How to break a tackle without it breaking you!

Rugby injuries can be serious when players make movements without being conscious about their body and especially their neck and back. There are ways to prevent injuries from occurring, however movements happen spontaneously and unforeseen circumstances can cause an injury.

Strengthening your neck and back can aid in decreasing the effects of injury, as well as decrease the time players need to rehabilitate.

Here are tips to prevent injury during a tackle situation:

1. Aim for the opponents middle, above the hips but below the rib cage
2. Go in with your shoulder towards the opponents middle and put your arms around his/her waist and drive the individual backward
3. During this stage your are moving forward trying to make your opponent lose his/her balance
4. When you are doing these movements remember to keep your back straight
5. Your fall should be cushioned by your opponents body
6. Your neck should be placed on the opponents body for safe keeping

Neck and back strengthening exercises:

Neck:
1. Theraband :

v Lateral flexion
v Anterior flexion
v Posterior flexion

2. Fury :
v Lateral flexion
v Anterior flexion
v Posterior flexion

Modified bridge extension and barbell plates can be added on to the Theraband for extra weight if the exercises progress.

Back:
v Seated rows
v Reverse flies
v Sumo dead lift
v Straight leg dead lift
v Good mornings
v Bent over rows
v Upright row
v Lateral pull downs
v Snatch
v Fury Row and Raise

These exercises will make your neck and back strong enough to break any tackle but not break YOU!

Regards

Chrysilla Stander