Workout Routine/ Supplementation
By: Mitch Kramer
The following core exercises are beneficial for every type of athlete. Each exercise focuses on a different core movement from anti-rotation, rotation, isometric, cross-lateral coordination, flexion, and extension. You will learn how to complete each core exercise and their best uses in workouts.
Equipment Needed:
Looped Resistance Bands
Exercises
Dead Bugs:
Start on your back with arms straight away from the chest and legs bent at 90 degrees.
Push your stomach to the floor to eliminate the small space in the lower back.
Keeping the core engaged, raise one hand overhead and lower the opposite leg to the ground while keeping the other limbs in the starting position and repeat on the other arm/leg.
Shoulder Taps:
Starting in a tall plank position on hands.
Resist rotating the trunk or hips while taking one hand and crossing the chest to tap the opposite shoulder.
Candlesticks:
Starting on your back raise your legs together so that your body is in an “L” shape and your arms straight at your sides or out from the shoulders.
Raise the hips off the ground and push your feet straight toward the ceiling.
Jackknife:
Starting on your back arms out and palms up and legs straight.
Simultaneously bend your knees and bring them to your chest and bring your chest to your knees in a “V” and hug your arms around your knees.
Repeat by only allowing the lower back and shoulder blades to touch the ground also while keeping your feet off the ground.
Plank Dips:
In a lower plank position on the elbows, rotate your hips from side to side trying to tap the sides of your hips on the ground.
Reduce the risk of low back injury by being careful not to rotate too much if you’re unable to touch the hips to the ground.
Pallof Press:
Take a loop band and place it around a pole or side of a weight rack by taking one end and pulling it through the loop of the other end and pulling the end tight.
Standing parallel to the band a few feet away.
Clasp hands together around the band at the chest and slightly bend the knees.
Don’t allow the band to pull you inwards and stay upright.
Push your hands away from your chest in a “pressing” movement.
Sprinter Sit-Up:
Starting on your back with arms down at your sides and legs straight.
Complete a sit-up while bringing one knee toward the chest until you can tap your opposite hand to the heel of that same leg.
Complete by alternating sides.
Uses
At the end of a workout
Choose 2-3 of the exercises at a time
Complete 2-3 sets
Repetitions:
Both candlesticks and jackknifes = x12-15
Dead-bugs, sprinter sit-ups, shoulder taps, plank dips, and Pallof presses can be completed for time (30 seconds) or by reps (12-15 on each side)
Any time you have a core exercise in a workout you can substitute any one of the exercises above
If you are an athlete whose hip flexors are weak or have a tight lower back, use these core exercises as supplementation to increase core strength as needed.
You can also complete all 7 exercises on off days at home!
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