Upper Body Conditioning

One of the most common sites of injury is the lower back. Injury in this region can be because of muscular imbalance, weak or inflexible muscles or poor posture. It makes sense, therefore, to identify a session that will work all these areas and develop the right level of conditioning for injury prevention.

The exercises

Detailed below is a session of eight exercises. The exercises are to be performed slowly and smoothly and at no time should you be out of breath.

Sit Ups (Upper Abdominals)

  • Lie on your back with your legs bent, knees together and feet flat on the floor.
  • Rest your hands on your thighs
  • Sit up until the palms of your hands touch your knees
  • Return to the starting position
  • Perform the movements in a slow controlled fashion

Back Arches (Back)

  • Lie on you front with your legs crossed at the ankles, keep your feet firmly anchored to the floor
  • Hands and arms straight out in front of you
  • Raise your upper body off the floor, keep your neck in line with your spine
  • Hold for one second and then slowly lower to the floor

Reverse Curl (Lower Abdominals)

  • Lie on your back with your legs bent, knees together and feet flat on the floor.
  • Curl up the legs and buttocks off the floor
  • Return to the starting position
  • Perform the movements in a slow controlled fashion

Hip and Leg raise (Gluteals and hamstrings)

  • Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor
  • Place your hands by your side
  • Raise hips and straighten one leg and hold for a second before lowering
  • Repeat with the other leg

Transversus Abdominis (Abdominal) Transversus Abdominis exercise

  • Place yourself in the kneeling position with your hands on the ground
  • Hips directly above the knees
  • Shoulders directly above the hands
  • Keep the spine in a natural position
  • Relax the abdominal muscles and let the tummy sag down
  • Gently pull your tummy button and the area below it towards your spine
  • Hold for 10-15 seconds and then relax

Short sit ups (Hip flexors and abdominals)

  • Lie on you back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor
  • Rest your hands lightly on the side of you head (not the back of your neck)
  • Raise your body so that your upper body is at 30-40 degree angle with the floor
  • Hold for one second before coming down slowly

Back Extensions (Back)

  • Sit on the floor with legs bent, feet flat on the floor
  • Position your hands on the floor behind you to take some of the weight
  • Raise your body off the floor so that your body is parallel with the floor
  • Hold for one second and slowly lower

Twisted Curl (Oblique Abdominals)

  • Lie on your back with your legs bent, knees together and feet flat on the floor.
  • Place the left ankle on the right knee with the left knee pointing away
  • Curl up the right shoulder to the left knee
  • Keep lower back on the ground
  • Return to the starting position
  • Perform the movements in a slow controlled fashion
  • Repeat with the other leg and shoulder

How Many and How Often?

Start at one set of ten repetitions. Each week increase the number of repetitions by two. When you reach twenty repetitions increase the number of sets by one and start again at ten repetitions.

The exercises should be performed two or three times a week and be incorporated into your training schedule.

Before You Start

Prior to starting any training program, it is recommended that you have a medical examination to ensure it is safe for you to do so.

Associated Pages

The following Sports Coach pages should be read in conjunction with this page:

Associated Books

The following books provide more information related to this topic:

  • Mobility Training, N. Brook, ISBN 0 85134 079 2
  • Strength and Conditioning for Games Players, C. Brewer, ISBN 1 902523 85 7
  • Circuit Training for all sports, M. Scholich, ISBN 0 920905 04 8
  • Medicine Ball Training, Z. Tenke et al., ISBN 0 92095 40 4
  • Strength Conditioning with Medicine Balls, M. Jones, ISBN 0 851 34097 0
  • Advanced Studies in Physical Education and Sport, P Beashel et al., ISBN 0 17 4482345
  • Physical Education and the Study of Sport, B. Davis et al., ISBN 0 7234 31752
  • Essentials of Exercise Physiology, W.D. McArdle et al., ISBN 0 683 30507 7
  • Physical Education and Sport Studies, D. Roscoe et al., ISBN 1 901424 20 0
  • The World of Sport Examined, P. Beashel et al., ISBN 0 17 438719 9
  • Advanced PE for Edexcel, F. Galligan et al., ISBN 0 435 50643 9
  • Examining Physical Education, K. Bizley, ISBN 0 435 50660 9
  • Sport and PE, K Wesson et al., ISBN 0 340 683821
  • PE for you, J. Honeybourne, ISBN 0 7487 3277 2