Post: #1

American, here. 40-ish. Strong. 54" chest.

How do I get built like one of those strong rugby players? I was watching this morning and saw several guys with my body type highly in shape.

I hope someone would post a picture. I know so little about the sport, I don't even know how to find one.

'baller

Post: #2

A little birdie told me johnbozzz knows how to locate those pics...

Post: #3

(05-27-2017 05:01 PM)lowbudgetballer Wrote:  American, here. 40-ish. Strong. 54" chest.

How do I get built like one of those strong rugby players? I was watching this morning and saw several guys with my body type highly in shape.

I hope someone would post a picture. I know so little about the sport, I don't even know how to find one.

'baller

Try this.

Post: #4

Have you considered purchasing a calendar?

Post: #5

Play Rugby do squats

Post: #6

High-level athletes generally don't train to look a certain way. Instead they train specifically for performance in their sports, and their looks are incidental.

So if you want to look like a rugby player, your best shot is to become a rugby player.

Post: #7

Compound lifts and a fuck load of calories, but it will take quite a while before you would look like a professional rugby player and you might consider TRT at your age.

Post: #8

(05-27-2017 07:38 PM)Space Cowboy Wrote:  Compound lifts and a fuck load of calories.

No. That's the thing. These guys probably had the body shape of NFL (American football) linemen, except much shorter. It looked like where we bulk up to 300 pounds, they look like runners with jacked (not by heavy weights) arms and thighs.

Not like that cut, good-looking guy up top. Never saw that build on an American football player.

'baller

Post: #9

(05-27-2017 08:03 PM)lowbudgetballer Wrote:  

(05-27-2017 07:38 PM)Space Cowboy Wrote:  Compound lifts and a fuck load of calories.

No. That's the thing. These guys probably had the body shape of NFL (American football) linemen, except much shorter. It looked like where we bulk up to 300 pounds, they look like runners with jacked (not by heavy weights) arms and thighs.

Not like that cut, good-looking guy up top. Never saw that build on an American football player.

'baller

Rugby players come in many different shapes:

You'll never be as big as this bloke unless you were born with similar genes and work out twice a day for years.



Backs can be much smaller, as you can see here.


One of the all time greats. Achievable with hard work.

Not sure what sport you were watching but you'll never see a rugby player as big as an NFL lineman.

Post: #10

Actually, none of the above.

Stockier and shorter than all of those guys, but not at all overweight or fat. And, I've seen this build every time I watch.

I remembered, one of the teams I watched was the Saracens.

Like these guys.

   

'baller

ps I can't believe there's a team called the saracens.

Post: #11

(05-27-2017 11:16 PM)lowbudgetballer Wrote:  Actually, none of the above.

Stockier and shorter than all of those guys, but not at all overweight or fat. And, I've seen this build every time I watch.

I remembered, one of the teams I watched was the Saracens.

Like these guys.



'baller

ps I can't believe there's a team called the saracens.

Those guys are about 50-80 lbs smaller than NFL lineman. How do you get that big? Power lifting and a fuck load of calories. If you're strong, shouldn't you know this?

Post: #12

Quote:Those guys are about 50-80 lbs smaller than NFL lineman. How do you get that big? Power lifting and a fuck load of calories. If you're strong, shouldn't you know this?

I swear I've never seen a lineman cut like that, and as a kid, I was a lineman. I once heard an announcer say they measured NFL linemen's asses and lovehandles by the ax-handle--those guys aren't as big, but are far more trim. My arms and thighs may be bigger than those of the guys in the pictures, but they wear it 1000x better. I'd kill for those V-shapes.

'baller

Post: #13

The shortest, squattest rugby players are generally the front row forwards. They're usually around 6ft0 and 110-115KG (240-250lb) at a professional level, at around 12% bodyfat.



^ is from the South African national team's fitness requirements. Do a couple of years training and hit those requirements and you'll look roughly similar, if you've got relatively normal genetics.

edit: to be clear you'll need to be doing a lot more lifts than just the above. Both compound - deadlift, shoulder press etc, and isolation. But bench & squat strength are just two easy headline lifts to use to quickly assess someones overall upper body and lower body strength.

Post: #14

(05-27-2017 11:45 PM)lowbudgetballer Wrote:  I swear I've never seen a lineman cut like that, and as a kid, I was a lineman. I once heard an announcer say they measured NFL linemen's asses and lovehandles by the ax-handle--those guys aren't as big, but are far more trim. My arms and thighs may be bigger than those of the guys in the pictures, but they wear it 1000x better. I'd kill for those V-shapes.

I feel like you're basically answering your own question here. You're a big strong guy who wants to look like a big strong guy who's also cut. So the solution is to cut fat.

There are plenty of threads on here on muscle sparing diets, but they pretty much all share the following things in common:
1. Keep lifting
2. Maintain a caloric deficit
3. Eat a lot of protein

The reason rugby players are so much more cut than NFL linemen is because there's a major aerobic component to rugby, but not for football.

Post: #15

I guess what has me impressed is that body type (mine) with the strength and the <12% bodyfat. No wonder the chix flip out.

'baller

Post: #16

TL;DR - Rugby players train to have a fine balance between aerobic fitness (for sprinting and endurance) and explosive power, hence their appearance.

I think OP is referring to the physiques of two types of positions, namely flank and center. Those tend to be the players with a good combo of impressive bulk and low body fat %.

Post: #17

I don't really want to look like a first line scrum guys