FUEL MIX FITNESS
Tue, 13 Feb 2007 12:42
Rugby is not a continuous steady state sport - it requires frequent changes in speed and intensity of effort and is therefore a predominantly anaerobic sport when ball is in play.
Jonathan Kaplan, one of the world's top referees, has been appointed to referee the 2005 Currie Cup final. It will be his second.
Fuel mix fitness is the capacity to generate energy and resist fatigue, so players can perform effectively for the duration of the game. Rugby is a high intensity sport involving multiple sprints and various strength and power movements, and these activities require a rapid production of energy. This energy is produced by the anaerobic and aerobic systems, either exclusively or at the same time, hence the term fuel mix.
The energy systems do not work in isolation - more often than not players will rely on a fuel mix of anaerobic and aerobic energy.
The intensity and the duration of activity determine the extent to which each energy system is used. Match analysis tells us that at elite level, ball in play activities last on average 18 seconds, with a range of 5 - 63 seconds, and are performed with high intensity effort.
With multiple-sprint, strength, and power activities dominating, our preferred mode of conditioning for rugby is fuel mix training e.g. interval running mixed with wrestling, passing and tackle bag drills.
For more information on fuel mix fitness for rugby visit www.fitness4rugby.com