The elbow cobra stretch relaxes all the muscles of the abdominals and spine. By resting your bodyweight on the elbows you limit the range-of-motion of the spine. This helps ease you into the exercise and is the foundation for the full cobra stretch. Care should be taken not to over extend the spine. The cobra stretch can be included in your fitness program as part of the post-workout recovery period.
The Golf Swing W/*TQGC Golf Club Handle is great full body core strengthening exercise.
The torso rotation machine is a isolation exercise for the Abdominals and Obliques. Make sure you perform the rotary torso under control.
The Turkish Get Up is an exercise that forces your entire body to work together. The Turkish Get Up really improves shoulder strength and flexibility and core strength. When done for many repetitions this is also a great conditioning exercise that is very functional.
The Hockey Swing with FSSB Straight Bar is a great full body and core exercise.
The Kneeling AB Crunch W/Triceps Strap is a great advanced strengthening exercise for your abdominals and obliques.
The leg tucked PowerBlock crunch strengthens the abdominals and obliques. The dumbbell makes flexion of the spine more difficult, therefore increasing the difficulty of the exercise. Depending on your goals – choose a lighter dumbbell for muscular endurance or a heavier one for muscular strength. The leg-tucked position decreases the hip flexor involvement.
The leg up PowerBlock crunch position the legs perpendicular to the torso and strengthen the abdominals and obliques. The leg-up position challenges the transverse abdominus, the biggest stabilizer of the spine. The dumbbell makes flexion of the spine more difficult, therefore increasing the difficulty of the exercise. Depending on your goals – choose a lighter dumbbell for muscular endurance or a heavier one for muscular strength.
Leg-up dumbbell crunch position the legs perpendicular to the torso and strengthen the abdominals and obliques. The leg-up position challenges the transverse abdominus, the biggest stabilizer of the spine. The dumbbell makes flexion of the spine more difficult, therefore increasing the difficulty of the exercise. Depending on your goals – choose a lighter dumbbell for muscular endurance or a heavier one for muscular strength.
The lumbar side bend stretches the spinal lateral flexors (quadratus lumborum, obliques and abdominals). This exercise can be performed at the office, in between work. The lumbar side bend increases mobility in the lower back.
The dumbbell half curl-down targets the core muscles. The half curl-down is a challenging and fun way to strengthen the abdominals. Do not perform this exercise if you have any low back issues. Half curl downs should be performed after full sit ups have been mastered. Select a weight that is within your capabilities.
The Dumbbell Muscle Snatch is a great warm up exercise for snatches or any type of shoulder work. It is also a good pre-hab exercise for baseball and other throwing sports. Finally, it can be used on it’s own to strengthen the shoulders and upper back.
Dumbbell Push Press with Rotation develops power and strength in the upper and lower-body. The rotation component activates the core muscles. If you are looking for a quick, effective workout, combine this exercise with Burpees and the Long Jump. You may use heavier weights performing the push press than when performing the exercise with strict form.
The dumbbell sit-up is a great exercise for training abs. If you desire a flat-belly, you’ll want to include this exercise in your routine. If regular floor sit-ups are too easy, use a dumbbell to increase the resistance on the abs. The hip flexors are also involved in the sit-up. The goal is to continually challenge the abs to grow stronger. Keep the rest periods to a minimum and your get more results in less time.
The curl up test is a way to measure muscular endurance of your abdominal muscles and check your progress. To do the test you will perform as many crunches as you can in one minute. Record your result. Fitness test such as the curl up test are a good way to objectively measure your progress.
The depth jump and lateral sprint is a good plyometric exercise to build explosive power and sprinting speed. This is a very advanced exercise and should not be attempted unless you have a solid conditioning base. The depth jump and lateral sprint simulates the demands of many sports, such as basketball and soccer, and allows the athlete to focus on mechanics to improve their performance on game day.
The depth jump with 180 degree spin improves both explosive power and proprioception. Plyometric exercises are advanced exercises that require a high level of fitness before you attempt them. The depth jump uses the stretch reflex to improve the explosive power in your legs. The 180 degree spin improves your awareness and balance. This is important for many sports, especially basketball and volleyball.
The diagonal wood chop is a great core exercise. Not only does it strengthen your body, it also develops and strengthens basic motor patterns. It can be performed without equipment or it can be done with a dumbbell or cables. The diagonal wood chop is good for golfers and baseball players.
Fitness Academy Europe is the European leader in fitness education. We deliver inclusive and insightful courses that emphasize practical training.
