“All the drills in my workout pertain to what I try to get my body and mind to do on the field” – Saul Patu (interview with BodyBuilding.com)

One way to strike this balance between both physical and mental skills is to create and include a regime of football drills that target that balance into your training sessions.

Here are a few drills that will help you improvise quickly on the field.

1. Acceleration Sprints

This particular drill is great to do on the field, as it requires a distance of 100 yards, but you can also practice this drill by marking a 100 and 50-yard mark. The idea is to run from one end to the other, gradually increasing your speed until sprinting. To get started, start at one end and head toward the other – you should reach full speed by the 50-yard mark and continue sprinting until reaching the other end. Slow to a jog when you reach the end and be sure you’re properly recovered before performing the drill again.

This football skill drill improves your ability to increase your speed when necessary during game-play, enabling you to improvise to the situation and execute the best move possible.

2. The Old Weave In, Weave Out

This drill will increase your agility, thereby enabling you to move laterally with more speed and ease. To get started, place four cones in a line about four yards apart. Place another four cones in-between each pair of cones four yards to the left or right of your initial group of cones. Starting at one end, sprint from one cone to the next, touching each with your hand. The idea is to reach the cone with the least amount of adjustment necessary – instead of turning to face each cone before running toward it, consider smaller side-steps and little upper body adjustment.

This will help increase your agility, which in turn can increase your ability to out maneuver the opposing player.

3. Calculating Possibilities

Much like playing chess, a football player can maximize his ability to improvise and overcome the opposition by calculating every possible move the opposite player, or team as a whole, might make. Though coaches will often develop strategy that gears toward this type of method, each player can do his part play-by-play, thereby creating a much more engaged offense or defense. To do this, simply imagine what the opposing player will do and prepare a set of reactions. This is where your agility and ability to increase speed will come into play, as you will likely need to improvise to the player’s move. Though you will likely be one step behind the player as you improvise, the goal is to minimize the time it takes you to react.

By implementing these three simple things into your training, you will increase both your physical and mental football skills.

Here are a few exercises to get you dunking.

Your Personal Hoop Approach

As Michael Jordan said during an MVP interview, “I used to ride the bicycle a lot, I used to work on jumping, I used to just try to jump and try to dunk … if you exercise that muscle to that activity, somehow it’s going to improve.”

Once you have the muscle needed to reach the hoop, you can focus on your approach with the ball. Spend time practicing your technique with a friend that can tell you where you need to improve. Juwan Howard of the Miami Heat said “Teammates have a way of pushing each other to ensure you get the most out of your workout.”

Squats

Though this may seem like a pretty basic exercise, the key is to push your self to your limit. As NBA start Karl Malone of says, “If I’m not sweating I don’t think I got a good workout.” One place to push yourself in your routine while increasing your vertical jump is by performing squats.

This exercise works the muscles in your upper and lower legs you use to jump, so including this in your routine is a good place to start. It’s best to stand with your feet shoulder width apart, keep your back posture straight, and lower your body by bending your knees until your waist reaches your knees. In addition, consider holding weights at the same time to increase the difficulty level.

Toe Raises

The nice thing about this exercise is it can be performed just about anywhere. With your feet shoulder width apart, shift your weight onto your toes – the way you might if trying to see over a crowd. Performing this while in line at the store, at home in the kitchen, or even at work can increase the strength of your calf muscles with little effort or time at all. Again, adding more weight will help add a higher difficulty level to this exercise.

Another great way to increase the difficulty of this exercise is to stand on a slant of some sort with your toes pointed to the more elevated side of the slant. Executing the exercise on a slant not only forces you to lift your weight upward, it requires that you first lift your weight up to level position.

Jumping Rope

Clipper’s strength coach, Johnny Doyle, says “Your success is obviously dependent on your legs,” so it’s crucial you find several exercises that hone and build that area. One way to do this is jumping rope. This puts your calf muscles to use with as a fast-paced fitness exercise.

Basketball players strive to increase their leg strength because it increases his or her vertical jump height, which in turn affects the ability to dunk, but the key to making progress is staying with it and pushing your self to do better.

When asked to comment about Derek Jeter’s drilling routine, Jeff Mangold, Yankees strength and conditioning coach said “Whether it’s taking extra BP or doing his strength work, he has developed a great routine that he does day in and day out with incredible focus.”

Stealing Bases
By practicing, the player will develop insight regarding how long it takes them to run from base to base as well as how large of a lead they can take and when to slide. In addition, each drill can usually be broken down into smaller drills, giving the player the ability to hone specific areas of interest, such as diving back to the base safely and the various types of slides.

Bunting down the Line
If you have a hard time bunting down the third base line, you may want to spend some time in the batting cages working on getting the angle of your bat just right.

• Square up
• Angle bat
• Direct ball down the third base line
• Square up
• Angle bat
• Direct ball down the first base line

By performing this drill again and again, you will develop a feeling for how to direct the ball every time.

Fielding the Ball

Improving your fielding abilities will increase your play time and help you avoid simple errors.

