Plyometrics coming up, training hurdles ehh, getting there

Thursday is our first plyometric day. We start off with easy hops and jumps. We don't want to pound the knees into the ground, even though these old knees are going to feel it, I'm sure.

Jumps in Place : x 6 each
ankle hops - keep the knees straight and hop from the ankle extension only.
single side-to-side ankle - this will work the stabilizing muscles and tendons around the joint. If you have sprained an ankle before, do this slowly.
Tuck knees up - bring knees to chest and touch your hands to your shins.
Tuck heel kick - butt kickers with both heels.
Barefoot sand hops/ or on a thick soft cushion. Something that takes away the energy you  push into it so you have to work hard to come up and out of it.
Split Squat jump - lunge step position to start, explode upward and switch feet forward to back, back to forward.

Standing Jumps - x3 each
SLJ - Standing Long Jump
Standing Jump Reach - Standing Long Jump with explosive landing to reach as high as you can.
Over Low Barrier - No more than 24" high to start. Hop over something. Trash can, hurdle, stack of pillows.
Cone hops with 180 turn - something small like a large size plastic drink cup. If you can make a line with 3 or 4. Hop over and turn in the air so you land facing the way you came. Practice turning both directions.

Multiple Hops/Jumps 10meters x 4
Bunny hops - short and fast
frog hops long - slow and powerful
frog hops speed - land and go quickly


Bounding 10 meters x 2

Skipping - just like you learned in grade school
Backward skipping.
side skip big arms - get the skipping motion going sideways, let hands swing into chest then all the way out to lift the body up like wings.

BOX DRILLS
Front box on x 10 - hop onto a 18-24 inch box or step. Might skip a step at the stadium. Stairs at home might be too narrow for safe landing.
Switch feet run x 20 - tapping the box with your feet as if you are running.
30-60-90- sec - this is going back and forth across the top of the box with both feet together, each hop onto the top of the box counts as one. 30 seconds should have 30 touches. So you can do the number of touches instead. Keep speed steady.

Plyoball  Routine
Supine chest toss  - 2x10- lying on floor press weighted ball up as far as you can, as you catch it press it back up quickly before it hits your chest.
Lunge squat - 2x5  - with ball held behind head.
Heel kick overs  - 2x5- this is done with light ball even tennis ball or soccer ball can be used. place ball between heels, kick heels up to butt, tossing ball up and over your shoulder to catch it.
Over under legs -  2x10 - Sit on floor, legs straight in front of you, figure 8 ball around legs.
Trunk twist - 2 x 10 - Sit on floor, place ball behind back. with both hands reach around the left side to grab ball, bring it all the way around your body and place it back behind you from the right side. repeat.
Side throw -  2 x 10 -standing sideways to a brick or cement wall or partner - toss the ball underhanded from a semi-squat position.
Shot put kneeling -  2 x 10 - from shoulder to wall  press it up and out.

Plyo CORE
Lateral bends -  2x10- hold ball over head and lean to the side as far as you can then back the other direction
Seated circles -  2x5 - Sit with feet spread and straight out. with ball over head create large circles reaching out over feet and as far back as you can lean without arms bending.
Hurdle extension -  2x5 - sit in hurdle position, trail foot in against thigh. Hold ball at chest, lean forward and touch toes then sit back up.
Sit ups straight arms - 3 x 10 - hold ball above you in sit up position, sit up and back with arms stiff.
Cobra - 2 x 5 hold ball behind head while lying on stomach. Arch upward with chest off ground. Do slowly.


Feel Free to copy this list off so you have it handy until you know the exercises.
Gather up the equipment you need before starting.  Have fun and get strong. Remember "COME BACK WITH A SIX PACK".
Are you watching your diet????

The training hurdles hit a glitch with the TEE connectors. THey will be here in a day or two.

work out explanation of events

I had a couple of contacts from athletes needing an explanation for a workout name.  So many exercises get tagged with different names it's hard to stay up with them.

Here goes a few from our  CORE list.
Hip ups / reverse sit ups with legs vertical. Legs straight up, you might want to hold onto something stable like a couch leg, pull with the lower abs to lift the feet upward, lifting the butt off the ground. This is also Pole vaulter's move, pulling to drive feet upward to top of shoulders. Then lower slowly. The object is to do it from stationary - no rocking from constant motion.  Tighten the lower abductors.

Heel wiggles - lie in sit up position with knees bent and feet on the floor. Scoot feet out and away from buttocks. Lift head tightening upper set of abdominals then reach left hand to left heel, touch, then do right side. This squeezing motion at the sides works the obliques and transverse muscles.

Standing Obliques are almost the same as Heel Wiggles except you are standing with hands on back of head. lean sideways bringing knee and elbow to meet, straighten and do other side. THis also works the hip and upper quad.

Steam Engine - Standing with hand at back of head, lift left knee to right elbow, then the other right knee to left elbow.
hip flexors will be worked.

The straight leg lifts on the weight workout can be done both supine and pronated (face up, or face down). These work the thigh muscles and glutes.

I read recently an article about the glutes being lazy and needing to be stimulated. The I T Band issue I was dealing with really improved when I started working the glutes out with Monster walking, straight leg raises, fire hydrants and donkey(mule) kicks. Make them burn.

Tomorrow's workout needs to be done on a soft surface. Don't sprint on the street in front of your house. Been there, done that, paid for it.  The workout will go by quickly.