Rugby League Training Drill 3: Dumbbell Lateral Rollouts
Rugby League, as with any collision sport, requires a strong base from which to perform powerful movements such as tackling and wrestling. This exercise addresses outer range strength and stability through the shoulders and pectoral girdle allowing the player to perform the specific movements needed for the sport in a safe and functional manner. It also provides for the development of high level, general core stability. As with any training program, it is imperative to support both strength and power development with a comprehensive injury prevention and functional development program. Functional development programs complement the gains made in the strength programs by addressing the quality and range of movement that allows all movement to be performed in a safe and productive manner. 
To perform dumbbell lateral rollouts start with a dumbbell in each hand. Get into a push up position, with the dumbbell handles in line with your body and supporting your weight. Now lower your body until your chest touches your hands just like a normal push up. At the bottom of the push up, roll one dumbbell handle out at right angles to the body (laterally). Slowly roll the dumbbell back so that it is underneath your body and perform the upward phase of the push up, returning to the starting position. Perform this same movement rolling the opposite hand away from the body. The movement should be slow and controlled (not fast and jerky). In my own training programs I usually have athletes perform this movement continuously for 40s twice per session as a part of a comprehensive upper body movement circuit. All players will perform this exercise as part of their functional development / injury prehabilitation program and tend to find it a demanding part of the circuit. Jeremy Hickmans Jeremy Hickmans is the Performance Director for Wayne Bennet and the Newcastle Knights Please click here to learn more about Jeremy Hickmans and purchase his Rugby League Training Programs.