We are hearing a lot recently about certain players not being match fit due to one reason or another, names like piggy (knock) pryce (not played).

But my question is a general one, what is the difference between match fit and fit.

Granted pretty much everyone on the books is 'fitter' than 95% of people on these boards, and i am more than aware that there are different types of fitness (marathon runners compared to boxers for example).

If match fit is 100% fit (for the sake of argument) how far away can you get in the gym and on the training park.

The reason i ask is that the last time we saw pryce, and im not picking on him, it was just obvious as he hadnt played for a long time, he was blowing big time after about 10 mins.

Not being a expert, so i may be wrong, but i would have thought that the GPP work that they do in training and their own time, should be more than enough to get them 95% fit.

I hope i have explained myself as its a serious question and not a pop at the obvious people in our squad.

Cheers

I think it is to do with your recovery rates. ie how long you take to get your breath back after 1) defending 5 takles or 2) driving the ball in or making a break. the quicker you recover the greater your match fitness.

i thnk?

jonh the dance floor is all yours !!!

You can get 100% match fit in the gym.

Now it may well be harder than playing the game, however it is possible.

As I understand it (and I am not any kind of expert) there are several differences between being physically fit and being match fit. I am sure someone with more in depth knowledge, mentioning no names, will be able to explain in more detail.

1.Physical contact - training using tackiling bags etc is not the same as actual physical contact of being tackled - this takes far more out of a player.

2.Players do not train 80 minutes continuously- they will have breaks and change routines - although players can be spelled in games some play for long periods.

3.Nerves/excitement/pressure all effect players in game situations - these can have a surprising effect - adrenalin can give a boost for a short period but can lead to greater tiredness after. In a training situation the pressure is nowehre near as intense. This is why players in teams who are winning easily do not seem to tire as much.

More often than not games are much more physically intense and faster than training - coaching staff will not want to burn players out in training or risk injury so can never train at the same intensity as actual game conditions.

Fit is a very general word and usually when talking about sports you have to reffer to sports specific fitness.

If we take a season from the day after the game of the final match of the previous season the training progresses in a periodized way, ie specific phases of training related to the specific times of year.

Straight after the final game of the previous season the players should be allowed a period of active recovery, ie rest with a few active sessions thrown in ie a few games of basket ball or other sporting events that maintain, but refresh the body, nothing intense at all. You will then enter after this phase the phase commonly know as preseason, this is where the foundations are laid for the sports specific fitness ie this is where the players in general term get "fit". It is where they work on the aerobic fitness and size in the gym, as the weeks pass the phases become more specific to the sport. Rugby League is an anaerobic intermittent power endurance sport with periods of active recovery. In simple terms rugby league is a sport requiring high intensity power bursts for short periods ie when the ball is taken up or when you are performing a tackle, the most part is spent activley recovering ie moving forward or back in the defensive line but this active recovery can also be a transition phase, ie supporting a run low intensity but then getting the offload and taking the ball forward it suddenly becomes high intensity. Players have to be conditioned to deal with the specific fitness demands of the sport.

As the preseason continues training becomes more and more specific, building on the general foundations adding strenght and converting this to power, at the end of the preseason the team should be being conditioned with high intensity power training with a view to maitaining this throughout the season twinging it to peak at times dictated by the coach throughout the season. All drills should challenge the systems used in a game the closer to the start of the playing season you get, while you can attempt to replicate and manipulate drills to be sports specific, in simple terms the most sport specific training is to play the game which is where the term match fit comes in, as you can never copy the exact demands of the sport in a training environment.

Building intensity and specificity is the key, the above is a very basic model and there are several more relevant models than this but it is the simplest to explain the difference between being fit and being sports specific or match fit.

Prior to anyone saying anything yes i will change my sig to officially the most boaring poster on here.

You will never get 100% match fit in a gym as it is impossible to copy the demands placed on a player in a game, you can get close to it but you will never exactly replicate the physical demands, sequance of demands and intensity etc in a training environment. If you come up with a way to i suggest you approach any rugby club in the World and make your fortune.

Cheers for that jonh.

Whilst i understand what you are saying between the strength and power differences, strength being a one off deadlift for example, and power being a multiple rep deadlift for a similar total to a persons 1RM for example. And how active rest is used in the off season.

I just dont understand why some players (from all clubs) seem to gas really early, when as you point out its not just like they do a 3 sets of 10 routine like you get in the local gym. And im also assuming as i have no first hand experience, that you cant really get away with being lazy in training. I realise that some players are not great trainers, Paul Newlove, never did any weights i am led to belive.

I just find it strange, how considering pryce has done nothing but train for the last 12 months, (under strict supervision as to not damage his foot) he seemed to be so gassed after a short period of time. I understand that some people can gain a higher level of fitness than others so he could just be the one who cant.

If i missed why in your original post im sorry.

Cheers

Do you think Rubgy Fitness and a boxers fitness are similar jonh ??

I played rugby for a good few years before i had a serious accident but i also boxed for a few years and found the boxing training was alot more demanding than the Rugby.

Very enlightening.

Thank you.