Young athletes need a smart exercise to train their hips and legs muscular response time and explosiveness. Most conventional lifts are generally performed by keeping the client under heavy load with time under tension (heavy squat). And they usually allow a bounce (stretch reflex in the eccentric / concentric change of directional movement).
Example: Have you ever watched people perform “Crossfit wall ball squats” by the hundreds? Using the bounce in the bottom of the exercise saves the white muscle fibers.
https://youtu.be/vB1axm2ibTg
(Explosive hips and legs exercises generally include sled work, box jumps, sprints and the like. But what happens when you take the stretch reflex out of the equation?
What I prefer to use is a starting position where the athlete is completely relaxed in the bottom of the movement, then with full exertion, have their muscles go from zero to 100mph (explosive) and then shut it down.
For hips and legs I like using a chair that has the athlete below parallel. I had to cut the legs off the chair to get it as low as possible and yet still be a chair. Next get a medicine ball (slam ball) that will challenge the client you are working with. 16lbs to 24lbs is a good range for teens.
Have them sit legs wide, back straight, head high and ball – chest level (arms to the side) relaxed.
From the relaxed position, have them stand and push the ball straight forward with everything they got. The ball should roll many yards if done correctly.
This explosive hip and leg exercise will have the young athlete sore, so don’t over do it. However, their progress will improve dramatically, as will their muscular health.
Doug Holland Jr. – CPT
