This week I shared 5 exercises for athletes. These exercises will be beneficial to most people, not just athletes. Also, they do not require a lot of equipment.
#1) Dead Bug + Isometric Adductor Press
This deceptively tough dead bug variation improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and strengthens the adductors. I am using a yoga block but you can also do this using a roller or light medicine ball. I got this idea from a coach I follow on Twitter.
Coaching Tips:
- On one side press your hand and opposite inner thigh (just above your knee) into a yoga block. When you do this you should really feel your adductors. Maintain this press for the duration of the exercise.
- On the other side, fully extend your knee and maintain this position for the duration of the exercise, or keep your knee bent at 90 degrees. I recommend starting out at 90 degrees.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Now contract your anterior core muscles, steadily exhale through your mouth, slowly lower your leg and opposite arm towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- When you return to the starting position pause and do a proper reset. Most people rush and do not do a proper reset and this makes the exercise quite ineffective.
- Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you. I steadily exhale out of my mouth for the entirety of the lowering, and do a full breath in through my nose in the top/starting position.
#2) Half Kneeling Band Resisted Rotations
This exercise improves rotational strength, and lumbo-pelvic stability. While I love anti-rotational work, rotational exercises should have a place in most training programs.
Coaching Tips:
- Fasten a resistance band around a secure surface, and so it is a few inches above the floor. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Grab onto the band with both hands and extend your arms.
- Get into a half kneeling stance, and bend both knees to about 90 degrees. In this video, my leg that is farthest ahead from where the band is attached is ahead.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- While keeping your arms extended and at about chest height, perform a rotation. Go to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- Now perform the reverse movements and rotate in the opposite direction. Aim to rotate so your hands travel past the midline of your body. But when you rotate in either direction, go to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- Aim for most of the rotation to be occurring in your thoracic spine (mid to upper back). While some rotation in the lumbar spine (lower spine) is ok, most of the rotation should not be occurring here.
- Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, or ribcage to flare.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you. I am exhaling as I am rotating away from the point of attachment (when the band has the most tension), and am inhaling as I am rotating towards the point of attachment).
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#3) Kickstand Glute Bridges
This exercise strengthens the glutes, and helps bridge the gap between double leg and single leg glute bridges. Make no mistake, single leg glute bridges are a deceptively challenging exercise. Many people do them before they are ready, so they do not reap the benefits. This includes athletes.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor. Bend both knees to about a 90 degree angle.
- Adopt your preferred foot width.
- Now walk one foot forward so your heel is ahead of the back foot/working leg. Use as little or as much assistance from the front/supporting leg as needed.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now extend your hips by squeezing your glutes and driving through the back portion of your foot, NOT by arching your lower back and flaring your ribcage.
- In the top position your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to knee.
- When you get to the top position, hold for a count or more and really squeeze your glutes.
- Lower your body to the bottom position with control. For the duration of the exercise, keep your knees in line with your toes.
- Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend or round, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
- Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#4) Partial Hinge + Band Resisted Kickback + Band Resisted Knee Drive
This exercise strengthens the posterior chain muscles, hip flexors, and the muscles in the foot and lower leg.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your feet.
- Stand on one foot and have a slight bend in your knee.
- Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise.
- Perform a partial hinge. Initiate the movement with your hips and push them backwards. You can pretend a rope is around your hips and is pulling them backwards.
- As you are doing so, squeeze your glutes and press your foot back against the band. This knee can remain partially bent. I didn’t fully extend my leg as I didn’t want to break the band.
- Now engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the starting position. As you are returning to the starting position, perform a knee drive on the opposite side.
- While I did incorporate some upper body movements here (arm moves forward with the opposite leg), this is not quite specific to running as I was going so slowly. I could’ve done a better job to make this more specific to running.
- Do do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
- Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
- For the duration of the exercise, be mindful of your breathing (360 degree breathing), and bracing (360 degree brace).
#5) Single Leg Supine Plank + Band Resisted Psoas Marches
This exercise strengthens the posterior core muscles, glutes, and hip flexors, and improves shoulder and scapular stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your feet.
- Set up two yoga blocks/objects so they are parallel, and place your elbows on either yoga block.
- Set yourself up so you are in a single leg bodyweight glute bridge.
- Keep your shin in a relatively vertical position.
- Take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine). While you will be bracing your entire core, really pay attention to your posterior core musculature.
- Now simultaneously perform a single leg glute bridge, and press your elbows away from the yoga blocks and retract your shoulder blades (move each one in towards your spine). For the duration of the exercise, maintain this press. You should really feel the muscles around your shoulder blades, and the back of your shoulders.
- Your body should be in a straight line from your head to knee. While remaining in this position, perform a psoas march and bring your knee in towards your body. Pause for a count, then lower your leg to the floor with complete control. Stop just before your foot comes into contact with the floor.
- Your chin should remain tucked and neck in a neutral position.
- Lightly press your tongue against the roof of your mouth (behind your upper front teeth). This subtle trick can make keeping your head and neck from collapsing much easier.
- Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or shoulders to collapse.
- Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
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