Cardio Blast
You can use this cardio blast to warm up for a match or to warm up before a work out. It is very easy to do and it does not require a lot of space. They are very basic movements but will really warm up your muscles to prevent any tearing or strains due to cold or tight muscles.
1-2 minutes of side to side jumping
Find a line and simply keep your feet together while jumping back and forth over the line
1-2 minutes of Jumping jacks
1-2 minutes of forward and backward jumping
This is the same as side to side but instead you will jump forward and backward over the line.
1-2 minutes of high knees
This is like running in place but you are lifting your knees almost to your chest while you are doing it.
Stabilizer Muscles
The human body has two types of muscle, movers and stabilizers. Movers are large muscles that move your body parts. Stabilizer muscles hold your joints in place and prevent you from damaging yourself while the large muscle groups are moving you.
According to the American Council on Exercise, "Stabilizing muscle contractions are generally isometric contractions that act to support the trunk, limit movement in a joint, or control balance." Muscles in a stabilizing role are not directly involved in lifting a weight; instead they keep your body steady so the primary working muscles can do their job.
Strong stabilizer muscles are very important for maximum fitness results. Too often individuals focus on exercising the major muscle groups while neglecting the stabilizers. Weak stabilizers will prevent a person from lifting heavy weight even though their major muscles can handle it. The more you work your stabilizer muscles the more you will stimulate muscle fibers.
To work you stabilizer muscles you need to perform exercises that tense the whole body. The Lower Body, Upper Body, and Core exercises below have all been selected for strengthening stabilizer muscles.
Lower Body
Squats
Squats work your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves all at once.
Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes facing straight ahead or angled slightly outward. Slowly bend the knees and lower hips towards the floor, keeping your torso straight and abs pulled in tight. Keep your knees behind your toes; make sure everythingis pointing in the same direction. Do not go lower than 90 degrees. Remember to keep your head up and weight mostly over your heels, not your toes.
Lunges
Like squats, lunges work most of the muscles in your legs including your quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. Stand in a split-stance (one leg forward, one leg back). Bend knees and lower body into a lunge position, keeping the front knee and back knee at 90 degree angles. Keeping the weight in your heels, push back up (slowly!) to starting position. Never lock your knees at the top and do not let your knee bend past your toes.
Upper Body
Push Ups
No single movement simultaneously strengthens the chest, deltoids, lower back, and triceps quite as efficiently as the push-up
Lie face down with your hands about shoulder width apart and your feet together. Keep your head up with your eyes looking forward and not at the floor.
Push your body up off the floor by straightening your arms. Keep your back straight and exhale as you rise off the floor. Pause for a moment at the top then slowly lower yourself back to the floor until your chest touches the ground.
For an easier push up place your knees on the ground while you are performing your push up instead of your feet.
Push Up Position
Lie facing the ground and push yourself up until your arms are fully extended (do not hyper extend). Hold this position until you have finished the amount of time you wish to complete.
Extended Shoulder Press Hold
While standing with your feet shoulder width apart take a weight or medicine ball in both hands and extend your arms up to the sky. This exercise really helps you develop your stabilizer muscles by forcing you to balance the weight above your head while your major muscle groups work to keep the weight up.
Core
Plank
Plank is the best isometric exercise for strengthening the stomach area and core stabilizer muscles.
Begin by balancing on your forearms and toes, while keeping your body flat like a plank. Be sure to keep your body as straight as possible. If your back starts to bend lift your hips higher into the air. Your eyes should be looking forward not at the ground. Hold this position until you are finished with the exercise.
