Explosive Strength For Weekend Warriors

Those sprains and non-contact injuries in your weekend softball league can hurt physically, but when they’re not the result of a slide into home-plate or the game-saving catch, they’re bruising to your ego as well.

There’s a fix for that. Many sports injuries happen because we’re only strength-training — and training only the contractile component of muscle. That’s the part that affects the force produced. But the elastic component organizes movement, and it affects the rate of force production. Power training exercises make the elastic component stronger, so muscles can work more efficiently.

Multi-directional, rotational movement that emphasizes hip mobility will increase dynamic flexibility and reduce the risk of pulling a muscle or injuring your back. This can reduce the risk of non-contact injury, and have you out on the field or course for many weekends to come.

In this workout, we’re using power exercises performed at an extremely high intensity. Move as fast as possible! Weights should be challenging, but the focus of these lifts is on explosive movement and form — not maximum lifting.

TRY THIS WORKOUT IN TWO FORMATS:

HORIZONTAL:
Rest between each set. Complete all sets of one exercise before moving on to the next.
CIRCUIT:
Move from one exercise to the next with minimal rest, and rest 2 to 3 minutes after completing all the exercises. Repeat for all sets.

PREP A LATERAL HIP SHIFT WITH ARM REACHES

REPS: 12 each side
SETS: 2
INTENSITY/LOAD: Bodyweight
TEMPO: Slow
REST INTERVAL: 30 sec

● Stand with your feet parallel and wider than hip-width apart.
● Lean towards your right, and push your right hip back.
● Reach across your body with your left hand — think about rotating from the shoulder.
● Return to the start position and alternate sides.

PREP B FORWARD LUNGE WITH REACH TO ANKLE

REPS: 8 each side
SETS: 2
INTENSITY/LOAD: Bodyweight
TEMPO: Slow
REST INTERVAL: 60 sec

● Start with your feet hip-width apart and hands by your side.
● Step forward with your right leg.
● Keeping both heels on the ground, hinge forward on the right hip and reach for the floor with both arms.
● Return to standing and alternate legs.

01 KETTLEBELL SWINGS

REPS: 8-10
SETS: 3-4
INTENSITY/LOAD: 7-8 RPE
TEMPO: Fast
REST INTERVAL: 90 sec

● Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a moderately heavy kettlebell in both hands.
● Hinge forward at the hips, keeping your spine long.
● At the bottom, press your feet into the floor and push your hips forward to swing the kettlebell. The work is from your hips, NOT your shoulders.
● Allow the kettlebell to swing up to chest height before repeating.

02 180 DUMBBELL PUSH JERKS

REPS: 3-4 each side
SETS: 3-4
INTENSITY/LOAD: 7-8 RPE
TEMPO: Fast
REST INTERVAL: 90 sec

● Stand in a split-lunge stance with your right leg forward. Hold a pair of dumbbells by your shoulders so that your palms are facing each other and your elbows are by your ribs.
● Drop into your hips, then explode up as you push your arms straight overhead while turning so that you land with your left foot forward and right foot back.
● You should land in a lunge position with both arms directly overhead, and palms still facing each other.
● Return to standing, bring dumbbells back to shoulder height and alternate legs.

03 LATERAL BOUNDS

REPS: 6-8
SETS: 3-4
INTENSITY/LOAD: Bodyweight
TEMPO: Fast
REST INTERVAL: 90 sec

● Start with your feet hip-width apart.
● Sink into your hips, lean forward and shift onto your left leg.
● Explosively push your left foot into the ground to bound to your right.
● Then, sink into your right hip before pushing the right foot into the ground to bound back to the left. This is one rep.

04 ONE-ARM CABLE PRESS WITH HIP ROTATION

REPS: 12 each side
SETS: 3-4
INTENSITY/LOAD: 5-6 RPE
TEMPO: Moderate
REST INTERVAL: 60 sec

● Set a cable pulley at chest height. Stand close to the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart. Point your left foot away from the machine and your right foot parallel next to it. Grab the handle with your right hand.
● Push your left foot into the floor and rotate your right foot to point in the same direction.
● Push your right arm out in front of you as you turn your body to the left.
● Return to the start position and complete all reps on one side before alternating.

05 PULL-UPS

REPS: To fatigue
SETS: 3-4
INTENSITY/LOAD: Bodyweight
TEMPO: Moderate
REST INTERVAL: 90 sec

● Use a palms-down grip and set your hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart.
● Pull your chest towards the bar.
● Slowly return to the start position and repeat to fatigue.

06 CABLE PULL AND PUSH

REPS: 8-10 each side
SETS: 3-4
INTENSITY/LOAD: 5-6 RPE
TEMPO: Moderate
REST INTERVAL: 60 sec

● Set one cable pulley at shoulder height and the other at waist height, both with the handle attachment. Stand in the middle of the two pulleys with wide handles.
● In one motion push with one arm while pulling with the other. The goal is to keep your spine straight with pelvis level and feet anchored to the ground.
● Slowly return to the starting position. Complete all reps on one side before switching.