Exercise programs whether it be for power, increasing speed or vertical, weight loss or just a program aimed at making you stronger and better at your sport, each needs to have “staple” exercises. As a staff, we have come up with 5 exercises that we think any and every exercise program should have. In this blog we will introduce the exercise and then in the next weeks, we will elaborate on how to make these exercises more challenging and add variations to them. As with any exercise- the key is to do them properly. Any exercise not done correctly can cause more harm than good. Start each of these with 3 sets of 8 and as you get better work up to reps of 12-20.
THE SQUAT
STARTING POSITION: Stand with arms straight out parallel to ground
PROCEDURE: Initiating movement with hips, squat back and down until the thighs are parallel to the floor. Return to standing position by pushing through the hips
IMPORTANT TIPS:
* Front of knees should not go past the tip of your toe- causes too much stress on ligaments
* Do not let your knees collapse in (knock kneed position). Think pushing out
* Keep chest up and back flat- find a spot up on ceiling or high on wall to help keep your eyes and chest up
* Heels should stay on the ground at all times
MUSCLES WORKED: Quads, glutes (buttocks), hamstring
THE DEADLIFT
STARTING POSITION: Standing with feet hip width apart and knees unlocked, holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Set you feet hip width apart, with your legs in a fixed position but not locked at the knees
PROCEDURE: Shift your hips back and lower the dumbbells while keeping your back flat
Return to standing position by contracting your hamstrings and glutes
IMPORTANT TIPS:
* Do not let your back round during the movement
* Keep the dumbbells close to your body, touching or almost touching your legs all the way up and down
* Keep your shoulder blades back and down throughout the movement
MUSCLES WORKED: Glutes, Hamstrings and Back
LUNGES
STARTING POSITION: Standing with arms to side
PROCEDURE: Step forward and lower hips to the floor by bending the front knee without letting the back leg touch the ground, return to the starting position by pushing back with the front leg
Alternate legs and repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions
IMPORTANT TIPS:
* Do not let the front knee slide forward over the toes
* Do not let front knee collapse to the inside
* Keep chest up- to help with this find something to look at high on a wall or ceiling
* Keep glute (buttocks) in back leg contracted (tight)
MUSCLES WOKRED: Glutes, hamstrings, and quads
PULL UP
***IF NOT STRONG ENOUGH FOR PULL UP AND HAVE NO WEIGHT ASSISTED MACHINE, DO INVERTED ROWS (modified pull up) UNTIL YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH FOR PULL UPS
STARTING POSITION:
Pull Up: Hanging from a pullup bar with palms facing away from you and slightly wider than shoulder width apart
Inverted row: Position the bar at hip height and sit on the floor beneath it. Grab the bar wider than shoulder width.
PROCEDURE
Pull Up: Keeping body and legs still, pull chest to bar. Return to start position and repeat for prescribed number of repetitions
Inverted Row: Keeping your legs straight and your core tight, use your back muscles to pull your chest to the bar. (Look up, not at the bar.) Then lower back down to the starting position.
IMPORTANT TIPS:
* Extend arms completely after each repetition
* Do not swing body or legs during exercise
MUSCLES WORKED: Back and arms
PUSH UPS
STARTING POSITION
Push up position- if you need to start from knees do so
PROCEDURE
With your belly button drawn in, lower yourself to where your chest barely grazes the floor,
Control as you push back up, holding your belly button in and pushing your sternum as far away from the floor as possible
IMPORTANT TIPS
* Keep your body straight from ear to ankle
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