Training Plan

Exercise Selections for One Microcycle

Six Core Exercises:

1.    Back Squat

2.    Deadlift

3.    Bench Press

4.    Military Shoulder Press

5.    Push Press

6.    Power Clean

Six Assistance Exercises:

1.    Step Up

2.    Nordic Curl

3.    Bent-over Row

4.    Shoulder Shrug

5.    Barbell Bicep Curl

6.    Seated Calf Raise

Six Pre-habilitation Exercises:

1.    X-Hops

2.    Single leg static squat with throw on balance pad

3.    Calf raises with theraband (Lateral & Medial Resistance)

4.    Rotator cuff lateral & medial rotation

5.    Rotator cuff external & internal rotation

6.    Laying neck flexion with theraband

Six flexibility exercises:

1.    Laying Quadriceps Stretch

2.    Laying Hamstring Stretch

3.    Peroneal Stretch

4.    Posterior Shoulder Stretch

5.    Neck Rotation Stretch

6.    Outer Hip Stretch 

Six core stability exercise:

1.    Plank

2.    Oblique Plank

3.    Abdominal crunch on stability ball

4.    Single Leg Glute Bridge (dynamic)

5.    Bird-dog

6.    Russian Twist

Exercise Order

On resistance training days, power exercises are to be performed prior to the other core and then the assistance exercises. There is also a 3-way split routine (shown in table 1. in Training Schedule), meaning the upper & lower body exercises are targeted on different days, with prehabilition and core stability exercises performed on a separate day.

Training Load and Repetitions

Due to the advanced training status of the athlete it was appropriate to 1RM test all core exercises, with the exemption of the shoulder press which was 10RM tested. All assistance exercises where also tested via 10RM. The results of these tests combined with the athlete’s primary resistance goals and goal repetition range allowed appropriate training loads to be calculated. It is suggested that when aiming to achieve muscular hypertrophy, repetitions should range between 6-12 reps with training loads of 67-85% 1RM. As a result, this athlete will perform 10 repetitions for core exercises with loads of 70% 1RM and 10 repetitions for assistance exercises at the load achieved during 10RM testing. For power exercises, namely the power clean and push press, a rep range of 2-5 is suggested for multiple bout efforts, such as those specific to rugby, with loads of 75-85% 1RM. This athlete will perform 3 reps of 80%1RM.

Volume

The suggested amount of sets to be performed when aiming to gain muscular hypertrophy is between 3-6 sets, and 3-5 sets for power. Consequently, 4 sets were used for the core exercises (excluding power exercises where 3 sets were used) and 3 sets were used for assistance exercise. With regards to flexibility, core stability, and prehabilitation exercises 3 sets were used for each.

As previously mentioned in the exercise order, there is a 3-way split routine to be performed 5 days a week, this is described in the training frequency section (Training Schedule) along with a table showing an example microcycle including training content for each day.

Rest Period

Rest periods between sets of hypertrophy training should be between 30-90 seconds, therefore 90 seconds of rest has been allocated for the core exercises and 60 seconds for assistance exercises.  Power exercises need more sufficient rest between sets, so 3 minutes of been assigned for the power clean and push press. The rest period between exercises is largely dependent on the ensuing exercise. For example, if two exercises that work the same muscle group and joints are scheduled one after another the rest period previously used between sets should be the minimum amount applied. However, if the next exercise works a different muscle group and joints no rest period if required. As stated in the training frequency section (Training Schedule) rest days vary from microcycle to microcycle due to the split routine implemented. Nevertheless, there will always be 2 days rest in a week with no more than 3 training days in a row.

Table 2. Summary of the Training Plan.

