Training for a contact sport such as rugby can put huge demands on the body. With the amount of both cardiovascular and strength training needed, it is inevitable that you will suffer some sort of injury. Rugby players often tear and strain muscles because of the nature of the game. Periods of inactivity, either in game or during training, coupled with bursts of speed and hard impacts are usually the cause. However, the key to pursuing a successful career is not to shy away from playing rough, but to prepare and strengthen your body to minimise the risk of injury and understand how to recover effectively when the inevitable happens.
Support with Strength
One of the best ways to prepare your body for the rigors of training is to concentrate on strengthening your muscles. Strong muscles are better able to support joints, and just by lifting heavy weights you can work the stabilisation muscles in the wrists and ankles, whilst hardening the bone, which occurs when larger amounts of pressure are placed on them. The position you play will also dictate what physical shape and size you are aiming for. If you are looking to remain lean and strong, then pure strength training using lower reps and longer rest periods works well. However, if you want to add size, then try increasing the rep range and decreasing the rest period. By strength training on a regular basis and following it up with an adequate flexibility and stretching session at the end, you can help to prevent simple injuries and increase your performance.
If you do need to reach the deep muscle tissues in order to break down scar tissue and release tension from an injury, then physiotherapy might be for you. Physiotherapists are usually employed by larger scale clubs, as they provide an invaluable service that that be used as both a treatment and preventative measure. Physiotherapy, otherwise known as a sports massage, involves applying large amounts of pressure and massaging the muscles that are sore or stiff. It can be a painful experience, but it provides long-term relief, especially if it's coupled with regular stretching and myofacial release. Myofacial release using a foam roller is similar to having a physiotherapy sports massage, except it requires you to roll the painful muscles back and forth across a foam tube. This is great to use on a daily basis and is also cost effective. The tubes can be made of either soft foam or harder plastics, whilst some also have small ridges or teeth that help to penetrate deeper into the muscle by concentrating the pressure. Either way, both of these approaches can help you to return to training as soon as possible to continue your sporting journey.