-this article was taken from http://www.sportsciencelab.com/routines/kill-converter
An athlete's ability to hit with velocity requires proper shoulder flexibility and range of motion. Elite sprinters must maintain proper arm angle to help gain momentum and speed. The exercises in the Shoulder Accelerator series will help improve shoulder strength and flexibility.
1) Forward Freestyle
Your shoulders need to have optimum flexibility if you are going to be an elite sprinter, pitcher or have an effective tennis serve. The exercises in our Shoulder Series will help you strengthen up your shoulders as well achieve optimum flexibility.
If you don't have hand bells try it with a half filled water bottle. It is important, however, to keep a relaxed grip with your hand, so don't use too large of a water bottle. Do not do this exercise with a standard weight or barbell.
Steps:
Stand with your feet, a little wider than shoulders width apart.
Start to move your arms around like you are swimming freestyle.
Don't lock your elbows, but do keep them straight.
Move slow at first and then pick up the speed.
Move until you lose form or fatigue sets in.
You will only need to do one set.
2) Backstroke
Your shoulders need to have optimum flexibility if you are going to be an elite sprinter, pitcher or have an effective tennis serve. The exercises in our Shoulder Series will help you strengthen up your shoulders as well achieve optimum flexibility.
If you don't have hand bells try it with a half filled water bottle. It is important, however, to keep a relaxed grip with your hand, so don't use too large of a water bottle. Do not do this exercise with a standard weight or barbell.
Procedure
Stand with your feet, a little wider than shoulders width apart.
Start to move your arms backwards around like you are doing the backstroke.
Don't lock your elbows, but do keep them straight.
Move slow at first and then pick up the speed.
Move until you lose form or fatigue sets in.
You will only need to do one set.
3) Butterfly
Your shoulders need to have optimum flexibility if you are going to be an elite sprinter, pitcher or have an effective tennis serve. The exercises in our Shoulder Series will help you strengthen up your shoulders as well achieve optimum flexibility.
If you don't have hand bells try it with a half filled water bottle. It is important, however, to keep a relaxed grip with your hand, so don't use too large of a water bottle. Do not do this exercise with a standard weight or barbell.
Procedure:
Stand with your feet, a little wider than shoulders width apart.
Start to move both of your arms forwards around like you are doing the butterfly stroke.
Don't lock your elbows, but do keep them straight.
Move slow at first and then pick up the speed.
Move until you lose form or fatigue sets in.
You will only need to do one set.
4) Reverse Butterfly
Your shoulders need to have optimum flexibility if you are going to be an elite sprinter, pitcher or have an effective tennis serve. The exercises in our Shoulder Series will help you strengthen up your shoulders as well achieve optimum flexibility.
If you don't have hand bells try it with a half filled water bottle. It is important, however, to keep a relaxed grip with your hand, so don't use too large of a water bottle. Do not do this exercise with a standard weight or barbell.
Procedure:
Stand with your feet, a little wider than shoulders width apart.
Start to move both of your arms backwards like you are doing the butterfly stroke in reverse.
Don't lock your elbows, but do keep them straight.
Move slow at first and then pick up the speed.
Move until you lose form or fatigue sets in.
You will only need to do one set.
5) Double Arm Circles
Your shoulders need to have optimum flexibility if you are going to be an elite sprinter, pitcher or have an effective tennis serve. The exercises in our Shoulder Series will help you strengthen up your shoulders as well achieve optimum flexibility.
If you don't have hand bells try it with a half filled water bottle. It is important, however, to keep a relaxed grip with your hand, so don't use too large of a water bottle. Do not do this exercise with a standard weight or barbell.
Procedure:
Stand with your feet, a little wider than shoulders width apart.
Start to move both of your arms to the right in a circular motion.
Don't lock your elbows, but do keep them straight.
Move slow at first and then pick up the speed.
Move until you lose form or fatigue sets in.
You will only need to do one set.
Once you complete your set to the right, then do a set moving to the left.
6) Reverse Diagonal Arm Circles
Your shoulders need to have optimum flexibility if you are going to be an elite sprinter, pitcher or have an effective tennis serve. The exercises in our Shoulder Series will help you strengthen up your shoulders as well achieve optimum flexibility.
If you don't have hand bells try it with a half filled water bottle. It is important, however, to keep a relaxed grip with your hand, so don't use too large of a water bottle. Do not do this exercise with a standard weight or barbell.
