Everyone who has watched even one game of rugby knows just how physical it is. It’s all about pushing, shoving, and throwing people back while running at full speed with a ball clutched tightly to your side. Naturally, given the physical nature of the sport, the athletes who do it professionally are incredibly strong, fast, and agile – however, achieving that level of athleticism isn’t just down to pure talent or natural ability; it’s also about hard work on the field and in the gym.
With that said, many rugby players who are just starting to get serious about the sport and want to improve their physique aren’t sure what kind of workouts to prioritize and what exercises to incorporate into their training plan. In this short article, we’re going to focus on the bench press and talk about whether it’s good for rugby players and how it can be incorporated into a strength training regime.
Is the Bench Press a Vital Exercise for Rugby Players?
Every gym goer bench presses at least once per week, and this exercise is considered to be one of the main ones you should be performing when you want to build strength and grow muscle. It’s extremely effective in engaging many of the muscles in the upper body and especially develops the chest and triceps. Along with that, the many variations of the traditional bench press make it an exercise that can easily target almost all of the muscles used for the pushing motion.
Now, is that enough to make it a good exercise for rugby players? Unfortunately, the answer leans more towards no, as in rugby, you’re rarely in a position where you need to push – it can happen when trying to fend off a stiff arm or push away an opponent, but that’s more about timing than about raw strength. The reality is that when rugby players want to tackle an opponent, they mainly use their lower body strength, which is built with exercises such as the squat and deadlift. And so, out of the three main powerlifting movements, the bench press is the least beneficial one for those aiming to become professional rugby players.
Having said that, if a rugby player wants to build upper body strength, then the bench press is an exercise that should absolutely be present in his workout plan. Even though it doesn’t directly translate to rugby performance, the bench press remains one of the best movements for building muscle in the shoulders and the chest. It’s vital to remember that rugby players should have a balanced physique – so if you’ve put a ton of focus on building lower body strength and you’re already pretty strong in that department, you should switch the focus to your upper body, as you need a balanced physique, in order to become more athletic.
Is the Bench Press Safe for Rugby Players?
One of the biggest concerns about performing the bench press for rugby players is safety. Typically, the more weight you lift, the more dangerous the exercise becomes, especially if it’s performed during the season when players’ muscles are fatigued and battered due to game-related collisions. The most common injuries that occur from bench pressing include rotator cuff and pec tears, which can leave you on the sidelines for months.
Even though it all sounds scary, there is a way to do bench presses safely while being a rugby player. So here are some tips for beginners:
- The first rule is to keep the one-rep max tests and the truly heavy lifting for the off-season – that way; your muscles will be ready and recovered to take on that kind of load.
- If you’re a beginner at weightlifting, it’s a good idea to train with a coach who will help you with technique and give you tips on how to progress with the movement.
- It’s always better to start with lightweight weights that feel easy and that you can do with proper form and then move on to heavier lifts.
- Along with that, make sure you always secure your weights with barbell clips, by doing so, you will ensure the load is evenly distributed at all times, thus minimizing the chance of injury. There are different types of barbell collars: spring collars, snap-lock collars, Olympic barbell collars, strap barbell collars etc. But athletes often prefer Olympic barbell collars, like the ones by WBCM (check price). They are made of high quality and scratch-resistant materials, have a convenient locking mechanism, and are easy to use. These collars are designed by an Olympic champion, which means that they take into account the needs of athletes in terms of quality, comfort, durability, as well as stylish design and a wide range of colors.
If performed with the correct form, the right amount of weight for your physique, and with safe equipment, bench pressing won’t cause any injuries to rugby players. It’s all about reading your body’s cues and knowing when you need to push with more weight training and when you need to just relax and work on mobility and recovery.
In Conclusion
Even though rugby is a sport that requires athletes to be strong, it also pushes the players to be agile, fast, and well-conditioned. Unlike American football, where you can see a lot of one-dimensional athletes, rugby is a sport where you need to be extremely athletic in order to succeed. To achieve that, a rugby player needs a balanced and well-developed physique – strong and explosive muscles in the upper and lower body that can work together on the field.
While traditional weightlifting can help you develop strength and power, you need to be cautious about how you incorporate it in your training as a rugby player. The bench press is a perfect example of an exercise that can help develop muscle in the upper body, but that can also be dangerous if not performed correctly or if done in the wrong training block. Hopefully, with the help of this article, you now know when you should be focusing on developing muscle strength and when you need to just work on recovering better. Along with that, we hope it serves as a useful guide on how to bench press safely as a rugby players.
