High knee drill with a ball

Typically, I don’t like the articles about how to develop fitness on the web. They are too short and make it sound like all you have to do is this series of exercises and you will get sculpted buttocks and arms in four days.

Obviously, that is complete scam material.

But Active.com recently posted a good one here on improving running speed.

Much of it can be done with just body weight exercises which I like. At the end they quote a study which claims that runners who improved core strength dropped 47 seconds in their 5K time which is pretty good.

I’m not surprised and neither should you be. Running well requires a lot of core strength to be effective.

Here is a summary of the exercises…

• Carioca
• High Knees
• Donkey Kicks
• Leg Scissors on back/side to side
• Leg Scissors on back/up and down
• Jump and land in an athletic stance
• Cossack extension. (Hold on to a pole for balance. Go down into a squat position. Bring one leg forward, then back and switch legs.)
• V-sits
• Push-ups
• Back bridge

The next exercises require a medicine ball, though for young kids it isn’t really necessary. Just going through the rotational movements will have a lot of benefits for them.

• Rotation with knee lift. Hold medicine ball at the waist. Twist to the right and return. As you return bring the left knee up to the ball. Repeat to the opposite side.
• Wood Choppers. Hold ball overhead above the right shoulder. Bend down and bring the ball to your left foot. Return. Switch to the other side.
• Off the wall toss: Toss the ball from the side to a wall. Repeat with both sides.
• Big circles: Hold ball overhead and circle clockwise and counter clock wise making as big a circle in front of you as possible.

There are no perfect programs or series of exercises. This is one which can be modified for all types of kids and will work for a short time. Even doing it without the medicine ball will be effective.

To learn how to apply this to your teams soccer fitness click the link. Sometimes knowing a little bit can be dangerous. Learn as much as you can!