Speedendurance.com

Posted: 22 Jun 2010 09:00 AM PDT

This is another continuation of articles dedicated to core training. See Isometrics and Ab Core Exercises – The Hidden Secret? and Core Muscle Training: How much is Enough?

I love medicine or med balls so I am biased in this article. They are cheap yet can be used as a dynamic warm up, core exercises, or power and explosive training.

To discuss med balls, you have to look at the history to appreciate the evolution. We've come a long way, baby:

original med ball made of leather
then rubber coated ones
then the plyo version that bounce
and finally CORE balls with handles

Core Balls are simply a medicine ball with a built in pre-formed handle on each side. The beauty is you can do SINGLE ARM exercise and throws. Sort of like a Russian Kettlebell but much lighter.

Med or Plyo Ball Exercises

NOTE: Beginners can do these exercises WITHOUT releasing the balls. Having a partner or cement wall also helps when you do throw them. Obviously, some of these exercises will be good for your arms and legs.

Here are several med or plyo exercises you can do to work the core, as well as incorporating them into your power or plyometric routine.

forward toss
upward toss
backwards toss
wood chop side throws (against a wall)
wood chop side passes with a partner
seated twist with a partner
standing twist with a partner
seated side throw with partner or against a wall
endless sit-up routines with partner or against a wall,
endless sit-up routines without partner such as the killer med ball V-up.
falling chest throw while kneeling to a push up position
falling chest throw while kneeling then starting a 10 m sprint
standing lunge and twist and throw
stepping over high hurdles with both arms straight up holding med ball (my favorite) as it works hip mobility
slamming ball into ground (or soft sand).. better than doing crunches
pushups with both hands on Med ball (see advanced routine below)

So there you have it. I just saved you from buying a book on how to using med balls.

The Amazing Alicia Weber

Doing Pushups with one or both hands on Med ball is tough… it's great for balance and core too! To add to the complexity, try adding a med ball to you feet (using 3 med balls). Or try two med balls with one foot elevated! Or a med ball for each arm.

With med balls measuring 22 cm diameter, Alicia Weber did 35 reps of pushups while balancing on 3 med balls for an official world record in March 2010. Note her triceps go down to parallel to the ground throughout the set.

Alicia’s (side view) of 3 med ball pushup world record

Pre-Race Routine: Getting into the Starting Blocks

Posted: 21 Jun 2010 09:00 AM PDT

This is PART 2: The pre-race routine getting into your starting blocks.
PART 1: The pre-race routine before getting into your starting blocks.

If you watch PGA golf, there's one thing that you probably noticed but never paid any attention.

From the minute they stand behind their shot, to the minute they strike the ball, the time it takes is amazingly consistent to the nearest tenth of a second on a stopwatch.

It's the same with a sprinter getting into their starting blocks when the starter calls "On your marks".

At the 2010 Rome Golden Gala, I was watching Jeremy Wariner get into his blocks. It's a routine I've seen him do several times over the course of 6 years. It's so consistent it's implanted in my head, and I'm not the one down on the track racing!

When the starter calls "On your marks" his routine goes like this:

jump up
straight legged touch toes
squat down
backup for leg stretches
downward dog (yoga pose)
left leg high kick into block
right leg high kick into block
knees down
wipe hands on thighs
get in position, wait for the set command

Your pre-race routine for getting into the starting blocks should be repeated over and over that it's totally automatic. It's a "hind brain" activity after countless of hours at the track.

My pre-race routine involves stepping on the rear of the blocks to "set" the spikes onto the track. I know the blocks are secure, but it's just a superstition that I've engrained in my brain over the years.

You do whatever you have to do to stay focused and relax. It's automatic, even when it's raining.

Here is a good amateur video from the 2004 Indoor 400 meter NCAA Finals showing that routine. He hasn't changed in 6 years.