All positions in football require strength, but football strength training workouts vary significantly depending on the position. An offensive lineman, for example, needs much greater absolute strength that a wide receiver, while a receiver needs much greater speed (a function of strength and power). Nevertheless, a well-designed strength training program in football should be periodized — that is, it should vary in volume and intensity throughout the year to allow athletes to rest and recover for important competitions. The renowned exercise scientist, Dr. Tudor Bompa, originally coined the term periodization, and his training philosophy is easily the most widely-used in sports today. As a rule, a periodized football program should begin in the off-season, with high amounts of volume and raw strength building. As competition draws near, the program should cut down on volume and focus on more high-intensity speed and power workouts.

Strength and Hypertrophy

Beginning in the off-season/pre-season, the strength training program should emphasize developing first hypertrophy, the increase in size and strength of the actual muscle fibers, and then raw strength, an increase in the load you can lift for a given exercise. An increase in muscle size and strength are related, but not in a linear fashion.

To build hypertrophy, perform sets of 6 to 12 repetitions of a variety of resistance training exercises, using a load of about 65 to 75 percent of your 1RM. The types of lifts don’t matter as much during this phase, as the goal is to target all major muscle groups. Perform about 6 exercises per training session, and at least two (and up to 4 for highly-trained athletes) sessions per week. While you should aim to hit all major muscle groups, opt for free weights over machines, as machines do not force smaller stabilizer muscles to do any work. The extra balance and coordination needed to maintain posture while using free weights makes for better transfer to real-life athletic performance.

After about a two to three months of hypertrophy, the football training program should shift to an emphasis on developing raw strength. The muscles should now have the size and support to withstand heavier loads. Similar to hypertrophy, the specific exercises you choose during this phase do not matter as much, as the aim is to develop general strength in the entire body. Improve raw strength beginning with sets of 5 repetitions of each exercise, using moderately-heavy loads (about 75 percent of your 1RM). Over time, increase the load of each exercise, working your way up to 95 to 105 percent of your previous 1RM, and perform only 1 repetition per set. Squats, bench press, dead lifts, shoulder presses and rows are all effective for developing general strength needed for football. Increase load when you can perform two additional repetitions beyond your target number for two sets in a row.

Power

Power is perhaps more relevant to football than raw strength. Power, a function of raw strength and movement speed, provides football players the ability to not just move heavy loads, but to move them quickly and explosively.

Focus on power during the pre-competitive season, about one to two months before competition starts. During this phase, the exercises you choose should become more specific to your position and the actual movements you’ll perform during a game. For example, a defensive lineman might work on sled-pushes to replicate driving an offensive lineman back, while a wide receiver should perform squat jumps to improve power in the legs. All football players should focus on the Olympic lifts during this phase (cleans, jerks and snatches).

Improve power using just moderate weight ( 75 to 90 percent of your 1RM) for each exercise, but perform lifts quickly and explosively. Perform sets of 1 to 2 repetitions, and focus on technique and intensity during this phase — not increasing load. In fact, some studies show that lifting heavy loads actually decreased power because of the sacrifice the lifter must make in the velocity of the lift.

Plyometrics

Plyometrics are specific power lifts that take advantage of the muscles’ stretch-shortening cycle — a phenomenon in which the muscle is lengthened and then contracts with an exponentially greater rate of force. Savvy coaches use this phenomenon to develop a level of power in certain muscle groups that regular strength and power training cannot.

Plyometrics include exercises such as box jumps, depth jumps, leaps and bounds. Plyomterics may be harmful on underdeveloped joints, tendons and ligaments, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends being able to squat 1.5 times your body weight before beginning a plyometrics program. Aim for about 100 contacts per plyometric training session (e.g., 5 sets of 20 repetitions). Plyometric training is a highly-specific method for developing sport-specific power, and should be performed in the later stages of the pre-season.

Speed

Wide receivers, running backs, defensive backs, linebackers, and to a lesser extent, linemen and the quarterback, need to have maximal speed, or the ability to cover a certain distance in a minimal amount of time. Speed is a function of both strength and power. Because strength can increase maximal force production, raw strength is critical for maximizing your speed.

