His skill set is phenomenal and so at the international level, having a loose forward that is super skilled is a point of difference in that loose forward trio because they are often big bangers up here. Aled de Malmanche (Stade Francis, retired) 220kg, Andrew Sheridan (Sale Shark, retired) 215kg, David Pocock (Panasonic Wildknights) 185kg, Pierre Spies (Montpellier, retired) 165kg, Sam Whitelock (Panasonic Wildknights) 160kg, Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints) 140kg. Some of the concepts presented herein may be theoretical. Hes played the game professionally since 2007, but his age doesn't seem to be making him slow down or make him less imposing. Bench Press: 500 lbs (PR), 35 reps of 225 lbs. The relative bodyweight of players and what they're throwing up on the bar must be taken into account. For a man that plays on the wing, he has a surprising amount of speed despite his sheer size. And with over 220 appearances for his home team Harlequins, hes set to become one of the teams longest-serving players. Before starting any new diet and/or exercise program, always be sure to check with your qualified medical professional. He is a huge flanker and plays for his home team, The Brumbies, in Australia. Rugby simply will never appease everybody', Harlequins' take on 'unique' Dombrandt now thriving with England, How the world reacted to Ardie Savea's 'nasty' gesture. The list is also not an exhaustive list of the top bench press records in the sport; rather its the bench press PBs of some notable professional rugby players. The second schedule was devised for the Welsh national team. Here is the second of the Tuilagi brothers from Samoa, and hes arguably the strongest one in the family. 11 Hottest Male Rugby Players (2023 Updated), 10 Hottest Female Rugby Players (2023 Updated). Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'t64xv64cRK1SgbjS06VXqA',sig:'FcovosN8bcy9eCfNi4-YM5sXJ9qs8tY2_G07LvOl9Tw=',w:'364px',h:'594px',items:'1401915063',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); Biyi is an English professional rugby union player who plays for Racing 92. Watch. All rights reserved. His sheer size is intimidating as hell and the fact that he can bench press 385lbs and do incline dumbbell presses with 175lbs in each hand is flat out scary. Quickest back in 2020: Jake Averillo 34.4km/h Round 6 Quickest forward in 2020: Josh Jackson 31.4km/h Round 8 Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Adam Elliott are the leaders of the pack in the gym. In the case of professional players, ruggers often squat weights that would make a wannabe powerlifter blush. There was a surprisingly large list of very big rugby players, but after months of research, we found the biggest ones: For some reason, Tonga seems to be the biggest contributing nation when it comes to player size, Just imagine one of those top three players coming towards you to take you down. Bench press records: Gheorghe Gajion (Ospreys) 230kg Aled de Malmanche (Stade Francis, retired) 220kg Andrew Sheridan (Sale Shark, retired) 215kg Alfie To'oala Vaeluaga (Samoa) 210kg WillGriff. However, there is more to rugby than being a good bencher or monster squatter. Enjoy! An NFL offensive lineman can be expected to squat anywhere between 315kg to 360 kg. Source: FOX SPORTS To do this, we focused on their official player profiles, and we ranked them based on their weight. Avoid excesses of junk food, soda, candy, takeouts, etc. An honorable mention must also go to former Wallaby wing Murdoch Alistair, who benched 227.5kg (raw) at the World Drug Free Powerlifting Federation (WDFPF) in 2014 in the under 110kg bodyweight category. The Springboks, for example, expect Test players to bench press between 1.3 to 1.5 times their bodyweight, position-dependent. By. They actually avoid cardio training as its believed to be harmful to strength gains. Professional teams track workload and biometric factors for their players very rigorously. A post shared by Taniela Tupou (@taniela_2pou). He was a unanimous All-American for the Iowa . The Springboks, for example, expect Test players to bench press between 1.3 to 1.5 times their bodyweight, position-dependent. While its beyond the scope of this article to provide you with a detailed strength training program, we can offer some guidelines that will help make your workouts more productive. