Progressing Power Exercises for 50+ Age Group: Exercises Part 2

Medicine ball Walking Toss: Take a small step and toss the ball straight up in the air, catch it allowing the momentum to take you into staggered stance Romanian deadlift position. Use the momentum to toss the ball into the air and take a step forward with the opposite foot. Keep eyes on the ball. Front foot is flat, back foot is on toes. Hinge at the hips and keep a moderate brace on. Should feel a slight stretch in the hamstring. These can also be done in a bilateral stance akin to a kettlebell swing. Tip: Use these as part of a dynamic warmup to graded sprinting.

Extensive Plyometric Drills (Pogo Hop): Stay light on your feet and bouncy while landing on your forefoot. Act as if you’re jumping rope. Find a rhythm. Remember to breath.

Skier Swings: Corkscrew the feet and knees out. Explode through the hips. Snap the hips forward. Ribs down and stiffen the core. Hard exhale as you snap the hips. Anti-shrug at the top and use it to reload your hips.

Kettlebell Swing: Corkscrew the feet and knees out. Explode through the hips. Snap the hips forward. Ribs down and stiffen the core. Hard exhale as you snap the hips. Anti-shrug at the top and use it to reload your hips. The kettlebell should not go lower than your knees on the reload.

Olympic Lift Variations (Dumbbell Clean): Set up with the dumbbell between your feet and wedge yourself under the weight. Snap the hips forward as you shrug and come up on your toes. Try and throw the dumbbell. Drop into the catch quickly. Keep the dumbbell close to your body throughout the movement.

Olympic Lift Variations (Sandbag Clean): Keep the bag tight to the thighs, then sweep the knees under and shift your weight to the mid-foot. Snap the hips and knees hard and rise tall. Shrug late, then rip the elbows around fast into the catch.

Depth Drops: Don’t jump off the box, rather bring one foot forward and step into the drop. When landing open your hips and don’t allow for your knees to come together! Land on giving surfaces such as grass or turf at first and focus on landing in an athletic stance quietly. Land on both feet at the same time. Regressions include heel drops and countermovement drops. Perform this exercise at lower heights such as using a 6-inch box.

Graded Sprinting: Push the ground away from you. Relax your face and shoulders. Keep your core stiff. Breathe wide. Don’t overstride. Strike the ground underneath your hips. To minimize risk of hamstring strains, start with hill sprints on low grade inclines and focus on keeping stiff ankles. Start with lower intent at first and build intent overtime.

Vertical Jumps: Cock your hips back. Push the ground away from you. Reach for the ceiling. Land quietly.

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