How to Get Faster for Rugby: 4 Essential Training Focus

Speed is a game-changer in rugby. Whether you're chasing down a try, making a crucial tackle, or breaking through the defensive line, explosive speed can make all the difference.

To enhance your on-field performance, it's essential to focus on four key areas: sprint mechanics, relative strength, explosive power, and flexibility.

1. Sprint Mechanics: Perfect Your Running Form

Improving your sprint technique is the quickest way to boost speed and produce immediate results.

Focus on:

• Upper Body Posture: Maintain a forward lean during acceleration and an upright position at top speed.

• Arm Swing: Use powerful arm movements during acceleration and a cheek-to-cheek motion at top speed.

• Knee Drive: Drive your knees forward during acceleration and upward at top speed.

• Foot Placement: Ensure your feet land behind your body during acceleration and directly beneath you at top speed.

  
  

Mastering these elements can significantly enhance your sprinting efficiency and overall speed on the field.

2. Build Relative Strength: Maximise Force Production

Relative strength refers to the amount of force you can exert relative to your body weight. The more force you can produce into the ground, the faster you'll move. 

Focus on:

• Lower Body Compound Movements: Incorporate exercises like squats, deadlifts, and lunges to build strength in your legs.

• Core Strength: Engage in exercises such as planks, Russian twists, and sit-ups to develop a strong core.

  
  

Strengthening these areas enhances your ability to accelerate quickly and maintain speed during play.

3. Develop Explosive Power: Generate Force Quickly

Power is the ability to exert force rapidly, which is crucial for speed. 

Focus on:

• Plyometric Exercises: Incorporate broad jumps to develop horizontal power for acceleration and squat jumps to build vertical power for top speed.

  
  

These exercises train your muscles to generate force quickly, improving your explosive speed on the field.

4. Improve Flexibility: Enhance Range of Motion

Good flexibility improves your stride length, range of movement, and muscle efficiency. 

Focus on:

• Hip Flexors, Glutes, Hamstrings, and Quads: Regular stretching of these muscle groups enhances mobility and reduces the risk of injury.

• Daily Stretching Routine: Incorporate dynamic stretches before workouts and static stretches after to maintain flexibility

Improved flexibility allows for more efficient movement and quicker reactions during play.

Ready to Transform Your Speed?

Implementing these four focus areas into your training routine can significantly enhance your speed and overall performance on the rugby field.

For a structured approach, consider the 90 Days to Explosive Speed program, designed to turn you into a speed machine, resulting in more tries, game-saving tackles, and man-of-the-match performances.