Develop Extreme Rugby Power with Courtney Lawes
With an extremely powerful 6'7” physique, Courtney Lawes is the definition of the new breed of rugby forward – stronger, faster, fitter and more athletic than the bulky hulks who have graced the game in decades gone by. However, with a frame more akin to an NBA basketball player, Courtney's progression to the top of the game has required extensive weight training and a targeted mass building diet to ensure he maximised his potential.
In fact, tractor tyres, sledge hammers, loaded-sleds and 20kg chains are just some of the inventive ways in which he's developed into one of the game's most explosive forwards. We joined Courtney in the gym to check out how to add high performance rugby muscle to your frame with 'power chain training'.
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Power chain training
The use of chains has been used by conditioning coaches in the USA (such as the NFL and NBA) for years, but it's something that's relatively new to elite Rugby. Essentially, you simply attach a chain to each end of a loaded barbell, leaving a pile of chain on the floor. As the trainer goes through a lift, more and more of the chain leaves the ground, making the weight progressively heavier. For example, with the use of chains, Courtney might be squatting 160kg at the bottom of the squat, but 200kg at the top.
Training with chains has several benefits:
- Maintains a high power output throughout the lift
- Loads the players with heavier weights to aid muscle growth, power development and injury prevention
- Fantastic for taller sports players like Courtney who have long limbs
Chain workout
Perform 1-2 times per week for 4 weeks before switching to traditional weight training.
| Chain workout | Workout nutrition |
|---|---|
| Chain Bench Press | 5 sets x 5 reps (rest for 3 minutes between sets) |
| Chain Back Squat or Deadlift | 5 sets x 5 reps (rest for 3 minutes between sets) |
| Chain Chin-ups | 5 sets x 5 reps (rest for 3 minutes between sets) |
Workout Nutrition
The Ospreys use a scientific approach to workout nutrition to help speed recovery and maximise strength and growth:
| Workout | Nutrition |
|---|---|
| Pre-workout | Cyclone |
| In-workout: | Promax drink |
| 15 mins post-workout: | Cyclone |
Courtney Speaks
Hard Hitting Nutrition for muscle mass!
Although I've always been athletic I was blessed with a large frame, the downside was it needed filling out with a lot of muscle. I looked to the NBA for inspiration because many the top players in the States are huge despite having long limbs and torsos. I soon discovered that I needed 4000-5000 calories a day to get bigger and stronger and it needed to be high quality food! Right now I eat three whole food meals per day, plus Cyclone before/after trainning, Promax sports drink during training and Promax, Progain Flapjacks and Maxi-Milk between meals.
One secret to packing on mass is video gaming! I'm serious – I love it and when I chill out after training you'll find me gaming and munching my way through a couple of Maxi-Milks and two Progain Flapjacks (that's over 1000 extra 'clean calories). My best piece of advice for adding lean muscle mass is to keep track of your nutrition and monitor your bodyweight and body fat level every seven days; you want to be adding 1-2lbs of lean mass per week without your body fat increasing significantly.
