Improving your fitness can make you a better player and less prone to injury. For players, coaches and those who design physical conditioning programmes for Rugby players, you need to have a general understanding of the key components of fitness and also the specific physiological demands of the Game.
Components of fitness, Loose forward (Ranked order)
Power* - Power is defined as the amount of work performed per unit of time.
Muscle Strength* - Strength is the maximum force an individual can exert through a muscle or group of muscles, against an external resistance.
Muscular Endurance* - Endurance is a measure of the body’s ability to maintain a rate of work.
Speed / Quickness* - Speed is the ability to coordinate simple or complex …show more content…
Key: * tested Components of fitness
Body Size and Composition – Body size is the Physical size, weight, height etc. of the player whereas body composition refers to the proportion of fat and fat-free mass in the body.
Flexibility - Flexibility is defined as the range of motion of your joints or the ability of your joints to move freely. It also refers to the mobility of your muscles, which allows for more movement around the joints. (Flexibility is important for injury prevention.)
Cardiovascular Endurance - Cardiovascular Endurance is the ability of the heart, blood cells and lungs to supply oxygen-rich blood to the working muscle tissues and the ability of the muscles to use oxygen to produce energy for movement.
Balance and Coordination - Balance is the ability to stay upright or stay in control of body movement, and coordination is the ability to move two or more body parts under control, smoothly and efficiently.
Testing Fitness Elements
Speed & Quickness
3km Time Trail (Speed & Quickness)
To measure fuel mix fitness. Players can perform the test in small, position-specific groups to encourage competition.