GISP Exercise of the Month

Pointer Start Position

Charity golf events, marathon preparations, fall sports at full speed, winter sports ramping up, and with spring sports getting the off-seasons organized the topic of low back training and injury prevention has come up often. In all of the workouts I design, our "weak link" program is right at or near the beginning. We look at typical areas of injury for a sport or individual and design a program to help spend time making this "weakness" a new found "strength." Hip and core activation has been a recent concern so I wanted to share an exercise we did this morning with our rear deltiod, low back, and gluteal/hamstring groups.

Pointer

Start with both hands and knees on the floor.

x   Touch the opposite knee to the opposite elbow.

x   Reach out and kick back as far as possible.

x   Drive heel and back of hand towards ceiling.

x   Squeeze from hamstrings through upper back while in the contracted position.

x   Return to start position under control

Progression Note: When using weight, a medicine ball can be placed behind the knee.

Alternately a weight can be held in the hand for even greater intensity.

Pointer End Position

As the Director of Sports Performance at the Gordon Institute, Robert Taylor oversees all aspects of the Sports Performance program at the Baltimore-based performance complex, encompassing the disciplines of Strength & Conditioning, Nutrition, VO2 Max, and Performance Evaluation and Training. Rob is also the founder and owner of SMARTER Team Training and international presenter. Coach Taylor was a strength and conditioning consultant for athletes on the Women’s Lacrosse World Cup Champion’s Team Australia in 2005, and was the Head Strength Coach for Team Australia’s 2009 World Cup team that played in the world championship game also. He has worked with professional organizations such as the Anaheim Angels, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Mutiny, and San Antonio Silver Stars. Coach Taylor has also worked with the athletic department at Loyola University Maryland, University of Delaware, UNC Greensboro, Cincinnati, Princeton, and Villanova. At each of these institutions, he has helped numerous athletes reach their dream of becoming professional athletes. Coach Taylor's athletes have gone on to be drafted by the NFL, MLB, NBA, MLS, MLL, and NLL. Coach Taylor can be reached by phone at 410-828-8218 or email at RTaylor@TheGordonInstitute.com.

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