With summer finally at our doorstep, we’ll shed our winter gear and head outdoors for a new season. We’ll run and bike, we’ll play tennis, soccer and rugby. We’ll push our cardio fitness as we play our summer sport of choice.
However, while athletes spend a lot of time “doing” their activity or sport of choice, if an athlete only focuses on the aerobic side of training, they are missing a huge chunk of the athletic equation.
To increase performance and decrease the risk of injury, athletes should train all facets of movement: balance, strength, endurance, power, coordination and mobility.
One way to build a solid foundation for any sport is to perform bodyweight exercises. You can do it inside or outside, by yourself or in a group – and there is no equipment required. All you need is your body weight.
Push, pull and squat
Bodyweight exercises include a few key movement patterns: planks, pushups, pullups, squats, lunges, and my favorite, the burpee. As simple as these movements seem, they are an effective way to build a strong body.
There are many ways of doing these movements to make them easier or harder. Start out with a simplified version, use good form, and increase the difficulty as you become stronger. Just 20 to 30 minutes a day, two or three days a week, is all you need to start.
Crosstrain with bodyweight exercises
I enjoy all types of sports, and doing consistent bodyweight exercises is an important part of my fitness routine. Movement patterns are inherently similar in athletics. If you can develop good body awareness and movement, any sport become much easier to master.
Spend some time this summer performing bodyweight exercises. It will make you stronger in your sport of choice, and perhaps open the door to trying a new activity this season.