Best Workout Routines | Back And Shoulder Workout For Athletes
Functional training is the best workout routines for athletes to translate strength gains into athletic gains. These are the best workout routines for athletes to teach their body how to operate in unison and improve overall strength. The Kbands Plank Pulldowns is a great back and shoulder workout which incorporates ab strength.
To perform the back and shoulder workout, the Kbands Plank Pulldowns, athletes will need a set of KB Powerbandss with two handles and all four levels of resistance, and a partner. First, athletes and their partners must choose the correct level of resistance. Athletes can mix and match the different levels of resistance to find the perfect level of resistance bands for the back and shoulder workout. Athletes will attach one handle to each end of the KB Powerbands and move away from their partner until there is no slack in the KB Powerbands. Athletes and their partners will move into the upward phase of a pushup, hips off the ground and arms extended. Athletes will place the handles so the athlete and partner are holding the handle on the same side, partner holding with the left hand athlete holding with the right hand. With a straight arm athletes and their partner will simultaneously extend their arm out in front of them, stabilizing with the opposite arm and obliques, and keeping a straight arm, pull the handle to the side of their body. This back and shoulder workout will force the lats to fire as the muscles of the shoulder work to stabilize the movement, as well as the athletes body.
Athletes will perform 30-40 second active sets being sure to move in unison with their partner. Perform 2-4 sets from both the right and left side allowing 30-60 seconds between sets.
Best Workout Routines | Upper Chest Workout For Athletes
For the upper chest workout, the Kbands Stability Lunges, athletes will need a set of KB Powerbands bands, 2 handles, an Anchor Strap, and an assisting partner. Athletes will first choose the correct amount of resistance for the upper chest workout and attach the handles to each end of the KB Powerbands. Partners will attach the Anchor Strap to the middle of the resistance bands and stand behind the athlete. With the resistance bands behind the athlete they will extend their arms out to the side, a slight bend at the elbows, and place their hands so they are slightly in front of the athletes shoulders and chest. Athletes will begin at a position where there is tension on the resistance bands and will begin to lunge forward, keeping the arms extended out to the side. Athletes will be forced to stabilize through their abs and pinch their shoulder blades together to keep their hands in front of their shoulders to get a great upper chest workout.
Athletes will lunge out 10-12 yards, alternating legs, with their partners following at a distance to keep the tension manageable. While performing the upper chest workout athletes need to keep a big chest, keep their knees behind toes, and drive through the front heel to return to the standing position. Complete 2-4 resisted sets of the upper chest workout with 30-60 seconds of rest between sets.
Once athletes have completed all sets of the forward walking lunges they will turn around to face their partner and perform a reverse lunge for a back and shoulder workout. Athletes will reverse lunge for 10-12 yards pinching the shoulder blades and trying to keep their hand even with their shoulders while moving through the back and shoulder workout. Complete 2-4 resisted sets of the Reverse Stability Lunges, taking 30-60 seconds of rest between sets.
Best Workout Routines | Best Oblique Exercises For Athletes
The Kbands Plank Extensions is one of the best oblique exercises for athletes which also incorporates an upper chest workout into the training. To complete the Kbands Plank Extensions athletes will need a set of KB Powerbands, 1 handle and 1 wrist strap attached at each end, and a set of Kbands attached just above the knees.
Athletes will attach the wrist strap around their wrist as their partner uses either the handle or Anchor Strap to safely and securely hold the KB Powerbands during the upper chest workout. Athletes will place the wrist strap around the wrist closest to their partner and move into the upward pushup position, hips off ground, with arms extended. Athletes will move laterally away from their partner, moving hands and feet in unison. After the athlete walks out 3-4 steps they will stop and reach their resisted arm across their chest 3-5 times, extending and reaching the arm across the chest as far as possible. Once the athlete completes the reaches across the chest they will stabilize their body and move back to where they began the upper chest workout. Complete 3-6 sets of the exercise alternating which hand the athlete reaches across the body. Take 40-60 seconds of rest between sets keeping the butt low during the reaches and being sure the body stays straight and does not become diagonal as the drill progresses.
Best Workout Routines | Rotational Exercises Are the Best Oblique Exercises For Athletes
The first rotational drill requires two athletes and a set of KB Powerbands. Athletes will attach the handles to both ends of the KB Powerbands as one athlete sits on the ground with legs straight in front of them, the other athlete will stand to the side of this athlete in a good athletic position. Standing athletes will stack their hands on the handle and extend their arms in front of them. Keeping the arms long these athletes will rotate their body taking the handle from one side of the body to the other. These athletes need to focus on rotating their hips, pulling their shoulder blades together making this these the best oblique exercises for athletes. Sitting athletes will extend their arms and act as the “anchor” for their partner. Sitting athletes should keep their abs tight and not let the opposite athletes movements move them out of position. Complete 15 rotational repetitions before switching with the sitting partner. Athletes should perform 3-4 rounds on each side and sitting athletes should be sure to rotate which direction they are facing so maximum oblique activation can occur.
The next rotational drill requires both athletes to be in the standing position, each holding one handle attached to a set of KB Powerbands. Athletes will be side to side with enough distance between them so there is no slack in the KB Powerbands. Athletes will simultaneously rotate away from each other and in a controlled movement rotate back toward their partner. Athletes will complete 15 repetitions on one side before taking a short rest, switching sides, and continuing the exercise on the opposite side. Complete 3-4 repetitions on each side of the body before moving on. Once all standing repetitions have been completed both athletes will sit down, legs extended in front of them, and perform the same rotational movement with the same reps and sets as the standing version.
The final rotational exercises are some of the best workout routines for strengthening the abs while incorporating a great back and shoulder workout. One athlete will perform a static hold while the other partner performs an active rotational movement. The first athlete will be in either the seated, or standing position with arms extended and shoulder blades pulled back. The other athlete will perform an external rotation in which they place either their hand, or a towel in their arm pit, clench their upper arm to the side of their body, and externally rotate the hand away from the body while maintaining a 90 degree angle at the elbow. As athletes rotate the hand back toward the body they will take 3 seconds to return the hand to the starting position. This helps create more stability during the back and shoulder workout. Athletes will perform 8-10 repetitions on each side. Partners will rotate which way they are facing as well, before switching positions with their partner. Perform 3-4 resisted sets of the exercise on each side of the body.
For the next portion of the back and shoulder workout rotational drills both athletes will stand. Athlete one will perform the static hold, just as performed in the previous drills, while the other athlete faces their partner, grasps the handle, and brings their arm parallel to the ground with a 90 degree bend at the elbow. Athletes will rotate their hand back in a controlled motion, maintaining the upper arm parallel to the ground and keeping the 90 degree angle at the elbow. Athletes will use the same 3 second count as they lower the hand back to the starting position. Complete 3-4 rounds of 8-10 repetitions rotating with the opposite athlete, and switching the position of the athlete performing the static hold.
The final rotational movement requires one athlete to be in the seated static hold position, arms extended in front of them, while the opposite athlete moves to the side of their partner and places the KB Powerbands handle in the hand farthest away from their partner. As athletes perform the static hold the active partner will simultaneously laterally step away from their partner while extending a straight arm away from their body. Athletes should work to get their arm parallel to the ground at the highest point of the movement. Complete 2-3 resisted rounds of 8-10 repetitions as partners rotate between the two positions. Partners in the seated position need to rotate which way they are facing so they get the most out of the best oblique exercises.