Ground-based Core Exercises to Aid With Acceleration

Natasha Lothery Ringenberg, MS, CSCS, USATF   Acceleration is a force characterized by pushing. To accelerate forward an athlete must impart a backward force, a push, into the ground. The stronger the force is applied (with optimal technique), the faster the athlete accelerates. Force should be applied with attention to the right muscle groups and right form. The major muscle groups involved in acceleration or applying the push into the ground are the extensors of the hip, knee, and ankle. The following are exercises that focus on working these muscles in a fashion similar to accelerating on foot. These can be added as teaching tools and warm-up/activation exercises to supplement your acceleration based training program. 1. Donkey Kick For ideal sprinting form, the goal of the athlete should be to maintain stability of the low back while executing powerful hip extension and hip flexion movements. The bird dog exercise teaches the athlete to execute this powerful hip extension by contracting the glute in order to completely lengthen their leg out. Position the athlete with hands and knees on the floor. Their wrists should be aligned underneath their shoulders and their knees underneath their hips. In this order, have the athlete contract their abdominal muscles, contract the right glute muscle and extend the right hip and knee out straight (their ankle should be dorsiflexed). The role of the coach or practitioner observing this exercise is to watch for movement (particularly extension) at the athlete’s low back. Again, the goal is to have the athlete execute this exercise without extending the low back thus teaching the athlete to drive the legs by extending from the hips versus the low back. Donkey Kicks Exercise Description: On all fours, contract the abdominal muscles, contract the glute and extend the leg straight out. Keep low back flat (do not allow your body to extend at the low back). Complete 2-3 sets of 10-12 repetitions per leg. 2. Mt. Climber To execute this exercise, the athlete will need to position their body in a push-up position, arms extended and on the balls of their feet with legs extended. Their wrists need to be aligned underneath their shoulders (make sure there is no shrugging). Their hips and shoulders should be in a straight line parallel to horizontal. Make sure that the athlete can hold this position for at least 20 to 30 seconds while maintaining a “braced” or contracted core. The athlete should be able to hold this position without letting their low back sag (proper maintenance of core stability). Begin with having the athlete flex their right hip, bringing the thigh in towards the navel, with the toes pulled up, and maintaining contact with the ground through the ball of the foot. The left leg should be extended from the hip down with the left foot dorsiflexed and the ball of the foot in contact with the ground. On cue, have the athlete quickly switch leg positions to left leg flexed and right leg extended. The athlete should be able to execute several repetitions of alternating hip flexion and extension without bouncing up and down in the hips, or sagging in their low back. The goal, once again, is to execute movement from the hips down while preventing movement in the low back. Mt. Climber Exercise Description: Start position: In a push-up position, keep abdominals braced and low back flat. Wrists should be aligned directly under shoulders, legs should be completely extended with feet dorsiflexed. You should be able to draw a straight line from the athlete’s shoulders to their hips. Action position: Have the athlete repeat repetitions of alternating flexion in one leg and extension in the other without very minimal movement in the trunk. The goal of this exercise is to maintain trunk/core stability, while executing muscle action from the hip down. Complete 2-3 sets of 5-10 repetitions per leg. The common goal of these exercises is to educate the athlete on maintaining proper core posture. The ability to stabilize the torso while performing explosive movements with the limbs is vital not only for optimal performance, but to maintain joint and muscle health. Teach athletes that the limbs are only as functional as what they are attached to-the core. With attention to the finer details, and repetition with the above stated exercises, athletes may see promising results in their performance.