Week 11: Strength and Stretching

Today was a light day.  I stretched a few times, and did a plyometric workout I found on at RunnersWorld.com.  It goes as follows:

Balance Drills

The Payoff: Improves balance; strengthens ankle, knee, and hip joints.

1. Jump and Sticks

Jump from and land on the balls of both feet. Jump high, not far. Land with knees bent and hold two to three seconds before jumping again. Alternate jumping 10 yards forward and sideways.

2. Two-Way Hops

Start balanced on your right leg. Hop two to three feet forward onto your left leg. Hold for two seconds to regain balance. Stay facing forward and hop back to the start position onto your right leg. Now hop onto your left again, but move sideways, then back. That's one set. Do three more, then repeat the drill starting on your left leg.


Elasticity Drills

The Payoff: Strengthens all lower-body muscles; improves the spring-like ability of the muscles and tendons around the joints.

3. Skip Ups

This is an exaggerated skipping motion. Drive your leading knee high, until the thigh is parallel to the ground, while popping off the ground, with your toes pointed.

4. Standing Long Jumps

Swing your arms back, then forward as you leap, and jump as far as possible, landing on both feet.


Power Drills

The Payoff: Improves stride power, or the force of each push-off.

5. Jump and Sprint

Do a standing long jump (see Drill 4), but at the moment you land, sprint for about 10 yards.

6. Triple Jumps

Start with a standing long jump (see Drill 4), but land on your right foot, quickly hop forward onto your left, then hop and land on both feet. Aim for maximal distance the whole way.

The workout was good and bad.  The good part was that I really got to laugh a lot at where I was physically during the workout.  The bad part was that I really got to laugh a lot at where I was physically during the workout. Ok, so maybe it wasn't so bad. We all start somewhere!!

I didn't get in my lift tonight.  Instead I headed to the store with shell to make trophies for our kids at the Upward banquet tomorrow night.  It was a late night.  Bedtime finally came at 3am. 

The good news is that I took in lots of water during the day, so I shouldn't be too sore tomorrow.