Procedure:
Stand with your feet, a little wider than shoulders width apart.
Start to move your right backwards like you are doing a backstroke. Keep your right arm moving, and now start to move your left arm backwards.
This exercise is similar to the Backstroke-Shoulders, but instead of moving your arms straight back, you are moving your arms on more of a diagonal motion.
Don't lock your elbows, but do keep them straight.
Move slow at first and then pick up the speed.
Move until you lose form or fatigue sets in.
You will only need to do one set.
7) Underhand Backstroke
Your shoulders need to have optimum flexibility if you are going to be an elite sprinter, pitcher or have an effective tennis serve. The exercises in our Shoulder Series will help you strengthen up your shoulders as well achieve optimum flexibility.
If you don't have hand bells try it with a half filled water bottle. It is important, however, to keep a relaxed grip with your hand, so don't use too large of a water bottle. Do not do this exercise with a standard weight or barbell.
Procedure:
Stand with your feet, a little wider than shoulders width apart.
Place your hands at your sides. Turn your hands so that your palms are facing forward.
Start to make a circle with your right arm by moving it forwards. Now move your left arm in a circle.
Don't lock your elbows, but do keep them straight.
Move slow at first and then pick up the speed.
Move until you lose form or fatigue sets in.
You will only need to do one set.
8) Supraspinatus
Your shoulders need to have optimum flexibility if you are going to be an elite sprinter, pitcher or have an effective tennis serve. The supraspinatus is the most often injured rotator cuff muscle. The supraspinatus is the most often injured rotator cuff muscle. The exercises in our Shoulder Series will help you strengthen up your shoulders as well achieve optimum flexibility.
If you don't have hand bells try it with a half filled water bottle. It is important, however, to keep a relaxed grip with your hand, so don't use too large of a water bottle. Do not do this exercise with a standard weight or barbell.
Procedure:
Stand with your feet, a little wider than shoulders width apart.
Your hands are at your sides. Pinkie fingers are faced out. Your thumbs are closest to your body.
Start to make a circle with your right arm by moving it to your right. Your pinkie finger is pointed As your arm gets to the top, turn your wrist, so that your thumb faces out and your pinkie finger is closest to you.
Don't lock your elbows, but do keep them straight.
Move slow at first and then pick up the speed.
Move until you lose form or fatigue sets in.
You will only need to do one set.
Switch and repeat with your left arm.
9) Hurler
A great exercise for increasing the velocity on your fastball or the zip on your football.
If you don't have hand bells try it with a half filled water bottle. It is important, however, to keep a relaxed grip with your hand, so don't use too large of a water bottle. Do not do this exercise with a standard weight or barbell.
Procedure:
Grip the hand bell loosely. Perform a pitching motion repeatedly until you lose form. Switch arms and repeat.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Your Vertical Jump- Simply Speed Converted Up
-this article is from http://www.sportsciencelab.com/workouts/your-vertical-jump-simply-speed-converted
Our Workout of the Week (W.O.W) is designed to give you a fun and invigorating workout. You can do the workout on your own, but it’s more fun to do it with a friend or a group of friends. This week’s W.O.W. is designed help you increase your vertical jump.
Pre-Assessment
Run through all of the following exercises one time. Record how many ‘One Foot Raises’ (you and your friends) can do on each foot before you break form. Try to stand for 60 seconds on your right foot and then 60 seconds on your left foot. If you cannot stand for 60 seconds, record your times. Next, skip rope for five minutes and record how many jumps you complete without breaking stride. When you are doing ‘Kick Backs’ pay close attention to which leg you can do more successful kicks from. Record how many V-Ups you can do, but also take notice of the amount of time it takes you to finish. Record the times of your ‘Short Sprint Resets.’ Have fun.
Exercises: One Foot Raises (Everyday), Skipping Rope (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays), Kickbacks (Everyday), V-Ups (Everyday), Short Sprint Resets (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays).
• Running is jumping! Your vertical jump is simply speed converted up. Once you start to improve your running muscles, your ability to jump will improve.
• By then end of the week you’ll notice an increase in your anaerobic threshold.
• If you do this W.O.W. you should see your 100 yard dash time decrease.
• Over the week you will start to feel the muscles of your feet getting stronger.
• Your core and back muscle strength will improve.
• You will become more skilled at jumping rope, meaning your coordination, rhythm and timing is improving.
• You will begin to notice an improvement in your running gait.
