5 Sport Workouts (New!)

We learn so many ways to workout in school and it surprises me how easy it is for us to forget them.  Whether it's through a sport we have played or just a physical education class we are taught everything we need to know about enhancing our body.  However when school is finished and we've moved on to concentrating on our careers and our families we find ourselves searching for an exercise quick fix.  Especially during the holidays.  Take Summer and Spring Break for instance.  How many of us rush to the gym so we can get that perfect six pack or so we can fit into that bikini we have been hiding since college.  Well today I want to go back to the basics and talk about some exercises we have been taught but we don't seem to pay attention to as much as we used to.  Be sure to stretch before you workout to avoid injury.

The first sport exercise I want to talk about is an exercise we all know and one that I learned in school while playing basketball, football and soccer.  They are called "Suicides" and they are an extreme cardiovascular exercise that increases stamina and endurance while helping us to slim down by burning off unnecessary fat.  To begin this workout make sure you have enough distance to run back and forth.  I suggest anywhere from 10 to 20 yards.  Now start in a track style position with your hands on the floor.  Push off and start running from one end of the distance you have measured to the other.  Each time you make your way across, shorten the length of your run bringing yourself closer to the starting point each time.  When you have worked yourself back into the starting point work yourself back out extending the distance that you run.  Each time you make your way across touch the floor then run back.  This exercise gives a serious workout to your legs (upper legs/calves), lower back and stomach (abdominal structures).

The second sport exercise I want to talk about is a volleyball workout.  It's a cardiovascular exercise that focuses on your legs (upper legs/calves) along with your abdominal structures and lower back.  To begin toss a volleyball into the air.  When it comes down jump up to catch it and push it back up into the air.  Do 5 to 7 sets of this exercise with 10 to 15 volley repetitions in each set.  If you want a more intense workout that focuses on your upper body as well including your chest, shoulders (lats), arms (biceps/triceps), back, lower back and stomach (abdominal structures) then try using a heavier ball like a basketball.  This will help strengthen your upper body as well.

The third sport exercise I want to talk about is a soccer exercise or a football workout.  To begin stand with your hands on your hips.  Now with your left foot on the soccer ball or football, roll the ball back.  Now immediately switch legs catching the ball with your right foot.  Again with your right foot roll the ball back and catch it with your left foot.  Do this 20 to 30 times then relax.  Do 5 to 7 sets of this exercise and you will notice a serious workout in your legs (upper legs/calves) and lower back.

The fourth sport exercise I want to talk about is a baseball drill that I learned when I was just a kid.  However examining the workout itself I have come to realize how beneficial it really is.  This exercise works out your whole upper body including your chest, arms (biceps/triceps), shoulders (lats), back and lower back.  It also works out your forearms.  To begin, stand in front of a chain link fence.  Your partner is going to stand off to the side and toss a baseball up in the air and you are going to hit the ball with your bat.  Make sure you hit the ball into the chain link fence.  Do 5 to 7 sets of this exercise, hitting 10 to 15 balls in each set.

The fifth sport exercise I want to talk about is a football workout that is intense and works out the whole body.  This drill focuses on the legs (upper legs/calves) and stomach (abdominal structures), chest, shoulders (lats), arms (biceps/triceps), back, lower back.  To begin, run in place as fast as you can then drop to the floor in push-up position.  Now immediately push yourself back up and continue running in place.  Do 5 to 7 sets of this breaking each set down into 5 to 7 minuets.

Before I end this article I want to talk about another sport exercise that is a serious cardiovascular workout.  This drill focuses on your whole upper body including your chest, shoulders (lats), arms (biceps/triceps), stomach (abdominal structures), back and lower back.  Being a fan of boxing exercises I enjoy working out on a punching bag.  I usually do a 30 minuet cycle that I break down into 5 to 10 min intervals.  Since I don't have enough time to go to the gym I just workout on my own at home.