TBR: S&C 1

THE 'ATHLETIC STANCE'

FLEXIBILITY
​The athletic stance is a key fundamental in all sports. This stance can also be called the ‘ready position’ or ‘position of greatest strength’. It lowers the center of gravity with a wide base of support with muscles engaged so that the body can react quickly to external cues as quickly and efficiently as possible. The stance is, feet at least hip width apart, knees bent, arms up and in front.
Don't forget to stretch after your workout! A regular stretching routine is crucial to building a well rounded athlete and can help prevent injury! As a TBR S&C member you can download the TBR S&C Flexibility guide here.

SPECIAL VIDEO! Squat Technique

Workout 1 (1-2 times per week)

WARM UP

Complete these exercises from the Warm Up Video:

Numbered Cones 2 x 30sec

Crab Walks 3 x 6 each direction

Glute Bridges 3 x 6

Partner Reactive Plank 1 x 30sec

HINGE   (3 sets, 6 reps)

STANCE: Feet hip width apart, slight knee bend, hands by ears with palms facing forwards and elbows out. Weight in the middle of the feet throughout the entire movement.
1. Break at the waist, pull the hips back maintaining a straight spine, ‘hinging’ the spine forwards. Maintain a slight knee bend.
2. Concentrating on using the glutes and maintaining a straight spine, drive the hips up and forward to bring the spine upright finishing with the glutes squeezed in full hip extension.
3. Squeeze at the top for 3 seconds and break at the waist again into the next repetition.

INCLINE PUSH UP (3 sets, 6 reps)

STANCE: Plank position (hands up on bench): The spine should remain neutral throughout the entire rep (no rounding or arching). If the spine changes shape then take a step back and do an easier variation of the exercise (incline or knee push up)

Each rep needs to be completed through the full range of motion. This means that on the way up, once the arms are straight, the shoulders should continue to push downwards as the upper back continues to rise. A common mistake is only pushing up until the arms are straight but the shoulders are still back.

SQUAT (3 sets, 6 reps)

Progression 1. Body Weight Squat
STANCE: Start with feet slightly wider than hip width and the toes pointing 45 degrees outwards, a slight knee bend and the arms straight in front of the shoulders pointing forwards.
1. The hip and knee joint should simultaneously flex as you sit into the squat
2. When viewed from the side, your centre of mass staying over the middle of your feet. 
3. When viewed from the front, the knees should stay in line with the toes.

Progression 2. Banded Body Weight Squat
As above with the addition of a mini band around the knees

ROW (3 sets, 6 reps)

STANCE: Loop the band around a post. Sitting in front of the post tall and upright with the feet in front against the post.

​1. Keep the shoulders low.
2. Squeeze the shoulder blades together first.
3. Then row the band inwards with both hands simultaneously keeping the elbows out. Maintain the squeeze of the shoulder blades and hold for 3 seconds.
4. Slowly move the band back forwards (still maintaining the shoulder blade squeeze). Finally, once the arms reach the straight position the shoulders can move forwards again. (watch your shoulders don’t shrug upwards throughout entire rep!).

Workout 2 (1-2 times per week)

WARM UP

Complete these exercises from the Warm Up Video:

Numbered Cones 2 x 30sec

Crab Walks 3 x 6 each direction

Glute Bridges 3 x 6

Partner Reactive Plank 1 x 30sec

LUNGE (3 sets, 6 reps)

STANCE: One foot in front, the other behind, both toes facing forwards. The front foot is flat on the ground and you are up on the toes of the back foot.

​1. As you lunge down, think of the hips moving straight down towards the floor until the back knee almost touches the ground. Make this downward movement slow, smooth and controlled.
2. Push back up through the front foot trying to keep the weight through the whole foot.
*If the hips don’t stay square and the knee doesn’t stay inline with the front toes, then don’t go as deep

LAT PULL DOWN​ (3 sets, 6 reps)

STANCE: Hang a band over a chin up bar. Kneel or sit underneath the band gripping each end of the band with one hand and keep the palms facing towards you.

​1. Engage the lat muscles and (with arms still straight) pull the shoulders downwards.
2. Pull the bands simultaneously towards the top of your chest, just below your chin.
* The key is to train a slow controlled movement on the way out (count 3 secconds) and finish by releasing the lats at the bottom before moving into the next rep.

PRONE HOLD COMBO (2 sets)

STANCE: Plank position

​Performed consecutively, you hold 15 seconds in a standard plank, a plank with one arm in the air, swap to the other arm, one foot in the air, swap to the other foot, a side plank and finish with another 15 seconds in a standard plank.
This drill can be done up on the hands or down on the forearms. The idea is to keep the hips square and the spine straight. If your spine is sagging or your bum is up then shorten the time so that you can do it with good form.

LANDING DRILLS​ (3 sets, 6 reps)

STANCE: ‘Athletic stance’

Standing on a step, allow your body to fall forwards and step off the step. Your goal is to land softly with the weight in the middle of your feet.

Feet should be hip width apart on landing and the knees should stay over your toes. It may help to film your landings.

​Once you have mastered this skill, move onto some single leg landings. The goal once again is to land softly with weight in the middle of your foot and the knee tracking over the toes as you absorb.