IT’S A BLOCKOUT - Be progressive!

➡️ Yesterday I posted an exercise looking at creating stiffness around the pelvis and lower limbs utilising the aquabag holding it across the forearms in a similar way to how you would handle the bar when carrying out a zercher squat. Today’s progression is inspired by the good old ‘jump landing’ from a box, but instead of the bilateral landing which we would experience when landing from a vertical in place squat jump/ counter movement jump, we are looking to land in our delivery position of the strike phase, maintaining (principally) a good mechanical position with the legs.
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💡 The version in this video can be progressed or regressed accordingly. Here are some key considerations:
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1️⃣ ensure the box is stable and doesn’t move around to the detriment of the execution
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2️⃣ put a javelin, pole or stick across the posterior shoulder/ ledge created by the upper trapezius muscles. This helps to maintain a side on torso, hopefully maximising the separation (albeit this is principally an isometric exercise) between pelvic girdle/ shoulder girdle
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3️⃣ maintain torso lean (5-10 degrees), with enough back knee flexion to allow for an optimal position for the individual carrying out the exercise
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4️⃣ try to block with a straight front leg, or at least resist the urge to absorb the landing by flexing (a small amount is ok, but don’t collapse!)
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💭 In the specific preparation phase, this type of exercise would also be complexed with something more general (perhaps a ‘Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat) and maybe followed by something either ballistic (speed bound) or reactive (single leg box to box drop jump).
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💭 If you need to ‘re-program’ any of your KPIs before re-integrating then into your throwing sequence, then these are methods which can have a significant impact on the ability of an athlete to make meaningful changes to something which could (and should) have a positive impact on performance & not just make an acute change based on some verbal coaching cue which has little chance of ‘sticking’ under pressure.
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🔑 Let the environment do the coaching!