William
06-25-2004, 02:52 PM
Here are some exercises/training tools that I use in the off-season. I use these in my combative arts training (making others do it in season :p ) as well as off-season cycling training.
One exercise for the lower body that hits all the major muscles is one I picked up from Eric Heiden, the Olympic speed skater. I simply call them "Heidens" (since I don't know the real name). It's a very good exercise for developing balance, strength and explosive power. It compliments footwork drills nicely (after you get passed the initial pain period) and they are effective when using them in conjunction with the rollers and/or a Concept II rowing ergometer. If you haven't done these before, and you do them right, be prepared to have trouble sitting or going down stairs for the next day or two. They will hit the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves.
Basically, start off standing with your feet together, about a shoulder length apart. Put your hands behind your back (rest your right wrist in your left hand). Your upper body leaning forward like a speed skater. Step out on a left 45 degree angle but keep your centerline facing forward (or only a slight turn). Make your step longer than a "normal" step. Stretch out a enough so that you come up on the ball of your right foot as you center weight over your left leg. Then press up to a standing position (a one legged press....remember to simultaneously lift your right leg as you press up). Now, push straight up...essentially doing a one leg squat. Now, here is the interesting part, you simultaneously lift your right foot off the ground as you push up on your left leg without letting it touch (you can let it drag lightly if you can't get it off the ground). As you get up to the top of the press, squeeze/tighten your glute muscles (ass cheeks ). To work in the calves, continue pressing up onto your tip toe and squeeze/tighten the calf muscle. Your right foot doesn't touch the ground until you step out on that side. From that point, step out to your right on a 45 and repeat.
For a visual: In a sense you are dry-land speed skating
When I was competing in crew, I worked up to doing these with an Olympic bar and two 45 lbs plates...up and down the floor. I really feel that doing this exercise as long as I have, is one of the main reasons that lower body strength has stayed high, and maintained my ability to move the way I do for someone my size.
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A piece of equipment that I like to use when training footwork is called a "Smart Vest". It's a neoprene & Lycra vest that has 16 pockets, each can hold a square, thin, flat one pound weight. Loading up to 16 lbs (double them up for 32lbs) doesn't sound like allot of weight, but you'll find that your doing more then carrying a little extra weight. The vest fits snug to the body so the weights don't flop around. The key is that when you are moving through your footwork (with or without striking) drill, this added weight is moving with you through all the stages of motion that your body will be going through...forward, reverse, sidestepping, etc...It does a great job of stressing your "core" muscles to compensate. Take it off and go through your movements again and you'll feel like you're flying. And then follow up with the "Heidens"...YEAH BABY!!!
For cycling, I'll use the "Smart Vest" for climbing intervals. Wear this on your repeated climbs. Then take it off and you feel like your flying up the hill. You get to the point where you can climb at a good pace with this on, and you'll be ripping without it.
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Another oldie but a goodie (the good type of pain ).
Work these in on the trainer or doing intervals on the erg.
Squat Jacks:
Start out doing a normal Jumping Jack with a double beat (meaning bounce twice instead of once between each movement). Once you get going, start to squat down while continuing the Jumping Jack movement. You don't have to squat far to really start feeling the burn . Hold that squat through the entire set keeping your head at a steady level.
Try doing a set of 100.
************************************************** ***********
Now, I believe in riding rollers/trainers during the off-season. But the one piece of equipment that I feel is the all around best piece of equipment that you can have is a Concept II Rowing Ergometer. Used correctly, and rowing with proper form, this thing will hit the entire body (esp. the lower body). Doing sprint intervals, or balls to wall 2000 meter sprints will do wonder for maintaining/building your aerobic capacity. It's also great for working on building your anaerobic threshold. Like I said, it's all about how you use it. The base you can build on this transfers to almost any sport. These machines are "THE" standard for Collegiate and Olympic programs.
When I went from Crew to cycling (due to back injury), no one on the cycling team could stay on my wheel on the flats or in a sprint. I had the aerobic base/strength for climbing, but I had develop good form. Once I had that, no one was dropping me on anything but the steepest climbs, and I was carrying another 90-100 lbs in weight. My point is (not to sound like I'm pulling my own chain) just that I really believe in this machine and what it can do for you when used correctly.
Anyway, these are a couple of training tools I use in the off-season. Anyone have good ones they want to share?
William
BTW, If you ever decide you want a Concept II, buy directly from the company (in VT). It will run you about $800. If you try to buy it from a Fitness store you will pay $1,600+.
