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3 Core Exercises to Help Increase Your Athletic Ability

Health Clubs and Fitness Centres

3 Core Exercises to Help Increase Your Athletic AbilityBy Chip Westley

Building the strength of your core muscles is key to maximizing your athletic ability. These central muscles tie your entire body together. Almost every dynamic athletic movement depends to some extent on the muscles of your core region.

Whether you are a sprinter blasting from the starting blocks, a basketball player leaping toward the basket, or a downhill skier slashing down the hill; a fit and well coordinated group of core muscles will help you get the job done quicker and more efficiently. Below are 3 core exercises you can add to your current exercise routines to help set you apart from the competition.

The next time you do push ups, add a set of prison cell push ups to your workout. To do these, start from a standing position. Bend forward and place your hands on the floor while jumping your feet back to a push up position. From here do a regular push up. Then bring each knee to your chest alternately. Next jump your feet together and stand.

For your next core exercise, try a push up combined with an arm balance. You will begin in the push up position by doing a regular push up. At the top of the push up. Reach one arm up toward the sky. Go into a one arm balance with one arm and one foot on the ground.

Now take the arm reaching toward the sky and bend it underneath your body. Do another push upfollowed by a one arm balance with the other arm. Bend it underneath your body. That's one repetition.

The final core exercise works the muscles of the core in a twisting motion. This is great because so many athletic motions and motions in everyday life involve twisting. Begin by standing with your feet about shoulder width apart. Reach down with both hands and lift a light weight high above your head and over the opposite shoulder with a twisting motion.

Return the weight to the ground. Alternate sides with each set. Try adding these 3 core exercises to your next workouts. See if they help you increase your athletic ability. By paying attention to the muscles that many athletes neglect, you can gain a secret advantage over your competition.

Learn more way to develop your athletic ability with core strength exercises at http://the-truth-about-abs-review.blogspot.com/ where you can find tips on building six pack abs and more.

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Why Core Strength Exercises Are Vital to Athletes

Health Clubs and Fitness Centres

Why Core Strength Exercises Are Vital to AthletesBy Chip Westley

Core strength exercises that target the abdominal muscles, the obliques, and the muscles of the lower back, facilitate dynamic athletic performance.

While many athletes spend hours each week building up their arms, chest, and legs; they often give small thought to one important muscle group. The often neglected core muscle group is vital to athletic performance. Because the muscles of the core provide stability and tie the other muscles together, they are central to almost all athletic endeavors.

Think of a golf swing or a pole vault. Notice how all the muscles of the body must coordinate in order to get the max result. Imagine a shortstop fielding a hot grounder. Visualize a basketball player twisting toward the basket.

All of these athletic activities involve the intense use of the core muscles. While a big chest or bulging arms may look impressive, a superior athletes secret weapon may be their well developed core muscles.

Core strength exercises can greatly increase an athletes ability. There are so many ways to increase your core strength and boost your athletic ability. When you think of core exercises, do not limit yourself to sit ups and crunches. The world of core training has long since advanced beyond these gym class exercises.

Core strength training exercises include jumping exercises such as plyometrics. They include strength building yoga workouts and such diverse disciplines as kenpo karate and core synergistic exercises.

In order to become the greatest athlete you can be you need to include as much of these dynamic disciplines to your on season and off season workouts as possible. The world of competitive sports is becoming more and more competitive. Athletes are looking for any advantage over their competition.

While others turn to unhealthy and illegal alternatives such as steroids, you can gain your advantage by building up all areas of your body. You can build up the important core muscles that other athletes neglect.

You can still strive to build up the rest of your body, however be sure to give your core the attention it deserves with these advanced core strength exercises and gain a big advantage over your competitors.

Are you a runner, football player, or basketball player who wants to become a better athlete? Or do you just want to trim away belly fat or adipose tissue and build up an awesome set of six pack abs? Learn how to strengthen your core muscles with core strength exercises at http://the-truth-about-abs-review.blogspot.com/ and increase your athletic performance.

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More Body Weight Exercises For Mobility, Strength and Power

Health Clubs and Fitness Centres

More Body Weight Exercises For Mobility, Strength and PowerBy Andy J Ford

More Body Weight Exercises for Mobility, Strength and Power

In this article I will add more body weight exercises to your athletic performance. In specific, mobility exercises, strength exercises and power exercises. All of these are performed with only your body weight and if executed on a frequent and regular basis, you will definitely increase your mobility, strength and power

For Mobility, which is a critical precursor for strength development, do the following:

1a. Shoulder mobility- Reverse shoulder circles. With palms facing forward and arms by your side, make a big circle backward with both arms. Start at 20 and eventually reach up to 75.

1b. Elbow touches- Put fingertips on your temple area on the outside of your forehead. With palms facing out and elbows out,move elbows inward and try to touch them together. Do 10-20 touches

Hip Mobility- Get on all fours position on ground and do these exercises to increase your flexibility and movement in your hip abductors and glute maximus.

1a. Straight leg hip circles- Bring your right leg out to the side of you, not behind you. Keep it straight and now try to circle it in a forward movement (toes go first)at least 10 times. Now try backward circles (heels first). Do not ROCK YOUR BODY just use your hip!

1b. Straight leg kick ups- Same position as above however now kick leg upward with out assisting with your back. In other words, Don't rock. Do 10-20 each side.

1c. Straight leg leg kickbacks- Bend right knee towards chest and then straighten it by kicking it back. No Rocking. Do 10-20 each leg

Routine for Strength and Power in a Circuit Format:

1. Core work:

a. In a push-up position, do alternating elbow to knee touches for 20 total

b. Single leg bridge- Lie on back and have one leg bent and one straight however up in the air. Arms folded across chest. Lift butt off ground as high as possible for 15-20reps. Do other side.

c. Side plank kick ups- Lie on side with legs straight and stacked on top of each other. Have elbow bent on ground and out toside. Put weight on forearm and now lift your body off ground without leaning forward. Now lift up top leg and bring it down again for a minimum of 5 kicks. Do other side. Try eventually to do 15-20

Lower Body Strength and Power:

a. Squat to a soccer ball or basketball. Squat down to ball with weight on heels and chest and chin up. Hold butt on ball for 2sec. and then come up. Do 20-25.

b. Squat jumps. Same as above however just touch butt to the ball and immediately jump up. Do 6-10

c. Forward/backward lunges- Lunge with good form. Trunk up not forward. Long stride forward with front knee in line with your ankle and not in front of your toes. Power up and lunge forward with other leg. Do walking lunges. 20yds forward and then return in a backwards lunge.

d. Lunge jumps- Get in lunge position and immediately try to jump up and land and jump again. Do 6- 10 each leg

Upper Body Strength and Power:

a. Elevated push-up- Find either two benches or chairs. Have your hands on one bench and feet on the other. Proceed to do 20-50 push-ups. Too easy? Put a weight on your back.

b. Elevated jumping push-ups- Same position as above however now try doing a push-up and then jumping arms off bench and do push-up again. Do 10 and then eventually try both arms and legs jump.

c. Body rows or chin-ups. Do 6-12 or more d. Plyo pull-up- From ground, jump up and do 1 pull-up. Jump down and repeat 5-10 times.

Try this routine starting from your core work first and doing each exercise one time for the reps required. So that's 11 exercises. After you complete all 11, rest 1 -2 min. and do again

Try to get 3-4 cycles in however always do your mobility exercises first. Cool down with light jog around track for one lap and then stretch.

Thanks for reading,

Andy

www.power-and-speed-training.com