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CORE STRENGTH AND THE SPRINTS. Natasha Kaiser-Brown Drake University. Lower Body Knee Drive Touchdown Leg Recovery. Upper Body Torso (slight forward lean) Shoulders (low and relaxed) Arms: Closed Angle (in front of shoulder) Open Angle (at hip). Sprint Mechanics. Sprint Mechanics.
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CORE STRENGTH AND THE SPRINTS Natasha Kaiser-BrownDrake University
Lower Body Knee Drive Touchdown Leg Recovery Upper Body Torso (slight forward lean) Shoulders (low and relaxed) Arms: Closed Angle (in front of shoulder) Open Angle (at hip) Sprint Mechanics
Sprint Mechanics Cues • “Knee Up-Toe Up” • “Stay Tall” • “Relax your Shoulders” • “Don’t Run Side to Side” • “Use your Arms” Weaker athletes are not capable of getting into or maintaining these positions due to underdeveloped core.
Sprint Mechanics • “All movements of limbs hinge on the strength of the torso. Abdominal muscles, traps, pecs, back”. • Quad Muscles/Hip Flexors- attach to the front of the torso • Hamstrings/Glutes-attach to back side
How to Identify Core Problems • Watch from the side and directly in front • Carrying extra weight • Does the athlete run side to side? • Do they have excessive forward lean (center of gravity is pushed) • Do they lean too far back (center of gravity is pulled) • Do they over rotate (face and torso can be seen from the sidelines)
Examples of Training Core • Crunches • Reverse Crunches • Dynamic Flexibility Lead leg pick-ups, Eagles front and back, Inverted anything • Walking over Hurdle Drills-Balance, flexibility, ISOLATE the core • Pilates during their off season 2x week (dvd’s, classes, written exercises) • Leg lowers, Superman’s, V-Sits with rotation, bicycles, planks,
How to Incorporate Core Work into the Workout • Continuous Warm-up: • Proprioceptor Work (barefoot, knee up, arm crossed, eyes closed for 30 sec hold) • Jogging • 50-100 Crunches (variety) • Dyn. Flex. • Sprint Drills • Striders • Sprints
Workouts: (Early Season) • Hurdle Drill Circuit (4x drill, run, abs) • Walking or Running Stadiums • Running Hills (form, power, speed, endurance) 10x Pit Jumps • Plyo’s (box jumps-keep an eye on upper body as arms swing through)
Strength Training • Squats (low weight-high reps) • Single leg squats (low weight low reps) • Hang Cleans (total body lift) • Box step-ups • End weights with ab circuit Physio Ball work (abs, feet on ball-hip raises, feet on the ball push-ups or planks, 5lb plate, held with both hands above head, rotate)