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'fluentrugby_com-box-4','ezslot_3',107,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fluentrugby_com-box-4-0');As the bench pressing standards of rugby are based on body weight and the average weight of rugby players differs greatly between positions their expected bench press numbers also vary greatly. "Obviously we are thinking of them at this time. Female backs: 41.42kg/91.124 lb. This is some serious weight, particularly for athletes in a sport that requires high amounts of running without a break. DM us on Twitter, or email us at ian@rugbypass.com. The relative bodyweight of players and what theyre throwing up on the bar must be taken into account. Despite that, inevitably, some question marks remain over one or two of below numbers, especially in a discipline so given to hyperbole. Annoying that I don't run the WRU. But what they do out on the pitch is more important! Because strength is such an essential component of rugby, most players need to work on getting stronger. Total Shape does not provide medical advice, making out a childish gesture to be threatening suicide.. stupid, The draw for the Southern Hemisphere leg of the RugbyPass FIFA Pros, with Employee of the Month Runner-Up Sam Smith, Watch: Crowd get in on the act as England challenge the haka, Pivac defends players in pitchside hot take as Wales reach lowest ebb, David Flatman: 'I fear the game is becoming too apologetic. A post shared by David Pocock (@davidpocock). The belts are easily recognizable. A post shared by James Haskell (@jameshaskell). Gatland addresses the press to explain the cancellation and provide an update on the possible strikes. Height: 6'1. However, it's not enough to be well-conditioned, ruggers need to be skilled too. Tim Horan joins the panel to shed light on THAT letter and Steven Luatua dials in all the way from the UK. Wayne Shelford is the hardest player in rugby. barbell press, weighted dips, incline press and clap push ups.BORDEAUX, FRANCE OCTOBER 01: Stephen Moore of the Wallabies spots team mate Wycliff Palu as he bench presses during an Australian Wallabies strength training session at the Colombier Gymnasium October 1, 2007 in Bordeaux, France. All rights reserved. We are a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The powerlifting record for the bench is 508 kg, as of 2021. A post shared by Joe Marler (@joemarler17). The bench press is a classic exercise for building upper body strength and power, and it's a favorite of many NRL players. Total Shape is an independent website. New Zealand Rugby Union Great Jonah Lomu Dead At 40. For example, Wallaby loose forward David Pocock benched 185kg at his peak, but admitted in a 2019 post on Instagram that Id be pushing it doing 155/160kg at the moment. There was a surprisingly large list of very big rugby players, but after months of research, we found the biggest ones: Opeti Fonua Taniela Tupou Alesana Tuilagi Eben Etzebeth Andrew Porter Joe Marler James Haskell Tendai Mtawarira David Pocock Josua Tuisova Sergio Parisse Jamie Roberts Manu Tuilagi Sonny Bill Williams Sean O'Brien F1 LIVE | 2023 Bahrain GP - Classy Verstappen glides into pole position as Alonso rolls back the years, Blitzboks thump Japan, fightback to draw with France in Vancouver, Casual Stormers nearly collapse but squeak past Sharks in URC cliff-hanger, Where's Ryan? However, testing individual muscles would be time-consuming and impractical. At the age of just 24 years, hes also one of the younger rugby players with such an imposing physique. One PRO14 head coach RugbyPass spoke to said that he was interested in creating powerful, fast athletes, regardless of their size. That said, in a sports lab environment, strength is sometimes assessed using devices called dynamometers. If you do not follow a strength program you will fail to improve your lifting numbers and any initial progress you do make will quickly stall and plateau. Get two gym-bros together, and invariably, one will ask the other, Hey how much can you bench? Even non-exercisers know the bench press is a famous exercise, even if they dont know which muscles are actually involved! He bench pressed 250 kg (over 550 lb) raw for 5 reps at his peak. In a recent poll on the rugby strength coach Facebook page about what you wanted to see covered in the blog, the most popular topic was strength standards, specifically just how strong do you have to be to play rugby at the elite level? the amount of work they are doing in skills sessions. We also look at typical weight training schedules for international players. He likened it the Irish MMA fight Conor McGregor: an example of explosive athlete generating KO forces on a lithe 70kg frame. A 100kg bench press is relatively common, and a lot of average gym-bros can put up this kind of weight. We do update the article from time to time, and we take your suggestions into consideration. pretty much all of these guys have now retired. This article is our attempt to answer