strength & conditioning

Gym programmes, conditioning sessions & more!

No matter how great your rugby skills are, without building a solid foundation of S&C you’ll likely struggle with injury resilience and performing to the best of your ability on the pitch. We’ve teamed up with some of the best S&C coaches in the women’s game to give you access to the same expert programming given to professional players, so whatever level of rugby you’re playing you can train with complete confidence knowing you’ve built the foundations to perform.

Video Hub

Improve your Game
Extensive Intervals Conditioning Session
Extensive Intervals Conditioning Session

Another great conditioning session from Loughborough Lightning S&C Coach Emily Palmer. This one is great for building aerobic capacity, focussing on moderate-intensity efforts performed for longer durations with short to moderate rest.

  • 4 sets

  • 4mins ON: 2 mins OFF

This session should be hard but the efforts should feel repeatable.

Read more →
Intensive Short Intervals Conditioning Session
Intensive Short Intervals Conditioning Session

This intensive short intervals session from Loughborough Lightning S&C Coach Emily Palmer is perfect for building anaerobic capacity, improving repeatability of high-intensity actions and recovery between efforts.

  • 2 sets x 4 reps

  • 2mins ON : 1 min OFF

Read more →
Tabata Max Efforts Conditioning Session
Tabata Max Efforts Conditioning Session

This Tabata Max Efforts session is a great one to help improve lactate tolerance as research has shown huge improvements in anaerobic capacity. It’s also a very time efficient session so perfect for anyone short on time.

  • 2 sets x 8 reps

  • 20 second ON : 10 seconds OFF

Loughborough Lightning S&C coach Emily Palmer recommends this session “if you want to get to a dark place” - don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Read more →
Repeat Efforts Conditioning Session
Repeat Efforts Conditioning Session

This conditioning session from, Loughborough Lightning S&C Coach Emily Palmer, is a great one to help build anaerobic power. So if you’re looking to improve your ability to repeat high intensity efforts - this one’s for you!

  • 2 Sets x 5 Reps

  • 30 seconds ON : 30 seconds OFF

Rest for 90 seconds in between sets

Read more →
Aerobic Engine Conditioning Top Up
Aerobic Engine Conditioning Top Up

A great conditioning session from Loughborough Lightning S&C coach Emily Palmer to help you improve your aerobic engine.

  • 4 mins on @80-85% max heart rate

  • 2 mins off

Repeat 6-12 times - this should take roughly 30-60 mins total.

This session delivers a huge conditioning stimulus to develop physical qualities whilst saving on-feet budget (ideal for freshness or more rugby training).

You can mix up machines for this conditioning top up using the rower, bike or ski erg!

Read more →
4 Exercises to Improve Lower Body Mobility
4 Exercises to Improve Lower Body Mobility

4 easy exercises from Loughborough Lightning S&C coach, Emily Palmer, that you can do at home or in the gym to improve your lower body mobility.

  1. Couch Stretch (30 seconds each side) - Helps to mobilise and lengthen the hip flexors and quads

  2. Plated Lunge Knee Over Toe (30-45 seconds each side) - Focuses on mobilising the ankle under load

  3. Deep Squat Sway (30-45 seconds) - Helps with mobilisation of hips and hammies

  4. Pigeon Pose (30 seconds each side) - Helps to mobilise and stretch the hip joint

Read more →
Conditioning to Improve Repeated Sprint Ability
Conditioning to Improve Repeated Sprint Ability



If you’re looking to improve your repeated sprint ability this conditioning top up from Loughborough Lightning S&C coach Emily Palmer is a great way to start!

This session can be done on a bike, ski erg or rower. You can even mix up which piece of equipment you’re using throughout the session.

2 sets

8 reps

20 seconds on/ 10 seconds off

Read more →
How to Trap Bar Deadlift
How to Trap Bar Deadlift

Another in our series of basic gym lifts with S&C coach Emily Palmer - this time focusing on the trap bar deadlift.

The trap bar deadlift is an effective exercise for rugby players to develop explosive leg and hip strength. Start with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly out, and grip the handles firmly. Drop hips so shoulders are just above them, brace the core, pull shoulders back, and keep the chest lifted with eyes forward to maintain a neutral spine. During the lift, drive through the heels, ensuring hips and shoulders rise together, standing tall at the top. Lower the bar with control by hinging at the hips first, then bending the knees, maintaining tension throughout. Mastering this lift enhances powerful hips and legs, benefiting scrummaging, tackling, and acceleration.

