By Laura Ratto MA, CSCS
Looking to increase the power of your swing? Check out this exercise.
Exercises such as the overhead lunge that stretch the abdominals and incorporate lower body movements with upper body movements are effective in reducing the risk of abdominal strains and increasing the power of the attack or serve.
Start by holding a medicine ball out front with arms bent slightly, and then step forward into a lunge position.
As you step forward, reach the arms overhead and behind the shoulders as far as possible, stretching the abs. Make sure that you keep the hips pressed forward, and you do not allow the front knee to straighten.
As you step forward and stretch back, pull the arms down toward the inside of your front knee (do not release the ball). You should finish with majority of the weight on your front foot, and the trunk leaning over the lead leg.
Perform 2 to 3 sets of this exercise with 10 to 15 reps each, using a light to moderate weighted medicine ball (6 to 12 pounds). Focus on using the stored energy of the stretch to snap the ball down, initiating the movement with the abs, and not the shoulders. You can add a rotation to this movement by finishing on the outside of the lead leg instead of out in front on the midline.
Laura Ratto is CEO of The Volleyball Network, a partner of the JVA.
