McDowell Girls Lacrosse
Off-season Workouts
Introduction
These workouts are meant to get players ready to go for our first practice in March. They are ones that can be done at home and do not require additional equipment. Although I had times added into the workouts, please do not overwork yourself to get the times. Rather, work your hardest and improve each week. Please do not stress yourself over this. Just IMPROVE and work your HARDEST in each workout. Push yourself to the next level!**PennBriar and Winter Clinic workouts should each take the place of one workout.
**During the first week of practice in March, you will be tested in the mile run and three suicides. If you do not make the mile in 8 minutes or less, you will rerun it each Friday until you do. Goalies: See me for box drill test. (If you sit home and do nothing until March, you will not pass the test! AKA work out!)
The warm up
Take a slow run to warm the body up and get it ready to run fast. Take a nice slow job around a track. If possible, please follow with a series of plyometrics: high knees, kickbutts, lunges, skips, etc. After lap, do 25 body squats and 25 lunges.
The Stretch
Stretching is the most important part of any workout because it allows the muscles to get loose so that they will be ready for performance. If you don't stretchthe muscles, they are more prone to aches and tears; your performance can also suffer. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat for both sides.
- Neck: Turn head to one side, then the other(repeat 3) / Gently tilt head forward to stretch back of neck (repeat 3).
- Shoulder: With left hand, pull right elbow across chest toward left shoulder and hold.
- Triceps: Hold elbow with hand of opposite arm, pull elbow behind head gently as you slowly lean to side until mild stretch is felt.
- Ankles: Lift right foot and rotate foot and ankle 8 to 10 times clockwise, then 8 to 10 times counterclockwise.
- Calf: Stand a little way from wall and lean on it with forearms, head resting on hands. Place right foot in front of you, leg bent, left leg straight behind you. Slowly move hips forward until you feel stretch in calf of left leg. Keep left heel flat and toes pointed straight ahead. Hold.
- Thigh: Standing straight, grasp top of left foot with right hand. Pull heel toward buttock.
- Hip: Sit on floor with right leg straight out in front. Bend left leg, cross left foot over, place outside right knee. Pull left knee across body toward opposite shoulder.
- Leg: Sit on floor, legs straight out at sides. Bend left leg in at knee. Slowly bend forward from hips toward foot of straight leg until you feel slight stretch. Don’t dip!
The workout
Day 1 is for long distance Day 2 is for speedDay 3 is for endurance.
The Cool Down
Return the heart rate to normal through a nice easy cool down lap
Stick Series
To be done twice a week
25 Right
25 Left
25 Switch
25 Weak – Right
25 Weak – Left
25 Quick – Right
25 Quick – Left
25 Riser passes (eventually get to right and left)
*If you don’t have a wall, get a partner! Use racket ball courts, walls in gyms, etc.
January
Week 2
Day A
One Mile Run (9 minutes or less)
-Ab Workout 3
Day B Interval workouts Total Time: 30 minutes
Jog 1:00 minute, sprint 30 seconds.
*If using a treadmill, sprint speed should be 9 or above.
-17 pushups
Day C
45 minutes to an hour of cardio activity (basketball, swimming, bicycling, running, etc.)
-Ab Workout 4
Week 3
Day A
Two Mile Run (18 minutes or less)
-Ab Workout 5
Day B Sprints *If using elliptical machine, speed should be above 9 for a sprint, rest for double
the amount of time it took to sprint (Ex., I ran a 300 yd spring on level 10 for 60 seconds, I jog or rest for 2 minutes)
300 yd (Target time 65 seconds)
200 yd (Target time 54 seconds)
3 x 100 yd (Target time 24 seconds)
5 x 50 yd (Target time 11 seconds)
7 x 25 yd (Target time 8 seconds)
9 x 10 yd (Target time 7 seconds)
11 x 5 yd (Target time 3 seconds)
**If you are not sure how long these are and are NOT using a field, sprint for the target time and then rest for double. Example, for the 300, I sprint for 65 seconds, rest for 2 minutes and 10 seconds.
-17 pushups
Day C
45 minutes to an hour of cardio activity (swimming, bicycling, running, etc.)
-Ab Workout 6
Week 4
Day A
One Mile Run (9 minutes or less)
-Ab Workout 7
Day B 15 Suicides
Suicide drills can be done on any field or gym floor.
Set up 3 – 4 markers about 5 meters apart from each other. On a basketball court, you can use end line, closest foul shot line, half court, and farther foul shot line, opposite end line. Begin by running from your starting point to the first marker, touch the ground with your hand and sprint back to the start line. Touch the ground with your hand and sprint to the second marker. After touching the ground with your hand immediately return to the start and so forth. These should be done with explosiveness and power.
Rest for one minute and a half in between each suicide.
Day C
45 minutes to an hour of cardio activity (swimming, bicycling, running, etc.)
