Today, it is fully integrated by the majority: rugby and bodybuilding are obviously one and the same. An alloy synchronized by the professionalization of our sport, from the end of the 90s, and which has only strengthened, with time.
And if the players are supervised by increasingly sophisticated physical trainers who make them work specifically, the hours spent in the weight room still allow temptation to invade some.
TOP 14. VIDEO. Transcended by his teammates, Julien Ory impresses by lifting a 200kg bar
Let us cite the example of the native Varois Julien Ory and Bruce Devaux, the Racingman Camille Chat or Maxime Machenaud, to mention only representatives of our French elite. Clearly, the tests of strength also animate a former Top 14 player: Gillian Galan.
This force of nature (1m93 for 125kg when he played) had to end his career in 2020 due to a medical problem with his foot, at only 29 years old. Having retrained around the world of food, Galan, who coaches in Regional 2 near Portet-sur-Garonne (31), remains a man of (sporting) challenges.
French record in sight
And while he has always loved bending bars with his enormous upper body, Jean-Marc Doussain’s great friend now has an unusual goal in mind: breaking the French bench press record.
If the latter is 263 kilos (in competition), indicates ActuRugby, it does not seem to scare the former bearded Toulouse player: “Yes, I would like to beat this record.“, he explains to 100% Radio. “On the other hand, it’s a bit complicated because I don’t have much time to train. Before, I trained a lot, now I’m stagnating due to a lack of time and I can’t progress as I should. But one day, I hope to have the opportunity to train properly again to give myself this goal and to go and challenge this record.“
VIDEO. 100 days before the World Cup, ”THE TONGAN THOR” Taniela Tupou bends squat bars at the gymGalan, himself, would have already set a mark at 220kg, when he trained more regularly, which is already huge for a non-specialist in the exercise. For comparison, it is barely less than one of the rising powerlifters (-120kg) of France, Antoine de Rohden alias “Brutus Le Robuste”, whose personal record stands at 222.5kg.
In the world of rugby, otherwise, we have already seen Bruce Devaux lift 210kg, Julien Ory 200 when the French record holder would be the Moldovan Gheorghe Gajion, who would have put 230kg under the bar. Without mentioning of course the legend of the 250kg of Henry Tuilagi, who until proven otherwise, had nothing human…
