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A Running PerspectiveBasicsRugby referees are on their feet for 1hr 20mins in a men's match - an ordinary fun runner would have finished most of a half-marathon in that time, so stamina / endurance / aerobic fitness are essential to putting in a good refereeing performance. But it's not steady running that is needed - it's harder than that! What we have to do is cope with a huge mixture of running in that time and speed is an essential element. Simple then, all we need is STAMINA and SPEED! ... Prefer this page on paper? ... Word Version / PDF Version
NEW: STAMINAStamina is the ability to keep going. To some extent this requires muscular endurance (ie having leg muscles that are happy to keep going), but regular referees have probably already built up sufficient muscular endurance, so for us stamina is all about heart and lungs. This is aerobic fitness - the lungs taking in lots of air/oxygen and the heart pumping blood to get that energy to the muscles. It's worth noting that a good level of aerobic fitness not only helps us maintain our performance throughout a match, but also helps recovery rates during a match after short bursts of faster running - very handy for blowing a whistle or talking to players!!! The good news is that improving aerobic fitness doesn't mean having to do the "Long Slow Runs" that road runners do - the ideas below offer a few options. SPEEDThe need for (and benefits of) running speed during a match is pretty obvious, but analysis of top refs shows that they only actually sprint for 122 metres per match. So, our goal is not really flat out sprint speed. More realistically, it's "running with speed" - something top refs do for about 12-15% of the time they are moving during a match. There are only two things that affect running speed! ... STRIDE LENGTH and CADENCE (ie faster strides). Each of the ideas below will help one or both of these. We each have a natural running style and hopefully you will already know whether you are more of a "Shuffler" (short striding, maybe with a decent cadence) or more of a "Bounder" (long slow strides)! This will help you focus on those exercises that address your weak point, or perhaps you need a good balance of the two. If you're not sure, ask someone to watch you. THE GROUND RULES
THE SESSIONSThere is a range of different sessions below. Those who crave variety can mix and match them, plus choose different routes - on and off road. Those who want to focus on specifics can repeat sessions to get the most out of them. For those who like to measure their progress I recommend the Mile Reps as a test of stamina / overall running fitness. As a benchmark, 8mins for a mile is considered by road runners as the borderline between jogging and running! I am currently in the 7:00-7:15 range for 4 reps. Above all find a combination you enjoy (either enjoy the sessions or enjoy the benefits they bring!). General run - stamina with some speed
Mile Reps - stamina with endurance
Power Run
Power the Hills
Sprint the Hills - basic
Sprint Pyramid - Hills optional!
Sprint DrillsPeople will be familiar with sprint drills as part of a warm up routine - to use them as proper sprint drills it just means doing them with a greater range of movement, more speed, more power, keeping them going for longer and doing more reps. Just Run!I like to plan my runs and know what I'm going to do when I walk out of the front door, but sometimes it's just good to go out and do whatever takes your fancy. Fast/slow. start/stop. Change the route. Try to catch someone running ahead or keep up with some who has just passed you! Drive to somewhere (usually the Downs in my case) and enjoy some countryside, beach runs, etc. Also, the day after a hard game [always after sevens!] a 2mile jog/walk can feel good and help recovery. Mini Indoor Circuit - for some variety :o)
Daily to build up a bit of leg strength!!!
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