Physioball and Plyometrics -- Week 3

Layering onto our focus of strength training in week 2 at NYSSSA, this week we are maintaining core stability with physioball exercises and increasing speed through quick strength plyometrics. 

Working with a physioball has many benefits:

• strengthens core 
• increases balance 
• develops proprioception skills (related to motion and orientation of the body in space)
• connect upper and lower limbs through the core

See Lauren rolling out to a reverse plank on the physioball; she'll perform a jack knife, then a pike, and finish with a push-up.  

 This is very advanced so we began a few steps before this with simple rolling out and in, testing our balance and strength while maintaining good alignment in a plank and reverse plank.  We practiced other strengthening exercises using the ball, and we found that some of students may not be at this level of strength yet -- you might not be either -- and that's OK! Remember to work within your capacity and to increase own personal ability, not your neighbor's.   

With this series, it's important to keep arms pressing away from the floor so the shoulders don't collapse and to keep the abdominal muscles engaged to support the low spine -- the body should be in a straight line parallel to the floor during the reverse plank, head in line with the spine (make sure to keep that alignment during the push-up Lauren!)  Each of these exercises can be done in isolation, or combined for a powerful workout as Lauren showed us.   

We'll talk plyometrics tomorrow!