Speed drills in football are generally the most fun. They include ladder and cone drills, sprints, backwards sprints and a variety of other fun games. You can be creative when designing speed workouts, but make sure to time everything. Your goal should always be able to cover the required distance in as little time as possible. Speed is also highly-specific to football performance, and you should shift to primarily a speed focus during the competitive season and all the way through to the most important competitions during the year, such as the playoffs.

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Additional Notes

Don’t forget the importance of flexibility throughout the year, both to increase joint mobility and range of motion, and to boost recovery and prevent injury. Perform a dynamic warm-up before every lifting session, and static stretching after working out. Periodization is a complicated and highly-individualized training theory. For more information on specific ways to incorporate periodization into your football training program, refer to http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/football-training-program.html

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By now, you’re probably in the fitness minority if you haven’t heard about Crossfit and the functional fitness revolution. Elaborate gyms lined with row after row of various exercise machines and cardio equipment have taken a back seat to simple “box” gyms with nothing more than some medicine balls, free-weights, ropes, kettlebells and maybe some rowing ergometers. But how effective is functional fitness? Can rusty kettlebells and old ropes really provide the same benefit as a treadmill and an incline row machine?

Let me first state that I love Crossfit. I love it for its culture of simplicity and minimalism, as well as for the improvements I’ve seen in my own fitness level as a result of following its program. However, as a fitness professional, I know that all fitness programs must meet three tried-and-true principles in order to be maximally effective: specificity, overload, and progression.

“Regardless of the type of training program, there are three foundational principles that always apply: specificity, overload, and progression. A lack of attention to any of these principles often produces less than desirable training outcomes and sometimes injury,” says the National Strength and Conditioning Association in its book, “Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning.”

So how does Crossfit stack up to these principles?

Specificity

The NSCA defines specificity as a “method whereby an athlete is trained in a specific manner to produce a specific adaptation or training outcome.” Essentially, to become a better runner, you need to run. To improve your bench press, you need to keep practicing the bench press.

Crossfit is general, rather than specific. Originally targeted toward police, firemen and the military, Crossfit’s program focuses on whole-body movements that can be applied to a variety of real-life skills, such as carrying a wounded victim down a flight of stairs. To quote the Crossfit website: “Our specialty is not specializing.”

Overload

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Overload refers to increasing the training stimulus beyond what your body is used to. You need to continually overload your body to see new gains in strength, endurance and muscle growth. Through our body’s natural response to physical stress, known as the General Adaptation Syndrome, we grow bigger muscle fibers, recruit more motor units and develop bigger and more efficient hearts. What doesn’t kill us in training, within reason, makes us stronger.

Crossfit does overload to some extent, but it depends on a number of individual factors. Crossfit’s one-size-fits-all approach to fitness may be overload some and under-load others. Crossfit does follow a general program that allows for rest and recovery of certain muscle groups. However, without knowing the individual exerciser’s needs, it’s difficult to know which muscle groups really need rest and how much, as well as when to increase the load of a specific exercise.

Progression

The program must become increasingly difficult in order to see continued gains in performance, according to the NSCA. Dr. Tudor Bompa coined the term “periodization,” to illustrate how a training program should progress throughout the year. The body can lose its ability to adapt when the program remains stagnant, and the trainer or coach needs to know when to alter the volume and intensity of the workouts to either make the program more difficult or provide rest.

Crossfit’s program design is non-linear. There may be day-to-day variety in the difficulty of workouts, but there is generally no steady line of increasing difficulty. Opting for general, all-around fitness and an inclusive program design, Crossfit’s “workouts of the day,” or WODs, do not increase in difficulty over a long period of time. However, you can keep track of your own progress and increase difficulty as you see fit.

Conclusions

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Crossfit will almost certainly get you in shape. Following Crossfit’s WODs will likely allow you to learn a variety of difficult movements and will make you an all-round better athlete. However, if you have a very specific goal for training, rather than to simply become “hardcore,” Crossfit probably isn’t for you. If you’re a high school wrestler, following Crossfit’s WODs probably won’t provide the most optimal plan to peak you at the right time of the year. If you have a goal of losing a certain amount of weight, Crossfit will definitely help, but you will spend a lot of time performing unnecessary and difficult strength-training exercises.

