Building Rugby Bulk.

Rugby Bulk!


Rugby players are renowned for being some of the fittest and most powerful of all athletes. But, they don't all start out that way. Many players often need to gain 10 to 20 kilograms (22-44 pounds) in order to play at the highest levels. Read on and I'll explain the process they go through and how you can do it too...
What nutrition do players have to consider when wishing to increase their muscle mass?
Consume more calories
For a player to gain mass, he needs to consume sufficient energy. To grow, the player must consume more calories than he burns each day. If he's training heavily six days a week, he'll need a lot of calories simply to replace those he requires for the training. This doesn't take into account the calories required to build new muscle.
A 90 kilo player (198 pounds) will often require 4,000-5,000 calories per day during the pre-season. That's a lot of food, especially if you don't have a big appetite. In fact, many players find it simply impossible to get this many calories from whole food alone. We suggest players use a high-quality weight-gainer, two or three times a day in addition to their regular diet. It's a quick and easy way for players to get the extra calories they need to grow post-exercise and to help with muscle repair and recovery.

Use proper hydration
Research has clearly demonstrated that training sessions can be prolonged and conducted at a greater intensity if athletes consume a balanced carbohydrate energy drink during the session. This gives them the carbohydrate and hydration they need to keep their energy levels high, allowing them to give 100 percent right up until the end of the session.
Power up with protein
Once your overall calorie intake, carbohydrate and hydration are taken care of, the next step is to ensure you consume enough protein. Most people, rugby players included, simply don't get enough of it. If you want to build your muscle mass as fast as possible you need to give your body the correct building blocks. Muscles are made from protein and proteins are built from long chains of amino acids. I usually recommend that players lift their protein intake to consume one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Good protein sources include, chicken, fish, lean red meat, cottage cheese and whey protein. Players will use products which contain a unique blend of high quality whey protein.
Include good fats
Last but not least, you should consider your fat intake. Fat is one of the most important nutrients in your diet, especially if you want to gain weight. Studies show a strong link between dietary fat intake and testosterone levels. Eating enough of the right fat is one of the best ways to allow your body to maximize its own natural testosterone production. But we're talking good fats here, not the fats from junk food - you should actively avoid saturated fats and trans and hydrogenated fats that are found in many processed and fast foods (read the labels). Healthy sources of fat include extra virgin olive oil, and the fats found in peanuts, avocado, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, flaxseed or macadamia nuts. The essential long-chain omega-3s fats are vital to maintain the levels of muscle-building hormones in the body and are primarily found in high-fat, cold-water fish such as salmon or mackerel, some nuts and seeds. To ensure the players aren't missing out on these good fats, I suggest they use a supplementary source of EFA’s. This provides long-chain omega-3s, which are far superior to the short-chain omega-3s found in flaxseed oil and other oil blends.
And relax
Finally, if you want to grow you must ensure you get sufficient rest. You will need a good eight hours of sleep each night. So there you have it; these are the nutritional principles we use to support a successful muscle-building training programme. It works for some of Britain's top rugby players. Chances are it'll work for you too!