| CB
ATHLETIC CONSULTING TRAINING REPORT -
www.cbathletics.com |
| |
INSIDE THIS ISSUE…“Medicine Ball Training:
Part II”
- “Abdominal Training
with Medicine Ball Exercises”
- "The Med Ball Ab Workout”
- "Exercise Descriptions”
- "New Manuals for Executives and Women
in Their Prime!”
1 – ANOTHER WAY
TO TRAIN YOUR ABS
Many athletes don’t understand how important
abdominal training is to their performance. A strong and
powerful midsection is very important in a golf swing, slapshot,
or home run swing. While every athlete wants a great set
of visible abs, not very many know that they can get picturesque
abs while improving their rotational strength and power
at the same time!
Part II of the CB ATHLETICS medicine ball
training series will discuss many excellent medicine ball
exercises that can be used to build abdominal strength and
power. But don’t just go and grab the heaviest medicine
ball you can find! Use these guidelines to select a conservative
training weight:
· Beginner female = 2-4 pound ball
· Beginner male = 4-6 pound ball
· Intermediate = 6-8 pound ball
· Advanced = 8-10 pound ball
· Elite = 12 pound ball
For the adventurous, you can buy a 40-pound
medicine ball at elitefitnesssystems.com.
2 – AN AB WORKOUT USING ONLY MEDICINE BALLS
Warm-Up: Start with a circuit. Perform 3 circuits
of 8 repetitions per exercise.
1. Squat-Push Press
2. Woodcutters
Abdominal Workout
· Choose the circuit best suited to your training
level.
· Perform 3 circuits. Rest 1 minute between circuits.
· Perform 12 repetitions of each exercise. The circuit
will build both general strength and endurance for your
midsection.
· Perform each repetition as explosively as possible.
· To concentrate on building abdominal power, increase
the weight of the ball you use, and perform 4-6 reps per
exercise with a minute break between each exercise.
· Make sure you are able to release the ball when
training for power so that you don’t include a deceleration
phase in the movement.
Beginner’s Circuit
1. Overhead Throws
2. Diagonal Chop
3. Side Throw
Intermediate Circuit
1. Overhead Throws
2. Diagonal Chop
3. Back-swing
4. Side Throw
Advanced Circuit
1. Overhead Throws
2. Diagonal Chop
3. Back-swing
4. V-up Twists
5. Single-leg Standing MB rotations
6. Side Throw
Elite Circuit
1. Overhead Throws
2. Diagonal Chop
3. Lying Ab Toss
4. V-up Twists
5. Back Swing
6. Single-leg Standing MB rotations
7. Side Throw
3 – EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS
Squat Push-Press
· Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes
turned slightly out. Hold a medicine ball at chest level.
· Squat down by extending your butt back. Keep the
ball held against your chest.
· Pause briefly, then return to the starting position
and press the ball overhead.
· You may also release the ball on the way up and
catch it in the standing position.
· Be sure you keep your torso erect, weight back
in the heels, and shoulders back to remain in the proper
position.
Woodcutters
· Stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width
apart and hold the medicine ball overhead (with both hands).
· Slightly bend your knees and flex your torso forward.
Contract your abs and bring the medicine ball down until
it is at floor level between your feet.
· Pause at the bottom and then reverse the motion.
Use your hip and back extensor muscles as you return to
the start position.
· This exercise is named because it simulates how
a woodcutter would swing an axe.
· You can also perform this exercise by starting
with the ball extended over one shoulder and swinging down
until the ball is over the opposite foot. If done this way,
make sure to do an equal number of repetitions for each
side of the body.
Overhead Throws
· Stand 15 feet from a wall with your feet slightly
greater than shoulder-width apart.
· Hold the medicine ball overhead with both hands.
· Slightly bend your knees and flex your torso forward.
· Contract your abs and throw the medicine ball at
the wall as hard as you can but the involvement of your
arms in the exercise. Aim for knee level on the wall.
· Retrieve the ball and repeat.
Diagonal Chop
· Stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width
apart.
· Hold the medicine ball over your left shoulder
(with both hands). Your right shoulder should be under your
chin.
· Bend your knees and flex your torso forward. Contract
your abs, rotate your torso, and bring the medicine ball
across your body until it is outside of your right foot.
· Pause at the bottom and then slowly return to the
start position.
· This exercise is very similar to the “Woodcutters”
but it also involves torso rotation.
Back-swing
· Stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width
apart and hold the medicine ball in your hands.
· Bend forward and rotate your torso so that the
ball is just above your left foot. This is the starting
position.
· Use your hip and back extensor muscles to explode
upwards as if you were going to throw the ball over your
right shoulder.
· At the top of the movement the ball should be above
your right shoulder, your arms should be extended, and your
left leg should be extended (with only the toe of your left
leg in contact with the ground).
· Slowly return to the starting position.
V-up Twists
· Sit on the floor with your knees bent and legs
extended out in front of you. Do not rest your feet on the
ground.
· Your torso should lean back so that your upper
legs and upper body form a “V”.
· Hold ball in your hands.
· Rotate the ball to your right. Pause briefly and
then rotate the ball across your body to the left side.
This completes one repetition.
Lying Ab Toss
· Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet
resting on the ground.
· Hold ball in your hands above your head. Use a
lighter ball than usual for this drill.
· Perform a sit-up by contracting your abdominals.
· As you come up, throw the ball to partner.
· Have your partner throw the ball back to you as
you return to the starting position.
Single-leg standing MB rotations
· Stand on one leg with a slight bend in the knee
and hold a med ball in your hands.
· Slowly rotate your upper body to the right so that
the ball is above your right hip.
· Pause then rotate all the way across your body
until the ball is above your left hip.
· This completes 1 repetition. Maintain your balance
on one leg for the entire exercise.
Side Throw
· Stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width
apart and face a wall.
· Step forward with your left foot.
· Reach back with your torso to your right so that
the ball touches your right hip.
· Contract your abs, rotate your torso, and bring
the medicine ball across your body and throw it against
a wall.
4 – NEW HEALTHY LIFESTYLE MANUALS
EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE MANUAL
· A necessity for any executive (male
or female!) that values their health and future but doesn’t
know where to start.
· Visit www.cbathletics.com/programs_executive.htm
for more info.
· Order by emailing cb@cbathletics.com
“Hey Craig, Ok, I know it's been two
whole days, but this was the motivation and discipline that
I needed. Have had some great workouts in those two days,
regained that "runners high" feeling I was so
missing during workouts and dropped two pounds from my longtime
weight plateau. It feels great, thanks.” – Joe
S., Milwaukee, WI
PRIME WOMEN’S HEALTH MANUAL
· Based on medical research, this step-by-step program
will mature women to successful weight loss and improved
health. No radical diets are involved!
· Learn how to use weights and walking to increase
your metabolism, bone mineral density, and self-esteem while
lowering cholesterol and controlling your blood sugar.
· Email Craig Ballantyne to order your copy: cb@cbathletics.com
To unsubscribe – Reply to this email with “Remove”
in the subject line.
Otherwise, please forward this newsletter and the website
to a friend.
CB ATHLETIC CONSULTING
www.cbathletics.com
www.grrlathlete.com
cb@cbathletics.com