Finally, Crossfit’s violation of the NSCA’s training principles, and its sometimes illogical workout design, may place you at an increased risk of injury. For example, can you perform 20 pullups, 25 ring-dips, 30 kettlebell swings and 20 hang cleans as fast as you can, right now? That describes just half of a recent Crossfit WOD. Did you also make sure to warm up first and cool down afterwards?

Crossfit is cool. It’s a fun and macho fitness counterculture that will likely get you in shape. But make sure to approach the WODs with caution. Scale back on the sets/reps/load when needed and spend ample time mastering the technique of each lift. And if you’re an athlete or just an average exerciser with some specific goals, you’re better off getting a trainer who has the skills and expertise to take your specific abilities and limitations into account.

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Why Do Timed Sets Work?

Timed sets with weights work because they force you to use your body’s anaerobic energy system heavily. The net effect of fat loss is much greater because of EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). When your body is consuming more oxygen, your metabolism is higher, allowing you to burn more fat. With standard aerobic training it is typical for your body to return to normal oxygen consumption within a few hours. After heavy anaerobic training it is typical for your body to be in a state of EPOC for 2-3 days! This means a longer fat burning window and more toning for your body.  Additionally, timed sets in the weight room help you to build and maintain muscle. The more lean mass your body holds, the faster your metabolism will be.

Fartlek

Fartlek is a Swedish  term meaning “speed play”. In fartlek training you combine brief spurts of high intensity anaerobic exercise with longer spurts of lower intensity aerobic exercise. This method of training is outstanding for burning fat as well as raising your anaerobic threshold. For this reason fartleks are very popular with runners and cyclists. As a former sprinter performing fartleks helped me to get better base conditioning before track season. These workouts were hard, but rewarding in the end. An example of a fartlek is stationary bike sprints. You can sprint all out for 20 seconds of work and take 40 seconds to rest for a set amount of time.

EDT

EDT stands for escalating density training. EDT is an interesting take on timed sets. You have to complete the maximum amount of reps possible in a set time. For example: maximum amount of chin ups you can perform in 15 minutes. By exercising using this method you are able to increase total workload by performing many sub-maximal sets. My suggestion would be to figure out exactly how many reps you plan to do per minute. This way you can control your fatigue levels. In the last minute or two, shoot for more reps if you have energy. The objective is to surpass the amount of work you did in the previous workout.

Circuit

Perform an exercise for a set amount of time then move onto another. When all the exercises in the circuit are complete take a rest break. The time you work on each exercise should be kept short (under 1 minute), so that you can work at high intensity.

Tabata

Tabatas are difficult but have a profound effect on fat loss. They are usually performed as 8 all out sets of 20 secs of work and 10 secs of rest. The total time of one tabata should last 4 minutes. Tabatas can be utilized as a good finisher for a workout.

The Workout

The following workout is an intense, fat burning experience that will leave your legs shaking and your stomach turning! Make sure to bring some water and a towel along for the ride!

Photo courtesy of YaiSirichai / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As athletes and exercisers reach a certain level of training, they undoubtedly begin to understand some of the shortcomings of the human body. Despite proper nutrition, a well-designed workout schedule and plenty of rest, the body still fatigues, gets injured and varies almost daily in its physical capabilities. This may lead to a great deal of frustration when you fall short of a goal — especially when other competitors or workout peers seem to achieve their goals with relative ease. To fix the problem, you may begin to alter your workout program and diet or get more rest. You may also do what so many other fitness-minded individuals have done and turn to supplements.

The performance-enhancing claims of supplements have certainly led to an increase in the size of numerous companies’ bank accounts, but do they actually increase performance? To answer this question, the U.S. Department of Defense (always on the cutting edge of performance-enhancement research), in conjunction with the Institute of Medicine, launched an investigation into the benefits of the most popular supplements with military personnel. The 440-page document, published in 2008, elaborated on 16 of the most-widely consumed supplements within the military and the extent of their supposed effects. Here is a summary of their conclusions for those that pertain specifically to the common exerciser, in alphabetical order:

Caffeine: Easily the most widely-consumed supplement in the military. Generally effective for improving endurance and improving certain mental abilities such as concentration.

Chromium: Generally found to be ineffective.

Creatine: Effective for increasing muscle mass, power and strength. Predominantly beneficial for activities of short duration and high intensity.

DHEA: Generally found to be ineffective.

