Cardigan Mountain School - Preseason Workout August 2017 Dear ...

Cardigan Mountain School - Preseason Workout August 2017 Dear Cardigan Student-Athletes, Staying active throughout the summer and other school breaks not only prepares you for your next season, but will help prevent injuries along the way. Whether you have been playing hockey all summer or you have chosen to honor the couch with your presence, this workout applies to you. Heel pain and other adolescent pain syndromes are prevalent in your age group, especially if you are experiencing a growth spurt. Whether you are starting a new sport, particularly one with cleats, or you have been sedentary for a while, it is important to gradually increase physical activity. I have included three basic workouts that can help get you ready for tryouts. Please do the cardio workouts using the following gradual introduction of cleats: • Days 1-5: warm-up for 5 minutes with cleats, then switch back to sneakers • Days 3-7: warm-up/workout for 10 minutes with cleats, then switch back to sneakers • Days 7-14:15 minutes with cleats • Days 10-20: 20 minutes with cleats Continue until you reach 45-60 minutes of cleat wear (as tolerated) before arriving to campus. If at any time you experience discomfort, reduce to the previous level and ice frequently. Ice can be applied after activity for 15 minutes at a time. Activity should not be resumed without skin returning to normal temperature and after a proper warm up. If you plan on joining Cross Country and have never run for distance before, please follow a gradual increase in activity in the footwear you plan on using for the season. Running five miles will do you no good if you have to sit out injured for 10 days afterwards. Start with five minutes of running, then as tolerated, increase running times by five minute increments to prevent too much stress on your body. The following pages are just a few examples of workouts you can do as you prepare to arrive. These are simple, effective, and modifiable. You may choose to do something else, but be careful to increase intensity gradually. Playing hockey all summer may keep your cardiovascular system healthy, but it will not help you prevent the pain and inflammation you may experience switching from skates to cleats without a break-in period. (The same warning goes for skiers in the winter transitioning to cleats from boots after March break!) If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]. Sincerely, Kristen Tobin-Gordon Assistant Director of Athletics

Cardigan Mountain School - Preseason Workout

1

Preseason Workout - Day One

Cardiovascular Option One • Warm up: jog/run for 0.5 -1 mile at an easy pace. • Begin interval training: light jog for 1 min, then 1 min at a 75% run/sprint pace. Continue for about 10 minutes or about 1.5 miles. • Cool down a 5-10 min jog. Cardiovascular Option Two • 20-30 minutes bike or swim Strength and Conditioning 1. Push-ups 5 x 10 while varying your arm position (wide, close, incline, decline, finger-tip) 2. Inch-worm 2 x 10 meters with 1 push-up in-between. Start with your feet together and keeping your legs as straight as you can, place your hands flat on the ground in front of your toes. Keep legs straight as you slowly walk your hands out until you reach proper push- up position. Perform one push-up. Keeping your legs straight, walk, or hop your feet up to your hands and repeat. Do this for 10 meters, rest, turn around, and inchworm back to start. 3. Body squats 3 x 10 while varying stance (wide or hip width, medium at shoulder width, narrow with feet very close together). Be sure to remember proper technique and positioning: shoulders over knees over toes. This means that your shoulders should not go past your knees, and your knees should not go past your toes. Your feet should be parallel to each other with toes forward or slightly turned out. To perform the squat, you should drop your level (butt back) as if you were going to sit back into a chair. You can put a chair behind you as a guide if you need it. Lower your body so that your knees are bent just above 90 degrees. Never squat deeper than 90 degrees. 4. Abdominal crunches 50x. Lay on your back and cross arms across your chest or place your hands loosely behind your head. Be careful not to pull up on your head, as this can put strain on your neck. Next, lift chest up towards the ceiling. Your shoulders should come off the ground about 4 inches. You do not need to sit-up all the way. Flexibility Hamstring stretch: Lying on back, hug one knee up to chest. Keeping knee to chest, straighten the knee as far as possible to feel a stretch in the back of the upper leg. Hold, bend knee back down, and repeat.


2

Quadriceps stretch: Standing on one foot, using a wall or chair for balance, grab the ankle of the other foot and pull towards your butt. Keep your knees aligned and stomach tight (do not arch back). You should feel a stretch along the front of the thigh. Calf stretch: Stand facing a wall, with one foot ahead of the other. Use both hands on the wall to push the heel of the back foot towards the ground. You should feel a stretch along the back of your lower leg into your Achilles. Figure four stretch: Lying on back, cross one ankle over the opposite knee to form an upside-down 4. Then reach through the hole and grab your hamstring of the straight leg. You can then relax this leg as you pull towards your chest. You should feel a stretch in the glutes of the opposite side. Upper body stretches: Cross one arm across the chest and use the other arm to pull it towards the chest. Grab either below or above the elbow joint. You should feel a stretch in your shoulder and triceps.

