U.S. Shooting Team
Balance, Strength and Stability Workout
Training Work-Out
Modified by Dan Durben and Sommer Wood November 2006 from the program originally developed by Amber Darland for the USA Shooting National Rifle Team
**Exercises should be performed to the maximum extension/contraction
***To download a .pdf version of this file click here.
Static Back
Starting position: Lie on back with legs bent 90 degrees at the knees and lower legs resting on a chair, palms of hands up.
Action: Breathe deeply and relax. 5:00 minutes
Supine Elbow Curls
Starting position: Lie on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place knuckles on the temples of your forehead with thumbs pointing down towards your shoulders. Pinch your shoulder blades together to bring your elbows to the floor.
Action: Keeping wrists straight and rotating on the knuckles bring together and then apart down to the floor. 30-40 reps
Pullovers
Starting position: Lie on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend arms straight above chest and interlace fingers.
Action: Keeping arms straight, lower hands toward floor above your head and then back toward your waist. Repeat back and forth. 20 reps
Static Back Crunches
Starting position: Lie on back with both hips and knees bent at 90 degree angles so that your lower legs are held out as if resting on a chair. Place hands behind head with elbows back. Keep your chin off your chest by keeping your eyes focused on one spot on the ceiling slightly behind you.
Action: Contract abdominal muscles while lifting shoulders off the floor, then relax. Repeat up and down. 25-50 reps
Active Frog
Starting position: Lie on back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor and the sides of the feet touching each other.
Action: Bring knees apart toward the floor and then back up together. Repeat back and forth. 20 reps
Ruep Kicks
Starting position: Lie on right side with both hips and knees bent at 90 degree angles. Support your head with your right arm, keeping your head and neck in a straight line with your spine.
Action: Bring your left knee toward your chest, then straighten out your left leg so that the left hip is fully extended with foot, knee, hip and shoulder all in a straight line. Repeat back and forth, then flip over and repeat with the right leg. 20 reps each leg
Static Back Splits
Starting Position: Lie on back with both hips and knees bent at 90 degree angles so that your lower legs are held out as if resting on a chair.
Action: Bring knees and feet together, then spread knees and feet apart. Repeat back and forth. 20 reps
Shoulder Bridge
Starting position: Lie on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor with both knees and feet at hip width.
Action: Squeeze glutes, raise hips and the lower-back off the floor and hold. Concentrate on squeezing glutes and keeping back relaxed. Hold for 1:00 minute
Active Shoulder Bridge
Starting position: Same as Shoulder Bridge – lie on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor with both knees and feet at hip width.
Action: Squeeze glutes, raise hips and the lower-back off the floor, then drop back down. Repeat up and down. 20 reps
Lower Spinal Floor Twist
Starting position: Lie on back with left leg straight and resting on the floor. Bring your right knee up so that your hip and knee are both bent at 90 degree angles.
Action: Keeping your right arm flat on the floor palm up, grab your right knee with your left hand and pull it across your body toward the floor and hold. Repeat on other leg. Hold 1:00 minute on each leg
Frog Kicks & Reverse Frog Kicks
Starting position: Lie on back with legs straight and hands under glutes.
Action 1: Pull your knees straight to your chest, then spread your legs apart. Keeping your legs spread apart, straighten them out below you. Finally, bring the legs back together to the starting position. Repeat back and forth in a smooth motion. 20 reps
Action 2: Immediately reverse the frog kicks by first spreading your legs apart, then pulling your knees up to your sides, then drawing your knees together above you chest, then straightening your legs back to the starting position. 20 reps
Pelvic Tilts
Starting Position: Lie on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Action: Keeping hips in contact with the floor, arch lower back off floor, then press lower back into floor. Repeat back and forth. 10 reps
Hip Lift
Starting Position: Lie on back with both hips and knees bent at 90 degrees so that your lower legs are held out as if resting on a chair.
Action: Place right ankle on left knee and hold. After 30 seconds lightly pull the left leg toward your chest about 2-3 inches while pressing right knee away from chest, then hold. Repeat with other leg. Hold 1:00 minute each leg
Flutter kicks
Starting position: Lie on back with legs out straight, thighs tight and toes pulled back. Raise head off the ground so you are looking at your feet.
Action: Keeping thighs tight and legs straight alternate kicking legs up and down 6 inches above the floor. Half way through your reps point your toes forward. 25 reps with toes back, 25 reps with toes pointed forward
Supine Diva
Starting position: Sit upright with a slight arch in the lower back. Place soles of feet together with knees relaxed down. Invert the position of the right leg so that the inside of the right leg is now resting against the floor, the right foot is behind you, and the sole of the left foot is on the right thigh.
Action: Lie onto back, allow right knee to come off the floor. Once on back squeeze the right glute muscle and hold. Reverse the directions to repeat on the other side. Hold each side 1:00 minute
Kneeling Active Clock
Starting Position: Kneel with hips directly over knees, arms relaxed by sides.
Action 1: Lift arms out in front to the 12 o’clock position straight overhead, then back down.
Action 2: Lift arms halfway between overhead and straight out from sides to 10 and 2 o’clock.
Action 3: Lift arms straight out from sides to 9 and 3 o’clock.
20 reps each
Kneeling Roller Coasters
Starting Position: On hands and knees walk hands out slightly past the shoulders. Sit back toward your heels keeping your arms stretched out and the palms of your hands flat against the floor.
