Sport participation is a great way to stay in shape as the high pace of the activity distracts you from thinking about how hard you’re working. If that 50 yard dash for a last minute counter attack could win you the football match, or running doggies side to side on a tennis court in a rally could win the match point, it doesn’t matter how tired you might think you are. If you commit to the sport you’ll ignore fatigue and put in an extra bit of effort. After all, nobody likes to lose.
Here are five simple exercises that could help keep you light on your feet, quick and agile. Done in circuits of 10 to 20 repetitions these will improve your fitness and mobility for your sport. Can you keep up?
Kneeling to squat jump with tuck
- Start in a kneeling position
- Use your arms for momentum to get off the ground
- From a squatted position, jump and tuck knees in
- Place hands flat on the floor in a shoulder-width-and-a-half stance
- Step one leg back and kick the other under and across
- Pull the foot back in front ready to push off till standing
- Squat down and sit on the floor
- Roll back keeping feet on the floor if you can
- Touch the floor behind and sit up with momentum to stand
- Hold one foot in front in a slight stretch
- Squat down as far as you can and back up using just one leg
- Take a step forward and repeat with the other leg
Burpee and side hop over bench
- Stand with a bench to one side
- Hands down for one squat thrust and stand
- Take a two footed hop sideways over the bench to repeat on the other side
Try 10 to 20 repetitions of each exercise with little or no rest between until you complete a full circuit, then try again.
Make sure you take a sufficient warm up and cool down with a comprehensive stretch at the end.