Read more →
How to Back Squat
How to Back Squat

The back squat is key for rugby power and lower body strength. Here’s how to do it.

The back squat is essential for rugby power and lower body strength. Begin with feet hip-width apart and the bar resting on your upper back. Keep your chest up and core tight. Squat down slowly over one to two seconds, pushing knees slightly out in line with toes, aiming for thighs parallel to the ground (90 degrees). From the bottom, push through your heels to stand tall, maintaining chest lift and avoiding forward torso lean. Focus on controlled movement, strong core, and powerful leg drive. The back squat builds scrummaging power, acceleration, and overall lower body strength, emphasizing quality overload.

Read more →
How to do a Romanian Deadlift
How to do a Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian Deadlift is one of the best exercises for building strong hamstrings and glutes. Here’s how to do it.

The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is an effective exercise for strengthening the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, bar close to thighs, core engaged, and knees slightly bent.

  2. Hinge at the hips by pushing them back while keeping the bar close to the legs, maintaining a flat back and neutral spine to feel a hamstring stretch.

  3. Return to standing by driving hips forward and squeezing the glutes without leaning back.

The RDL builds power and control essential for acceleration, stability, and contact in rugby.

Read more →
A woman in workout attire standing in front of a dumbbell rack in a gym, with the text 'Fundamental Strength Program' overlaid on the image.
Promotional poster for prehab ideas with images of rugby players performing injury prevention exercises, including a female rugby players assisting a teammate with a stretch.
A woman in athletic clothing, on a rowing machine, doing a cardio workout, with a sign reading 'Conditioning Session Ideas' over her.
Find a Practitioner

Looking for an S&C Coach?

BLOG Content

Blog
Ice baths: When to Use Them & What For
Ice baths: When to Use Them & What For

Wondering how ice baths affect muscle growth and when it’s recommended for rugby players to use them? Here’s when to take the plunge.

Read more →
Recovery Tools for After Training & Games
Recovery Tools for After Training & Games

Recovery is just as important as training. From nutrition and sleep to ice baths and active recovery, here’s how to refuel, reset, and get your body ready to go again.

Read more →
On vs Off Feet Conditioning: Which to Use When
On vs Off Feet Conditioning: Which to Use When

Unsure how on and off-feet conditioning sessions work with your rugby training and want to know what each should be used for? We’ve got you.

Read more →
Off Feet Conditioning Session Ideas
Off Feet Conditioning Session Ideas

We spoke to Loughborough Lightning strength and conditioning coach Emily Palmer to find out some of her favourite gym based conditioning sessions.

Read more →

FAQs

  • Most players benefit from 2-4 gym sessions per week, this will depend on training schedule and experience. We recommend you prioritise quality over quantity as sessions should support your rugby, not leave you too fatigued too perform.

  • Both are essential. Lower body will help drive speed, power and tackling, while upper body is key for contact, rucking and injury prevention. A balanced programme of upper and lower body exercises will help develop full-body strength.

  • This will massively depend on your current fitness and training load.

    If your rugby sessions already include high-intensity work and you are in the middle of the season with high game minutes, extra conditioning may be minimal.

    If not, 1-2 targeted sessions (e.g. aerobic or speed work) can help improve performance. As with strength training, these should support your rugby training and not leave you too fatigued to perform.

  • This will depend on your physical goal. Heavier weights with lower reps build strength and power, while lighter weights with higher reps build muscular endurance.

  • Focus on key movement patterns; squat, hinge, push, pull, lunge, and core. Build your programme around compound lifts (e.g. squats, deadlifts, bench) and add accessory work to support strength, stability, and injury prevention.

    Check out our free fundamental strength programme for an easy to follow session guide.

Meet your coach

With a degree in sports science Emily works full-time with Loughborough Sport, supporting both Loughborough Tennis and Loughborough Lightning Rugby.

It’s not just pro and semi-pro players she supports though, she also works as an S&C coach with England Rugby, supporting the U18 Girls Player Development Group programme.

She is very passionate about women’s sport and the opportunities it provides, with a particular focus on performance, growth, and creating pathways for future athletes to thrive.

Learn more
Young woman with brown hair in a ponytail holding an orange and white rugby ball outdoors, dressed in a black jacket, with a slightly blurred background of a grassy field and people.