In sports like rugby and American football there is the contact paradox. Players are bigger and collision forces continue to increase. However the amount contact allowed in training continues to decrease. So how do we prepare for something we cannot train much? Coach Andy Ryland has a few ideas. On this week's podcast he discusses the skills involved in contact, and how to best physically prepare for them off the field.

For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/04/hmmr-podcast-episode-270-prepare-for-contact-with-andy-ryland/

» Support the show: join HMMR PLUS to get full access to our coaching resources.

More notes:

• This episode is brought to you by HMMR Plus. Become a member for full access to our videos, articles, and podcast archives. This month's site theme is preparing for contact, so keep an eye out for more on the topic in the coming weeks. You can find more information about training for field sports and contact sports here.
• To learn more from Ryland, you can follow him on Instagram (@adrcoachdevelopment) and Twitter (@ADRCoachDev).
• You can learn more about USA Football's courses and certifications on a variety of topics, including contact, on their website. One of Ryland's tackling presentations is also up on YouTube.
• We referenced the 2014 video posted by the Seattle Seahawks about their approach to tackling which was heavily influence by rugby and sparked a revolution in how coaches think about tackling.
• For some more ideas on preparing for contact, check out some resources on HMMR Media including: Video Lesson 19: Wrestling (with Andy Stone), James De Lacey’s article on contact conditioning and HMMR Podcast Episode 168.