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Sport Specific Training
Do you play Sport?
If the answer is yes, then this article can help you...if not, then it can also help educate you!
Sport is a great way to bring people together. It keeps you fit and active, helps release stress, adds a competition edge, giving you something to train for and improves your cognitive ability for decision making and mental strength.
To excel at your given sport, you need to be committed and you need to train specifically for that sport. For example, a footballer doing heavy lifting will make them less mobile which is what you 'don't' want. A weightlifter doing cardio running will make them lose muscle and strength which is what they 'don't' want.
What is Specific?
Think about the principles and methods of training involved in your preferred sport. For example, football includes:
- Speed
- Agility
- Fitness
- Strength
- Balance
- Core
- Flexibility
Functional Training is great way to improve more than one element of your training principles. This can involve the following equipment:
- SAQ Ladder work
- Kettlebells
- Plyo boxes
- Olympic bars
- Suspension Trainers
- BOSU board
- Resistance bands
What can I do?
Start training for your sport and see what a difference it makes for you. For a greater understanding in specific training and to see football specific fitness session, check out the video on YouTube channel Nicky Fitness.
Thanks Billy Crowther taking part with us.
SpeedFlex Dubai
What is SpeedFlex?
Nicky Fitness was invited to attend SpeedFlex Dubai, based in the JA Ocean View Hotel, JBR.
SpeedFlex is a concept that uses Circuit Training, Hydraulic machines and Functional Equipment to give you a Cardio-Strength workout.
The studio has 9 machines spread out around the room, which are the different stations. There can be additional pieces of functional kit placed in-between these 9 machines to increase the amount of stations and ultimately, the intensity of the workout.
The Exercises
You can work for Reps or for Time, that is down to the instructor.
For a warm up we worked for Reps then increased the intensity and worked for 30 seconds with 15 second transition to the next station.
1) High Pull
2) Squat and Press
3) Clean & Press
4) Squat (deep)
5) Alt leg step up to Shoulder Press
6) Back Deadrow
7) OH Shoulder Press
8) Underhand Lat Pulldown into Squat
How many calories can you burn?
Due to the intensity of the workout, it really does increase your Heart Rate.
This means that you will burn more calories. There are x3 types of class durations which can focus on progression or regression, set at the following times:
- 30 minutes
- 45 minutes
- 60 minutes
Nicky Fitness did the 30 minute workout which was very intense, burning 423 calories.
More information can be found @Speedflexdubai Instagram page.
Check out @nicky__fitness page for a live video of the workout in action
Bodyweight Training
What is it?
Bodyweight training is simply using your own mass as your resistance for exercise.
If you can move well with your own bodyweight then you are strong.
For example, if you weigh 70kg and you can do x10 push ups or x5 pull ups, that shows good strength.
You can work for a period of reps or period of time, depending on your current fitness levels and goals.
How can it help me?
Being mobile and strong enough to move your own bodyweight is key.
This will allow you to develop your fitness because the beauty of bodyweight training means it's just you and your bodyweight, therefore it needs no equipment...which means no excuses!
Calisthenics is an extreme form of bodyweight training that involves a high level of strength as you perform movements like the Human Flag (pictured right)
Many Fitness challenges adopt the bodyweight training method in a form of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) that challenges your strength and your cardiovascular fitness.
What can I do?
Lower Body
- Calf raises
- Squats
- Lunges
- Frog walks
- Jumps
Upper Body
- Push Ups
- Pull Ups
- Sit Ups
- Tricep Dips
- Headstand
Total Body
- Burpees
- Bear crawls
- Plank
- Mountain Climbers
- Star Jumps