Three must-exercises for rotational sports

Does your sport involve rotation?

If you answered no, I would like to ask for a permission to prove you wrong.

Why such an overly confident attitude about the issue?

Probably because pretty much every human activity involves rotation in some level. Most of the sports certainly do. Running is rotation, throwing is rotation, hopping is rotation, catching is rotation, kicking is rotation and so on...

Training the component of rotation is crucial as is of course the ability to eliminate rotation at times.

Here are three rotational movements perfomed in a cable column:

1. As part of a comprehensive dynamic warm-up sequence

2. As part of a strength and conditioning program (with heavier loads)

Life is a rotational activity!

Tommi

PS: Remember to do both sides (left and right) so that you won't be walking in a circle post-workout :-)

Kettlebells as part of the warm-up: Skills, mobility and activation

What if there was a warm-up movement that would at the same time..

A) Stimulate mentally and require focus and concentration?

B) Enrich the nervous system in the form a new skill?

C) Create mobility especially in the hips and the thoracic spine?

D) Create stability in the core and the shoulder girdle?

E) Activate the small muscles of the foot?

Steve Macioci from Crossfit Ignite taught me one movement that would fit the description. 

The Turkish Get-up 

Key points to Turkish-get up warm-up:

1. Think of the TGU as a SKILL, not a resistance exercise ( try the shoe version first)

2. Focus on the details of each phase in order to achieve the desired flexibility/activation goal

When was the last time you learned a completely new skill?

Learning a new motor skill, whether a simple or a complex one, can enhance our capacity to improve the sport specific skills. Diving into details of learning a new movement that seems to have nothing to do with your sport skill directly can unlock unexpected resources from your body.

The researchers have found out that the process of learning a motor skill increases substance called myelin, that is wrapped around the nerve fibers. The more myelin insulation the nerves have the faster and more accurately the signal in the nerve fiber moves. Basically, the more myelin the greater the mastery of a skill.

Keep building the myelin!

Tommi

"Only those who have the patience to do simple things perfectly ever acquire the skill to do difficult things easily." (Unknown author)

FUNctional warm-up games and drills with bean bags

"The more boring the exercise is, the more effective it must be. "

"Games and drills are for recreational use only, not for real athletes. "

"Focused athletes do not have fun while training for serious goals."

"No laughing!"

Really?

We would use these reactive and task-specific bean bag exercises after...

1. Dynamic Flexibility

2. Muscle Activation/Stability

3. Movement Skill Practice (For example overhead squat, lunge, single leg squat or hand stance)

Have fun!

Tommi

PS: "The only way a kid is going to practice is if it's total fun for him... and it was for me."
Wayne Gretzky