Strength and Power Training

Ok so we are getting to that time of year again where I gotta get back in shape for KMA cycling class which starts up again in January. I believe this will be year number 5 for this class?! Wow really? So for the next few weeks its back to the trainer for aerobic workouts to get those cycling muscles used to firing again. The key will be to hit these workouts twice a week on a consistant basis. I DO NOT want to go into the first class without a good aerobic base. Class number 1 will be either a functional threshold test or max heart rate test and I don't want to be the one who throws up this year!

In addition to these trainer workouts, I've also signed on to work with Roberto Parker, a former college and NFL strength and conditioning coach, to build more strength and power. If there is one thing I lack as an athlete, it is strength. I can swim, bike and run all day, but can't lift much weight to save my life! A group of us from the cycling class, plus KMA coach Greg, have signed up for a November and December schedule that should have us whipped into shape by the time we get going in Greg's class January 4th.

We meet on Tuesday and Thursday nights for about 75 minutes. So far the 3 workouts we've had have all been great. Tuesday's seem to be geared towards working the legs and Thursday is for upper body and core. Roberto has us doing all sorts of different exercises ranging from plyometric hops over boxes, to lunges even pushing tires across a cement floor! It's freaking awesome...

Last Thursday we did more push-ups and pull-ups then I've done in my life I think. I was sore for 5 days after that. This past Tuesday for our second leg day, we did 10 sets of lateral box jumps and my upper glutes on the outside are very sore. Basically worked muscles triathletes/runners just don't use going straight ahead all the time.

I'll try to summerize each days workout (as best I can remember, its funny how the mind seems to forget little things when you're smashing yourself!) to serve as a way to reproduce the workout later for myself or anyone else who wants to give it a try.

Workout #3 - Tuesday Nov. 10th: (workout #1 was similar so I won't recall it here)

Warm Up:
> Jump Rope: 10 jumps each foot, same backwards. 10 jumps each foot side to side, and backwards. Both feet with 2 turns of rope per jump.
> Medicine Ball: squat, thrust, leap across floor. Lunges coming back w/ball held above head.
> Kinetic Bands: side shuffle (feet wider than hips!)
> Kinetic Bands: faster shuffle (imagine defensive slide for basketball)
> Kinetic Bands: bear crawl (forwards down, backwards back)

Box Jumps: 5 boxes all different heights.
> With Kinetic Bands on, 20 seconds on 20 seconds off, lateral box jumps, one foot on box, other on floor to right or left of box. Quickly as possible, hop from one side of box to the other.
> Without bands, same protocol...

Now the hard(er) stuff... Mainset 5 stations
> Station 1 - single leg squat. one foot on box behind you and holding a weight plate 10 per leg.
> Station 2 - tire sled. push stack of two tires across concrete floor, down and back. Very Tough!
> Station 3 - punching back kicks, 10 each leg, side kick, outside cresent kick. Then laying on side, hip off ground, bicycle kick, 30 each leg.
>Station 4: dumbbell held on each shoulder, elbows pointing to front, 10-15 squats.
> Station 5: Back extension holding 15-25 pound ball. Legs at 90* with spotter pressing down on feet. Forces you to pull yourself up with hammies and glutes. Good exercise!

> 20 split jump squats with dumbbell, 10 split jump squats without.

Stretch and go home!

Oh man I'm still sore in my upper outside glutes. Calves are a bit tight to from that workout. Everyone out of breath and sweating buckets at the end.