• Assume fielding position in front of partner who’s holding ball
• Perform three lateral shuffles to left; catch ball as it’s thrown
• Toss ball back and perform three shuffles right; catch ball as it’s thrown
• Repeat in continuous fashion for specified reps

Jeff Mangold offered a few tips, “Stay low, move quickly and don’t cross your feet. Maintain good balance while moving, catching the ball and tossing it back.”

Performing drills is also a great way to increase the amount of time you play each game if you normal find yourself sitting out innings, because the more you improve your skill level, especially if it involves something unique, such as bunting or pinch hitting, the more powerful you become as a member of the team. For those dedicated to these specific needs, consider breaking down your drills even further so you can perfect your technique and master your game.

The best way to take advantage of your time spent performing baseball drills is to focus on what you include in your regime. If you want to create a basic regime of baseball drills designed to improve your running, batting, and fielding, consider creating a rounded regime with a few drills from each category. If you are more interested in honing your skills as a pitcher however, create a regime that focuses not only on your pitching, but also fielding bunts, grounders, and pop flies. This will increase your skill level specifically as a pitcher, making you a more powerful asset to the team.

Some historians are suggesting that there were two men named Kolven from Holland and Chole from Belgium had developed the basis of golf. Some people used to say it as the game of ball and stick but they are really missing a single most important aspect for the game of golf that is – the hole. Either way, it’s well understood that Scotland is the place where golf developed its origin.

During the 15th century, Scotland was preparing itself to protect the country from a possible British invasion. However, golfing was so popular that it affected their military training. People in Scotland were so addicted with golf that even the military personnel started to skip out on the military exercises to play golf.

Due to such addiction, the Scottish Parliament banned the golfing in 1457. And this ban continued for almost 50 years. However, most people ignored this ban and continued to play.

In 1502, the golfing ban was lifted as the King James IV started to show interest in this game. Since then the sport has never looked back and managed to draw enormous popularity over the years.

With his Royal endorsement, golf as a sport soon managed to grow in popularity and status rapidly. In the 16th century, King Charles had introduced this golf to England and began the seeds of a worldwide popularity. France soon followed when Queen Mary of Scots played golf in the French region while she studied. Thus the notion that golf stood for “Gentleman Only Ladies Forbidden” had been eradicated with Queen Mary. Golf is here and has been more popular than ever.

In the 1500’s, tennis players were using tennis racquets that were made of wood and the ball used to be a cork-cored ball that weighs around three ounces. Early tennis courts were much narrower than today’s tennis court but still useable. In fact there is tennis court in Hampton, which was made in 1625, that is still in use.

By the mid of 1700’s, the popularity of tennis had dwindled tremendously. Fortunately in 1850’s, Charles Goodyear has invented a vulcanization process for rubber that offered tennis players a new look for the old tennis balls. Now the new tennis balls were made of rubber which gave a faster, bouncy element to the game. With the new rubber tennis balls, new rules were adopted to accommodate this revolutionary transformation.

Tennis as a game is known by different names in different countries. In Australia people used to call it as Royal Tennis and in Britain it is known as Real Tennis. People in United Sates are calling it as Court Tennis. Whatever be the name for this game, rules and other aspects of this game are same everywhere. Tennis can be played on grass, concrete and clay. However, during the 1800’s, lawn tennis exploded in popularity. In the 1874, lawn tennis has been established the foundation for the modern tennis game. Lawn tennis was played on a marked-out surface where there is no side or end wall. The modern tennis game is more popular than ever. Today, there are 144 nations in the International Tennis Federation and over 25 million people in the US alone that play tennis.

If you turn back the pages of time you will find that martial arts training was originated from the southern part of India. In early fifth century, Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk from the southern part of India, created the principles of martial arts training. He took this highly disciplined combat training to China and then to Japan. Gradually, this art form was adopted by other countries and was given a unique name that resembles their art, culture and tradition.

Presently, every country has its own form of martial arts training style; some can be calculated as a hard style combat or a soft style combat. Hard style martial arts training totally concentrates on power, speed, timing and adrenal rush. While soft style martial arts training concentrates on flexibility, gentleness and inner power. ‘Chi’ or ‘Qi’ is the key element of martial art power, whether it may be a hard style form or a soft style form. Many people throughout the world attend martial arts training to gain a healthy lifestyle and a fit body.

Well, there are some questions that everyone asks themselves before deciding on a martial arts training school. Is martial arts difficult to learn? To master martial arts takes a commitment to undergo rigorous martial arts training. But you should set realistic goals to which level of mastery you would like to attain. It all depends on your practice and dedication to this ancient art of combat. You can become a martial arts expert or you can be a normal martial artist and still reap the many benefits that come with martial arts training.

Choosing martial arts brings unique benefits from other types of sports. While many people play other sports like basketball or soccer, many of these sports do not add the spiritual factor to bring balance. Martial arts training combines your mind, body and spirit together.

The martial arts community is constantly evolving and combining elements from different martial arts style into MMA training. MMA training is gaining incredible popularity. But in each case, there is a sense of camaraderie which was rooted from martial arts and its foundation of mind, body and spirit.

Whatever your basketball fitness program is, the key is to constantly push yourself to a higher level. The only way to improve your conditioning is to go out and get it done.  When you’re training hard, you’re going to have to feel some pain, and you’re going to feel like your lungs are burning.

