Launching Reebok Fit2Kick: Get fit for the game

#1 Are you fit to strike? Are you fit to defend? Are you Fit to Kick?

Launching Reebok ‘Fit2Kick’ – a programme targeted at making the players at all critical positions in the playing field fitter, and hence better players. You don’t get to be a top-class player by just being active on the field. Like any skill-based activity, football too requires plenty of fitness training, and there’s an art to that preparation too.

There are four primary football positions – striker, midfielder, defender and goalkeeper. Every position in the game of football is a specialised role that requires its own particular set of training techniques, and that’s exactly where Fit2Kick comes in. We have designed workout modules specific to each of these playing positions.

Beginning today, we start with the workout for the striker position. Over the course of the next seven days we shall take you through a regime which, if followed, will make you a fitter striker. So stay with us, as we get started on the journey to fitness.

Today, we take a look at perhaps the most important part of any workout – the Warm Up.

#2 Warm up to be a fitter striker

The importance of warming up can never be overstated. Any workout can go horribly wrong with a slight mis-step, and the chances of mis-steps are heightened considerably if you skip the warm-up.

When you are driving your car in cold weather, you dont rev up the engine and try to reach a high speed immediately, do you? You start slow, letting the car heat up to a certain temperature, before hitting on the accelerator hard.

In the exact same way, the human body needs to start slow, reach a certain temperature, and only then go in for the heavy duty exercises.

Besides, warming up also gradually increases the heart rate, lubricates the joints and gradually increases the blood flow to the muscles. All of these are essential to ensure easier and less painful movements, and also to reduce the chances of injuries. Moreover, you also need to be mentally prepared for any workout, and theres no better way to do than a good warm-up routine!

Here are the four different warm-up exercises that are a part of Fit2Kick striker training:

3 rounds each of

1. Hollow rock

2. Crab to Lsit

3. Air squats

4. Thoracic rotation

#3 Hollow Rock

Duration: 30 seconds to 1 minute

Human movement is based upon your ability to move your extremities around your stable core. Without a stable core, your extremities would have no base of support to work off. When you developyour deep core muscles you will be able to turn into a rigid lever for your limbs to move around.

The hollow rock position teaches your muscles how to keep your spine stable duringdynamic moves, which you are inevitably going to go through as a striker.Training those muscles can make you more stable, powerful, mobile and injury resistant.

How do you do this exercise?

Step 1:Start by lyingdown face up,with your arms by your side and legs extended about one foot abovethe floor. The aim is to take on the shape of a rocking chair.

Step 2:Start moving your arms upwards and ultimately raise them above your head. Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Keep your breathing normal when youreholding in plank position and extend your toes and finger tips as much as possible, like you do in a tug of war game.

The order of priority while doing this exerciseshould be safety grace power.

#4 Crab to L sit

Duration: 10 reps

The crab to L sit requires core stability, so it is ideal to do this after the hollow rock. While the previous exercise helps in improving core stability, this set aids in enhance core movement. It providesgreat mobility for the hip andshoulder.

Step 1:Raise your torso above the floor, keeping your arms straight and legs bent at the knees.

Step 2:Lower your torso until you are in the sitting position, with your arms by your side.

Step 3:Finally, raise your arms until they are parallel with the ground.

Do 10 reps of this routine.

Go about doing this exercise slowly. Try to make your movementssmooth. Keep a check on your speed, but make sure you are graceful enough.

#5 Air Squats

Air squats are among the most commonly undertaken exercises, and also probably the most underrated. As simple as they may sound, air squats are actually a great way to improve your lower body strength, and also to improve your general athleticism.

The air squat is extremely beneficial for strikers, as itprovides great lower body mobility, stability and strength.

How do you do an air squat?

Step 1:Start by standing with your feet placed a littlewider than your shoulders.

Step 2:Raise your arms upwards until they are parallel to the ground, and then lower your torso until it is lower than your knees.

Step 3:Finally, stand up slowly, lowering your arms to your side as you do so.

All through this motion, your weight should be kept back and over your heels. (One way to test whether your weight is over your heels is try and wiggle your toes; if you can do that, it means the posture is correct).

Your chest should be up and eyes should be forward during the entire squat.

Try to go deep, and remember to keep your spine straight and your heel firmly placed on the ground during this exercise.

The air squat is convenient and portable, so it should ideally never be skipped.

#6 Thoracic Rotation

Duration: 10 times on each side

A striker needs to rotate and move in circular motions a lot.So along with lower body mobility, upper body flexibility is also extremelyimportant, and that can only comefrom thoracic exercises.

This exercise is a slightly modified version of the traditional thoracic rotation, but is fairly straightforward to do.

Step 1:Start by placing your feet about 1 metre away from each other, and bending down so that your palms are flat on the ground, with no space between them.

Step 2:Slowly lift your right arm and bend it at the elbow, and then take it further up and extend it fully,like you do in tug of war, but keep your shoulder active.

Step 3:Hold the arm fully outstretchedfor five seconds, and then bring the palm back to the original position.