What does PocketAthlete actually do?

You check in each morning with your sleep, soreness and fatigue. It scores your readiness, adjusts that day's session, and builds four-week training blocks around your sport, your position and the equipment you have.

Is it only for footballers?

No. It covers football, rugby, basketball, running, weightlifting and general gym training, with position-specific work for the team sports.

No. Tell it what you have and it programs around it. Many of the technical drills need nothing but a ball and a wall.

Can it work around an injury?

It works around soreness you log and avoids body parts you tell it to leave alone. It is general training information, not medical advice — see a physiotherapist for a diagnosis.

How should a flanker train?

First to the breakdown — power, engine and relentless work-rate. Physically, prioritise power endurance, aerobic engine, tackle & jackal strength. Technically, work on breakdown technique, dominant tackling, support lines.

What drills should a flanker do?

Tackle technique on the bag, Ruck arrival & clear-out, Offload out of contact. 0 of these need nobody but you.

Rugby · Position guide

How a flanker should train

First to the breakdown — power, engine and relentless work-rate.

The short answer

A flanker should build power endurance and aerobic engine, and practise breakdown technique and dominant tackling. The drills that matter most are tackle technique on the bag, ruck arrival & clear-out, offload out of contact.

⚡ Prioritise physically

• Power endurance
• Aerobic engine
• Tackle & jackal strength

🎯 Sharpen technically

• Breakdown technique
• Dominant tackling
• Support lines

Key exercises

Power clean

Trains rate of force development — raw explosive power.

Tackle technique

Safe, dominant tackling technique — the core rugby skill.

Farmer's carry

Brutal, simple full-body and grip strength that carries everywhere.

Hill sprints

Low-impact way to build sprint power and drive mechanics.

Technical drills for a flanker

Most of these need a partner or a session.

Tackle technique on the bag

TacklingNeeds a partner

Setup: A tackle bag or shield and a partner to hold it.

1. Approach in a low, balanced stance — chest over toes.
2. Cheek to cheek: head to the side, never across the front.
3. Wrap both arms, drive with the legs, finish on top.

Volume: 5 × 8 each shoulder

Coaching point: Eyes open, head behind. Every safe tackle starts with head position.

Make it harder: Add a moving bag carrier, then a light live carry.

Ruck arrival & clear-out

ContactNeeds a partner

Setup: A ball on the ground, a shield holder over it.

1. Approach low, take the last step short and wide.
2. Hit through the sternum with a leg drive, not a shoulder barge.
3. Stay on your feet past the ball.

Volume: 6 × 6 arrivals

Coaching point: Lowest man wins. If you're standing tall you're a passenger.

Make it harder: Add a second defender so you have to pick which threat to clear.

Offload out of contact

HandlingNeeds a partner

Setup: A tackle shield, a partner running a support line.

1. Carry into the shield, stay square and keep your feet driving.
2. Free one arm and pop the ball up to the support runner.
3. Support runner takes it at pace, not standing still.

Volume: 5 × 8 carries

Coaching point: Win the contact first. An offload from a losing position is just a turnover with extra steps.

Make it harder: Two defenders, so the offload has to be late.

Get a program built around you

PocketAthlete builds your program from your sport, your position and how recovered you actually are that morning — then adapts it as you log sessions.

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