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.
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FAQs
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
