Ben Wheeler is no stranger to Rugby, like most athletes at the top of their game, Ben started the sport at a tender age - at the age of four.
Coming from a family of rugby enthusiasts, rugby has been an integral part of Ben’s life from the start. He played at school as a child and was on his university’s rugby team. Ben, who dons the Number 8 jersey, was a professional rugby player for the Leicester Tigers in England before he came to Singapore three and a half years ago.
We caught up with Ben on the phone minutes after he stepped out of a Fitness First club and found out how this Cambridge University alumnus juggles a career as a money broker at TFS–ICAP with the training that Division 1 rugby demands.
FF: How apt to have caught you just after your workout! How often do you workout?
Wheeler: I go to the gym about four times a week. I’ve been a Fitness First member since I arrived in Singapore and used to go to Capital Tower. I now go to One George Street and OUB Centre as I now work around that area.
FF: It’s an understatement to say that Rugby is a ‘physical’ sport. What is it like?
Wheeler: Definitely. It is one of the most physically demanding contact sports around and size and power is crucial for players to gain an upper hand against their opponents. There are 15 players on the pitch at any one time. You start the game with 7 substitutes but they can’t come on and off as and when they like. It’s like soccer, substitution is allowed only once per player.
You need strength, speed and power and also endurance as you are almost constantly working for the whole 80 minutes of the game in attack and defence; unlike some other sports like American Football which is a lot more stop/start. It is extremely physically demanding and you need to be somewhat of an all round athlete to be a good rugby player.
FF: The fitness levels required at Division 1 must be astounding. How do you train for it?
Wheeler: We combine rugby training sessions with workout sessions at the gym. We have a Strength and Conditioning program that we follow but we add our own regimen to it as well. I work on each body part twice a week, so my training every week comes to something like this: 2 upper body workouts, 2 leg, 1 treadmill session, 1 rowing session and 1 power session (cleans etc). I do longer gym sessions on non-training nights which last approximately 2 hrs per session. I also try to squeeze-in quick 45 minute sessions on training days and occasionally at 6am before heading to the office.
Circuit training is key and I alternate between free weight (i.e dumbbells, bench presses, squats, bar bells) and cardiovascular (treadmill, rower) workouts.
FF: What’s your role at the upcoming A5N tournament?
Wheeler: My position is No 8 in the team, so I have to be a bit of an all rounder. I’m involved in both being a ball winner as part of the forward pack, and a ball carrier linking up with the backs and I also have a big role in defense. Although in rugby everyone on the pitch will have to do a bit of everything at some point in the game in terms of attack and defense. It seems only fly halves manage to avoid any tackling!!
FF: This May will be extremely memorable for you as this is the first time Singapore is playing in the Top 5. And I hear you’re getting married in June as well, congratulations!
Wheeler: Thank you! Do remember to catch us in action LIVE on TV!
Fitness First wishes Ben and all Singapore Rugby players all the best as they prepare for 2010!
