Stupid question, but lifting vs rugby? Which is better for judo/grappling/bjj?

IChinaManI

IChinaManI

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So I recently started playing rugby again for the highschool team, and it's pretty much taking up my off days from grappling and judo. My main sport is judo and grappling. I was just wondering if it would be more beneficial (as a side to grappling/judo) to do rugby or lifting? On one hand I think I get alot of anaerobic work from rugby, as we run hills, live drills, etc. Though the injuries might be plentiful. On the other hand, lifting would help me get stronger for judo, and especially if I'm fighting at +100kg. The guys are usually stronger than me there.

So should I lift or should I do rugby? I can do some small lifting at home, but to lift seriously is too much along with judo/nogi grappling and rugby. Should I just get more fit and naturally stronger through rugby, or should I go and lift?

I know it's stupid guys, but I'm having a hard time thinking about it.
 
Hard decision, depends how hardcore your lifting routine will be.
 
Through the past few years of college I have lifted, played rugby, and done judo/sambo. I can't say precisely which would be better for you, however I always found that rugby actually helped my judo more than lifting. Playing rugby seemed to add explosiveness and balance to my play, and these two attributes were slightly more helpful than just raw strength. I'm a smaller dude though.

On the flip side, depending on how often you practice/play rugby and take judo lessons, doing both can be pretty taxing on you physically. At one point the team started doing 5 practices a week and between that and judo my body started to come a part. I became a collector of minor injuries and ended up having to give judo a rest until the rugby off season.

As long as you're healthy I'd say just do all three but with a limited in season lifting program.
 
I'd go with rugby myself. Lifting strength doesn't always carry over very well while the work you are doing in rugby should. Once your body gets used to doing the other two add lifting in, compound motions and maybe only once or twice a week.
 
Yeah We have four rugby practises a week and a game, and three judo practises a week, with one or two days no gi grappling. I told the coaches I'd only make two practises and a game for rugby a week. So yeah I think I'll stick to it instead of lifting.
 
There are a couple of pieces we don't know: first of all, honestly, what level judo player are you really? If you're an elite player, travel nationally and internationally, and think you might make the Olympic games soon, then I'd say lift, for sure.

However, you say you're in high school. I'll give another answer then, not based on what's good for your Judo, but what's good for you. Play rugby. Friends that you make on your team, and on other teams, and lessons you learn on the field will follow you for the rest of your life. You're young, for god's sake have some fun, rugby is fun.
 
^ well I enjoy both, but I love judo, and i think i'm fighting junior nationals this summer, so I really want to focus on judo. I'm no elite player by any means, I'm still like intermediate. Rugby is fun as hell, though the inuries might not be worth it, and I find I get outmuscled too much on the mats. Technique is everything, but in a live situation I'm gonna need that extra push for a botched throw, or extra power for the reversal right before they get the pin etc. I might just do both, and then do some light lifting at home.
 
I'm with pittfrog on this but you are asking for injuries doing all that! Maybe take up fishing once a week :p
 
Blast D said:
lifting, because you dont get badly injured
Click to expand...

He is in highschool y'know those young studs heal pretty fast

I would go with rugby, functional strength and cardio

Look doublelegs!
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xvMFHXcd0yQ&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xvMFHXcd0yQ&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
 
I agree with everyone...just enjoy being in high school and doing all of the activities you can...not long from now you will wish you could do it all at once again (stupid responsibility)! As an aside, what position do you play in rugby? Are you in the pack? Lot of strength work in there if you think about it...
 
I wanted to do rugby at uni but get enough injuries from bjj as it is so sacked that off.

I've started a lifting programme with regular compound exercises and a lot of kettlebell swings/snatches etc. Not been doing it that long but a few guys i roll with have commented on me feeling stronger.
 
Rugby is a great sport, a great crossover for grappling ... and is a very rough sport that leads to a lot of injuries. Not a problem if you're playing rugby for its own sake, any true rugby player laughs at pain. But if you're doing it mainly for training grappling you have to consider you're going to be spending a fair amount of time on the sidelines healing instead of training ...
 
Hard to say... The way I see it you are very serious about Judo.

Then you cannot be 100% serious about Rugby at the same time.
Playing rugby full on means living and breathing Rugby, LIFTING and ignoring pain.
That will not really help your Judo.

Doing Rugby on the side as some crossover training is one thing and fine, but competitively?

It is of course possible to do both, but that will mean you need to train live, eat and rest like a pro athlete, as I am sure the one poster did who did all 3 at college !?

So bottom line is, if you enjoy both equally (Judo and Rugby), do both and chose later.

But if you are SURE that Judo is what you want to excel at, you might want to make that #1 priority.
 
Yeah I'm not serious about rugby at all. I'm just playing for fun really, judo is my main focus, with grappling being second. I just figure that playing rugby might hinder my judo, where as lifting wont. I need to get stronger for judo, but I'd rather play rugby then lift, which leads me to think that lifting would be benefiting me more for judo. So I'm a bit unsure. The lifting at home will probably just be bench press variations, power cleans, squats, deadlifts, and maybe some forearm exercises. The weight wouldn't be a lot either. Probably around 80-0100 pounds until I get some bigger weight plates. I donno...ugh haha
 
I played pretty competitive rugby before switching to judo when I was 16. Rugby strength is very similar to grappling strength. The aggressive nature of the game also helps. I was able to compete on a physical level with adults 10-15kgs heavier than me straight away. I actually won my first tournament (secondary schools) by just dump tackling everyone. One of the refs thought I was a wrestler...

I guess it depends on what position you play too . I was a flanker and I'm sure that carries over a lot better than playing out half for instance.
 
YeahBee said:
He is in highschool y'know those young studs heal pretty fast

I would go with rugby, functional strength and cardio

Look doublelegs!
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xvMFHXcd0yQ&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xvMFHXcd0yQ&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
Click to expand...

That video is of rugby league not rugby

Its similar to rugby but has more hit-ups and tackles like that

Its a far superior game to rugby union
 
I'm playing in the front row, so like the two guys that sandwich the hooker (wow that sounded wrong), but yeah I'll be starting too.
 
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