Hey folks, I just started up a dryland program for my team last night (I'm participating in it, too, not just overseeing it), and wanted to get y'all's feedback on aspects of it. We're offering the dryland workout three times a week after practice, after two of the evening weekday practices and after our Saturday morning practice. It's designed to last about 30-35 minutes and be achievable for folks of all ability/fitness levels.
Here's about 90% of the workout we did last night. There are a few exercises that aren't on the list, mainly because I've forgotten what they're called. All told, we did 10 or 11 exercises for each section. As it stands now, the format for each workout will be 3 stations set up, one for ab/core, one for legs, and one for upper body exercises. Folks will spend approximately 10 minutes at each station and then rotate to the next. Up till now, my dryland experience has either been participating in dryland as a USAS athlete or writing dryland workouts for teenagers. Since we've got a wide variety of ability/fitness levels participating in these dryland workouts, I decided that, instead of a specific number of reps (ie, 50 crunches, 30 squats, etc), we'd do each exercise for a specific time. Last night we did 45 seconds of each exercise, then rested for 15 seconds before moving on to the next one. That way I figured that everyone would be able to get as much as they wanted out of each exercise without forcing them to possibly overexert themselves.
Abs/core
Crunches with feet on the ground
Crunches with feet in the air
Right obliques
Left obliques
Flutter kicks
Donkey kicks
Bridge
Plank
Legs
Squats
Calf raises
Lunges
Stair steps
Streamline squat jumps
Broad jumps
Side lunges
Wall sits
Upper body
Regular pushups
Wide grip pushups
Diamond pushups
Dive bombers
Arm circles with arms held out to the side
Facedown tricep raises
Rows
Dips
This was all bodyweight stuff, with no weights, stretch cords, medicine balls, or anything of the sort. I've got stretch cords and medicine balls on the way, just didn't have them in time for last night. They will become a regular part of the workout when they arrive.
With all this said, here's what I'm requesting feedback on:
Is 45 seconds on, 15 seconds off a suitable time interval? I was whipped by the end of the workout and, as the coach, I didn't even swim practice beforehand! Should I drop it down to 30 on, 15 off?
Should I stick with 10-11 exercises per station and have folks only do each exercise once, or drop it down to 5 or 6 per station and have folks repeat them for the 10 minutes they're at that station?
Are the exercises too rigorous? Like I said, I was whipped by the end of the workout, and I'm in better shape than most of the other people who will be participating.
Any other bodyweight exercises y'all can think of? I've got almost all of my cord/medicine ball exercises lined up, but would love to hear of more bodyweight exercises.
What do y'all think?
Thanks!
Wow, that looks pretty brutal... I'd be interested to know how many show up for the next one! I used to do a lot of bodyweight exercises, but have been doing strictly water-based exercise for over a year, there's no way I could jump into something like this right away, but it looks like a great routine to ease into. Now that they know all the exercises you might keep the core exercises as is and have them choose three or four per body-part (lower/upper) at the other stations... but instead of one long set (:45) with each exercise, have them do two short sets (:25-:30) with fewer exercises, but rotate through all the exercises over the course of your 3 workouts/week. I like the idea of doing them after practice when everyone is already warmed up, but shorter sets might help keep the focus in form especially since they'll be a little tired already.
I swim with an age group team and your dry land looks a lot like what we do for dry land before practice. The coach either gives us a specific rep amount or time. When we do time, it's usually 60 on, 30 off. It's hard for someone my age (40+) to keep up with but it's doable. I would be interested in what the others on your team think as well.
We've got the second dryland workout tonight after practice.
I think I'm gonna change it to 5-6 exercises per station and have them be 30 seconds on, 15 seconds off. Given the 10 minutes per station, that'll allow everyone to go through ~3 rounds of the exercises at each station.
While I love the idea of giving folks a specific number of reps to do of each exercise, that's just not feasible with this group. For example, if I have 20 pushups be one of the exercises, there are some folks who wouldn't be able to even come close to that. Ergo, doing stuff for time.
I'll post tomorrow with feedback on tonight's altered workout.
Thanks, guys!