-Ab Workout 7
February
Week 1
Day A
Three Mile Run (27 minutes or less)
-Ab Workout 1
Day B Coaches Special
*Get a field (or if using a treadmill, use the lap diagram)
Lap 1 – jog
Lap 2 – Sprint 1/4 of track, jog ¾
Lap 3 – Sprint ½ of track, jog ½
Lap 4 – Sprint ¾ of track, jog ¼
Lap 5 – Sprint entire lap
*Perform TWICE*
-20 Pushups
Day C
45 minutes to an hour of cardio activity (swimming, bicycling, running, etc.)
Ab Workout 2
Week 2
Day A
Two Mile Run (18 minutes or less)
-Ab Workout 3
Day B Interval workouts Total Time: 30 minutes
Jog two minutes, sprint 45 seconds.
*If using a treadmill, sprint speed should be 9 or above.
-20 pushups
Day C
45 minutes to an hour of cardio activity (swimming, bicycling, running, etc.)
-Ab Workout 4
Week 3
Day A
Two Mile Run (17 ½ minutes or less)
-Ab Workout 5
Day B Sprints *If using elliptical machine, speed should be above 9 for a sprint, rest for double
the amount of time it took to sprint (Ex., I ran a 300 yd spring on level 10 for 60 seconds, I jog or rest for 2 minutes)
300 yd (Target time 66 seconds)
200 yd (Target time 52 seconds)
5 x 100 yd (Target time 25 seconds)
5 x 50 yd (Target time 11 seconds)
5 x 25 yd (Target time 8 seconds)
3 x 10 yd (Target time 6 seconds)
4 x 5 yd (Target time 3 seconds)
**If you are not sure how long these are and are NOT using a field, sprint for the target time and then rest for double. Example, for the 300, I sprint for 65 seconds, rest for 2 minutes and 10 seconds
-20 pushups
Day C
45 minutes to an hour of cardio activity (swimming, bicycling, running, etc.)
-Ab Workout 6
Week 4
Day A
One Mile Run (8 minutes or less)
-Ab Workout 7
Day B 15 Suicides
Suicide drills can be done on any field or gym floor.
Set up 3 – 4 markers about 5 meters apart from each other. On a basketball court, you can use end line, closest foul shot line, half court, and farther foul shot line, opposite end line. Begin by running from your starting point to the first marker, touch the ground with your hand and sprint back to the start line. Touch the ground with your hand and sprint to the second marker. After touching the ground with your hand immediately return to the start and so forth. These should be done with explosiveness and power.
Rest for one minute and a half in between each suicide.
Day C
45 minutes to an hour of cardio activity (swimming, bicycling, running, etc.)
-Ab Workout 7
March
Week 1
Day A
Two Mile Run (16 minutes or less)
-Ab Workout 1
Day B Coaches Special
*Get a field (or if using a treadmill, use the lap diagram)
Lap 1 – jog
Lap 2 – Sprint 1/4 of track, jog ¾
Lap 3 – Sprint ½ of track, jog ½
Lap 4 – Sprint ¾ of track, jog ¼
Lap 5 – Sprint entire lap
*Perform THREE TIMES*
-25 Pushups
Day C
45 minutes to an hour of cardio activity (swimming, bicycling, running, etc.)
Ab Workout 2
Ab Workouts
Workout 1– The Bicycle
- Lie face up on your mat and place your hands behind your head, lightly supporting it with your fingers.
- Bring the knees in to the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the floor without pulling on the neck.
- Rotate to the left, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee as you straighten the other leg.
- Switch sides, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
- Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion. 30 Reps EACH side, 3 sets.
Workout 2 – Vertical Leg Crunch
- Lie on the floor and extend the legs straight up with knees crossed.
- Place your hands behind the head for support, but avoid pulling on the neck.
- Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet.
- Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.
- Lower and repeat. 50 reps. 3 sets.
Workout 3 – Long Arm Crunch
- Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.
- Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
- Keep the arms straight and avoid straining the neck. If you feel neck pain, take one hand behind the head while keeping the other arm extended.
- Lower and repeat. 50 reps. 3 sets.
*Add intensity by holding a light dumbbell if you need more of a challenge.
Workout 4 -Reverse Crunch Ab
- Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
- Bring the knees in towards the chest until they're bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.
- Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
- Lower and repeat. 30 reps. 3 sets.
*Do not swing. Use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.
Workout 5 – Suitcase/Lemon Squeezes
- Stretch out face-up on a mat.
- Press your lower back flat against the mat and keep your arms and legs straight.
- Squeeze your abdominal muscles. Tighten your belly as though you're about to take a punch.
- Raise your legs and arms simultaneously toward the ceiling. This creates the shape of a lemon squeezer or "V."
- Exhale and lower your arms and legs to the mat. Keep your abdominal muscles tight as you lower your arms and legs. Use your abdominal muscles to control the movement; don't use momentum to swing your arms and legs up and down.
- Repeat. Reps 15, sets 3
Workout 6 – Toe Touches
- Lie on your back with legs extended toward the ceiling.
- Contract the upper body and reach with both hands up to the toes. Try to reach up to your shoelaces. 30 reps, 3 sets.
Workout 7 – Plank
- Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
- Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
- Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
- Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle.
- Hold for 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.