Guest Blog from TrueFitness – Exercises We Love

So last week we blogged about exercises that are a waste of time when an athlete is training to improve sports performance and today the blog will be about the exercises that should be a part of the training program. They don’t have to be in every workout or even during every season, pre, post, off and in, but should be included during a great majority of the training program. How often a week, sets, reps, intensity and are all based around individual needs and today we just want to talk about the exercises we recommend. So we will list the exercises we believe are most beneficial to athletes and then the reason why the athlete will benefit from these exercises.

The first two exercises that we recommend are the Olympic lifts. These are the Clean and Jerk and the Snatch. When done from the floor they are known as Power Clean and also Power Snatch, respectively. When done from a hang position they are known as Hang Clean and Hang Snatch. Either version is effective and is a must for any sport that has a power element. In case you are thinking which sports have a power element the answer is all of them. All athletes need to be doing these exercises because quite simply no other exercises are better at replicating the power, intensity, quickness and explosiveness of sport. These exercises are done with maximum intensity and effort just like the sports we play. They are all out and so is sport.

Squats are the next most important exercise that is a necessity for sports. This exercise and any of its variations is extremely important for developing lower body strength and power as well as establishing a solid lower body foundation as well as the core stabilizers.

Jumps of any variety are a must for any athlete. After the Olympic lifts, no other exercises are as important for developing lower body power and explosiveness. Jumps are also valuable in teaching deceleration skills and body control. Any kind of jump will teach an athlete how to move their body with maximal force while maintaining balance, coordination and athletic position. For these reasons we find it mandatory to include a variety of jumping drills in our workouts.

If you have noticed these are all lower body exercises and the reason being is sport is mostly about lower body and the development of power, strength, speed and quickness for the lower body. But the upper body is important so here are the exercises we include in our upper body aspects of training programs. Presses i.e. bench press, incline press shoulder press. These three exercises are valuable for developing a strong powerful upper body. Also for upper body we include pull-ups and rows to develop a strong back as well as vice-like grip which is extremely important for sports like rugby.

All of the exercises we included today are used to develop power, strength, and explosiveness. They are intended to be done with maximal intensity and to fatigue. We are trying to develop a better athlete and if you want to be better then you have to push past what you are already capable of and this is done through intensity and effort. All out effort given doing the exercises above will help to mold a better athlete. These exercises are the foundation for sports performance and are a must to bring about the best in your abilities. Include then with different reps, sets and using a different variability of these exercises will insure game readiness and a better athlete.

Anyone in the San Diego area is welcome to drop in at our studio at 2949 Garnet Ave. 3rd floor, Pacific Beach, CA. We would love to put you through our workout.

Please feel free to call or email Annalise Evans of TrueFitness with any questions: (760) 809 1848 annalise@truefitness.biz and join her fan page on Facebook: TrueFitness Annalise Evans

Article written by Spencer Aiken, CSCS, CEO, TrueFitness