Sydney University Football Club will be the first
club in the world to use a new strength development
apparatus known as the Scrum Truk.
Designed and developed by Bruce Ross, former SUFC
coach and the President of Sydney University Sport, and
his brother Doug, the Scrum Truk complements existing
scrum machines.
"In developing high-performance athletes, exercise
scientists recommend exercises that closely approximate
the joint and muscle movement used in particular sport,"
Bruce said. "Until now, rugby union, one of the most
strength-orientated team sports, has had to rely on
general purpose strength exercises and equipment."
In designing a machine specifically for the rugby
player, MyoQuip, the developers of the patented Scrum
Truk apparatus, have converted the vertical resistance
of gravity into resistance in the horizontal plane,
which is where the rugby forward operates.
Forward dominance is the platform in which rugby
success is built. In establishing dominance the crucial
factor is the ability of the forwards to deliver pushing
power and to withstand the counter-force generated by
the opposing pack. Now we have a machine designed
specifically to develop that pushing power and
resistance to counter-pushing while in the body position
of the scrum or maul. |
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SUFC tighthead, David Fitter, an emerging Wallaby
prop, was involved in the development stages of the
Scrum Truk by providing advice on the requirements of
the front rower and the best training methods
required.
"It's a great machine for developing pushing power in
a controlled way," he said. "It's also unique; there is
no other machine available where you can train by
yourself to develop individual pushing power. Other
machines require the whole pack to participate, but they
are more for technique than developing pushing power.
This is specific to the requirement of the game and much
more effective than doing squats."
The Scrum Truk realistically simulates the
compressive forces of the live scrum and generates
effective counter-resistance. It is ideal for observing
and teaching correct body position and delivery of
pushing force and facilitates individual testing lower
body strength in a familiar and comfortable body
position.
Bruce said the Scrum Truk does not replace the scrum
machine; rather the two machines complement one another.
"Scrum machines do not develop pushing strength,” Bruce
said. “Their function is for practising technique and
cohesion as a pack, but the contribution of the
individual forwards is difficult to
assess." |