Exercise Type	Exercise	Load (%) 1RM	Sets	Reps	Rest	Primary Muscles Used
Core	Back Squat (Barbell)	70%	4	10	90 Seconds	- Quadriceps                    - Hamstrings - Gluteus maximus - Gastrocnemius - Erector Spinae
	Dead Lift (Barbell)	70%	4	10	90 Seconds	- Gluteus Maximus - Hamstrings - Quadriceps - Gastrocnemius - Trapezius - Latissimus Dorsi - Erector Spinae
	Supine Bench Press (Barbell)	70%	4	10	90 Seconds	- Pectoralis Major - Anterior Deltoid - Triceps Brachii
	Military Shoulder Press (Dumbbells)	70%	4	10	90 Seconds	- Deltoids - Pectoralis Major - Triceps Brachii - Trapezius
	Power Clean	85%	3	3	3 Minutes	- Trapezius - Deltoids - Erector Spinae - Gluteus Maximus - Hamstrings - Quadriceps - Gastrocnemius
	Push Press	85%	3	3	3 Minutes	- Deltoids - Trapezius - Triceps Brachii - Quadriceps
Assistance	Step-up (Barbell)	70%	3	10	60 Seconds	- Quadriceps - Hamstrings - Gluteus Maximus - Gastrocnemius
	Nordic Curl (Body Weight)	70%	3	10	60 Seconds	- Hamstrings - Gluteus Maximus - Gastrocnemius - Erector Spinae
	Bent-over row (Barbell)	70%	3	10	60 Seconds	- Latissimus Dorsi - Trapezius - Rhomboids - Erector Spinae - Posterior Deltoids - Biceps Brachii
	Shoulder Shrug (Barbell)	70%	3	10	60 Seconds	- Trapezius
	Biceps Curl (Barbell)	70%	3	10	60 Seconds	- Biceps Brachii
	Seated Calf-raise	70%	3	10	60 Seconds	- Gastrocnemius - Soleus
Prehabilitation	X-hops		3	15	30 Seconds	- Quadriceps - Hamstrings - Gluteus Maximus - Gastrocnemius
	Single leg static squat with throw on balance pad		3	15s	30 Seconds	- Quadriceps - Hamstrings - Gluteus Maximus - Gastrocnemius - Internal & External Obliques  - Quadratus Lumborum
	Calf raises with theraband (Lateral & Medial Resistance)		3	6	60 Seconds	- Gastrocnemius - Soleus
	Rotator cuff lateral & medial rotation		3	15	30 Seconds	- Supraspinatus - Infraspinatus - Teres Minor - Subscapularis
	Rotator cuff external & internal rotation		3	15	30 Seconds	- Supraspinatus - Infraspinatus - Teres Minor - Subscapularis
	Laying neck flexion with theraband		3	15s	30 Seconds	- Scalenes - Longus colli & capitis - infra hyoids
Flexibility	Laying Quadriceps Stretch		3	30 seconds hold	30 Seconds rest (Whilst the alternate leg is stretching)	- Quadriceps (rectus femoris,  vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, &  vastus intermedius) - Iliopsoas
	Laying Hamstring Stretch		3	30 seconds hold	30 Seconds rest (Whilst the alternate leg is stretching)	- Hamstrings (biceps femoris,  semimembranosus,  semitendinosus)
	Peroneal Stretch		3	30 seconds hold	30 Seconds rest (Whilst the alternate leg is stretching)	- Gastrocnemius - Soleus
	Posterior shoulder stretch		3	30 seconds hold	30 Seconds rest (Whilst the alternate shoulder is stretching)	- Posterior Deltoid. - Supraspinatus - Infraspinatus - Rhomboids - Upper Trapezius
	Neck rotation stretch		3	30 seconds hold	30 Seconds rest (Whilst the alternate side is stretching)	- Upper Trapezius - Sternocleidomastoid - Splenius
	Outer Hip Stretch		3	30 seconds hold	30 Seconds rest (Whilst the alternate side is stretching)	- Gluteus Medius  - Gluteus Minimus - Tensor Fasciae Latae
Core Stability	Plank on a wobble board		3	30 seconds hold	30 seconds	- Abdominals (pyramidalis, transversus & rectus abdominus) - Erector Spinae - Iliopsoas
	Oblique Plank		3	30 seconds hold for each side	30 seconds	- Abdominals (transverse abdominus, external & internal obliques) - Gluteus Maximus & Medius
	Abdominal Crunch on Stability Ball		3	12	30 seconds	- Abdominals (pyramidalis, transversus & rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, external & internal obliques )
	Single Leg Gluteal Bridge (dynamic)		3	12 for each leg	30 seconds	- Gluteus Maximus & Medius - Hamstrings - Erector Spinae
	Bird-Dog		3	12 for each side	30 seconds	- Abdominals - Erector spinae - Gluteals - Deltoids (rotator cuff) - Trapezius - Latissimus Dorsi - Quadriceps - Hamstrings
	Russian Twist		3	12	30 seconds	- Internal & External Obliques  - Quadratus Lumborum