Developing Power with Medicine Balls

[johnyandell]

Let's get your thoughts on Mark Kovac's article, "Developing Power with Medicine Balls"

[dipperhitter]

I like the relationship between these drills and the two articles on the stances. Cool trend in your issues.

[privas]

These exercises are probably what I am looking for. I need to learn how to get more torso rotation on my ground strokes. I guess there is no specific exercise for a one handed backhand.

[doctorhl]

Privas, just don’t overdo the torso rotation concept with the medicine balls. I ruptured lumbar discs by over rotating muscles that weren’t ready to handle a change from old school linear movement to ATP rotational movement. Just let the big muscles naturally initiate the rotational movement and re -read Yandell’s checkpoints on the role of the rear foot and non racket arm( bh) and non racket arm(fh) in preventing over rotation. One handed bh will probably require a band tied from wall to racket in some fashion to mic resistance. Anyone got an idea on how to set up a one handed bh resistance exercise?

[johnyandell]

Two dumbbells 5lbs each to start. Model the stroke in slow mo. 10-15 reps. 3 sets. As you get stronger, increase the weight to 7lbs or 10lbs even.

[doctorhl]

Sounds like a great exercise!

[don_budge]

Privas, just don’t overdo the torso rotation concept with the medicine balls.

Sound advise on the injury potential. Start slowly and with a lighter ball. It's a long run...not a sprint. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will additional power in your strokes. I love this concept...all you need is a partner to play "catch" with.

[hockeyscout]

Don_Budge - I suggest using a professional grade rebounder with medicine balls if you want to do it properly but phase it in as a part II of a protocol (see my post below for what is proper phase I for kids/teenagers/over 50 group).

Now to rebounders - it's what I use with my athletes (professional) and it works a bit better than old school methods like the ones shown in this video. When I started coaching at the MMA gym in Ukraine I revamped our whole medicine ball deal as it was old, outdated and was not working, and initially their was push back because they have used certain protocols since the old days of the USSR. However, everyone came to understand why I liked rebounders, athletes picking up the ball off the floor, catching, flow, rhythm and all the drills we did that had a specific game plan.

The first guy to use one of my rebounders got the ball back in the face, and it made my point that they were teaching their athletes to be de-activated and not as focused on power/stance/balance recovery as they should be - which is pretty important in MMA.The point of the medicine ball is to get hip activation/drop to contact/rotation to target/speed of recovery/extension/activation and squared up - and to be able to do this in all stances. The rebounder ensures the athlete is engaged after the stroke (throwing the ball) and is able to maintain continuity of momentum, flow, rhythm so three or four successive high powered shots. Kind of important in tennis/MMA - well every sport. Doing medicine ball throws with a buddy has been proven time and time scientifically to be useless - clearly - it does not create perpetual speed/pressure on the athlete or build the eccentric/concentric chain one needs to develop to attain/maintain power. When you have an athlete using a rebounder they are using the force that they can handle which is an important injury prevention tool - I know with a rebounder or accelerated iso-kinetic machine what kind of force and athlete can generate or dissipate and as a result they do not get injured. We had measurements to determine force production as well on the rebounder which is what this game is all about - force production, and the problem with this drill in the video is you can not measure that properly and understand how to move your athlete forward without the data.

Also, in a drill such as this one you want an athlete moving/building toward power - the last thing you want to do is have them run three steps and then throw them the ball - you want the athlete to hold the ball and then have them raise the ball slowly as they move to contact and drop their hips over the three step hip activation motion - then release the ball to the rebounder, catch, move to next move and learn to load to dissipate pressure from the rebounder.

Teach them to absorb pressure over all three steps as opposed to having them get to position with no force whatsoever, and then throw them the ball.

I had 4 rebounders - so, I could vary up movement no problem and have them build properly to the next point of contact/strike. Teach them to throw properly, hard, explosive and with load/tempo/control/recovery like Vida Blue - but most importantly to engage, get the hands the hell up and be prepared to catch that ball right in front of them - it applies to all sports.

[hockeyscout]

I'd recommend before medicine balls as a Phase I set up activity to use (1) Dynamic Training bells and (2) Aqualogix Resistance Bells with young kids - with older over 50 athletes like yourself Steve - I am a big fan of medicine balls, however they are only good if certain sequencing has been set up by certified trainers or you are working with professional athletes - as the one poster pointed out above you can run into issues using this type of training if you do not fully understand the methodology/science/mechanics. I am always shocked when I see young kids doing this type of work - when you are dealing with growing bodies sequencing what you do is very important and its all about taking the small steps and using the right equipment and not rushing the process ...

https://www.jennilynnfitness.com/pro...sistance-bells

I suggest using these as opposed to a weight - hypertrophy into a swing path/striking is a problem - and, I am not big on weights for many scientific reasons. You can truly build an amazing one handed backhand power in the water with the "Bells" - really works well and you can safely train any level of athlete this way with zero chance of injury.

[don_budge]

Vida Blue...there's a blast from the past. Good info on the medicine ball training. The Aqua bells look to be interesting. It's amazing what one could do in the fitness realm with the proper resources and motivation. Your posts also reinforce the idea that you don't just go out and start tossing the medicine ball around without professional guidance. Great posts and thanks for your thoughts.