Reebok Fit2Kick: Workout for Defender Position

#1 How Circuit Training can help a defender

The circuit training session is a very good strength training session since it helps you works on all the major muscles of your body right from the shoulders to your ankles.

In circuit training, you undertake a series of strength training exercises, with the significant feature being that the rest you take between exercises is considerably less than normal. This lesser amount of rest, which means that you don’t give the body enough time to fully recover, helps to increase your work capacity. Circuit training also assists in increasing your cardiovascular fitness and in adapting to acid buildup in the muscles.

For defenders, muscle endurance is very important as they have to be in constant motion for close to 90 minutes. With the intense activity routine that a defender goes through, cardiovascular strength and dealing with lactic acid development also acquire prime importance. Circuit training helps prepare a defender for all of this, and more.

#2 The Circuit Training Workout

The next set of exercises helps prepare your entire body.

Remember to warm up properly before this particular workout, which will prepare you for the rigours of the entire circuit and also help you protect your body from injuries.

Number of Exercises: 4

Time Duration: 20 Minutes for the entire set

No. of Reps: Mentioned Ahead

#3 The Push Up

Target Muscles: Chest, Arms, Back and Shoulders

This movement helps develop a range of upper body muscles and it does so using an individual’s body weight.

This exercise has two basic steps:

Step 1: Assume the push-up position, keep your hands at shoulder width and your legs slightly apart (helps maintain balance).

Lower your body till your chest touches the ground. Remember not to let your body sag in the middle; tighten your stomach and your abs.

Step 2: Push back up to the initial position.

You have to do 10 reps in each set, and four sets in total. Remember, your breaks between each set must not be longer than 10 seconds each.

Breathing: Exhale while going down; tighten your stomach while exhaling (which essentially means you breathe using your stomach). Inhale deeply while going back up.

Levels: To increase the difficulty, increase the reps in each set and the speed of each rep, do this exercise faster, longer and harder for better results.

#4 The Goblet Squat

Target Muscles: Arms, Hamstrings, Quads and Shoulders

The basic movement is that of the squat, the difference is you are lifting up a kettle bell or a dumbbell while doing this exercise.

The basic steps of this exercise are:

Step 1: Stand with your legs slightly apart, hoist the kettle bell up with both hands and hold it close to your chest.

Step 2: Lower your body as if sitting down on a chair, stop this motion the moment your thigh is parallel to the ground and your butt is in line with your knees.

Step 3: Push back up to your initial position.

The squat when combined with the kettle bell hoist helps you strengthen your core as well as helps you achieve better balance.

Your set gets over the moment you have done at least ten squats, you have to do five sets of this exercise. Again, you can take a break of a maximum of 10 seconds between each set.

Breathing: Inhale while going down and exhale while going back up.

Levels: The best way to increase the level is to do each rep as slowly as possible, also remember to breath in and out as deep as you can while doing each rep.

#5 The High Knee Step up

Target Area: Reaction speed and Jumping Ability

Remember the box we used in a couple of our earlier workout sessions? Time to get it out again!

This exercise helps develop your reaction speed and greatly increase your jumping abilities.

The basic steps of these exercises are:

Step 1: Place the box in front of you, step on to it (it is THAT easy). Once you have stepped on, in the same motion, bring the other knee up to your chest.

Step 2: Step down, the leg which you brought up till your chest should be the one you land on.

Step 3: Repeat the same movement with your other leg.

Your set ends after you have done 10 reps each for each leg. You have to do at least five sets. Again, remember to avoid taking too long breaks between each set.

Breathing: Inhale while stepping onto the box, Exhale while stepping down from the box.

Levels: Increase the speed with which you step up and step down to up the level.

#6 The Pull Up

Target Area: Back, Arms and Shoulders

A very basic exercise, this along with the push up works most of your upper body muscles.

The basic steps of these exercises are:

Step 1: Catch the pull up bar at shoulder width as shown in the image.

Step 2: Now pull your body up till the point where your chin nearly touches the pull up rod; this is the reason why this exercise is also called the chin up.

Your set ends after you have done ten reps. You have to do at least five sets. Once again, not more than 10 seconds’ break between sets.

Breathing: Inhale while pulling yourself up and exhale while going down.

Levels: Increase the speed with which you step up and step down to up the level.