Victory Ropes Stability Chest Press | Upper Body Workout Routine
When many athletes are looking to increase the strength in their chest and shoulders they immediately think of the bench press. The bench press is a great general workout to increase the strength of the chest muscles, but utilizing workout routines, which build strength in the chest, and incorporate the rest of the body into the exercise will help make this strength more functional and applicable to sports specific situations. When it comes down to it there are very few sports specific situations in which an athlete will be using just their chest, shoulders, and triceps, which are the muscles worked during a regular bench press. By incorporating the Victory Ropes and forcing the athlete to maintain stability in their core and legs, athletes will build a greater amount of functional strength while performing this upper body workout routine.
Upper Body Workout Routine Translates Into Increased Athletic Performance
When building functional strength athletes want to focus on taking a certain portion of the body through a long range of motion while stabilizing or performing a static hold with other parts of the body. Think of a basketball player shooting a jump shot. If this athlete simply shot flat footed with only their arms every time they would make a very low percentage of their shots. By incorporating the lower body into this explosive movement athletes are able to generate greater force with their lower extremities and core, while maintaining controlled and accurate movements with the upper body. Basically, strengthening the upper body is important, but teaching the body to work as one will make all athletic movements more efficient and effective. When a player in football is running to make contact with an opponent they do not simply reach the opponent, stop, and press with their arms. Instead they utilize their hip, leg, and core strength to aid the arms and chest in an explosive and powerful movement to knock their opponent out of the way or control them for a short period of time. The same principles apply to a baseball player throwing a ball or a volleyball player serving a ball.
Use This Partner Workout Routine To Increase Total Body Strength
To begin this upper body workout routine athletes will need 2 Victory Ropes and a partner. Athletes will both place one Victory Rope in each hand firmly grasping the anchor strap located at the end of each Victory Rope. Athletes will face the same direction as both athletes assume a “split position” placing one foot out in front of the other, sinking the hips, and maintaining a 90 degree angle in the front leg, with their weight on the outside portion of the forward heel. Athletes will need to be 8-13 feet apart for this upper body workout routine. The athlete at the back of the workout routine will hold the split position while holding arms at their side and maintaining a 90 degree angle at the elbows.
The athlete at the front of the Victory Ropes Stability Chest Press will hold the split position, make sure the palms are facing the ground, reach the chest forward and extend their arms. Athletes should not bench press the Victory Ropes, but should instead work to maintain balance, slightly reach the chest forward and work to lengthen the arms as athletes extend the hand and bring them together at the top of the movement. Athletes need to work to maintain core and low back stability so athletes are always reaching forward and not letting the chest or shoulders drift back toward their partner. Younger and less experienced athletes can begin in a lower lunge position with their chests down to make the resistance more bearable. Stronger and more advanced athletes should work to maintain a slightly more upright position, still keeping the chest forward as they reach the hands forward while maintaining stability and balance.
Athletes will perform the upper body workout routine for 12-15 seconds or complete 12-15 repetitions per set. Once athletes complete one portion of the drill athletes will immediately turn around, maintain the same split position, keep same foot forward, and the athlete who had previously performed the pressing portion of the workout routine will now perform the static hold, keeping a 90 degree angle at the elbows and squeezing the shoulder blades together. Once athletes have performed both portions of the upper body workout routine athletes will switch legs and perform the same sequence again. Athletes will perform 3-6 sets of the upper body workout routine for each side of the body switching immediately from the pressing portion into the static hold portion of the workout routine.
Use a Variety Of Workout Routines To Increase Functional Strength
Functional strength is beneficial to athletes and their overall performance but there is definitely a place for strength training. Utilizing drills and equipment which force muscle recruitment in a desired area while forcing other parts of the body to stabilize will still do a great job to increase overall strength in those desired muscle groups. Utilizing the workout routines with the KB Duo, along with this upper body workout routine is a great way for athletes to build strength which will translate into athletic performance. Utilize the KB Duo Dynamic Strength XP to not only build strength in the upper body but to utilize workout routines which also build functional strength in the lower body. Some of these movements will mimic movements such as the bench press, but will force the athletes to use their body weight to recruit more muscles and to make this a great strength training drill.
Keeping a wide variety of workout routines which can be performed by athletes, teams, or small groups will help to keep exercises new and challenging. If athletes are performing a wide variety of workout routines their body will constantly be forced to adapt to new stimuli, creating more muscle activation, and helping to continually improve overall athleticism.