One exercise for the lower body that hits all the major muscles is one I picked up from Eric Heiden, the Olympic speed skater. I simply call them "Heidens" (since I don't know the real name). It's a very good exercise for developing balance, strength and explosive power. It compliments footwork drills nicely (after you get passed the initial pain period) and they are effective when using them in conjunction with the rollers and/or a Concept II rowing ergometer. If you haven't done these before, and you do them right, be prepared to have trouble sitting or going down stairs for the next day or two. They will hit the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves.
Basically, start off standing with your feet together, about a shoulder length apart. Put your hands behind your back (rest your right wrist in your left hand). Your upper body leaning forward like a speed skater. Step out on a left 45 degree angle but keep your centerline facing forward (or only a slight turn). Make your step longer than a "normal" step. Stretch out a enough so that you come up on the ball of your right foot as you center weight over your left leg. Then press up to a standing position (a one legged press....remember to simultaneously lift your right leg as you press up). Now, push straight up...essentially doing a one leg squat. Now, here is the interesting part, you simultaneously lift your right foot off the ground as you push up on your left leg without letting it touch (you can let it drag lightly if you can't get it off the ground). As you get up to the top of the press, squeeze/tighten your glute muscles (ass cheeks ). To work in the calves, continue pressing up onto your tip toe and squeeze/tighten the calf muscle. Your right foot doesn't touch the ground until you step out on that side. From that point, step out to your right on a 45 and repeat.
For a visual: In a sense you are dry-land speed skating
When I was competing in crew, I worked up to doing these with an Olympic bar and two 45 lbs plates...up and down the floor. I really feel that doing this exercise as long as I have, is one of the main reasons that lower body strength has stayed high, and maintained my ability to move the way I do for someone my size.
************************************************** *************
A piece of equipment that I like to use when training footwork is called a "Smart Vest". It's a neoprene & Lycra vest that has 16 pockets, each can hold a square, thin, flat one pound weight. Loading up to 16 lbs (double them up for 32lbs) doesn't sound like allot of weight, but you'll find that your doing more then carrying a little extra weight. The vest fits snug to the body so the weights don't flop around. The key is that when you are moving through your footwork (with or without striking) drill, this added weight is moving with you through all the stages of motion that your body will be going through...forward, reverse, sidestepping, etc...It does a great job of stressing your "core" muscles to compensate. Take it off and go through your movements again and you'll feel like you're flying. And then follow up with the "Heidens"...YEAH BABY!!!
For cycling, I'll use the "Smart Vest" for climbing intervals. Wear this on your repeated climbs. Then take it off and you feel like your flying up the hill. You get to the point where you can climb at a good pace with this on, and you'll be ripping without it.
************************************************** ************
Another oldie but a goodie (the good type of pain ).
Work these in on the trainer or doing intervals on the erg.
Squat Jacks:
Start out doing a normal Jumping Jack with a double beat (meaning bounce twice instead of once between each movement). Once you get going, start to squat down while continuing the Jumping Jack movement. You don't have to squat far to really start feeling the burn . Hold that squat through the entire set keeping your head at a steady level.
Try doing a set of 100.
************************************************** ***********
Now, I believe in riding rollers/trainers during the off-season. But the one piece of equipment that I feel is the all around best piece of equipment that you can have is a Concept II Rowing Ergometer. Used correctly, and rowing with proper form, this thing will hit the entire body (esp. the lower body). Doing sprint intervals, or balls to wall 2000 meter sprints will do wonder for maintaining/building your aerobic capacity. It's also great for working on building your anaerobic threshold. Like I said, it's all about how you use it. The base you can build on this transfers to almost any sport. These machines are "THE" standard for Collegiate and Olympic programs.
When I went from Crew to cycling (due to back injury), no one on the cycling team could stay on my wheel on the flats or in a sprint. I had the aerobic base/strength for climbing, but I had develop good form. Once I had that, no one was dropping me on anything but the steepest climbs, and I was carrying another 90-100 lbs in weight. My point is (not to sound like I'm pulling my own chain) just that I really believe in this machine and what it can do for you when used correctly.
Anyway, these are a couple of training tools I use in the off-season. Anyone have good ones they want to share?
William
BTW, If you ever decide you want a Concept II, buy directly from the company (in VT). It will run you about $800. If you try to buy it from a Fitness store you will pay $1,600+.