By Steven Morris
Author
of Explosive Football Training
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Athletes are confused. Just
as the general population is constantly hit with contradictory
advice on how to lose fat; athletes are bombarded with lame
and ineffective training programs by the bodybuilding mags.
If you play a sport, especially
a contact sport like football or wrestling, where your physical
well-being is dependant on your ability to perform, you need
to find the correct way to train.
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The problem is, even if an athlete
stumbles on a good weight room program, they are still leaving so
much on the table. There's certain movements that help bridge the
gap between the weight room and the field. Here are 4 movements
that are guaranteed to improve your strength, speed, athletic ability,
and conditioning:
Carry Objects
It's almost a lost art form. Simply
picking up something fairly heavy and walking with it. This builds
real-world stamina and excellent conditioning. Think "World's
Strongest Man" contest…picking up and carrying Sandbags,
Rocks, Barrels Filled with water, doing a Farmer's Walk with heavy
dumbbells…use your imagination and the possibilities are endless.
Sandbags are the safest option because if you drop them on your
foot, no damage done.
Carrying objects allows you to move
in all directions, rather than be limited to the mostly up and down
motion of lifting weights. This change of direction compliments
weight training very well.
Carrying sandbags will build your
core better than any Swiss ball bullcrap ever could! Just holding
onto the damn bag is a workout in itself. Then running with the
thing absolutely hammers your lower back and abs, two areas that
must be developed to the maximum if you want to be a superior athlete.
Sandbags
Hill Sprints
This is pretty simple. Find a small
hill and sprint up the side.
This has tremendous conditioning and
fat loss potential because running hills is very demanding, metabolically.
Another great reason to hill sprint:
even an athlete with horrendous running form will be safe running
hills. This is simply because the hill does NOT allow the athlete
to over-stride nor does it allow them to reach top speed, both major
factors in hamstring injuries.
A word of caution about running hills:
you DO NOT need many of these to get the job done…five sprints
up a small hill should be sufficient. Proceed with caution!
If you want to crank up the intensity
on Hill Sprints, wear a weighted vest. I don't normally recommend
running with vests, but again, because of the hill's incline, your
will not be slamming your feet into the ground with each stride.
One Arm and One Leg Lifts
Most of the old timers used one armed
lifts in one form or another. Just a basic one armed Dumbbell Press
would work wonders on your shoulders, obliques, abs, and lower back.
Another way to go? A One Dumbbell
Bench Press.
You notice that you need all of those
muscles in your core to stabilize your body or that dumbbell is
NOT coming off of your chest.
One Leg Squats, Lunges, and One Leg
Deadlifts are also favorites. These lifts are great for strengthening
any strength imbalances in your legs. They are, however, a bit of
an ego killer! It won't take much weight to make you EXTREMELY SORE
with these lifts so please leave your ego at the door!
If you'd really like to test your
athletic ability, try the One Arm Overhead Squat. Use a dumbbell
or kettlebell and squat as low as you can. This will let you know
very quickly if your hip-flexors are too tight.
Ab Work
If you are an athlete, AB work has
to go well beyond a few sets of crunches at the end of your training.
This is true for non-athletes as well…a strong mid-section
is crucial for lower back health, and overall strength. If you plan
on lifting heavy, you will not do it without plenty of hard abdominal
work.
Weighted Sit-Ups, Janda Sit-Ups, Saxon
Side Bends, Kneeling Cable Crunches, and any style of one arm "suitcase"
style of Deadlifting will work wonders on your abs and help stabilize
you while lifting and on the field.
Back Work:
I really believe one can never do
enough back work. You need to work your lower back with the same
intensity you would put into your chest, quads, or arms. A weak
lower back will not only cause you injury at some point, but it
will severely hinder your progress in the weightroom and on the
field. Hyper Extensions, Glute Ham Raises, Good Mornings, and Pull
Throughs will help make your lower back strong and stable. You must
also work the middle and upper back.
Want a big bench press? Most guys
do. Then you MUST train your back with Rows, Chins, and Pulling
exercises. Not only will it stabilize you on the bench, but building
a bigger back will decrease the amount of distance you have to push
the bar. Less distance = MORE weight! Powerlifters have known this
trick for decades, and no one benches more than them.
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Push
Cars and Drag/Push Sleds
A great option
for pushing/pulling a sled is "The Prowler". It's
a weighted sled that can be pulled or pushed. It's an amazing
tool for conditioning and fat loss. It's also an excellent
alternative to boring cardio.
Using the Prowler
is simple you load some weight on and push or pull. Fast,
slow, medium…in short bursts or for time, all will benefit
you. This is a great alternative for anyone who doesn't like
running or walking. The Prowler will absolutely melt the body
fat right off of you.
Dragging
Sled
Incorporate these 5 exercise groupings into your training
and watch your ability explode!
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About
The Author
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Steven Morris is a Personal
Trainer and Strength Coach in the Philadelphia and South
Jersey areas and the owner of UWA Fitness. He has been lifting
weights for over 15 years and has been helping people achieve
their fitness and strength goals for over a decade. Steven
is currently pursuing an M.S. in Psychology.
You can learn more about his
methods and services at, www.explosivefootballtraining.com
and, www.UWAFitness.com
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