that question! Age: 43 years old (as of 2023) Place of birth: Abadan, Iran. For most rugby players, having a big number on the bench isn't worth the risk of a potentially season-ending injury. And ever since his early days in professional rugby as a youngster, he has had a great scoring record throughout his career. After all, rugby is played out on the field against the other team, not in the gym where the barbell is your only competition. Stephen Paea - DT. He's basically on his knees wanting a mammoth rugby nation like Wales to take him on. Perform 3 sets of 8. Purchases made through links may earn a commission. Generally speaking, S&C coaches have moved the sport towards core and explosive strength training in the last decade away from a bulk at all costs mindset. Recently, Chandler Parson also highlighted Pekovi as the strongest player he ever faced. Who is your favourite to win the driver's championship this year? You may be surprised at the distances they cover during a match. The Chicago Bears drafted him in 2011. Some variation of the bench press remains a staple in rugby clubs across the globe. Start off light as this is a very difficult movement. Check out our article on whether NFL players are bigger than rugby players. It would be interesting to see just how much a player like Gheorghe Gajion or Biyi Alo could bench press if they quit rugby and focused on powerlifting. The same Spanish study compared the average 1RM bench press strength of National Amateur rugby players by position and gender: According to this study, at least, the participants were far better squatters than they were benchers, and again, the backs outperformed the forwards. With the average player weighing 100kg they are expected to bench press 130kg to 150kg. Make sure your diet and lifestyle support your training what you do in the gym is only part of the equation for getting stronger. And by 1998, dominating his offensive line position for the Dallas Cowboys, he could bench press more than 600 and squat 800. Rugby does quite respectably in the squat when compared with NFL football. Discover RugbyPass+ premium articles, the best rugby content from award-winning journalists, pundits, top coaches and the biggest stars of the game. Much like the NFL, rugby is a sport that is chock full of beasts. This should give you the work capacity to increase your old bench press max by 10% to 15%. Never have. Required fields are marked *. It specifically targets the pectoralis major, deltoids, and triceps muscles, which are your main pushing muscles. To put this in perspective, 140kg/308 lb. It goes without saying that rugby players are neither powerlifters, professional strongmen nor bodybuilders. Please, his skill level is so average at international level, this description is about him.. did you proofread this article? While the NFL keeps track of bench press statistics, the focus is on how many reps a player can bench at 102 kg. However, a current rugby player wouldn't get very far in an elite powerlifting competition. He plays both in a tight and loose forward position, and according to some sources, he can squat over 770 pounds. Wales, particularly excelled in chop What Is The Easiest Olympic Sport To Qualify For And Play? For me to get through the toughest periods in my life, I had to look within to find the energy to do it. Rugby players dont just have impressive physiques they have the strength to match. Pinterest. Six Nations beasts: 1. entire team to create these 3 Free E-books that will help Someone has timed him running 90 meters in 10 seconds, which isn't far off Olympic sprint speeds. I bet most prop-forwards can squat 600, bench 350, and DL 500. . Play daily crosswords, sudoku, puzzles, and more. Lets get back to Australia and take a look at David Pocock, weighing in at over 250 lbs. In 2006, Mike Kudla was said to be one of the strongest players in the draft, and a weight room fanatic. So, weve looked at what players do in the gym. You can cancel anytime and if you cancel within 14 days you won't be billed. If you can lift something twice or more, youre actually measuring strength endurance, which is something quite different. If you dont believe me watch this video for verification. Nevertheless, be it a spotty teenager aiming to make the schools first XV or a veteran tighthead who wants the club bragging rights, the bench press remains an entrenched part of rugbys cultural psyche. Taniela is a mountain of a man who was born in Tonga and plays tight head prop for the Queensland Red and has played international rugby for Australia. It fatigues your muscles and disrupts the central nervous system. Many of the worlds best rugby players have modest PBs