Dynamic stretching, as opposed to static, is always the best option before training. During exercise you are not likely to stretch the muscle as far as it can go and hold (excluding a few gymnastics and martial arts movements), so it doesn’t make sense to do any such thing when preparing them for a workout.
Exercise typically involves a rapid and repetitive stretching and contracting of muscles. That is the key behind dynamic stretching. You should use light weights to dynamically stretch and contract the muscles using movements similar to those that make up your exercise routine. This will also warm the muscles up.
Be sure to use light weights. For the stretches in the above video I recommend the following:
Men – 2kg/5lbs
Women – 1kg/2.5lbs
Complete 10-12 explosive reps of each movement and your chest, back, shoulders, triceps and biceps will be ready for action!
A variation of the Standing Wood Chop, the Kneeling Chop involves less legs and limits twisting of the hips (allowing the waist to dominate the movement).That means that your obliques will be more isolated, forcing them to work more.
Wood chops and oblique exercises are highly recommended for anyone that competes in boxing, kick boxing, baseball, cricket, swimming, golf, tennis, sprinting, and any other sport that involves a lot of torso twisting!
This exercise makes cardio fun and is a great way to deal with stress! Imagine your boss’s face, or a pile of all the problems in your life, on the floor in front of you. Take the medicine ball and smash it to pieces! Repeat. Repeat. Repeat! Haha!
Keep your back straight, so that you are using your legs to pick the ball up. Also, be sure to bend at the hips when slamming the ball through the floor to ensure that you are using your core and entire body rather than just your arms.
Recommended weight for women is 8+kg and for men is 12+kg. If the ball is too light you are less likely to use your whole body.
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