...Unlike other forms of football, rugby can be usefully viewed as a succession of prolonged physical engagements, either between individual players or between groups of players. Each of these engagements demands the exercise of substantial physical strength. While basic strength training should form the foundation for such engagements, there should also be a focus on developing explosive strength appropriate to the particular activity.

During the extended periods when players are physically contesting with their opposing counterparts they are continually subjected to loading substantially greater than their own body weight. And, because that added resistance is live, there is often the problem of overcoming not only inertia but also counter force triggered by an initiating movement

In modern rugby considerable attention is given to fitness and aerobic conditioning as well as basic weight training, but there is very limited focus on the development of activity-specific explosive strength. This is despite the fact that an ability to very rapidly generate force can yield a competitive advantage in each of the areas of physical engagement in rugby:

Scrum and maul In the scrum or maul situation it is very difficult to shunt the opposing pack backward unless there is synchronised explosive activity. If a pack begins to move forward slowly o...more

Throwback Jerseys - Treading Down the Memory Lane

...ey have become popular among the sports fans who would like to relive the old days when their favorite team and player was on the pinnacle of popularity and success. A throwback jersey may be of times when your favorite player starred in an old team or for and old player of an existing team. A Michel Jordan jersey of Washington Bullets design is a perfect example of replica throwback jerseys.

Throwback jersey has become a collector's item and you would find many person...more

Why the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers are the Best Team in NFL History

...counted the most, when it was not an option to loose, he propelled his players into the brightest spotlight that they'll ever know. It was the Cinderella story that could never happen in a million years. But because this team was so special, and cared for each another so much, I honestly think they were blessed by the hand of God, from coming back to just barely squeak into the playoffs, from the field goal attempt by Vanderjagt of the Colts, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, which he missed from 46 yards in a pristine dome atmosphere, to the easy win over a 13-3 Broncos team, I feel as if God was answering a prayer from a person that showed him selflessness and love for his friends and team mates, and by doing so made an example of the situation to teach us all a valuable lesson about caring for others. When you care enough, when you try hard, when you make commitments and when you care about others more than yourself, and then go to God in prayer when you are down, he will lift you up and make you victorious over your opponents. If that same person or group of people on the Steelers squad continues pray to God with the same concern and intensity and genuine selflesness, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be unbeatable until that person or group leaves the team. I truly believe this, and don't profess to be a born again Christian, but this stuff works folks. Sincere prayer works if your motivations are pure and it's what has made the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers the best team in NFL history.more

super Bowl Props: Do Your Homework

...Oddsmakers have had plenty of time to carefully scrutinize the last game of the football season, therefore the side and total are likely to be good numbers. You rarely see much line movement on super Bowls. However, proposition bets offer bettors an excellent opportunity to find good bets and soft numbers. But you cant do guesswork, you have to do some homework.

Lets go through a prop and do some research on it. For instance, theres a line offered on the Steelers/Seahawks super Bowl this weekend that reads: What half will the most points be scored in? The second half opened +110. Is this a good number? Just thinking about what might happen, it seems to reason that both coaches, mike Holmgren and Bill Cowher, are primarily ball control ...more

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