Ephedra: Beneficial for weight-loss and even more effective when used in conjunction with caffeine. However, highly dangerous to the cardiovascular system and currently banned by the FDA.

Garlic: Generally found to be ineffective.

Gingko Biloba: Generally found to be ineffective.

HMB: Potentially beneficial for improving muscle mass in untrained individuals. Less likely to benefit more highly-trained athletes and exercisers.

Quercetin: Generally found to be ineffective.

Sports Bars and Beverages

The National Strength and Conditioning Association, in their book “Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning,” maintains that only two substances have consistently been shown to consistently enhance performance in nearly all individuals: carbohydrate and water. While the DoD/IOM takes a more liberal stance, they also ascertained that sports bars and beverages that include carbohydrate are effective for supplying calories and nutrients to the body, thereby increasing aerobic endurance and speeding up exercise recovery.

Steroids and Human Growth Hormone

The Dod/IOM did not review research on either anabolic steroids or human growth hormone because they are illegal, and the committee did not believe there was sufficient evidence of their use among military personnel. In the athletic world, however, the use of steroids and HGH is perhaps more prevalent than most would like to believe. It’s no secret that Major League Baseball and professional cycling tours have been riddled with scandals related to these substances in recent years. The NSCA provides a synopsis of the research supporting the effects steroids and HGH and concludes that, while likely to be beneficial, the potential health risks associated with their use outweigh any possible performance gains in all cases.

The SI or Sacroiliac Joint is one of two joints in the pelvis that connects the sacrum, or lowest part of the spine, to the large pelvic bone, the ilium. The two sacroiliac joints, on either side of the pelvis, connect the spine to the pelvis. The coccyx, or tailbone, is connected to the sacrum, but has no connection to the pelvis, and can be easily injured or bruised from a fall.
The SI Joint moves with a slight gliding action as we flex and walk. Sometimes walking, sitting, standing, or lying can cause pain in this joint and refer into the back, buttocks, and thigh. This radiating pain is sometimes confused with sciatica or low back pain.

Pain in This Area

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Generally, pain in the sacroiliac area can be distinguished from pain in the low back or sciatica based on the location of symptoms and whether or not the symptoms felt are localized or radiate into the buttock or leg. Classic symptoms for sciatica inlcude: pain in the lower back, buttock, and/or various parts of the leg and foot that can sometimes be severe. Numbness, muscular weakness, tingling and difficulty in moving or controlling the leg can also occur. Typically, the symptoms are only felt on one side of the body.

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction, can be described as pain in the SI, low back, hip or groin. The pain is typically worse with standing and walking and improved when lying down. Inflammation and arthritis in the SI joint can also cause stiffness and a burning sensation in the pelvis. It can be difficult to identify the exact cause of pain, therefore, you may need to see a physician or physical therapist to help idendify the source.

Cause of SI Dysfunction

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Although SI joint dysfunction has similar symptoms and does affect the sciatic nerve, it is not caused by a pinched nerve root. SI joint pain is normally caused either by overuse, wear and tear on the cartilage in the joint, or from underuse were it becomes tighter and less mobile causing pain when we do need to mobilize it for activity.

Pregnancy is also a big risk factor for sacroiliac joint dysfunction caused by instability. Due to the increased amount of circulating hormones that cause ligamentous laxity in the body, pregnant and postpartum women often experience pain in their hips, low back and SI joint.

The goal then of SI joint exercise is to perform range of motion and stretching exercises helping to mobilize and stabilize the joint ligaments.

Exercises to Help Decrease SI Pain

Stretching Exercises for the Pelvis These stretching exercises will help a stiff pelvis, or those who have decreased mobility and motion through the hips and pelvic girdle. For those that are hypermobile, continue on to strengthening and stabilizing exericses.

Knee to chest stretch: Exhale as you engage the abdominal muscles gently drawing one knee at a time to the chest, hold for a 2 count, then release. Do this 8-10 times with each leg.

Knee Sways: Lying on your back with your knees bent and together with your feet flat on the floor, gently sway the knees side to side. The lower back should remain fairly still on the mat. As you improve you will be able to let the knees sway further to the floor feeling the lower back and hips peel off the mat. Do this for 4-8 times each side.

