London Wasps Phase 13 - (FOR U16 AGE BAND PLAYERS)

Functional Strength and Athletic Performance Enhancement Programme (APE)

Intro – many young players enter into weight training at around 15yrs and onwards. However players need to be clear about why they are doing this and what they hope to achieve. The motive is usually to improve and develop their rugby playing performance. Building big muscles takes a lot of work but is fairly easy to achieve BUT this will not necessarily improve rugby playing performance. Big muscles look good on the beach but to improve rugby playing performance strength and increased muscle mass needs to be functional – put simply if you cannot move, turn, bend and be agile due to increased muscle mass your overall playing performance will decline.

Phase 13 – this programme can be followed by players aged U16as an enhancement to school/club normal rugby training and alongside any of the RFU Strength Programmes which can be found on the RFU web site - Clearly Phase 13 is only a phase in a longer development programmewhich is progressive and leads onto full weight training, however it can be used throughout the year as a valuable addition to any other full weight training programmes – please note any player starting anyfull weighting training should ensure this is performed under strict instruction by qualified trainers.

Each programme – APE, Functional Strength A and Functional Strength B has a direct link to where the session can be viewed from start to finish.

Key points whilst performing any of the programmes/exercise -

1)DO NOT WORK ABOVE YOUR AGE BAND PHASE WITHOUT EXPERT GUIDANCE.

2)Ensure the movements are completed with full range and match that shown on youtube.

3)Follow the ‘TEMPO’ listed at the top of the session sheet – e=eccentric s=start c=concentric f=finish – the numbers referring to the time in seconds to perform each movement – eccentric etc.

4)Follow the repetitions (reps) accurately – follow the rest periods between reps and sets accurately – time them.

5)Ensure you are able to complete the whole session and each exercise with a suitable weight – if you cannot complete an exercise then you are using too much weight. DO NOT COMPROMISE ON TECHNIQUE DUE TO EXCESS WEIGHT.

6)If you have had a hard day or week cut down on the session – do not work tried

7)Keep a record of what you have done

8)You should try to do the APE session twice per week and each of he Functional Strength sessions once per week – however this does depend on what else you do during a week.

9)Contact for any advice.

These Phased training sessions are taken from the London Wasps Academy Apprenticeship development programme with a link of them in action below.

Wasps AASE Video Promo