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PITCH READY for injury prevention and performance improvement
A yoga-based programme for rugby playing kids and teens
The Pitch Ready has been developed by the YogoJo Foundation, a registered charity in England and Wales No 1198082 that provides yoga-based resources for kids and teens to improve their posture movement control, boost mobility, develop core strength, improve concentration under pressure and reduce a risk of injury. It is based on the recommendations from the Activate which is the RFU’s Injury Prevention Exercise Programme.
The Pitch Ready combines physical movements with yoga-based breathing and relaxation techniques to offer children and teenagers an opportunity to prepare their body for the match. The modules aim at reducing risk of injury and concussion as well as developing strength and good form. Through focus and concentration as well as learning how to control their movements during the exercises young players become more agile, flexible and strong that as a result improve their performance and discipline on the pitch.
The Pitch Ready consists of 5 modules. They are easily available on YouTube in the form of 10 mins long videos. One of them is to be practiced during the training sessions and the remaining four in between the training sessions. They focus on qualities and certain body parts. The modules address balance, hips mobility, core strength and resilience of shoulders. It is important that all recommended practices are performed in a mindful manner to achieve best results.
We recommend you practice this module at the start of each training session with your team. It is designed to be practiced primarily outdoors with a minimum contact with the surface. It prepares your body for a match and helps control and coordinate the movements in order to improve performance.
This module aims at strengthening your core muscles and creating good form. You can practice it either at home or outdoors. Activities that we recommend in this module you can
practice on your own in between your training sessions. They have been designed to allow you to develop over time.
Practices we recommend in this module may help you improve the ability to control movements, remain focused and develop over time. Best if you practice them in between
training sessions to sustain your efforts and keep your body and mind engaged. We recommend it is practiced either indoors and outdoors.
It is one of four modules recommended for kids and teens to practice at home between training sessions. It aims at increasing your flexibility in the hips and generally improving performance. We recommend it is practiced either indoors or outdoors. It has been designed to also allow you develop over time.
This module focuses on strengthening shoulder muscles to increase power of young rugby players. As the other four self-practice modules it should be practiced either indoor or outdoor between training sessions. A regular practice of movements in this module will help you develop over time.
To help you monitor your progress please download the Pitch Ready Tracker and put a tick sign on a day that you practiced. You should try to practice each module once a day and complete all five modules during the week. See how you get on and we hope you enjoy the process of boosting your mobility, reducing the risk of injury, becoming game focused and being able to perform better under pressure. Focus on effort and the results will come at the right time!
To help make improvements to the Pitch Ready programme we have developed a short survey. We recommend you complete it at the end of each month to see how you have progressed. The survey is available here.
- To watch the videos and practice with us go to YogoJo Foundation's YouTube channel
- To find out more details or to book a training session email Jo Fletcher
- To access more resources to help with posture and movement control see YogoJo Foundation's website