This month we want to share more details about our sports conditioning sessions. Sports conditioning is one-to-one coaching designed to help you prepare for specific events or sports. The team at Elevate works with you to create a bespoke training programme specifically designed to achieve a higher level of function and optimise athletic performance. The sessions will be tailored depending on your goals; whether you’re training for your first marathon or are a seasoned athlete, we are here to support your training goals.
This week we sat down with John Sis who is the academy manager at the Peterborough Rugby Club. Our trainer Josh is currently coaching their team ages 16-19 through a 6-week block supporting their transition into professional athletes.
At ages 14 – 17 we start preparing them for the increased demands to come. This includes getting them used to training and improving their overall fitness. We look at teaching them how to move correctly and bring in the educational side of things.
For the squad at Peterborough Rugby Club, we start with a dynamic warmup, bounding, hot jumps and landing. We look at plyometric work and tissue prep then go into anaerobic work such as sprints and interval work to build their anaerobic fitness. We want to build their capacity to work at high intensity when they need it.
We then move into a circuit that is switched up every session. We include a conditioning circuit where we focus on heavy lifts including anaerobic fitness and lactate build-up. We make sure to do controlled lifting to put size on and bulk up in certain areas. I also like to get them moving into positions they may find themselves in, so they are ready if they do find themselves in that situation. – Josh
Afternoon John, please could you introduce yourself to our readers
Hello, I’m John Sis, I’m 58 and interested in rugby and anything sporty. I have been at Peterborough rugby club since I was 16/17 way back in 1978/79, when I was the same age as the boys at Elevate.
How long have you been training with Josh?
We’ve done 6 weeks at the moment.
What are your goals for the team during the sports conditioning sessions?
So, most of the boys have not done any form of training so our main aims are to learn techniques for the best way of warming up their bodies to be ready to train and ready for games. Also, we are looking to improve their strength and stamina.
How is Josh supporting you with those goals?
He’s come up with a circuit of exercises related to rugby, lifting, pushing, pulling and passing the ball which we’ve done with a heavy medicine ball.
What do you get up to in your PT sessions?
We do an activated all-over body warm-up. Mainly we do a small CV section on the bike or a row but it’s not the same every week. Then we start a circuit that varies up each week.
What are your focuses going forward?
While we’ve been there it’s changed. Initially, it was strength and stamina but now we’ve played games for some of them its teaching recovery for after the games and injury prevention. We’ve also focused more on flexibility so after you’ve trained to stretch it out and get on the bike.
What are your thoughts about training here at Elevate?
We’ve been made very welcome; the sessions are well organised and relevant to our sport. Like I said since we’ve been playing our sessions have been adapated to also suit the boys who have been playing the day before into a recovery session.
We’ve really enjoyed it; the facilities are perfect for rugby.
What do you think about training with Josh?
He’s been great, all the lads have got a good rapport and I get on well with them all, it’s been excellent.
Have you seen any results yet?
It’s been fantastic, very successful and with the improvement, there’s one particular lad, who I won’t name but he has made a massive improvement and he has joined Elevate as a member.
If you’re interested in sports conditioning for yourselves or a team please feel free to get in touch, email info@elevatefitnessuk.com.
We also offer a fantastic range of classes which are suitable for all abilities, tap below to book:
Going for gold: sports conditioning with Dave Brown
