Okay, here’s my attempt at a blog post, mimicking the style you described:
Alright, so check it out, today I’m gonna ramble about my little adventure messing around with some rugby stuff. More specifically, trying to understand what makes Sonny Bill Williams, well, Sonny Bill Williams. I mean the guy is a legend, right? Played Rugby League, then Rugby Union, won World Cups in Union, even dabbled in boxing. Mad respect!
It all started when I was watching some old All Blacks games, and SBW just stood out. Not just because of his offloads – though those are insane – but the way he just seemed to be everywhere. So I thought, “Right, I’m gonna dive in and try to figure out what makes him tick, at least from a training and playing perspective.”
First thing I did was hit up YouTube. Hours of highlight reels, interviews, even some training footage. I was looking for patterns, ya know? What drills did he seem to repeat? How did he move on the field? What was his body type and did it change much over the years?
Then, I started breaking it down:
- The Offload: Obvious one. I grabbed a rugby ball and started practicing the offload. Not just chucking it any old way, but trying to get that subtle flick while getting tackled. It’s way harder than it looks on TV. Seriously, I almost took out my neighbor’s window.
- The Strength & Conditioning: SBW is a beast. I looked into some generic rugby strength training programs. Lots of squats, deadlifts, bench press. Started doing those, focusing on power and explosiveness. Let me tell you, my legs were screaming for days.
- The Footwork: This was tricky. His footwork is so quick and deceptive. I tried mimicking some of his sidesteps and changes of direction using cones in my backyard. Looked like a total idiot, probably.
After that initial research and trying to copy his techniques, I started thinking about the mental side of things. I looked up interviews where he talked about his mindset, his discipline, and how he handled pressure. He seemed super focused and driven, but also pretty humble. I began trying to apply some of these mental strategies into my own life (not just during my “rugby” training).
Here’s the thing: I’m not trying to become the next Sonny Bill Williams. I just wanted to understand what it takes to be that good. To see if I could learn something from his journey, his work ethic, and his approach to the game.
And did I learn anything? Heck yeah! Even just trying to emulate a fraction of what he does has pushed me to be more disciplined in my training, more focused on my goals, and more aware of my physical and mental limitations. Plus, I’ve got a newfound appreciation for just how incredibly talented and dedicated he is. What a guy!
So, yeah, that’s my little SBW-inspired adventure. It was fun, challenging, and surprisingly insightful. I may never be able to offload like him, but at least I’ve got a better understanding of what it takes to even attempt it. Maybe you can try it too? Let me know how it goes!
