Athletes of all kinds are finding themselves in a state of limbo right now. Whether you are a weekend warrior or a high school or collegiate athlete, you may find yourself in this current awkward place of being off-season even when you would normally be participating in your sport of choice right now.
But you still want to stay in shape and ahead of your competition. And you know that athletes are made in the off season. So, in your current “off season,” what are some of the best exercises you can do to stay or get to the top of your game? We’ve got 8 of them for you – complete with what they are, how to do them, and why they are so awesome for you. Here are exercises 1 and 2.
For in depth help with these movements and many more, check out our virtual or in person Personal Training options.
Box/Depth Jumps
What it is and how to do it:
Start by standing on the floor with both feet directly under your hips. Keep your chest upright and bend your knees slightly to load your big, strong hips. Use your arms for momentum and with a big arm swing, push off the ground to jump and land squarely on the box with your knees slightly bent and pushed out and your feet right underneath your shoulders. To complete the movement, stand all the way up with your knees locked and your hips pushed forward. When landing on top of the box, try to land with your whole foot on the box, no heels hanging off the back side, and try to land as quietly as possible, demonstrating control. Be sure to land with your knees only slightly bent. Jump high enough so that you aren’t landing in the bottom of the squat position on the box.
Depth jumps are a variation of the box jump that further develop explosive power and increase vertical jump. You’ll start with 2 boxes set up 3 feet apart. The first box should be 12-16” tall and the second box should be 20-26” tall. Standing on the smaller box, take a falling step off the box, land with both feet on the ground and quickly use that stretch reflex to jump onto the second box.
Why it works:
Depth jumps are a great drill for improving vertical leap and power. You should gain energy from the impact that you absorb, stabilize, and transfer to your muscles and tendons for a more explosive jump.
Rope Climbs
What it is and how to do it:
To be the most efficient rope climber, start standing on the ground and then jump as high as you can and grab the rope with both hands. From there you will have to master one of two ways to wrap your feet around the rope. The first method is more secure, but takes more time and coordination. You’ll wrap the rope all the way around your leg from the inside outward and clamp it between your feet by your arches for a secure hold.
The second method is faster, but less secure. It’s call a J-hold and the rope will be over the top of one foot while you step on it with the other foot. Fast to do, not as secure.
Once you are on the rope, bring your knees up to your elbows as far as you can. Secure your feet in whichever method works best for you, and then stand up as tall as you can and reach as high up the rope as you can. Pull hard with your arms and once again get your knees as close to your elbows as you are able. You should be able to climb a 15’ rope with just 3 pulls.
Why it works:
Rope climbing is an effective exercise for the arms, upper back, core and legs. You’ll develop skill, agility, coordination and grip strength.
Every sport has specific things that need to be trained, but for all athletes (off season or not), there is value in being strong, fast, powerful, and have the stamina and endurance to keep going.