Tue 3 Nov 2015 | 10:15

Are You Winning EVERY Session?

Games are not won on Saturday’s, they’re won Monday through Friday by the effort, commitment and decisions you make EVERY session and opportunity you have to increase your performance levels.

Every Monday I spend the day with my Director of Rugby, where we review the game from Saturday and discuss how the week ahead is going to look, what are the main outcomes / objectives.

He has a saying where “if he is happy on a Thursday, he knows he will be happy on Saturday”.  He is safe in the knowledge that if the players commit to every session that week, train with intensity and accuracy that the performance will be where it needs to be come Saturday.

This article explores whether you are doing everything you can EVERY session to be at your best.

COMMITMENT & CONSISTENCY

“Doing a whole lot of mobility work infrequently, is like saying you brush your teeth, for an hour, twice a week”.

First and foremost are you taking your recovery seriously?  If you are not adequately recovered, how do you expect to perform at your best every session.

Are you starting that process on Sundays?  Are you stretching?  Are you hydrating?  Are you refuelling?

Flexibility, mobility, range of motion, whatever you want to call it, are you committing to enhancing it every day?  Not just when you “feel tight”.  Do you have a structured and progressive warm up and down protocol?

Are you completing every set and every rep, even when you’re tired?  Even when you’ve had a hard day at work?  Are you doing the hard work when no one is looking?

OBJECTIVES

Do you know why you are completing the session you are about to?  Or are you simply going through the motions?  Are you operating at the right intensity or just doing enough to get a sweat on and get by?

By having clear objectives EVERY session, you can monitor and measure where you are and make adjustments accordingly.  You will be able to monitor your progress and make informed choices about your performance levels.

MINDSET

“Culture” is very much a buzz word in Rugby and most team sports currently, but having words on a wall is only 10% of the equation, by far the most important part is actions.  Putting those words into action.

Be an athlete, commit to every session both physically and mentally.  Nothing else should matter during that session.  Forget work, forget your home life, don’t worry about what is happening next, the only thing you can affect is what is about to happen, so focus on that, commit to that with all you have.

GETTING THE 99% RIGHT

Everyone is searching for the magic 1% to improve their performance, everyone is looking for the shortcut, everyone is looking for the next thing.  However, people are not getting the basics right, the things that set the foundations to your performance, whether that is catching & passing, tackling, evasive running or lift heavy.  Get the basics right.

SUMMARY

• Consistency and committing to every session is a must
• Why are you completing a certain session, drill or exercise.  If you don’t know then there is a problem
• Are you working hard when no one is looking?
• The All Blacks are superb because (amongst other things) they complete the basics to an outstanding level, if its good enough for them…