Training Tip #5: Be Fit for Purpose

Our fifth training tip is really targeted at people training for some kind of athletic competition, game or event. The concept of training to be ‘Fit for Purpose’ is a simple idea, but something that people often struggle with. It all goes back to your goal setting right at the start of the training process and working out where you want to get to. Fit for purpose means training the right physical qualities to an appropriate degree to allow you to perform better.

Beyond the initial phases of training where you might be looking for general fitness and athletic development, say if you’re a beginner or at the very start of a training year, you need to work out what athletic capacities you actually need from training. That’s all very well if you have coaches to work out each stage of your training in detail, but for those who don’t it becomes a bit more tricky.

The most common problem is that we like to train what we’re good at and ignore (or do the bare minimum) in what we find difficult.

For example, John is a rugby union prop knows he needs to be big and strong to perform. Watching international players in his position confirms that, so the plan in his mind is set. John’s been training a bit with his mates over the years and is pretty good at upper body work, particularly bench press, so his off-season training focusses on that. He sets some personal bests and feels good about himself.

HOWEVER

First scrum training of the season and John finds that for all the work he’s done, he’s no stronger in a scrum than he was before. In fact, other players who he hasn’t been training with appear to be getting the better of him. Worse still, when they go into open field play and fitness work, he can’t keep up. John went on a couple of runs over the off-season, but didn’t really focus on aerobic development – after all, props don’t run much do they?

Now let’s look at John’s teammate Jack.

At the end of the previous season, Jack went to the coach and asked him about what he needs to do in the off-season. ‘Well you’re already strong in the upper body, but your legs need some strength development, and you could do with being a little bit better in open play’.

So, Jack’s off-season is spent focusing on squats, deadlifts and other lower body strength development. He puts some jump work in to add a bit of power, and he commits to some hard aerobic training twice per week to give his fitness a boost. He still does a bit of upper body, but doesn’t live on the bench press as John did.

When Jack comes to the first scrum session, he feels good. He knows his strength is there, he can push hard into the ground and maintain a solid position. Technique may require a tweak here and there, but it’s a good start.

When it comes to the running, he’s in the middle of the pack. Initially he’s disappointed, but afterwards the coach speaks to him and explains that the middle is good for him. After all, he’s a prop and probably isn’t going to be at the front with the wings and half backs.

Which of these two teammates is fit for purpose? Both worked hard, and both had a plan.However, not all plans are created equal – the key is to have purpose and rationale behind the plan, rather than just a plan of what you think might work based on your own likes and dislikes. 

Whatever you are training for, you need to be fit for purpose. A plan is only as good as the knowledge and experience that is behind it, which is a good reason to speak to a coach before you put in a lot of hard work.