Couple of gems from that Gloucester union site

[iWell, as for Bitcom it certainly apprears that the teams fitness has struggled under him & Wigan Warriors is hardly a step up in career terms for him[/i

[iActually he's a really nice guy, but a proper northerner[/i

We all saw what a step up Gloucester was in career terms for Karl Pryce. Thanks to them, he almost didn't have a career.

In reply to paul youanne, Mark left London Wasps well before Paul Stridgeon. Mark left Wasps for Scotland when Craig White was still head of conditioning at Wasps, Craig later left Wasps, after which Paul took over and Wasps continued their successful period. These 3 guys are all top fitness coaches (google any of their names) and are all qualified. They are all Wigan lads and all attended St John Fisher High School as did Shaun Edwards, and they, including Shaun, were all at Wasps at the same time. In my opininion this a massive step in the right direction.

Like jonh i feel it's one of the key pieces of the puzzle that's been missing, and it's tremendous to see that IL is letting Maguire recruit staff of this calibre. No matter what any other teams fans will try to tell you, the biggest key to Wigan's success in the past was excellence off the field, being innovative and spending the money on the coaches/trainers/conditioners that produced the world's best club side for such a long period.

He will not have come cheap either, Gloucester do not mess about when it comes to there staff and players wages so it is another indication/evidence against the IFL is a skin flint going about rebuilding the club on the cheap myth.

I was just looking at an article that he did for Mens Health: Quote The Rugby World Cup kicks off this week and we've secured the latest match-winning training tips from Mark Bitcon, fitness coach for the Scotland team. To get yourself into shape, make sure your training sessions follow this game plan: "After a short warm-up (slow jog or cycle) players who need to reduce their body fat levels should begin their pre-season training sessions with a fat burning session on the gym CV equipment," explains Bitcon. Then 15 minutes of pilates or stability work is a great way to start off a training session and is extremely important for improving balance, control and core stability. "Train with two or three of your team mates, preferably with those that you'll be competing with for a place in the team – this will make you all hungrier during training and means that you'll get the best out of each other," says Bitcon. Endurance training is also important, however, don't introduce it right at the beginning of your pre-season training, wait until you're three or four weeks in and then begin some timed 1000 metre runs. For more information on the conditioning equipment used by Scottish Rugby visit www.lifefitness.com.'" I love the bit about working with the players that you're competing for your place with. I also love the fact that he tailors each players workouts not only to his position, but also to team tactics. However, the last highlighted bit tickled me..... "Timed 1,000 metre runs" Does his stopwatch go beyond an hour, because when it comes to Riddell's turn, he'll have to stop for lunch in the middle of a run that big.

I was just looking at an article that he did for Mens Health: Quote The Rugby World Cup kicks off this week and we've secured the latest match-winning training tips from Mark Bitcon, fitness coach for the Scotland team. To get yourself into shape, make sure your training sessions follow this game plan: "After a short warm-up (slow jog or cycle) players who need to reduce their body fat levels should begin their pre-season training sessions with a fat burning session on the gym CV equipment," explains Bitcon. Then 15 minutes of pilates or stability work is a great way to start off a training session and is extremely important for improving balance, control and core stability. "Train with two or three of your team mates, preferably with those that you'll be competing with for a place in the team – this will make you all hungrier during training and means that you'll get the best out of each other," says Bitcon. Endurance training is also important, however, don't introduce it right at the beginning of your pre-season training, wait until you're three or four weeks in and then begin some timed 1000 metre runs. For more information on the conditioning equipment used by Scottish Rugby visit www.lifefitness.com.'" I love the bit about working with the players that you're competing for your place with. I also love the fact that he tailors each players workouts not only to his position, but also to team tactics. However, the last highlighted bit tickled me..... "Timed 1,000 metre runs" Does his stopwatch go beyond an hour, because when it comes to Riddell's turn, he'll have to stop for lunch in the middle of a run that big.

If Feka as seen these he'll be having nightmares

What he should do is get all the players wives/gairlfriends together for a meeting.

"If your bloke follows my training and diet regimes to the letter, he will have a body like *this*"

They certainly wouldn't get away with sneaking off the diet at home then.

Interesting to note this the third conditioner from RU to join a SL club within the past couple of years.

mcguire will be bringing in one more assistant to work with him.. watch this space!!

""After a short warm-up (slow jog or cycle) players who need to reduce their body fat levels should begin their pre-season training sessions with a fat burning session on the gym CV equipment,"

Well at least Piggy and Feka will know what they will be doing first thing when they turn up at pre season training!

Dave

third wiganer as well.

A massive assumption on your part that they will turn up after reading some of the above...

I can't shake this image of Piggy sat in a shed, wrapped in clingfilm and chomping on a Mars bar....

I often think about Monica Bellucci eating a flake, but each to their own

Come to think of it, the fella in the beige security uniform who was tailing me round Asda's pick 'n' Mix the other day looked a lot like Piggy.

One of them has since returned to RU though with the English National side.

Not sure if this has already been discussed on here or not, but anyone got any info on this guy? Just googled and got these articles.

Same guy?



If so, opinions?

[iThe fitness guru credited with quite literally changing the shape of the Scotland rugby team...[/i
[urlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/scotland/2305282/Mark-Bitcon-signs-on-with-Gloucester.html[/url

[i...the more important agenda was being set by Mark Bitcon, the Lancastrian fitness expert who will probably never live down the "guru" tag applied by coach Frank Hadden last month....[/i
[urlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/scotland/2321059/Scotland-looking-finely-tuned.html[/url

....if so I'm quite excited!!!!

[urlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJJwo87Q_zE[/url

Watch out feka.

Bloody hell, no messing around is there. Very impressive work ethic and use of technology. Must (I hope) be the same guy and, if so, sounds like a very shrewed appointment by IL and MM.

Sweet biscuits in heaven



That is scary.

I'm knackered just watching