Strength and core workout
As you go through your athletic career it will become increasingly more important to follow a well-structured training regimen, one that matches your needs and goals as a young athlete. A solid program will incorporate three main components:
Strength - sport appropriate, focusing from the inside out (core to limbs)
Speed, agility and speed endurance - can you produce quick bursts of power in any and all directions that you need to move in, can you balance and reduce that power effectively, and can you maintain such a high workload for the length of an entire game. Functional Flexibility - can you move your muscles and joints through full and appropriate ranges of motion while still being under full control of your nervous system?
The end result is not only an athlete that is in top shape for top performance. It is one who will also remain free of the nagging injuries that occur to many athletes of all ages, keeping them sidelined during the years when they need to learn and grow the most in their respective sports. If you have completed or are currently working on baseline conditioning, you can move on to the strength and core program.
Below is a Functional Flexibility Warm-up routine and a Strength and Core Circuit. All you need is some space in your back yard, a soccer ball or basketball, and 40 minutes of your time 2-3 times per week.
Functional Flexibility Warm-up:
1. Jumping Jacks x20
2. Chest Jumping Jacks x20
3. Body Weight Squats x5
4. Single leg squat with toe tough x5 each leg
5. Side lunge and reach x5 each leg
6. Modified or Regular Push-ups x5
7. Forward Lunge x5 each leg
8. Straight leg kicks to opposite hand x8 each leg
9. Regular skip in place for 30 seconds
Strength and Core Progression:
(Perform this circuit in the following order and then rest for 3 minutes. Repeat the circuit accordingly. If the second time through does not challenge you rest for another 3 minutes and try it again!)
1. Forward Lunge x12 with each leg
Step forward without letting your back knee hit the ground and then push yourself back to a normal standing position as fast as possible. Perform all 12 reps on one leg and then the next leg.
2. Push-up of modified push-up (from your knees) x12
3. Side chop x12 each side
Take a soccer or basketball, hold it in both hands and reach over your right shoulder as if you were about to swing back to chop wood (or wind up for a shot on goal). Now pivot on your right toe and chop thae ball down to the outside of your left knee. Bring the ball back over your shoulder and repeat 12 times, then switch to the left side of your body, chop the ball from you left shoulder to the outside of your right knee by twisting onto your left toes.
4. Body Weight Squats x12
With all squats keep your chest up and back as straight as possible. Look straight ahead, not at the ground, and release your hips back wards as if you were about to sit in a chair. Make sure your heels remain flat on the ground at all times and keep your weight distributed evenly on your feet. Once your thighs are close to parallel to the ground stand up and repeat for the remaining repetitions.
5. Spidermans x12 each side
Put your hands and feet on the ground only (you should almost look as if you are a bridge). Raise your right arm and left leg off the ground at the same time, pause for a moment and return them to the ground. Repeat 12 times and then perform this exercise with the left arm and right leg 12 times.
6. Regular Sit-ups (without anchoring your feet) x15
7. Straight Leg Hamstring Bridge x12
Sit on the ground, put your legs straight out in front of you while sitting upright with hands placed on the outside of your hips, fingers facing forward. Keeping your legs straight, dig your heels into the ground and pop your hips up so your body is in a relatively straight line. Think about using your lower back, glute muscles, and hamstrings to perform this movement.
8. Heel Walk (to help prevent shin splints) x20 steps
Literally raise your toes off the ground and walk on your heels.
9. Mountain Climbers x20 (10 each knee/leg)
This is to prevent the dreaded "hip flexor" pull. Put yourself in a push-up position and act as though you are trying to run in this position by quickly driving one knee at a time up to your chest and then straight behind you. This should be done fairly quickly, one knee after the other.
Strength - sport appropriate, focusing from the inside out (core to limbs)
Speed, agility and speed endurance - can you produce quick bursts of power in any and all directions that you need to move in, can you balance and reduce that power effectively, and can you maintain such a high workload for the length of an entire game. Functional Flexibility - can you move your muscles and joints through full and appropriate ranges of motion while still being under full control of your nervous system?
The end result is not only an athlete that is in top shape for top performance. It is one who will also remain free of the nagging injuries that occur to many athletes of all ages, keeping them sidelined during the years when they need to learn and grow the most in their respective sports. If you have completed or are currently working on baseline conditioning, you can move on to the strength and core program.
Below is a Functional Flexibility Warm-up routine and a Strength and Core Circuit. All you need is some space in your back yard, a soccer ball or basketball, and 40 minutes of your time 2-3 times per week.
Functional Flexibility Warm-up:
1. Jumping Jacks x20
2. Chest Jumping Jacks x20
3. Body Weight Squats x5
4. Single leg squat with toe tough x5 each leg
5. Side lunge and reach x5 each leg
6. Modified or Regular Push-ups x5
7. Forward Lunge x5 each leg
8. Straight leg kicks to opposite hand x8 each leg
9. Regular skip in place for 30 seconds
Strength and Core Progression:
(Perform this circuit in the following order and then rest for 3 minutes. Repeat the circuit accordingly. If the second time through does not challenge you rest for another 3 minutes and try it again!)
1. Forward Lunge x12 with each leg
Step forward without letting your back knee hit the ground and then push yourself back to a normal standing position as fast as possible. Perform all 12 reps on one leg and then the next leg.
2. Push-up of modified push-up (from your knees) x12
3. Side chop x12 each side
Take a soccer or basketball, hold it in both hands and reach over your right shoulder as if you were about to swing back to chop wood (or wind up for a shot on goal). Now pivot on your right toe and chop thae ball down to the outside of your left knee. Bring the ball back over your shoulder and repeat 12 times, then switch to the left side of your body, chop the ball from you left shoulder to the outside of your right knee by twisting onto your left toes.
4. Body Weight Squats x12
With all squats keep your chest up and back as straight as possible. Look straight ahead, not at the ground, and release your hips back wards as if you were about to sit in a chair. Make sure your heels remain flat on the ground at all times and keep your weight distributed evenly on your feet. Once your thighs are close to parallel to the ground stand up and repeat for the remaining repetitions.
5. Spidermans x12 each side
Put your hands and feet on the ground only (you should almost look as if you are a bridge). Raise your right arm and left leg off the ground at the same time, pause for a moment and return them to the ground. Repeat 12 times and then perform this exercise with the left arm and right leg 12 times.
6. Regular Sit-ups (without anchoring your feet) x15
7. Straight Leg Hamstring Bridge x12
Sit on the ground, put your legs straight out in front of you while sitting upright with hands placed on the outside of your hips, fingers facing forward. Keeping your legs straight, dig your heels into the ground and pop your hips up so your body is in a relatively straight line. Think about using your lower back, glute muscles, and hamstrings to perform this movement.
8. Heel Walk (to help prevent shin splints) x20 steps
Literally raise your toes off the ground and walk on your heels.
9. Mountain Climbers x20 (10 each knee/leg)
This is to prevent the dreaded "hip flexor" pull. Put yourself in a push-up position and act as though you are trying to run in this position by quickly driving one knee at a time up to your chest and then straight behind you. This should be done fairly quickly, one knee after the other.