thoughts
Swimming will obviously never replace traditional training but can be a good addition for some rugby players. If you need to add some extra conditioning or simply want to make your recovery more interesting give swimming a go. It is a great way to deload and keep active and has numerous benefits.