Post-Assessment
Jumping and running are plyometric exercises, they blend together. All of these exercises on their own are great. Combine them and you have a recipe to improve your vertical jump and achieve athletic success. Athletics requires quick bursts of speed, and the sprinting will increase your anaerobic endurance. At the end of the first week record your performance on each exercise. Notice the improvements gained. Compare your results with a friend.
ONE FOOT RAISES
Rise up on the balls of one foot as if you are reaching for something on a high shelf. Repeat this a few times to warm up your foot. Make sure your knee is slightly bent.
Now rise up on the ball of your foot and try to hold yourself in this position. The goal is to stay on the ball of your foot until you lose form. Switch to your right foot and repeat. Repeat this process three to form times.
Losing form can consist of dropping your heel, or of waving your arms around to keep your balance. If you lose form, move on to the other foot, and come back to your first foot.
Tips
It helps to stand by a wall, chair, or something stable when you are first starting out.
KICK BACKS
Start flat on your back. Your arms should be at your sides between a 45 - 90 degree angle. Your palms are facing down. Press them into the ground. Place your legs on the exercise ball with your heels in the middle of the ball.
Begin by pushing your right heel into the ball, drawing your foot toward the hips and then onto the toes. Kick your left leg as far back as possible over the left shoulder. As you kick your leg back, thrust your hips into the air as high as you can. The buttocks remain off the floor throughout the exercise. Your right leg bends and your right foot pulls the exercise ball close to the buttocks. Return your left leg to the ball. Now kick your left leg back over the right shoulder. Keep kicking, alternating shoulders. Repeat, using the right leg.
Variation: Wear 3-6 lb. ankle weights during this exercise.
Tips
Keep your hands pressed firmly to the ground throughout the exercise.
V-UPS
Begin in the forward prone position. You are face down on he exercise ball and your knees are in the center of the exercise ball. Your hands should be extended shoulder width apart with your hands on the floor. Walk your hands forward until your ankles or the top of your feet are centered on top of the ball. Your shoulders should be directly over your hands. Pull your hips up toward the ceiling; your face looks at the floor. Legs are straight. Your body forms a V. Your toes are now on top of the ball, stabilizing your body. Repeat several times.
Variation # 1: Make little circles clockwise and counterclockwise using your feet.
Variation # 2: Reposition yourself so that your thighs are on top of the gymnastics ball. Place your fingertips on two disks. Contrast your abdominals and bring your knees to your chest while balancing on your fingertips on a balancing disc. Return to the starting position.
Tips
The object is to accomplish the movement without momentum, enabling significant lower abdominal advancement.
SKIPPING ROPE
When your are skipping rope don't jump any higher than you need to. Make sure that you change directions every four jumps. You jump in place on both legs for four beats then jump side to side with your feet together for four beats, then jump in a box formation. Once you've finished the box, reverse the box. The final step is to jump on one foot for four beats and then jump on the other foot for four beats. Once you've finished repeat the process. Do as many cycles as you can in five minutes.
Tips
You need to land without making noise. When jumping on one leg, keep the non-jumping leg close to the body for better balance. Make sure to point and flex your toes to the floor. Always jump on the plyometric surface. Change directions every four jumps.
SHORT SPRINT RESETS
Sprint 20 yards at intermediate intensity and jog back to the starting line (your jog back is your only recovery time). Next sprint 30 yards and jog back. You will then do sprints for 40 yards, 50 yards, 60 yards, 70 yards, 80 yards, 90 yards, and 100 yards. You have one minute from the time you finish your sprint to recover before your next sprint.
Tips
Focus on full speed at different distances to maximize your intensity at different distances. You may sprint 20 yards at an intermediate intensity and then do your 40 yard sprint at full speed.
Our Workout of the Week (W.O.W) is designed to give you a fun and invigorating workout. You can do the workout on your own, but it’s more fun to do it with a friend or a group of friends. This week’s W.O.W. is designed help you increase your vertical jump.
Pre-Assessment
Run through all of the following exercises one time. Record how many ‘One Foot Raises’ (you and your friends) can do on each foot before you break form. Try to stand for 60 seconds on your right foot and then 60 seconds on your left foot. If you cannot stand for 60 seconds, record your times. Next, skip rope for five minutes and record how many jumps you complete without breaking stride. When you are doing ‘Kick Backs’ pay close attention to which leg you can do more successful kicks from. Record how many V-Ups you can do, but also take notice of the amount of time it takes you to finish. Record the times of your ‘Short Sprint Resets.’ Have fun.
