Many fitness experts talk about core strength and stability as a crucial component for all-round fitness for anyone. For rugby players, whether they favour league or union, possessing good core strength is absolutely vital.

What is core strength?

Core strength can be defined as the strength around the muscles of the mid-section. These are the muscles which support and stabilise your hips and spine during movement. These muscles are used in almost every aspect of rugby, whether you are carrying the ball into contact, executing key skills or tackling opponents.

Among other muscles, the core strength group includes the deep transverse abdominal, the pelvic floor muscles, and the gluteus maximus (buttocks), which are all key to improving performance on the rugby field. Ensuring that these muscles are as strong as possible by carrying out exercises such as the side plank with rotation will help a player to build as strong a foundation as possible for all of the game’s key areas.

Why is it important?

Core strength is particularly important when it comes to contact. In both rugby league and rugby union, the tackle area is where much of the real ‘action’ of the sport takes place.

League players need to be able to continue to generate forward momentum after the tackle is made, staying on their feet for as long as possible to make yards, before the referee calls ‘held’ or they are taken to the floor. Union players need to be able to drive through contact, and either find the floor quickly and efficiently for their team to retain possession at the ruck, or to be able to set up a driving maul by staying on their feet. Therefore, core strength is crucial in all of these situations.

Core strength in tackling

Equally, the player making the tackle also needs a strong core. Without good core strength, it becomes much harder to execute proper tackle technique, keep head and shoulders in the correct place, and bring players to the ground effectively.

Core strength helps a player to maintain correct posture and position when fatigued too, contributing to the sustained quality of their all-round game, and helping them to reproduce skills in testing situations right up until the final whistle.

Strengthen your core

Keep an eye on this blog for more tips advice on how you can strengthen your core and improve your performance on the rugby field. For core-specific exercises targeting the abs and obliques, please take a look at our video. If you would like The 4 Best Core Exercises to get you started you can find download them for free here

 

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