Football and rugby may be two of the most violent – and exciting – sports on the planet today.

So how do you go about preparing young athletes for these sports?

How do you get them prepared for the physical nature and brutality they’ll be exposed to on the field?

And how can you make sure that the best overall athletes stay in the game long enough to show what they can REALLY do?

Well luckily for you, my guy Andy Ryland and I are going to cover all that in today’s show!

Andy is USA Football’s senior manager of education and training. He has consulted with programs, coaches and athletes at every level – from high school, the NCAA, NFL and professional and international level rugby.

He is widely recognized as a foremost expert on tackling and the preparation for contact with athletes, and today, we’re going to take a deep dive into everything collision sports!

When you talk to an elite level player they see the lean, the little movement, they see the opening before it’s there because their pattern recognition and game database is so massive.

– Andy Ryland

This Week on the Physical Prep Podcast:

• A brief bio about Andy and how he got started in physical prep.


• His career arc and how he ended up working with USA Football.


• For the uninitiated, the biggest similarities and differences between rugby and football.


• Andy’s thoughts on building more physically robust athletes.


• The biggest differences you see across levels – from youth, to collegiate, to professional athletes.


• Why it’s so important to help late-maturing athletes to “stay in the game.”


• Chinks in the armor: What are the biggest gaps he’s seen in the preparation of athletes? And how can we address these?


• At the youth level, what we’re doing well – and areas where we still need to improve


• Tackling prep: How do you get kids mentally and physically ready to run into and tackle each other?


• The BIG Question and a really fun lightning round!

<iframe loading="lazy" title="Andrew Ryland on Shared Mental Models, Integrated Shoulder Work, and Fighting Giant Humans" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XZAU_M5CoOw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Connect with Andy:

• Andy on IG


• Andy on X/Twitter

Related Links:

Here’s the crazy sequence Andy was talking about in rugby!

<iframe loading="lazy" title="Thrilling 37-phase final attack! | Ireland v New Zealand | Rugby World Cup 2023" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IN_r1xiMwB4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Stop the Frustration! Get the Complete Coach Certification

Are you a young fitness trainer or coach?

Are you frustrated by the results you’re getting or the lack of resources available to learn the skills you need to be successful?

Are you struggling to get enough clients or wondering how long you’ll be able to follow your passion for helping others?

It’s time to stop the frustration and stop worrying. It’s time to get certified!

If you’re serious about improving your results, serious about becoming a better coach, and serious about increasing your bottom line, then you need the Complete Coach Certification.

In this massive course, you’ll learn:

• How to use the R7 system to create seamless, integrated and efficient programs for clients and athletes of all shapes and sizes


• How to create the culture, environment and relationships with everyone you train so you can get the absolute best results


• The exact progressions, regressions, and coaching cues I use in the gym – from squatting and deadlifting to pressing and pulling and everything in between


• The assessment process I use to determine the best exercises for a client or athlete on Day 1, and how to set them up for maximal success down the line!

This certification is jam-packed with everything I’ve learned over the last 20 years of my career.

So if you’re ready to get serious about the results you’re getting for your clients and the impact your programs have on your income, head over to www.completecoachcertification.com to sign up for the Complete Coach Certification course today!

Spots are limited, and the next certification is set to launch in September.

To learn more, please join my FREE Insiders List and stay tuned for our launch details to save $200 when the course opens!

Subscribe, Rate & Share!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast with Mike Robertson – your one-stop-shop for fitness trainers, coaches, and athletes.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Andrew Ryland on Shared Mental Models, Integrated Shoulder Work, and Fighting Giant Humans appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.