{"id":6343,"date":"2015-07-17T14:18:42","date_gmt":"2015-07-17T14:18:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fitproblog.mysites.io\/unleash-your-inner-toughness\/"},"modified":"2015-07-17T14:18:42","modified_gmt":"2015-07-17T14:18:42","slug":"unleash-your-inner-toughness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/unleash-your-inner-toughness\/","title":{"rendered":"Unleash your inner toughness"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you thought rugby was just a sport for men, then think again. Participation in women\u2019s rugby has doubled in the past 10 years and who could forget the celebrations when the women\u2019s team won the World Cup in Autumn 2014.\u00a0Olivia Hubbard<\/strong>\u00a0 attended a \u2018Pitch up and play\u2019 session in Regent’s Park this July\u2013 a new initiative to get more women playing sport.<\/p>\n

Play to your strengths<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Rugby clubs across the country are offering free \u2018Pitch up and Play\u2019 sessions this summer, open to women of all abilities. On the 2nd July team FitPro headed over to \u2018The Sports Hub\u2019 in Regent\u2019s Park eager to get involved with a few rugby exercise drills and to also meet Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup Winner Natasha Hunt and professional Rugby Player for Women\u2019s sevens, Amy Wilson Hardy. Before play commenced, players selected a \u2018motivation band\u2019 helping both Hunt and Hardy to shape the session and determine what you wanted to get out it. So whether you were there to increase your fitness level, improve your technical ability or just have fun \u2013 you felt inclusive and for those players wanting a more competitive session, it allowed them to pair up with a player with the same end goal.<\/p>\n

The 30 minute session began with some teamwork drills \u2013 including getting into groups forming a \u2018scrum\u2019 one person was in the middle of the circle as team mates linked arms. Playing to your strengths indeed, you fought to break the human wall. Hunt and Hardy encouraged participants \u2013 as University Rugby players and novice journalists worked together as one team to challenge their own abilities whilst having an enormous amount of fun. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Girls enjoy team work drills to test speed and communication<\/p><\/div>\n

The Pitch up and play sessions are all about \u2018playing your own way\u2019 so whether you’re fast, agile, tall or strong, Pitch up and Play empowers women to unleash their inner toughness and unites all Rugby women. We were introduced to tackling, worked as a team to pass down the line racing against the opposition\u2019s speed and concluded the session by experiencing match play. The sessions build confidence, fitness and femininity and provide the perfect platform for young girls to literally, \u2018give it a go.\u2019<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup winner Natasha Hunt<\/strong>, says: \u201cEngland Rugby are hoping to get 10,000 more women into the sport by 2017, so we\u2019ve launched these friendly Pitch up and Play sessions and are calling upon women who might currently go to the gym, take part in obstacle course races or who perhaps want to become more active to give rugby a go, regardless of age, ability or previous experience. The sessions are completely free and provide a fantastic introduction to newcomers, so bring along a friend, family member or colleague to give rugby a try!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Natasha<\/a>

Natasha Hunt coaches the girls in Regents Park<\/p><\/div>\n

Hunt added<\/strong>, \u201cIt\u2019s quite daunting to go to a rugby club that you\u2019ve never been to before and there\u2019s definitely a stigma attached. However, events like this provide \u2018an intro to contact\u2019 and really helps increase people\u2019s confidence to allows them to turn up to a rugby club and give it a go.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Breaking the mould<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s definitely perceived stereotypes in a lot of women\u2019s sport, begins professional rugby player, Amy Wilson Hardy. \u201cI think people often think that either they\u2019re not the right shape or size, or that their not equipped and have to conform to a stereotype to play. However, in rugby especially, the diversity of the skills you require is essential to having a good side. So events like this, enable girls to see that they can be good at something without being 6ft 3 inches and really strong.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

What skills are required to make it to the top?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"England<\/a>

England Seven’s Amy Wilson Hardy encourages Pitch up and Play participants<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a workplace but it\u2019s an intense workplace. You\u2019ve got a lot of emotions going; you have to be a tenacious, hardworking person because you won\u2019t succeed if you\u2019re not.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Skills gained from the game<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cEverything from team work, to determination, the enjoyment aspect and of course respect,” says Natasha Hunt. There is such a wealth of different things that you can take away from rugby. Transferable skills in team sports are just fantastic.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Hunt concludes<\/strong>, \u201cWe\u2019re all following in women\u2019s football\u2019s shadows at the moment, pretty much all of their club teams have gone pro. It just shows how big women\u2019s football is in this country. We\u2019re definitely moving in the same direction, we have 20 contracted players now with the RFU who are funding us, even though we\u2019re going to be a GB team in the Olympics, which is amazing support.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0Who got involved?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Jess Davies, Club Captain at London School of Economics<\/strong>, said, \u201cI\u2019m here because any promotion of women\u2019s rugby is something that we want to get behind and involved in \u2013 (and our season is finished, so we\u2019re keen to get back on the pitch!\u201d)<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
\"Women's<\/a>

Women’s Rugby Club Captain at LSE, Jess Davies leads the girls onto the pitch<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

The young player added<\/strong>, \u201cMen\u2019s rugby is so different to women\u2019s rugby, in the sense that it\u2019s a completely different skill base. I think that in women\u2019s rugby it\u2019s a lot about being quick and being smart. Rugby is not provided to women from the age of five, I think women struggle to find a club until they reach university age. I know they are lacking in women\u2019s rugby clubs. I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s down to lack of demand or whether girls just don\u2019t get into it because they don\u2019t have the training from the younger ages.<\/em><\/p>\n

Jess concluded<\/strong>, \u201cI think women\u2019s clubs could do a bit more to get out there and get the membership up but I think the successes of the Women\u2019s team has shown that , rugby is a sport that women can excel in. It\u2019s all about girls realising that they can join the club before the club is created.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Pitch up and Play\u2019 sessions launched in July and will run throughout the yea<\/strong>r, visit: Englandrugby.com\/rugbywomen <\/a>for more information.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Amy<\/a>

Amy Wilson Hardy and Natasha Hunt challenge each others strength<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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