Strength and conditioning is arguably the most crucial element of preparation for a matchday.
A player can have all the skills in the world but with the game developing into an even more physically demanding space, having a combined level of strength and conditioning will aid performance.
In Episode 8 of Bath Rugby Unseen, powered by Dyson, Head of S&C PJ Wilson describes the job he plays in ensuring the squad can step out on the field and put their best foot forward each week.
“My job is to make sure the boys have a physical platform by which they can perform on every weekend,” he said.
“That incorporates making sure all the fitness components are tight and knitted together as best as we can, facilitated for a good rugby programme.
“The game is so aggressive and physical that the strong, the powerful and the fast are the boys that start to come through to the top and that’s what we’re trying to develop in the gym.
"We’re trying to give them the underlying strength characteristics, the ability to repeatedly express this strength and repeated power and think they’d carry that over on to the pitch.”
One play who has demonstrated pace and power in abundance over the past few seasons, as well as great strength, has been Josh Bayliss.
The back rower understand the importance and value of building oneself in the gym in order to maintain high standards in the Bath Rugby jersey.
He said: “I play rugby because I love playing out on the pitch but I guess only as you develop and mature and come into a professional environment do you really understand the importance of the work you do off the pitch and a lot of that is in the gym.
“That’s something that has developed as I’ve got a little bit older but I now definitely understand the significance of doing the hard yards in here and how that will translate out on to the pitch.
“It’s a massively enjoyable part of it as well for me; it’s nice to get a lot of hard work in."
BATH RUGBY UNSEEN EPISODES
EPISODE 1 | FIRST BLOCK OF PRE-SEASON
EPISODE 2 | THE EVOLUTION OF OUR ATTACK
EPISODE 3 | OUR DEFENSIVE MINDSET
EPISODE 4 | THE SET PIECE CONTRIBUTION TO OUR STYLE
EPISODE 5 | THE TEAM SELECTION PROCESS
EPISODE 6 | ALL EYES ON ROUND 1
EPISODE 7 | PULLING ON THE BATH JERSEY