on the bench press. You would expect all the running involved and physical contact involved in rugby to hurt players performances in the weightroom but it appears it hasnt. A third training session would most likely be focused on Olympic lifts to build explosiveness. The file: Josh Uche, Hudson's teammate at . Both sports are similar in many ways, so it is not a surprise that the sport of rugby has players that are just as badass as those in the NFL. 6'3", 325, guard, 1994-07. Bench press twice a week and perform 3 sets of 8 each workout. The players underwent a comprehensive physical fitness testing (height, body mass and sum of seven skinfolds, sit-and-reach, vertical jump, 10m and 40m speed, 1 RM bench press, pull-ups, one . A lineman needs a lot more strength than backs or receivers. Rugby players are expected to bench press 1.3 to 1.5 times their body weight. is a sporting clich, but the bench press continues to occupy a macho seat in the pantheon of weightlifting disciplines - and professional rugby players are by no means exempt. Tom Robinson . Powerlifters mostly need strength and adequate mobility to perform the big three competitive lifts the squat, bench press, and deadlift. The same Spanish study compared the average 1RM bench press strength of National Amateur rugby players by position and gender: Male forwards: 95kg/209 lb. NRL strongest players: King of the Gym, each club, biggest lifters, Josh Mansour, Maika Sivo, Marty Taupau HOME NRL NRL-PREMIERSHIP Kings of the gym: NRL players reveal the strongest men at every club Adam Elliott, Marty Taupau, and Josh Mansour are some of the NRL's strongest men. whether NFL players are bigger than rugby players. Hafthor Bjornsson 'channelled his inner Game of Thrones strength' with an incredible display after lifting wife Kelsey Henson with only a single hand 2.Shaq. 5.Charles Oakley. Bench press records: Gheorghe Gajion (Ospreys) - 230kg Aled de Malmanche (Stade Francis, retired) - 220kg Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks, retired) - 215kg His playing position is a tighthead prop. The Australian centre-back has recovered from a broken toe and is now "100 per cent fit". However, there is at least a correlation between muscular endurance . Many avoid PBs on the bench as they pose a significant risk of pectoral tears or upper limber injury. 'How much do you bench bro?' Keenan Reynolds held the Bulldog bench press record for years at 155kg, stood until Will Minson broke it - Barry Hall broke it in his first Month at the Bulldogs. Andrew Porter is an Irish Rugby Union player who plays for his home team Leinster. First, Hall's offspring miraculously benched a 20kg bar with ease more than 10 times. While most of the numbers represent personal bests for many of these players, inevitably some will have either bested these records or, inversely, are no longer capable of lifting that amount. The 2023 Fourmula One season starts this weekend. Here are 15 of the biggest beasts in rugby in no particular order. These elite players lift weights three times a week. Words get out quickly! This includes power cleans, snatches, and high pulls. Adam Elliott, pound for pound. Among full-time starting guards, Allen has the highest bench repetition figure of any listed on. The rise of the platform economy: How your business can enter the e-commerce world. . One is particularly bemused by the fact that relatively "lightweight" former All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter (145kg) boasts a higher PB than his former centre partner Sonny Bill Williams (140kg). Many avoid PBs on the bench as they pose a significant risk of pectoral tears or upper limber injury. Fine SA Super Rugby vintages | The 'Amaze-Bulls' 2007-10, Former Springbok coach Coetzee leaves Japanese club, All Blacks star Savea cited for throat-slitting gesture. Typical numbers for a front rowers bench press are between 180 kg and 220 kg. 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Poor discipline and fatigue from the Drua allowed the Tahs to take control of the game, and when the Drua were reduced to 13 men because of uncontested scrums, the Waratahs were able to pile on the points in the last 10 . Before you add weight you should be able to perform 3 to 4 sets of 20 of body weight dips. 1 guy). While most of the numbers represent personal bests for many of these players, inevitably some will have either bested these records or, inversely, are no longer capable of lifting that amount. As you can see, they are fairly similar. Join free and tell us what you really think! The Waratahs battled their way back into the game to regain the lead then emptied their bench to add an extra hit of energy.