Consistency
Abide by your basketball fitness program religiously. Someone watching you train shouldn’t see you overly exerting yourself. Conditioning is an everyday thing and you need to stick with it in a consistent manner to improve.

Gym Trainer Time
During the season, you may want to focus a lot on weight training and building up your strength level as the season progresses. Back squats, dead-lifts, Romanian dead-lifts, clean pulls and other exercises of that nature are examples of strength training. In the off-season, stronger is better but also combine an agility program and skill drills. Work on improving 1 or 2 aspects of your game and just get on the court to shoot 500 – 1000 makes a day.

Please note: With regards to weight training, no junior golfer should use weights unless they first be proficient at using body weight exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, planks and lunges.  While there is no defined age for junior golfers to begin a weight training regimen, it’s widely accepted that junior be over 14 years old.  With this in mind, there are other growth factors to be considered.  Before a golf fitness program with weights is uses, a consultation with a golf fitness professional is highly recommended.

Fall Golf Training:

Fall golf training will focus on recovery and preparation. By the time September comes around, the junior golfer has actively participated in a full range of competitive events throughout the summer.  Especially for a junior golfer, there is a lot of wear from competition, traveling, and lingering injuries. This is a good time to let your body heal and recover from the summer events, and prepare for a solid off-season golf fitness program. Parents schedule regular physician examination and if required physical therapy evaluations.

Keep September simple and avoid golf practice. Let your body recover and re-charge your mental game. Simply, keep well hydrated to facilitate decreased inflammation and faster healing. And fitness activity in September should be limited to low-impact sports like, swimming, biking, and water sports.

Golf fitness and strength training can begin in October and November once any lingering injuries subside. Continue to work on your flexibility to help reduce the potential of injuries. At this point your golf fitness can incorporate strength training along with your cardiovascular exercises. Focus on higher repetitions with lower resistance to condition your body for the next 2 months for heavier weights in the winter.  For example of an exercise, do sets of 15 reps with less weight instead of 8 reps with heavier weights.

Winter Golf Training:

The winter golf training will focus on strength and power. As always, work on your flexibility. Regular golf practice should resume. Just keep in mind that an age appropriate golf training program should be sought. Part of the golf training may include adding explosive exercises such as Plyometrics. Plyometric exercises are more functional and dynamic to help you effectively generate more speed and power. The winter training will help build a strong foundation to carry you into the next season.

Spring Golf Training:

As spring comes around, most junior golfers will play in more tournaments and have more travelling. This is a good time to concentrate on golf specific exercises that focus on your larger muscle groups and shoulder muscles. This includes your core, legs, hips, and rotator cuff muscles. Again, always keep your flexibility in check. Your flexibility in combination with your solid strength foundation that you built up in the off-season will affect the efficiency, quality and safety of your swing. As your playing schedule gets into full swing, it is recommended to continue your golf training program.

Golf is a stressful sport on the body and, as a junior golfer, exercise caution and watch for signs of overwork.  Your in-season golf workouts should continue on a similar schedule that was utilized in the off-season, just reduce intensity and duration. Seek a qualified personal trainer that has the expertise with junior golfers to develop a proper golf fitness program. Be ready and have a productive off-season.

Below are some areas to focus on with your volleyball training for hitting power.

Core – To bring hitting into your spikes, focus on building your core strength and power. This will help your overall functional training for speed and jumping.

Triceps – Strong triceps will help put that important extra energy to making your spikes fast and hard.

Shoulder – When working out your shoulders, concentrate on exercises that will encompass the full range of motion when rotating your shoulders. Try using exercises that utilize a power band or bungee cord. Gradually, build up your speed of each time.

Lats – Large lat muscles will provide the extra power that you need to kill the ball on your opponent’s side.

Wrist – The last contact with the ball uses your wrist. A volleyball drill to help strengthen your wrists is to stand straight up and snap your wrist back and forth as quick as you can. Focus on the speed of this drill to build your forearm muscles.

Now put it all of your volleyball training together… Start by arching your back and swing forward. Keep your body extended tall and snap your wrist to get that extra power in your hits.

Proper form starts by tucking your elbow and lining it up with your knee. Don’t aim at the rim, shoot up and over it so that you can put some air under the ball to give it a chance to go in.

You don’t want your body to be leaning back when you shoot. You should jump straight up and come down on the same spot.

For your hand motion, try pretending that you’re picking an apple out of a basket. Reach up then go inside the basket with your release following through with your middle and index fingers. So your form should be: reach up, pick the apple out of the basket, then back down with your follow through.

Basketball Shooting Drill

By yourself, start by standing just one or two feet away from the rim and shoot about 100 jump shots using good form. Then move farther out and shoot another 100 baskets.  While simple and effective, this drill will train your improve your basketball shooting with muscle memory from repetition.

Gym Trainer Time
For fitness exercises at the gym, try focusing on pushups, pull-ups, and dips with just your body weight. Your jump shot is powered from your wrist strength and triceps. To improve your basketball shooting, lifting heavy weights is not required.