Fitness Training To Help Athletes Stay Focused As They Fatigue

Athletes should practice great conditioning drills that will help them to remain quick, agile, and alert as they progress late into an athletic event. Performing fitness training which mimic game situations and force athletes to focus and perform specific tasks forces them to stay focused on what is happening around them. This translates into an athlete effortlessly concentrating about what is going on around them instead of focusing on their body movements. This transition of focus will translate into more tackles by a linebacker, more explosive fast breaks and quicker transitions down the basketball court, and the potential to out maneuver a defender late in a soccer match.

Out Condition Your Opponents By Performing Fitness Training With Victory Ropes

Athletes will prepare for the fitness training by first connecting the Victory Ropes. This can be accomplished by locating the anchor straps, placed at the end of each Victory Rope, and running one Victory Rope through the opposite ropes anchor strap. Athletes will then feed this same Victory Rope through one of its own anchor straps and pull the Victory Rope tight. Athletes will then create a loop which will be placed around the athletes waist. This will be accomplished by grasping the middle of one of the Victory Ropes, feeding it through its open anchor strap, then placing the loop formed around the athletes waist.

Athletes will need 4 Speed and Agility Cones. These Speed and Agility Cones will act as outside stimuli for athletes and represent focus points for the athletes on during the fitness training. Athletes will place one Speed and Agility Cone in the center of the designated workout area. Athletes will place another Speed and Agility Cone 35-36 feet away, directly in line with the Speed and Agility Cone. Two Additional Cones will be placed 5-8 feet to the left and to the right of one of the cones. Athletes should end with a line of three Speed and Agility Cones with a single cone centered and 35-36 feet away from the three cone setup.

Partners assisting with the fitness training will remain in a stationery position behind the single Speed and Agility Cone. Partners must practice safety during the conditioning drill by being sure the anchor strap is securely attached around their wrist, grasping the Victory Rope securely.

Use Victory Ropes Conditioning Drills To Increase Focus And Stamina

After athletes have set up the Victory Ropes and Speed and Agility Cones they will line up at the lone Speed and Agility Cone, face away from their partner, and toward the 3 cone set up. Partners are responsible for controlling the fitness training as it is their job to call out which Speed and Agility Cone the athlete should sprint too. Partners will call out middle, left, or right, one or two steps before the athlete reaches the starting Speed and Agility Cone. Once athletes reach the correct Speed and Agility Cone in the three cone set up they will quickly backpedal toward the single Speed and Agility Cone and listen for their next target. Athletes will need to quickly redirect their bodies by breaking down their feet and redirecting their focus toward the next Speed and Agility Cone. Athletes will complete 4-6 20-30 second rounds of the Victory Ropes conditioning drill allowing 40-90 seconds of rest between sets. Athletes can also alternate performing the fitness training with their partner. Making their partners active set of the Victory Ropes Three Headed Monster Runs their rest period, while making the athletes active set of the conditioning drills their partners rest period. This sort of rotation can make this a great conditioning drill to perform at the end of a group or team training session. Performing conditioning drills at the end of a workout will help the fitness training translate into better game performance late in the competition.

When performing conditioning drills it is important the athlete uses proper form and technique to help their bodies maximize the power and force they are able to produce with every movement. Athletes need to explode toward their first Speed and Agility Cone with a slight forward tilt in their chest and a strong, powerful arm swing. Beginning the sprint with the chest in a lowered position allows athletes to use larger muscles and momentum to power through the Victory Ropes and be quick to their first destination. As athletes reach the Speed and Agility Cones it is important they utilize short, choppy steps so they can control their momentum, not allowing the Victory Ropes to control their movements, while smoothly transitioning their momentum from moving forward to moving backwards. When performing the backward running portion of conditioning drills athletes should keep a slightly forward tilt in their chest and utilize a quick arm swing. Concentration should be kept on foot speed during backpedaling as this is a great opportunity to increase an athletes ability to use quick steps. This increase in foot speed will lead to gains in maximum sprinting, agility, and body control.

Use A Variety Of Victory Ropes Conditioning Drills During Fitness Training

To continue to improve on athleticism, athletes need to use a variety of conditioning drills which challenge their endurance and stamina. Athletes can use other great Victory Ropes conditioning drills which focus on taxing the bodies energy systems through different avenues.

The Victory Ropes Burpee Jumps are a great high intensity, team or group, conditioning drill which maintains the intensity but without the running. This conditioning drill uses explosive movements to drain the body of energy, followed up with a taxing fitness training exercise known as a burpee. This combination forces athletes to dig deep and challenge themselves with every jump.

Another great conditioning drill which incorporates resistance into the fitness training is the Football Conditioning X Drill. This conditioning drill utilizes the Reactive Stretch Cord and takes athletes through a dynamic and challenging cone set up. This conditioning drill forces athletes to continue to be quick and explosive while quickly moving straight, backwards, and diagonally. This is a great drill for athletes who participate in football, basketball, or soccer.