Piriformis Stretch: Lying on your back with your knees bent, and spine in neutral, cross your leg with your ankle resting on the opposite thigh. Grasp the “under” leg and pull it towards you. Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds, then switch legs.

Strengthening and Stabilizing Exercises for the SI and Pelvic Girdle.Pelvic stabilization exercises should be performed to strengthen muscles that support a joint that may be too loose. This is important because the extra motion can cause wear and tear on the joint cartilage leading to degeneration and arthritis.

Knee Stirs: Start lying on your back with your spine in neutral (tailbone and lower ribs in contact with the mat, natural curve in the lumbar spine), and hands on your hip bones.

Exhale as you fold one knee up to a 90 degree angle from the hip so the shin is parallel to the floor. Feel the head of the thigh bone sink into the hip socket. Keeping the pelvis stable and hips level circle the knee feeling the head of the femur rotate in the hip socket. Circle clockwise and counterclockwise 4-8 times each direction for each leg.

Clam Shells: Start lying on your back with knees bent and squeezed together feet flat, place your hands on your hip bones and keep them still or level with the ceiling. Use your fingers to feel for a muscle contraction of your lower abdominal muscles just below your hip bones.

Keeping your spine neutral with tailbone down and middle ribs pressed into the mat let your knees fall apart until you feel a gentle stretch in the groin, as you exhale draw them back together feeling the deeper pelvic floor and lower abdominal muscles working. Keep the buttocks relaxed. Do this for 6-10 repetions.

**Variation: Drop just one leg at a time toward the floor making sure the opposite buttock stays in contact with the mat and the hips stay level. This should be done very slowly and controlled. Make sure to feel for a good contraction on your lower abdominal muscles.

Jane Fonda’s: Start side-lying, with your hips and shoulders stacked, spine in neutral. You can bend the bottom knee to increase your stability.

Exhale as you lift the top leg, making sure to keep the knee straight. Leading with your heel towards the ceiling will help you activate your gluts and hip abductors. Slowly lower the leg back down. Repeat this 8-12 times for each leg.

For more information on pelvic floor exercises that can save your back, click here.

Knee Structures & Ligaments

As you can see in this image, knee pain can be associated with many different causes. When choosing a knee brace, it is important to factor in the cause of your pain. For example, people who have had a significant knee injury in the past and are trying to protect their joint from further injury, and those who have never injured their knees, but are looking to keep them feeling good will require different equipment.

What Does Preventative Bracing Do?

Knee braces worn over the joint to protect against ligamentous injury can have a great effect. Braces are worn to provide medial-lateral support, prevent abnormal rotation, hyperextension, translation and to provide general knee stability. Check out this site to find great recommendations specific to your injury or athletic need: JointHealing.com

Specific braces have been shown to decrease tibial rotation in activities where increased translational and rotational forces occur. People who have undergone recent ACL-reconstructive surgery or those who have opted to cope and are ACL-deficient, may require these braces to prevent such problems.

Many studies in the American Journal of Sports Medicine have been done on the effect of knee braces and football performance and correlation to injury of the MCL and ACL. This has been a very controversial topic, with many negative findings as well as several positive outcomes. A recent study recommended a style of knee brace where there is a hinged “H” buttress for support of the knee brace, and specifically showed the Drytex Economy Hinged Knee Brace produced the best results on the performance parameters. They concluded that prophylactic knee braces can be used for both healthy subjects and athletes to enhance proprioception, coordination, maximal force, and balance, but it is important to choose the best proper brace to the individuals according to their fitness level.

Neoprene Knee Braces or Sleeves

One of the most popular knee braces that I see out in the general population is the neoprene knee sleeve. These braces are supposed to be used to provide support and warmth to a joint that is strained or sprained. The advantage here is a brace that is flexible and supportive without being too constricting. The disadvantage of a neoprene knee brace is that it gives the wearer a false sense of security. An injured limb should not be pushed to the limit even if a brace is used. You may cause serious damage to your knee structures. Just because you are wearing something on your knee does not mean that it is completely protected from injury.

Athletic performance may continue at a mild to moderate level with this general type of brace, as it gives compression to the joint and provides proprioceptive feedback to your system, reminding you to take it a bit easier by slightly limiting your range of motion.

In conclusion, preventative knee braces can be a great thing for your knee. Make sure to find the correct brace for your specific injury, and remember that if your knee is already injured and inflamed, slapping on a knee brace and playing through pain may lead to significant damage.

