Archive for July, 2009

Rugby- Need of Good Training and Diet

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

The athletes who play the game of rugby are known as rugby players. The rugby players undergo a rigorous training program to prepare themselves to cope with the increasing demand of the game. Due to the poor or no training habits, players perform poorly in the fitness tests.

Rugby is a multi sprint sports and demands the players to generate high level of power, speed, team spirit and flexibility. The rugby players should also possess the quality of recovering between sprints. The players must have the aerobic capacities ranging from moderate to high so that they can sustain the pressure of the game for 80 minutes.

The basic strength for the rugby players is strength. Muscular size and body mass are important for the players but are not the goal of rugby-training program. The purpose of the training program is to improve coordination between players, increase maximal velocity, improve acceleration and to enhance their ability to change the directions quickly.

The early phase of the training lays emphasis on the development of maximal strength. The key point is to increase the potential of the muscles so that they can produce more force to gain speed and power. For better results, strength training is combined with sprint training.

The periodization of speed training program is divided into four seasons –early pre season, late pre season, in season and transition or closed season.

The early pre season lays emphasis on conditioning base with endurance training and strength training. No or very little sprint work is included in this phase of training. The strength achieved in the first phase is converted into explosive power with polymetric training in the second phase of late pre season. The in season phase maintains agility training and speed. The last phase - transition or the closed season is for the regeneration and activity.

Rugby players should take special care about their diet. The training diet for the players should be high in carbohydrates, proteins, energy and low in fat and alcohol. They should have three meals and snacks on regular basis. They should increase the intake of food high in carbohydrates like muffins, crisp bread, breakfast cereals, muesli bars, rice, pasta, fruit and potatoes. The food rich in carbohydrates will help them in muscle gain and recover from training.

The players should take the protein rich food. It includes peas, lentils, meat, dairy products and fish. One thing should be kept in mind that there is no need to include extra protein in your diet because food rich in protein is not the main source of energy. The players should consume low fat meals creamy sauces, fried food and fatty meat.

Their diet should include five portions of vegetables and fruit daily for repairing injury and building muscles. Rugby players should avoid alcohol because it could lead to gain those extra kilos and poor recovery.

A healthy balanced diet and a good training can help you achieve the peak performance of your career.

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Playing Rugby

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Ancient Greeks played Rugby. It descended from the common football.
Today it is played across the world and enjoyed by most of the people. In all the important countries of the world, sports lovers know how to play rugby. Men and women of all ages and children are well aware of the rules of how to play rugby.

It is believed that rugby was invented at Rugby school in the year 1823 .William Web Ellis picked the ball and started running but there is no proof to support it .Dublin University football club is the oldest rugby club in the world. It was founded in 1854.The rugby balls are oval. The ball with which the Rugby school boys played were made from pig bladders.

It is exciting to know how to play rugby. The player who has been tagged stops and has to pass the ball within three seconds. The tag will be returned only when the defendant passes the ball. The player earns the points only by scoring tries. In order to score the tries player has to press the ball on the ground .The players press the ball behind the goal line of the opponent’s team.

Rugby is an exciting game. In this, game players wear Velcro with belts. Players who got hold off the ball dodge it to score points. The opposing team prevents the players to dodge the ball by pulling a tag from the person. It is interesting. The player who pulls the tag from another person holds it above his or her head and has to shout tag.

It is a game of 80 minutes and for most of the time, players are running. So get into shape by opting for regular running and stretching excercises.Since most of the time, you are either catching or passing the ball you do not have time to waste. The ball is faster than you can think. So practice catching and holding the ball fast.

It is important for small children to learn how to play rugby. Because they learn to play in team and there is lot of body movement. Unlike other games where they may be injured, rugby is played under safer conditions. Rugby is exciting, fun and a safer game. It’s a game that can have as few as 4 to 5 players. Therefore, it can even be played at family gatherings, and picnics.

Having fair knowledge of how to play rugby is not enough, you should be also aware of the skills and qualities required to play the game. Important skills for playing the game are catching, running, passing, evading and tackling. Catching is the foremost and the most important skill required to play the game. Good catch means having control on the ball, which in turn means more score. Running and carrying the ball needs lot of practice. You have to be comfortable and well balanced.

So the next time in future if you think of playing a game remember you know how to play rugby. After all, its a game that unites teams, family and friends.

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The rules of Rugby- The game

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

The game- rugby was discovered in 1823 when William Webb Ellis, while playing a football game, he held the ball with his hands and ran forward with the ball towards the opposition’s goal. The feat was unprecedented in football and marked the beginning of present-day rugby football with its diversified rugby rules.

The ball’s shape is kind of prelate-spheroid or oval. It can be kicked in any direction or passed from one player to the next only by throwing it backwards to his team-mate who repeats the same. It is exclusively played on the open outdoor grass fields. Depending on the type or the nature of the game, players are comprised of 7, 13, or 15 on each sides of the team. The physical nature of the game requires the players to be strong and mentally fit.

• Basic rugby rules
Rugby has 2 halves, each 40 minutes long. There is a 10 minute halftime break. Each team has 15 starting players and 7 substitutes. The players are split into two different groups, Forwards, and Backs. Rugby is played on a grassy pitch 70 meters wide 100 meters long.
Forwards
There are 2 props at the front of the scrum, one on either side of the hooker whose job it is to hook the ball from the scrum. Behind them are 2 Second rows otherwise known as locks, Locks are usually tall and are used to win the ball from line-outs. Either side of the locks are flankers, they make sure the ball doesn’t come outside of the scrum. The final forward is the No. 8, who can either pick up the ball and run during a scrum or hook it back to the scrum half.
Backs
The scrum half has one of the most important jobs in the team because they pass the ball from rooks, scrums and mauls or they tackle the other scrum half to stop him passing it to the fly half. The fly half is mostly used for the kick offs at the start or for drop goals. They even pass it to the centers. The centers take on people and try scoring opportunities. The winger’s job is to score the tries and use their pace to get past people. The fullback is the last man when the opponents are attacking and have a mixture of pace and strength.

There are 5 different to score points:
1) A try- this is achieved only when a player puts off the ball on the ground in the opponent’s goal area, which is considered to be the toughest task which is awarded with 5 points.
2) A Penalty Try-A player can attempt a penalty only when the opponent players stop him by violating the rules.
3) A Conversion Goal- it is taken immediately after each try is scored and is worth 2 points.
4) Penalty kick- a team gets a penalty when the opposite team seems violate the game rules, which is worth 3 points.
5) Drop Goal- the player performs a drop kick ensuring the ball to pass through posts is referred as drop goal.
Today Rugby has become a world-widely recognized sport and still continues to lure global media’s attention with an ever increasing fan-base.

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