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Main Articles | Administrator | Friday, 15 May 2009

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World Cup Workout
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This is the Ultimate World Cup Workout with Marco at Epic Gym London, all you need is a few footballs to get in great shape.

Two Ball Plank

Advanced exercise: Excellent to increase stability and core strength.
The first big challenge is to set yourself up in balanced position on the two balls. Once you place your feet (use your toes to help grip) on the ball, try to elevate yourself in a push up position, placing the hands on the other ball, which is straight below your chest. Tense the body and make sure it works like a single unit, sharing the effort.
 
This exercise can be progressed by having the hands and feet on four different balls.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 Balance Push ups (1 or 2 feet on balls):

This exercise requires a good overall stability and strength.
Not only do you need the basic static balance to begin with, but you can add some difficulty by progressing into a push up motion, which will bring instability and therefore challenge your core even more.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once you are familiar with this exercise, you can start progressing by lifting one leg off the ball (in a straight movement), keeping the back and hips straight which will develop the core strength and stability.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make sure you keep your back straight all throughout the exercise.
 


Ball Rolling Push Ups

This is easier in terms of balance, assume a normal push up position, one hand is placed on a ball, the other on the floor.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perform one push up and immediately, as you are extending up the arms, pass the ball on to the other side, where will be caught by the other hand, ready to go for an other push up!
 
Continue the loop until your arms can do no more!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This exercise can also be performed having the knees on the floor (until you do not build the necessary strength to progress into the canonic one).


Hamstring Football Roll - 1 or 2 balls (progression into 1 leg)

From a supine position, with shoulders and back flat on the floor, with your arms lying alongside the body, place your heels onto the ball.

 At this point you start rolling back the heels on the ball, extending the hips up (without arching the back). We will feel a massive stress on the hamstrings.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Once the highest position is reached (always keeping the back flat) you can return the body in the original position, in a slower and controlled motion. Be careful not to collapse with your lower back... make sure the legs get fully extended at the same time as the hips are in line with chest and knees.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progression: You can perform the same exercise with both feet on the same ball....and during the execution, keeping one of them off the ball, straightening the whole leg. The tricky point is to try to keep both knees at the same height throughout the up and down motion.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Wall Throw Russian Twist: Plyometric exercise

(Upper body plyometric drills allow maximum power to be generated because, unlike barbells or dumbbells, the ball can be released into the air)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Position yourself sideways alongside a wall. Extend both legs parallel to the side of the wall (keeping them together), holding the ball on the side away from the wall at hip height. Lift the legs, leaning back and trying to stay in balance on the bum. At this point quickly switch the position of arms and legs: as the legs move following a reverse U trajectory, the arms throw the ball onto the wall.
 
Then return in the original position, just in time to catch the ball and restart the exercise for the set amount of time/reps.
 
Repeat the exercise for the other side. Keep your chin pointing downwards to avoid arching your the back during the execution.
 


Wall Throw Crunch/sit ups: Plyometric exercise

Lay down, facing a wall and placing your feet against it. Keep your arms behind you, holding the ball. Start a crunch or sit up motion, keeping the arms close to the head during the whole way up (This makes the real difference between a real ABS work and a cheating one).  Almost at the end throw the ball to the wall and catch it back as you descend to the floor.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photographer - Moritz Stragholz

 

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