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RUGBY OFF-SEASON: SIZE GAINER

Accelerate Coaching

Rugby

Coach

Ed Miles ASCC

Rugby is a sport that demands peak physicality — power, speed, endurance, and resilience. The off-season is a crucial window for players to build serious muscle mass, correct imbalances, and return to the pitch bigger, stronger, and more dominant than ever. "Size Gainer" is a specialized, high-performance off-season muscle-building programme designed specifically for rugby athletes. It’s not a generic gym plan — it’s built by rugby coaches and sports scientists to translate directly into on-field performance.

$80

Get RUGBY OFF-SEASON: SIZE GAINER

BIGGER. STRONGER. RUGBY READY.

Maximise your off-season with a plan designed for rugby, by rugby experts. Gain lean muscle mass without losing agility or speed. Rugby-specific strength: More power in tackles, scrums, and sprints.

DOMINATE FROM DAY 1.

Rugby-specific strength and hypertrophy training. Periodised 6 week plan, with progressive overload that will have you ready to fly into pre-season. Integrated strength, power, speed and injury prevention exercises.

BUILD LEAN, FUNCTIONAL MASS.

Bodybuilding and low level aerobic work are a thing of the past for the off-season. This programme will build strength, size, maintain power and speed, putting you in the best shape to start pre-season.

Features

Programming 5 days per week

4 main strength sessions and 1 Speed and Conditioning session. Optional extras available throughout the week to enhance your training experience!

Exercise Video Guidance

Instructional videos to guide your practice and make execution easy

Delivered through TrainHeroic

All delivered to the palm of your hand with detailed descriptions and videos!

Equipment

Required

BARBELLS // PLATES // DUMBBELLS // MACHINES // FIELD

Sample Week

Week 1 of 6-week program

Sunday

LOWER BODY STRENGTH

Goblet Squat

3 x 5

Walkout with Spiderman

3 x 2

Single Leg RDL

3 x 8

Pogo Jump

3 x 12

Drop Landing

3 x 4

Back Squat

6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 5

Hip Thrust

4 x 8

Single Leg Calf Raise

3 x 8

Short Lever Copenhagen Plank

3 x 2 @ 0:15

Seated Hamstring Curl

3 x 10

Monday

UPPER BODY STRENGTH

Bear Crawl

2 x 10

Lizard Crawl

2 x 10

Swiss Ball Pike

2 x 8

Quadruped Thoracic Rotation

2 x 8

Push Up Drop Catch

2 x 4

Med Ball Slam

2 x 6

Active Hang

2 x 0:20

DB Bench Press

5 x 6

Pull Up Negative

5 x 2

Seated DB Shoulder Press

4 x 8

Side Plank on Elbow

4 x 0:20

Seated Cable Row

3 x 10

DB Shrug

3 x 12

Wednesday

LOWER BODY STRENGTH

Reverse Step Down

3 x 5

Adductor Rocks

3 x 8

Banded Good Morning

3 x 8

Lateral Pogo Jumps

3 x 12

Depth Jump

3 x 6

Romanian Deadlift

6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 5

DB Bulgarian Split Squat

4 x 8

Seated Soleus Raise

3 x 8

Lateral Lunge

3 x 8

Box to Box Loaded Hip Iso Hold

3 x 0:15

Thursday

UPPER BODY STRENGTH

Bear Crawl

2 x 10

Lizard Crawl

2 x 10

Swiss Ball Pike

2 x 8

Quadruped Thoracic Rotation

2 x 8

Push Up Drop Catch

2 x 4

Med Ball Slam

2 x 6

Active Hang

2 x 0:20

Chest Supported DB Row

5 x 6

DB Shoulder Press

5 x 6

Weighted Push-Up

3 x 16

45 Degree Side Bend

3 x 12

Lat Pull Down

3 x 10

DB Lateral Raise

3 x 12

Friday

ON FEET MAINTENANCE

Prep

Prep to Move

2 ROUNDS: - Kneeling Hip Flexor to Hamstring stretch x 8 e/s - Walking Lunge w/ Rotation x 5 e/s - Lateral Lunge & Reach x 5 e/s - Hip Lock March x 10m - SL RDL to High Knee x 5 e/s

Prep

Tissue Prep

Isometric Circuit - 2 ROUNDS: Single Leg Long Lever Hamstring Bridge x 20s e/s Side Plank x 20s e/s Single Leg Straight Leg Calf x 20s e/s Single Leg Bent Knee Calf x 20 e/s Glute Bridge w/ Hip Flexor Iso x 10 reps e/s

Maintenance

MECHANICS: 3 Rounds of each for quality: *Rest as needed* - Pogos x 10m - Hops x 10m e/s - A-March x 10m - A-Switch x 10m - A-Skip x 20m - Straight Leg Bound x 20m - Dribble Bleed x 30m ACCEL/DECEL: For intent *Rest as needed, minimum of 60s between efforts* - 10m x 4 - 20m x 3 - 30m x 2 - 10m with 5m Braking zone x 3 (accel for 10, slam brakes on and come to stop within 5m)

Conditioning Work

PROPS / LOCKS 2 x 8 x 20m Shuttles - Go every 20-30s depending on ability/speed. Adjust timings to ensure you are adequately challenged. - 2mins rest between sets BACKS 2 x 8 x 80m Tempo Runs - Go every 45s, focus on smooth technical running, don't plod! Aim to complete reps in 14-16s. - 2mins rest between sets. HOOKERS / BACK ROWERS 1 x 8 x 20m Shuttles - Go every 20-30s depending on ability/speed. Adjust timings to ensure you are adequately challenged. - 2mins rest between sets 1 x 8 x 80m Tempo Runs - Go every 45s, focus on smooth technical running, don't plod! Aim to complete reps in 14-16s. - 2mins rest between sets.

Coach

More from Accelerate Coaching

Ed Miles ASCC

Ed is the Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach at Sale Sharks Women, and has been a S&C coach in Rugby Union and Rugby league for 6 years.

BIGGER. STRONGER. RUGBY READY.

Size Gainer: Build the strength, size, and power to dominate next season. Bigger hits. Stronger carries. No off-season wasted.

Get RUGBY OFF-SEASON: SIZE GAINER

FAQs

Who is this programme for?

This programme is designed for rugby players of all levels, however some basic gym experience is recommended in order to get maximum benefit.

Will this programme make me slow?

No - the size gainer is specifically designed to maintain speed and power qualities, but develop strength and size, enhancing your foundation for power and speed!

Will I lose fitness whilst doing the SIZE GAINER?

No - the programme has an on-feet maintenance session factored in, keeping you ticking from a conditioning perspective. Extra conditioning can be done alongside the programme, but for maximum effect we want to limit it to the minimal effective dose!

Does the programme come with nutrition adivce?

No - for maximum benefit, seek help of a qualified professional!