Preseason Workout - Day Two

Cardiovascular Option One – “Magic squares” • On a football or soccer field (40-50 meters in length) • Walk the first side • Jog the second side • Sprint the third side • Walk the fourth side • Jog the next side, • Do this for 10 laps. • Cool down with a 5-10 min jog Cardiovascular Option Two • 20-30 minutes bike or swim Strength and Conditioning In and out abs: Start with body in proper push-up position. Hands should be shoulder width apart and placed directly under shoulders. Feet should be close together and your body should be straight. Be sure to keep your buttocks down and your abdominal muscles tight. Do not let your back arch. From this position bring your knees to your chest, hopping feet forward. Then hop feet back and resume push-up position. These should be done quickly but in control. Cardigan Mountain School - Preseason Workout

3

Rocket jumps: Feet should be shoulder width apart with toes facing forward. Your body should be in a similar position as the body squats. Remember, shoulders over knees over toes! From the squat, explode through the legs upwards into full extension, bringing your arms high over your head. As you land, be sure to maintain proper positioning. Legs shoulder width apart, and shoulders over knees over toes! Calf raises: Stand with your toes facing forward on the edge of a step. Hold onto a railing for balance if needed. Slowly lower your heels as far as you can go and then rise up on your toes as high as you can go. Do this 15x. Then turn toes inwards and repeat 15x. Turn toes outwards and repeat exercise 15x. Repeat. You can do two or three sets of 3x15 repetitions at varying toe positions. Superman: Lay face down on a hard surface, with your arms and legs extended. Simultaneously lift arms/chest and legs off the ground. Hold for two seconds (i.e., one Mississippi, two Mississippi) and relax. Repeat 30x. Flexibility • Hamstring stretch • Quadriceps stretch • Calf stretch • Figure four stretch • Upper body stretches

Preseason Workout - Day 3

Cardiovascular Option One • Warm up with a 5-10 minute jog. • Suicides on football or soccer field: • Run 5 meters and back • Run 20 meters and back • Run 50 meters and back • Run 100 meters and back • Run 50 meters and back • Run 20 meters and back • Run 5 meters and back • Cool down with 5-10 minute jog Cardiovascular Option Two • 20-30 minutes bike or swim Cardigan Mountain School - Preseason Workout

4

Strength and Conditioning Triceps dips: Find a set of steps, bleacher, bench, or a chair for this exercise. Sit with legs extended and hands by your hips on the edge of the bench. Keep your hands on the bench as you slide your body forward so you are balanced by your hands and the heels of your feet are in front of you. You may have to move your feet out further as needed. Keeping your legs straight and abs tight, slowly lower your body/buttocks to the ground. Using your arms and keeping your body in the same position, push back up to original start position. Try to keep your elbows in as you perform the exercise. Perform 3 sets of 15 repetitions. Bicycles: Lay on your back with hands behind your head. Bring one knee up and touch to opposite side elbow. Repeat on the other side. Do this 50x. DB toe touches: Lay on your back with your hips flexed at 90 degrees and your legs extended towards the ceiling. With toes flexed reach up with your hands and touch your toes. Your shoulders should come off the ground. Slowly lower shoulders. Repeat 50x. Four part crunch up and down: This exercise is basically a sit up broken up into four parts. Lay on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. Place your hands either behind your head or across your chest. Using your abdominal muscles, lift your shoulders off the ground and hold for two seconds. Crunch up another six inches and hold for two seconds. Continue to sit all the way up. Next slowly lower body down and hold a quarter of the way down (two seconds). Lower another six inches and hold for six seconds. The exercise is complete once you lower your shoulders back to the ground. Do this 25x. Wall squats: Rest back against a stable wall. Place feet shoulder width apart and far enough out from the wall that when squatting down to 90 degrees, your knees do not go past your toes. To perform the exercise, drop your level so that your knees are bent just above 90 degrees and as if you were sitting on a chair. Use the wall as a support. Keep your abs tight and knees parallel. Flexibility • Hamstring stretch • Quadriceps stretch • Calf stretch • Figure four stretch • Upper body stretches


5