Action: The following motions should mimic a roller coaster. Bend elbows sliding forward dipping face so that nose skims just above floor, followed by hips. After face passes beyond hands begin to arch body up in a U motion, straightening your arms to raise your chest. Lift hips while returning back to the starting position. Repeat in a smooth motion. 10 reps
Cats & Dogs
Starting Position: On hands and knees with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
Action: Arch back up and pull chin to chest while breathing out. While breathing in, lower back toward floor and raise head to look up. Repeat back and forth. 10-15 reps
Hand Leg Opposite Holds
Starting position: On hands and knees with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
Action: Raise and straighten your right arm and left leg simultaneously until they are both straight and parallel with the floor and hold. Switch to left arm and right leg and repeat. Hold for 10 seconds, 5 reps each arm/leg
Downward Dog
Starting position: On hands and knees with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Curl toes under feet.
Action: Straighten legs by lifting knees off the floor, pressing heels toward the floor, and raising hips toward the ceiling creating an arch. Keep thighs tight, press chest toward legs and hold. Hold for 1:00 minute
Active Downward Dog
Starting position: On hands and knees with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Curl toes under feet.
Action: Straighten legs by lifting knees off the floor, pressing heels toward the floor, and raising hips toward the ceiling. Keep thighs tight and press chest toward legs. Next, lower the knees to the floor, then come back up. Repeat up and down. 15 reps
Kneeling Bridge
Starting position: Kneel with knees under hips and feet with heels up and toes on the ground under heels. Reach back and grab heels with hands so that thumbs are inside of heels.
Action: Squeeze glutes, push hips up and forward and hold. Hold for 1:00 minute
Hero Squats
Starting position: Kneel with knees under hips and feet at hip width. Place hands on hips and sit back as close to ankles as is comfortably possible while keeping shoulders directly above hips. Gently arch your lower back inward. Avoid leaning forward.
Action: Raise your hips all the way up until they are directly over your knees, then go back down. Repeat up and down. 20 reps
Hero Leans
Starting position: Kneel with knees under hips and feet at hip width. Place palms on lower back with fingers pointing down.
Action: Keeping stomach and back tight, lean back as far as is comfortable, then come back up. 10-20 reps
Spread Foot Glides
Starting position: Stand and spread legs apart, as far as you can comfortably go while keeping your toes pointed forward. Bend over with your arms hanging straight down.
Action: Keeping your left leg straight, bend you right leg while gliding to the right, as if you are sitting back into a chair. Then switch, smoothly gliding to the left by straightening the right leg and bending the left leg. Alternate side to side. 20 reps
Spread Foot Roller Coasters
Starting position: Stand and spread legs apart, as far as you can comfortably go while keeping your toes pointed forward. Bend over, walk your hands out in front of you and spread your hands so they are slightly wider than your shoulders.
Action: The following motions should mimic a roller coaster. Bend elbows sliding forward dipping face so that nose skims just above floor, followed by hips. After face passes beyond hands begin to arch body up in a U motion, straightening your arms to raise your chest. Return to the starting position by lifting the hips into the air and shifting weight back toward your feet. Repeat in a smooth motion. 10-20 reps
Static Lunges
Starting position: Stand with hands behind head. Place right leg out in front of you and left leg behind you, keeping your feet in line with each other.
Action: Bend both knees allowing your left leg to drop straight down toward the floor. Next, raise back up straightening legs. Repeat up and down. Switch legs and repeat. 20-40 reps each leg
Roller Coasters
Starting position: Stand with feet straight and shoulder width apart. Bend over and walk your hands out just past your shoulders.
Action: The following motions should mimic a roller coaster. Bend elbows sliding forward dipping face so that nose skims just above floor, followed by hips. After face passes beyond hands begin to arch body up in a U motion, straightening your arms to raise your chest. Return to the starting position by lifting the hips into the air and shifting weight back toward your feet. Repeat in a smooth motion. 10-15 reps
Bear Crawl
Starting position: On hands and feet.
Action: Crawl forward by first bringing your right hand and left leg forward, then your left hand and right leg. Keep your back flat and your knees under your body in line with your hips. 10 steps each leg
Inchworms
Starting position: Stand with feet hip width apart. Keep legs straight and bend over at the waist and reach out until your hands are flat on the floor.
Action: Keeping your legs straight, walk your hands out in front of you as far as comfortable. Next, keeping legs straight, use your toes to “inch” your legs up to your hands pressing heel towards floor with each step. 5-8 reps
Air Bench
Starting position: As if sitting in a chair, stand with back against walk so that knees are bent at a 90 degree angle and thighs are parallel with the floor. Make sure that knees do not go past ankles.
Action: Keep weight on heels, press lower back into the wall and hold. Hold 1:00 minute
Standing Stork Walk
Starting position: Stand with hands behind head,
Action: Pull left knee up to a 90 degree angle keeping foot under knee. Point toe towards floor, then lower leg back to starting position. Repeat with other leg. 20 reps each leg
Cats & Dogs (Repeat)
Starting Position: On hands and knees with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
Action: Arch back up and pull chin to chest while breathing out. While breathing in, lower back toward floor and raise head to look up. Repeat back and forth. 10-15 reps
Forward Hang
Starting position: Stand with feet shoulder width apart.
Action: Bend over at waist and hang, let arms and head relax down. Hold and then roll up to starting position. Hold 30 seconds