By Shain Rossi, Certified Personal Trainer

Speed, power, strength, and conditioning are important factors in how well you perform in your selected sport. Here are 4 classic sports training exercises that can help you take your competitiveness on the field or court to the next level:

Deadlift

The deadlift is a valuable sports training exercise because it forces major muscle groups to work together and helps create the explosiveness necessary for sprinting, throwing, kicking, and jumping. It is particularly useful when training for sports like basketball, football, and soccer.

Start by standing with the feet shoulder-width apart underneath a loaded barbell, with the bar just touching the shins. Squat down and then grasp the bar using a shoulder-width grip. With your back flat and chest up, lift the bar by completely extending your knees and hips. Keep the arms straight while dragging the bar up the legs, and keep the hips down until as late within the movement as you can as you rise to a standing position. Fully contract the glutes, legs, and back muscles at the top of the movement, and then lower the bar back down to the floor.

Jump squat

This sports training exercise is a favorite among athletes in many sports for improving the speed and strength of the lower body, as well as working the muscles of the core. Hold a loaded barbell on the shoulders as you do for a set of standard squats, but when introducing this exercise, use one-third to one-half of the weight that you normally squat. Lower into a squat slowly with good form, keeping the back flat and chest out, until the thighs are parallel with the floor, and then explode up as quickly as possible, so the feet momentarily leave the ground. Flex your knees to land under control, take a moment to reset and stabilize your stance, and then repeat.

Burpee

This essential sports training exercise improves explosiveness, agility, and cardiovascular stamina, which are emphasized in almost every sport. The burpee begins from a standing position with the arms resting at your sides, and the feet hip- to shoulder-width distance apart. Lower yourself down slowly into a deep squat, then slap your hands down on the floor on the outside of your feet. Hop up quickly and kick the legs out and back behind the body. As your toes touch the ground, tighten your abdominal muscles and keep your back straight while lowering yourself down by bending the elbows. Push yourself up steadily, kick the legs back to the point where you started and jump into the air, landing back on your feet, and then start the next burpee. Start with sets of five to ten burpees, and then work you way up to 20 to 30 burpees per set.

Standing medicine ball toss

This is an excellent full body sports training exercise for development of movement speed and explosive strength. Stand upright as you hold a 10 to 25-pound medicine ball with both hands against your chest, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Slightly squat down and explode upwards and forwards by extending the hips, knees, and ankles while throwing the ball at a target four to ten feet above your head. Catch or pick up the ball, and repeat.

Are you interested in taking your performance to the next level with targeted sports training? Contact San Pedro personal trainer Shain Rossi at Elite Triangle Fitness for a free consultation today.