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3 Moves to Improve Your Lifts

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See our 10 page guide outlining 3 key moves to help with specific lifts. Created with the concept to increase strength, stamina and stability for each lift. A written list is provided followed by picture guides.

Key Concepts:

  1. Emphasize body control and awareness using an unstable surface
  2. Vary the joint angles while in close chain positions to increase joint position awareness
  3. Simulate coordinated movement patterns for each lift
  4. Full recruitment of muscular strength to increase load capacity
  5. Incorporate into training as a warm-up before heavy lifting or into a training circuit as exercise variety
  6. Stimulate better muscle recruitment and body awareness for longevity

Training Benefits:

  1. Endurance of stabilizer muscles to perform with continued strength throughout repetitive exercises
  2. Joint stability through range of motion and in various angles
  3. End range joint stability and stabilizer endurance
  4. Spine control to prepare for awkward movements or dynamic exercise equipment that changes shape
  5. Be able to react to imbalances or postural sway when your body is fatigued
  6. Better muscle recruitment for dynamic full body exercises

Training Tools:

  1. Si Boards Balance Board
  2. Freestyle Original
  3. 8.5” Half Balls
  4. 6.5” Balls
  5. 5” Balls
  6. Resistance Band System
  7. Optional strength training equipment such as barbells, kettlebells or weight plates

Skill Progression:

  1. Start with two Half Balls to create a Rocker board tilting in one plane
  2. Use one Half Ball to create a Wobble board to tilt in all directions
  3. Progress to moving surface using a Half Ball on one end and a Ball at the other end creating a Single Pivot board
  4. Use two Balls to create a Double Pivot board that will give you slight multi-direction movement with a level surface
  5. Use one Ball to create a fully Multi-Direction board with roll and tilt in any direction

Table of Contents:


One Arm Snatch:
1. Deep squat with board grab
2. Push up with a board twist
3. Squat stance balance with weight overhead

Overhead Press/Thruster:
1. Lunge with barbell overhead
2. Clap push-ups
3. Burpee jump to squat position on the board

Hand Stand:
1. Pike position or seated hand stand with legs extended
2. 360 push up/plank walks in a circle
3. Dip position with board movements in all directions

Pull Up:
1. Reverse push up with feet on the board and simulated mountain climber
2. Ab tuck with shins on board and hands on ground
3. Surf push-up position with board roll in and out

Dead Lift:
1. Bridges with feet on board, back on ground and hip lift
2. Quadruped with feet at tail and hands at nose of board
3. Dips with one foot in the air

Squat:
1. Board ride with movement in all directions
2. Simulated tire running touching board edges to ground
3. Squats with Half Ball to one side of board

Muscle Up:
1. 360 dips with walks in circles
2. Crab position with feet on tail and hands on nose and body facing ceiling
3. Surf position dynamic push-up jumping board forward and backward

Posture/Spine Stability:
1. Squat with added weight hold at the front spine
2. SUP surf stance position with outstretched arms
3. Rotation control with weight hold at the side

Bear Crawl:
1. Quadruped position with one leg lift
2. Steering wheel push-up rotations
3. Reverse push-up with one foot on the board

Crab Walk:
1. Crab position with one foot in the air
2. Dip position with alternating foot in the air
3. Bridge position with feet rotating board forward and backward

Burpee Sequence:
1. Stabilize board in the surf push-up position
2. Jump to your feet and stick the landing
3. Steady yourself and stand
Overhead Snatch:
1. Squat control with added posture hold from resistance bands
2. Scap control with resitance bands while moving arms in various positions
3. Overhead press with one foot balance

Clap Push-Up Sequence:
1. Beginners should start with a half ball and progress to a full ball
2. Push off board and engage your back
3. Engage abdominals for stability as you land softly

Direction Change:
1. Steady board in push up position and prepare to jump laterally
2. Land with control and recenter body
3. Complete 360 circles or other pattern changes

Scap Control:
1. Cross leg lotus position lifting your hips off the board
2. Long ab position with hands pressing firmly into the ground
3. Resistance band activation of scap rotation while maintaining ride balance

Vertical Grip Strength Sequence:
1. Ball bounce with catch and hold starting from a high position
2. Slam ball hard and with full arm extension
3. Catch and control ball before the next rep

Horizontal Grip Strength Sequence:
1. Grip ball vs cradling it in your hand starting from a punch position
2. Fully extend arm and release ball against
3. As ball returns to your hand firmly grip and control the momentum

Continual Grip Strength Sequence:
1. Start in a plank position with grip strength
2. Extend arm and fully rotate to a side plank position
3. Continue grip strength and return to starting plank position

Single Leg Activation with Side Placement Half Ball:
1. Squat position with Half Ball under right foot for right side activation
2. Front foot activation to simulate a strong first step
3. Back foot activation to simulate a strong backward step

Tissue Recovery:
1. Quad roll on ball with knee bend
2. Glute roll with leg crossed over the top
3. Seated hamstring with leg extension