Skinning a Cat

The push-up circuit is strictly a body weight routine.  For my shoulders, however, I prefer to toss around some iron.  This workout can be just as effective with a resistance band.  Incorporating variety into all of your workouts keeps things interesting and helps avoid plateaus.  There are many different ways to execute a raise that will target the deltoid from all different angles.  Sculpt your version of this workout to meet your own preferences and goals.

Jay Cutler

No, not the quarterback for the Bears who is marrying Kristin Cavallari.  Not that Jay Cutler at all.  This Jay Cutler.  He’s a four-time Mr. Olympia.  He stands at 5’9″ tall and lugs around 274 lbs. of chiseled muscle.  I don’t have any desire to become a Mr. Olympia.  But I do know that when a guy like that talks about the best ways to build muscle, I listen.  It’s fast, it’s comprised of basic weight training exercises, and it’s an absolute KILLER.

The Double-Superset

You don’t need a lot of weight to hit your shoulders hard.  If you don’t believe me, stand up, extend your arms straight out to the side (parallel to the floor), and see how long you can hold them there.  After 60 seconds, you’ll probably be ready to cry.  To get the best results for your shoulders, fatigue them with light weight and high reps.  This is what the double-superset accomplishes.  What do I mean by “double-superset”?  One superset is comprised of two exercises done back-to-back with no rest in between.  In this workout, you will do three of these supersets, take a short break, and then do it again with two different exercises designed to exhaust your shoulders for maximum strength gain.  Here’s what it looks like:

SUPERSET 1

Seated Lateral Raises

Cutler says to pick a weight with which you can comfortably handle 12 reps.  You want to pre-exhaust your muscles, not completely debilitate yourself.

Seated Alternate Front Raises

Without rest, go right into the second half of this superset.  Twelve reps…PER ARM!  Alternating instead of doing both arms at the same time really helps isolate the delt.  Doing this seated instead of standing also prevents you from swaying, which in turn takes the emphasis off your shoulder.  Take your time with these but as soon as one dumbbell is down, get the other one up in the air.

Take a 30-second rest, and then repeat this superset.  For the second superset, you’ll do ten reps of each exercise.  Take another 30-second rest and then execute a third set at eight reps of each exercise.  I use the same weight for all three supersets.  But you can go up or down depending on how fatigued your muscles are becoming.

You are now halfway home.  After a 1-minute rest that will go by WAY too fast, go right into…

Superset 2

Seated Dumbbell Presses

Cutler calls for all three sets of these at 10 reps apiece.  But remember, he is an absolute animal and we are not bodybuilders.  If you can muster another 12-10-8 sequence, you will definitely feel the burn.

Shoulder Shrugs

Without rest, you’ll go right into the second exercise of this superset.  There will be virtually nothing left of your delts at this point.  So it’s time to attack your traps.  You may need to go up in weight to get a worthwhile 12-10-8 sequence out of these.  Three supersets, 30 seconds of rest in between.  On that last set of shrugs, pound ‘em out until failure.  Don’t roll your shoulders with these.  Straight up, straight down.

Finished!

Congratulations.  You just completed a workout that a four-time Mr. Olympia uses, and you did it in 15 minutes or less.

First and foremost, I am a runner.  Incorporating running into my exercise routine is easy for me.  Like a lot of runners, however, I neglect other important areas of fitness like strength training, core strengthening, and flexibility.

Sometimes I’ll start a run and tell myself that I’m going to do a quick upper body circuit afterward.  This rarely comes to fruition.  Whether you’re a runner or just a busy person who struggles to find time to exercise, here’s a quick way to obliterate your entire upper body:

1. Pick five of these variations.
2. Do 10 reps of each variation with little to no rest in between.
3. Take a two-minute rest and repeat the circuit.
4. Too hard?  Reduce the number of reps or add rest in between each variation.
5. Too easy?  Add a sixth variation, more reps, or do a third circuit.

The Basic Push-Up

This is a good place to start because it’s the easiest and everyone knows how to do it.  Keep your butt down and your core engaged.

