TrainingTrain Like An Olympian Written by Amy Golby28th July 202128th July 2021 Summer is here, and so is the athletics season. Why not draw some inspiration and put yourself through a leg workout designed for an olympian and to help you develop explosive power? It’s always important to keep our body guessing and therefore adapting so we can push forwards and achieve our fitness goal. Warm up Want to be an Olympian? Always remember to warm up before starting any workout to ensure all the correct muscles are warm and activated, this will help you ensure you lift safely and efficiently and reduce the risk of injury. Take 10-15 minutes to warm up your legs before hitting any of the exercises, and take your time to perfect the technique and correct form before each exercise too. Workout Exercise Sets Reps A Warm-Up Drills & Mobility 5-10 mins Note: Raise HR and increase blood flow 2 rounds of the below; B Single Arm KB Squat with Pause 2 6 Note: Control the squat, pause at the bottom, engage core C Barbell RDL’s 2 6 Note: Keep back in a neutral position, control eccentric, weight through heels D Single-Leg Box Jumps 2 8 Note: Explosive jumps onto a box, land in a squat position E Reverse Barbell Lunges 2 10 Note: Engage core at all times, reverse lunge, then drive back up F Dumbbell Lateral Lunges 2 6 Note: Hold dumbbells into the anterior delt and lunge laterally, then drive back to the centre G Loaded Press Ups 2 5 Note: Push up with plate loaded onto your back H Isometric Adductor Holds 3 6 seconds Note: Squeeze either machine or med ball with knees. Max tension for 6 secs I Single Arm Dumbbell Rows 3 8 Note: Drive the elbow back explosively, control the eccentric The exercises in this list will help you develop power in your lower body. Make sure you always keep your form and don’t overload before you a have mastered the movement technique. Want to get some more training tips and tricks? Check them out here. Don’t forget to fuel yourself Pre, Intra and Post-workout – You can grab yourself all your workout must-haves here. Make sure to let us know how you get on with your training program and tag us in your workouts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter – @phdnutrition. Written by Amy Golby Amy is our very own content manager and has been a sportswoman for over 18 years playing rugby and netball up to a national level, she has been a qualified personal trainer for 6 years and further her nutritional knowledge with a diploma in sports and exercise nutrition as well a psychology degree. She has been training in a gym and weightlifting for over 10 years and competed in her first body building competition this year. She continues to learn and improve her training in order to reach her goals. She believes in both the physical and mental advantages of sport and fitness as well as a balanced diet and lifestyle. In her spare time, Amy enjoys playing sport, socialising with friends, and fuelling her shopping addiction to gym wear. She can be found here – https://www.instagram.com/dreams_and_dumbbells/?hl=en Read Next Training THE BENEFITS OF COLD WATER THERAPY While the idea of immersing yourself in cold water may seem daunting, there’s fascinating scientific research suggesting that this chilling experience can offer significant benefits for your mood and cognition. Training COMPOUND LIFTS What are the primary compound lifts, what muscles do they target, how often should you perform them (including reps and sets)? TrainingNutrition Cardiovascular Conditioning Cardiovascular conditioning – the benefits of cardio, what are zones and how often you should do it.
