When optimally trained strong arms will improve offensive and defensive contact skills as well as prevent injury. Stronger arms might also fill your shirt sleeves and help you have more luck with the ladies.
While an overemphasis on traditional bodybuilding training will surely slow you down on the field and have you tackling thin air and copping shoulder charges left, right and centre, ignoring the need for muscle mass is also a mistake. When it comes to arms most rugby league players want to train them out of vanity while many strength coaches are happy to leave them out of the program in favour of “functional movements.”
I have made this mistake in the past.
Keegan Smith – Biceps training
Strong arms will help you make and break tackles. Consider also that for Judo players arm strength is considered a key to their physical preparation. Those arms are attached to the torso by the smaller rotator cuff muscles and the prime movers of the shoulder such as the lats, pectorals and deltoids. All those muscles will also need to be strong and integrated into powerful movements via a strong torso and legs.
Now lets get back to building those pipes. I believe in having key performance indicator lifts to judge progression then using a variety of movements within actual workouts to improve that key lift. If your sport isn’t biceps curls then variety will help prepare you to produce force at different angles and also stimulate the muscle in different ways. Using thick bars, dumbells and fat gripz is also another method to increase stimulation to the muscles. Remember a muscle fibre that isn’t activated (innervated) by it’s nerve will have no stimulus to grow or change.
Eloi Pellissier – Triceps training
Some of the best integrated movements for the upper body include rowing movements, dips, pull-ups, chin-ups, dumbell and barbell decline, flat and incline bench presses, standing military press, push press and push jerk.
This year I have learned the value of an arms day. Only isolated arm work. Two years ago you would have been lucky to find me doing a few curls at the end of the session but I can honestly say that an arms day has helped me in a number of ways.
1.It’s a low stress workout. Compound movements are great but they tax the CNS a lot more than relatively lighter weights on isolated movements. If you’re already using a lot of “big bang for your buck” moves like power cleans, squats and chin-ups then an arms day could be just what the muscle doctor ordered!
2. A chain is as strong as it’s weakest link. It’s awesome to have a strong back and pecs but if your arms are lagging then you’re leaving weight in the bank. Expect your pull and push movements to improve when you get your arm strength up. When I took Jim Wendler’s (5-3-1 guru) advice of including biceps work to improve my bench it worked!
3. Confidence and image. Lets face it in the world of facebook everyone is judged on appearance and arms are the first thing that people see of you. We don’t all need to be Popeye when it comes to arms, but the extra work will help you become a more intimidating and physically respected rugby league player.
Lets get lifting!
Here is a workout that I have used myself and with some of my athletes. It’s not only hard and enjoyable but it gets great results!
So basically it’s 5 reps for 3 movements with 10-30 seconds between movements alternating between biceps and triceps. Try 3 circuits the first week 4 the second and then 5 the third. Weights should be heavy but not so heavy that technique deteriorates. Control the weights through the eccentric portion (lowering) of the lifts.
If you have questions of want to give me feedback about the workout click here
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