Exercises: One Foot Raises (Everyday), Skipping Rope (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays), Kickbacks (Everyday), V-Ups (Everyday), Short Sprint Resets (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays).
• Running is jumping! Your vertical jump is simply speed converted up. Once you start to improve your running muscles, your ability to jump will improve.
• By then end of the week you’ll notice an increase in your anaerobic threshold.
• If you do this W.O.W. you should see your 100 yard dash time decrease.
• Over the week you will start to feel the muscles of your feet getting stronger.
• Your core and back muscle strength will improve.
• You will become more skilled at jumping rope, meaning your coordination, rhythm and timing is improving.
• You will begin to notice an improvement in your running gait.
Post-Assessment
Jumping and running are plyometric exercises, they blend together. All of these exercises on their own are great. Combine them and you have a recipe to improve your vertical jump and achieve athletic success. Athletics requires quick bursts of speed, and the sprinting will increase your anaerobic endurance. At the end of the first week record your performance on each exercise. Notice the improvements gained. Compare your results with a friend.
ONE FOOT RAISES
Rise up on the balls of one foot as if you are reaching for something on a high shelf. Repeat this a few times to warm up your foot. Make sure your knee is slightly bent.
Now rise up on the ball of your foot and try to hold yourself in this position. The goal is to stay on the ball of your foot until you lose form. Switch to your right foot and repeat. Repeat this process three to form times.
Losing form can consist of dropping your heel, or of waving your arms around to keep your balance. If you lose form, move on to the other foot, and come back to your first foot.
Tips
It helps to stand by a wall, chair, or something stable when you are first starting out.
KICK BACKS
Start flat on your back. Your arms should be at your sides between a 45 - 90 degree angle. Your palms are facing down. Press them into the ground. Place your legs on the exercise ball with your heels in the middle of the ball.
Begin by pushing your right heel into the ball, drawing your foot toward the hips and then onto the toes. Kick your left leg as far back as possible over the left shoulder. As you kick your leg back, thrust your hips into the air as high as you can. The buttocks remain off the floor throughout the exercise. Your right leg bends and your right foot pulls the exercise ball close to the buttocks. Return your left leg to the ball. Now kick your left leg back over the right shoulder. Keep kicking, alternating shoulders. Repeat, using the right leg.
Variation: Wear 3-6 lb. ankle weights during this exercise.
Tips
Keep your hands pressed firmly to the ground throughout the exercise.
V-UPS
Begin in the forward prone position. You are face down on he exercise ball and your knees are in the center of the exercise ball. Your hands should be extended shoulder width apart with your hands on the floor. Walk your hands forward until your ankles or the top of your feet are centered on top of the ball. Your shoulders should be directly over your hands. Pull your hips up toward the ceiling; your face looks at the floor. Legs are straight. Your body forms a V. Your toes are now on top of the ball, stabilizing your body. Repeat several times.
Variation # 1: Make little circles clockwise and counterclockwise using your feet.
Variation # 2: Reposition yourself so that your thighs are on top of the gymnastics ball. Place your fingertips on two disks. Contrast your abdominals and bring your knees to your chest while balancing on your fingertips on a balancing disc. Return to the starting position.
Tips
The object is to accomplish the movement without momentum, enabling significant lower abdominal advancement.
SKIPPING ROPE
When your are skipping rope don't jump any higher than you need to. Make sure that you change directions every four jumps. You jump in place on both legs for four beats then jump side to side with your feet together for four beats, then jump in a box formation. Once you've finished the box, reverse the box. The final step is to jump on one foot for four beats and then jump on the other foot for four beats. Once you've finished repeat the process. Do as many cycles as you can in five minutes.
Tips
You need to land without making noise. When jumping on one leg, keep the non-jumping leg close to the body for better balance. Make sure to point and flex your toes to the floor. Always jump on the plyometric surface. Change directions every four jumps.
SHORT SPRINT RESETS
Sprint 20 yards at intermediate intensity and jog back to the starting line (your jog back is your only recovery time). Next sprint 30 yards and jog back. You will then do sprints for 40 yards, 50 yards, 60 yards, 70 yards, 80 yards, 90 yards, and 100 yards. You have one minute from the time you finish your sprint to recover before your next sprint.
Tips
Focus on full speed at different distances to maximize your intensity at different distances. You may sprint 20 yards at an intermediate intensity and then do your 40 yard sprint at full speed.
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