The Incline Push-Up

This is just like a normal push-up except you will position your hands on a raised object, usually a bench, instead of the floor.  For safest execution, and to keep the focus of the exercise on your chest, make sure your arms are perpendicular to your body when they are fully extended.  You can vary the height of the bench to hit different areas of the chest and to create varying levels of difficulty.

The Incline Push-Up

The Decline Push-Up

Instead of putting your hands on a bench, flip around and prop your feet up on the bench this time, with your hands positioned on the floor. As with the incline push-up, you can vary the height to your liking.

The Decline Push-Up

The Diamond Push-Up

This one will obliterate your triceps.  From the basic push-up position, bring your hands together so that your two thumbs are touching and your two index fingers are touching (in the shape of a diamond).

The Diamond Push-Up

The Rotational Push-Up

While you’re bombarding your chest, you might as well give a little extra attention to your core as well.  To execute this one:

1. Perform a basic push-up.
2. At the top of the movement, take your left hand off the floor and rotate your body into a side plank position.  You will be supporting your entire body with just your right hand on the floor.
3. Hold for a split second and return to the basic push-up position.
4. Then repeat on the other side.

The Rotational Push-Up

The Elevated Wall Push-Up

This is one of my absolute favorites and great for your core as well.  To execute, position your feet against a wall so that, when your arms are fully extended, your body is parallel to the floor.  Don’t be surprised if you can’t do as many reps with this one.  It is a truly advanced exercise.

The Elevated Wall Push-Up

The Offset Push-Up

Time to hit the shoulders a little bit, too.  With your hands directly under your shoulders in basic push-up position, march your right hand out away from your body about 3-4 inches.  Now execute your push-up.  This will work your left shoulder.  Do five on this side and then repeat on the other side.  As with all of these exercises, stick with a comfortable range of motion and do not hyperextend.

The Offset Push-Up

The Knuckle Push-Up

Aside from making you feel like a total BEAST, knuckle push-ups are another great way to isolate your shoulders.  Get into basic push-up position.  Only this time, you will be on your fists.  If you want to make it even more challenging, move your hands 3-4 inches back toward your waist.  This will put much more emphasis on those shoulder muscles.

The Knuckle Push-Up

The Push-Up With Row

A true total upper body push-up, get yourself a couple lightweight dumbbells.  The amount of the weight is pretty irrelevant.  With your hands resting on top of your dumbbells, do a basic push-up.  At the top of the movement, execute a row with your left hand.  All of your weight will be supported by your right hand and your core will be heavily engaged.  Lower your left hand and then repeat on the other side.

The Push-Up with Row

Summary

Bodyweight exercises are fantastic ways to build strength and tone muscles.  Push-ups are the most tried and true of all bodyweight exercises.  They don’t require any fancy equipment and you can literally roll out of bed and start hammering them out.  Find yourself a good routine, add variation, and you will undoubtedly get stronger.

Aerobic Exercise (Cardio)

Cardiovascular exercise is necessary to build endurance.  Without it, forget trying to spend an entire day charging the mountain.  Regular aerobic exercise improves efficiency of the cardiovascular system by improving oxygen transport and absorption.  Improve your efficiency and you will be able to tolerate a longer, more aggressive day on the mountain.

Running – improves endurance and strengthens legs.

Elliptical – improve endurance with less load through the legs.

Rowing – improve leg endurance through a pressing motion.

Strength Training

Strength training is anything that uses resistance in order to improve the musculoskeletal system.  This may include the use of resistance bands, free weights, or the weight of your own body.  Resistance exercise can occur numerous ways, but the ultimate goal is the same: improve the body’s ability to mange force.  Winter sports such as snowboarding and skiing require strength to negotiate uneven terrain and act as a shock absorber.  Boost your strength and expect to be able to handle more difficult terrain.

Squat – targets multiple muscles of the legs.

Deadlift – another great compound lift for leg and back strength.

Walking Lunge – improves strength and stability

Agility

Agility refers to the ability to change your body position with speed and accuracy.  It is a coordination of strength, flexibility, balance, and speed.  Improved agility means a greater ability to handle terrain that is unpredictable.  You will also be able to hit bigger features while maintaining control and be better able to tackle technical terrain at higher speeds.

Hurdle Hops – Forward/backward or side-to-side improves turning ability.

Max Jumps – Jump as high as you can over and over for 60 seconds.

