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Posted 159 days ago
THIS IS the third in a series of conditioning combos put together by Harlequins head of strength & conditioning John Dams. They are all dynamic three-exercise circuits or ‘triple sets’, which should be performed one after the other with rest after the last exercise. Work-rest ratio’s can be changed to whatever suits you but a 1:3-4 work ratio will suit…
Posted 163 days ago
WITH WINTER approaching and the temptation for comfort food rising, it’s important to keep tabs on your body fat, writes Harlequins’ head of strength and conditioning John Dams. If you’re struggling for motivation, find a training partner to help.
Posted 172 days ago
THIS IS the second a series of conditioning combos put together by Harlequins head of strength & conditioning John Dams. They are all dynamic three-exercise circuits or ‘triple sets’, which should be performed one after the other with rest after the last exercise. Work-rest ratio’s can be changed to whatever suits the athlete but a 1:3-4 ratio will suit to…
Posted 191 days ago
IN THE first of a series of conditioning combos put together by Harlequins head of strength & conditioning John Dams, you need to flip over a tractor tyre, jump through it and then perform a shuttle sprint. It’s important to perform all the elements back-to-back – watch the video to see how – and it’s a great way to improve…
Posted 244 days ago
THE SEASON is here and the hard work isn’t over, writes John Dams. Don’t get stuck in the gym doing things you’re good at; get on the pitch and WORK HARD! Develop a weekly training schedule that works for you and stick to it.
Warm up
These first two moves are good preparatory exercises and are a great extension to your on-field…
Posted 245 days ago
IT’S VERY frustrating for a player to present the ball perfectly on the floor – only for an opponent to steal it before one of his own team-mates arrives on the scene.
There are two ways to avoid conceding cheap turnovers if a player does become isolated in contact. One is for the tackled player to buy time by staying on…
Posted 263 days ago
WRESTLING DRILLS are a great conditioning tool for rugby and help to bring a competitive edge to training. Rugby World fitness editor John Dams, Harlequins’ head of strength and conditioning, suggests using the Thai-style clinch (above) and Greco-Roman wrestle in training – and these videos show you how to do it…
Posted 264 days ago
PASSING AND catching are two of rugby’s core skills, so it’s vital that young players understand that they are passing to team-mates who want to catch the ball, not drop it!
That’s why coaches should encourage their players not to spin-pass until they reach U11s or 12s. Even then, only put spin on the ball when it’s necessary. Saracens and England…
Posted 265 days ago
OFFLOADING IS not an easy skill to master, but get it right and your team will score some sensational tries. Never throw a wild pass or give the ball away cheaply in contact, but always look to offload, to keep the attack alive, if possible, in preference to going to ground.
Attacking players should always run with the ball in two…
Posted 266 days ago
SELLING A dummy – pretending you’re about to pass but then keeping the ball yourself – is a great trick to have in your locker.
“There’s no better feeling than selling a dummy to a defender, leaving them reeling in your wake,” says Matt Dawson, the ex-England scrum-half who famously sold an outrageous dummy whilst scoring for the 1997 Lions in…
