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 lock train?

Powerful, durable and fit for 80 minutes of collisions. Physically, prioritise collision strength, power, power endurance. Technically, work on tackling, breakdown work, handling.

What drills should a lock do?

Tackle technique on the bag, Scrum body position. 0 of these need nobody but you.

Rugby · Position guide

How a lock should train

Powerful, durable and fit for 80 minutes of collisions.

The short answer

A lock should build collision strength and power, and practise tackling and breakdown work. The drills that matter most are tackle technique on the bag, scrum body position.

⚡ Prioritise physically

• Collision strength
• Power
• Power endurance

🎯 Sharpen technically

• Tackling
• Breakdown work
• Handling

Key exercises

Barbell back squat

The foundational lower-body strength lift — carries over to every sport.

Power clean

Trains rate of force development — raw explosive power.

Tackle technique

Safe, dominant tackling technique — the core rugby skill.

Hill sprints

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

Technical drills for a lock

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.

Scrum body position

ContactNeeds a partner

Setup: A scrum machine or a strong partner with a shield.

1. Set with a flat back, hips below shoulders, shins vertical.
2. Bind tight, then drive on the call through the heels.
3. Hold the shape for 5 seconds — the position is the skill.

Volume: 6 × 5-second drives

Coaching point: Spine in line, chin off the chest. A bent back in a scrum is how necks get hurt.

Make it harder: Add a delayed call so you have to hold the set position longer.

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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