Lateral Bounding with Cones – improves lateral power and targeting ability

Balance

Balance is a must if you want to stay upright.  Superior balance requires the integration of proprioception and vision in order to maintain your center of gravity.  Enhanced balance means you will able to handle those unpredictable moments while maintaining control.  If you spend anytime in the park, optimal balance is a must.

Balance Board – improves balance directly applicable to the slopes.

Single Leg Balance – grab something soft and balance on it for 90 seconds.

Single Leg Squat – improve dynamic balance by moving while balancing.

Flexibility

Flexibility is often overlooked and neglected, but required in order to perform at your best.  Muscles are weak in a shortened or lengthened state.  If you have limited flexibility, your muscles cannot do the job they were designed to do.  A lack of flexibility is also a setup for serious injury.  A few stretches per day can keep you moving and keep you injury free.

Muscle – Stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, low back, and glutes.

Joint – move your spine and legs to lubricate joints and ease movement.

Commit!

Put in three days per week of exercises from the above categories and you’re sure to have a better season on the mountain.  See you on the slopes.

Treadmill Exercise

Walking and running on a treadmill can cut down on a lot of the impact and force through your joints that happens when walking or running on pavement and especially cement. Most treadmills offer the option of many settings to regulate and keep track of your time, distance and incline for each workout. Having the treadmill indoors also helps keep up consistency in your workouts, even when the weather fails you and saves you from battling hills, wind resistance and uneven terrain of the outdoors.

The Best Basic Form

• Pump your arms. Try to maintain your arm swing in a forward and back motion to increase your balance and coordination, and to maintain your cadence. This is useful to develop an efficient running form. Pumping your arms drives your legs.
• Keep your head level. Resist looking up to watch TV or at other distractions while running. Tilting your head back can throw your weight balance off and shift you into a more extended posture, making it hard to go forward.
• Land on the middle of your foot, roll off your toes.While you want a good heel strike with walking, when you are running, evidence has shown that landing in the midfoot and rolling through the toes is more efficient and softer on the knees.
• Run in the middle of the tread. Be safe. Position yourself to make sure each step lands in the middle of the tread. This reduces stress on your neck and shoulders from lifting your arms if you are running too close to the edge.
• Tilt forward a little. Keep your momentum moving forward by leaning forward a tad. Start a whole body lean from your ankles and let gravity work for you.
• Find a rhythm.Keeping a steady pace will allow you to work on your breathing and let you go further. To work on increasing your speed, aim to shorten your stride. Count the number of times your foot makes contact with the treadmill: shoot for 46-48 times in 30 seconds.
• Incline yourself! The easiest way to banish calories without noticing is to add a very easy incline to your workout. You will barely notice level 1-2, and this will simulate the challenges of the outdoors.

Elevate Your Indoor Workout

Use the treadmill to act as your moving track. You can start these moves with the treadmill on a stationary setting or very slow setting, and increase speed as your coordination improves.

• Intervals. Trying running at a variety of speeds. Turn up the level of speed for 0.25 mile and work through increases in incline. You can do intervals for distance or time. Change up your workouts in general. One day go for distance and the next go for speed intervals with walking inclines to recover the next.
• Incline Pyramid: Start at an incline level 4 and increase by one level every minute until you get to level 8. Then go back down one level every minute back down to 0 incline. Walk 5 minutes at level 0 to cool down.
• Karaokes/ Grapevines.This one is tricky, but works on many coordination skills and your lateral mobility. Face both directions with a few strides facing forward in between. Do not try this one if you cannot interweave your feet and perform this exercise on solid ground. Watch this video for a short how-to.

• Try Sidestepping. For some strength moves on the treadmill, turn down the speed to a slow walking pace and hold onto the side hand rail and face the side of treadmill (perpendicular to the direction of the tread). Do 10-15 sidesteps to each side with 10-15 strides going forward in between. As you improve, try doing a deeper squat sidestep and upping your speed.
• Lunges. On a stationary treadmill, hold on and do lunges.
• Squats. On a stationary treadmill, hold on and do squats with good form.

Workout Tips to Consider

Have a plan before you walk into the gym, and stick to it.
Set health/ workout goals for yourself, both for the short term and long term.
Read more tips on how to lose weight fast.
Workout when you’re outside of the gym by following the working man’s weight loss tips.