Yesterday we told you what power was so today we’ve got a power workout for you to try…
To get you started with power training we’ve provided you with a ready-made routine. Perform this workout twice a week with around 48-72 hours between sessions. Make sure you warm up thoroughly before training and seek expert advice if you are unsure how to perform any of the exercises listed below. Do 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps of each exercise at maximum speed and rest for about 90-120 seconds between sets…
Workout
1. Two footed jump for distance and height
Start with feet just beyond shoulder-width apart
Bend your knees to a three-quarter squat position
Swing your arms back and past your hips
Drive your legs explosively upward to lift your body from the ground and jump forwards and upwards
Keep your trunk upright during flight
Extend your legs in front of your body to get you feet out in front of you
Land on the balls of your feet and spring upward into another jump
Use your arms to assist your jump power –swing them past your hips as you jump,
then foward over your head and then back down ready for the next jump
2. Medicine ball drop chest press throws
Lie supine on a sturdy exercise bench with arms extended
Have a partner stand at your head holding a heavy medicine ball or Power Bag
Your partner will drop the medicine ball from chest height towards your hands
Catch the medicine ball in both hands and actively resist its downward momentum
(eccentric breaking)
Quickly lower the ball to your chest
Immediately and dynamically drive the ball off of your chest and into the air
Your partner catches the ball and repeats the exercise
To intensify this exercise, your partner can add momentum to the downward phase by carefully
throwing the ball down towards you or dropping it from above his/her head
3. Medicine ball slams
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart
Hold a medicine ball in both hands
Dynamically lift the medicine ball above head height
Rise up onto your toes
Strongly throw medicine ball at the floor about 24” in front of your feet
Catch the ball as it rebounds and repeat
This exercise should be done at speed using the whole body
4. Push press
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart
Grasp a barbell with an overhand grip at shoulder height, hands level with shoulders
Keeping your torso upright sink into a quarter squat
Initiating the movement with your lower body, powerfully drive with the legs and
push barbell over head
Pause before lowering the barbell back to shoulder level and repeating for the desired
number of repetitions
5. Medicine ball rotational throws
Stand sideways on to a sturdy wall with feet shoulder-width apart
Grasp a medicine ball in both hands
Keeping your arms straight and between hip and shoulder height, rotate away from the wall
Using your core muscles, twist your body as powerfully as possible and throw the ball at the wall
Catch the ball as it rebounds and repeat for the desired number of repetitions
Change sides and perform for the other side of the body
6. Bench burpees
Stand approximately 12” away from the side of a sturdy exercise bench or plyo box with
feet shoulder-width apart
Squat down and place your hands on the bench with hands outside of your knees
Jump your feet back and drop into a full press up, chest touching the bench/box top
Your hips and legs should be fully extended and your core tight
Immediately jump your feet back in whilst simultaneously extending the arms
Jump up onto the top of the bench/box landing in a ¾ squat position
Without pausing jump off the step to land back where you started and repeat
All of the phases of this exercise should flow without pauses and must be preformed
powerfully and at speed
7. Medicine ball back extension throws
Using a 45 degree back extension machine or similar, position yourself and hold a medicine
ball in your hands
Have a partner stand approximately 10 feet in front of you
Bend at the hips and lower yourself towards the floor with your arms extended
Dynamically extend your hips and spine and simultaneously throw the medicine ball to your partner
Pause in this most contracted position so that your partner can throw the medicine ball back to you
Under control, return to the starting position and repeat.
Now you know what power is and how to achieve it so all that’s left is to head to the gym and let rip! Power training is challenging, rewarding and lots of fun and will really improve your performance on the field.
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