If you have ever wanted to know the secret of how professional athletes stay in such good shape, you are in luck. Celtics Strength and Conditioning Coaches Bryan Doo and Walter Norton, Jr. have put together the following training regimen that most anyone can use to help make exercise more fun and effective.
Warm-Up
Our goal is to raise the core temperature of each athlete and prepare them for the demands of practice and or games. We prefer to begin in a dynamic fashion, utilizing the movements our athletes will perform in competition.
We identify three muscles each day we want to target to stretch and warm-up. To complete the following exercises, use a ten-yard walkway or stand in place. Posture is important.
Hip Flexors
High Knee Walk – Al Jefferson is an explosive athlete with a limited training background. Professional practices coupled with early workouts each day have helped Al improve and also fatigued his body. We want to make Al and others stretch their hips each day to ensure their performance does not suffer as they continue to work hard.
Standing tall, walk forward on your left leg and grab your right shin while hugging your knee to your chest. Hold your knee to your chest for a one thousand count and stand up as tall as you can on your left ankle. Bring your leg down and repeat on the other leg, emphasizing posture and stretching your hip flexor.
Hamstrings
Inchworm – The hamstrings will feel tight for any number of reasons: poor running technique, overuse, poor glute recruitment, etc. We will always hamstring stretch even though hamstring tightness is usually a signal of imbalance somewhere else. Michael Stewart has excellent hamstring flexibility because he takes excellent care of his body. He works hard everyday and is a true professional.
This is our player’s favorite. Start on the ground in a push-up position. Slowly walk your feet towards your hands, keeping your legs straight all the while. Your weight will shift to your hands and shoulders while your feet move. Once you cannot move your feet any further, walk your hands forward as far as you can, touch your hips to the ground and return to the push-up position. It will help prepare your hamstrings, calves, shoulders, torso and hips for activity.
Go here for the rest of the exercises.
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