Most athletic strength and conditioning sessions are going to center around variations of the Olympic lifts, variations of squats, hip hinges, presses, and rows. Clearly there is more than just strength/power to develop in a strength and conditioning program, for example conditioning and mobility. However, it can be a challenge to fit these into a team’s strength and conditioning program.
This post is going to provide an example of how to integrate conditioning, mobility, and some injury prevention in a way that doesn’t eat a lot of time. Basically we’re going to incorporate all of this into a fast-paced warm up.
In a team setting with extremely limited time and facilities, we don’t always have the luxury of beginning a strength and conditioning session with a general warm up along the lines of “jog 800 meters.” But we also need to do something before beginning with light weights on the bar and working up to the first work set.
Like the weight room work, the warm up should be set up in stations that maximize the use of space and allow for a flow. With that in mind, below are some examples of a circuit approach to a warm up:
Station 1: Jump rope (platform)
Station 2: Step overs (rack)
Station 3: Eagles (floor)
Perform each station for 30 seconds, repeat two times. Then change to:
Station 1: Kettlebell swings (platform)
Station 2: Step unders (rack)
Station 3: Stomach eagles (floor)
Perform each station for 30 seconds, repeat two times. Then end the session with overhead squats if time.
A word about some of the exercises:
- Step overs mean adjusting the spotter arms so they are high enough that they function like hurdles that the athlete will need to step over. First step over moving to the left. Then step over moving back to the right.
- Step unders mean adjusting the height of the barbell in the rack so that the athletes must move under the bar to clear it. Again, on the track this could be done with hurdles but that’s not always practical in a weight room.
- Eagles and stomach eagles are hip mobility drills that track coaches will be familiar with.
- Kettlebell swings: If you don’t have kettlebells or if the team is too large this can be done with weight plates!
A program like this warms up the athlete, focuses on the major joints, strengthens the ankles (jump rope), develops athleticism, works on mobility, and works on conditioning.