Application of Force in Athletics (Part 2)

by Steve Cotter

In part 1 of this article, the importance of force reduction training for athletes was discussed. An athlete requires not only the ability to produce forces, but also to reduce forces in order to control her movements. The common term used to describe such force reduction practice is "balance training".

Now in Part 2, we begin to practice specific balance training skills, to gain greater control over the forces we generate in the sports we play.

Balance Training for Jumping Sports

Sports such as football, basketball and volleyball demand the ability to repetitively jump and land, often on one foot. Examples of this skill include: jumping up to catch a football and landing on one foot to stay in-bounds, repetitive blocks at the net in volleyball, and multiple rebounds and put-backs in basketball. In each of these examples, the athlete must generate sufficient force to propel him or herself into the air, and then rapidly reduce the force before quickly jumping once again. Here is an exercise to train this particular force reduction skill:

Begin by jumping up into the air as high as possible, as in a vertical jump. Upon landing, absorb the force (force reduction) on only one foot, by "softening the knee" upon impact. This means to relax upon impact with the ground, so that the force is absorbed in the hamstrings, rather than in the knee joint itself. There is a gradation of force, with the toes/ankle, knee, hip and then spine absorbing the force gradually. Even the shoulders, elbows and joints of the hand help in reducing the force of the landing, so that no one joint carries too much stress on impact.

Progress in the following manner:

  1. jump off 2 feet, land on 1
  2. jump off 1 foot, land on other foot, alternately
  3. jump off 1 foot, land on same foot, repetitively

Gradually increase the height of the jumps and reduce the transition time between each, as you become more confident in your ability to stabilize upon impact.

Balance Training for Hitting/Contact Sports

The next balance drill is great for contact sports, such as boxing, wrestling, or football. The 1 arm/1 leg contra-lateral deadlift (1A/1L CLDL) is one of the best drills for training the dynamic balance required for such activities. Whether an uppercut, a double-leg takedown, or an open-field tackle, all of these techniques require both a powerful hip extension upon impact and tremendous stability upon completion of the movement, in order to fully transfer the power into the opponent, and not lose balance. The 1A/1L CLDL trains a powerful hip thrust and the stability necessary to maintain your balance on contact.

Place a dumbbell or kettlebell on the ground in front of you. Face the weight and stand on one foot, with the other foot placed behind the body and not touching the support leg. Reach down with the opposite hand (contra-lateral) and pick up the weight. It is important to create proper tension before lifting the weight, by gripping the ground with the foot, tightening the abdomen, and pressurizing the breath to create intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), which protects and supports the spine. With a firm grip, lift the weight and extend the knee by pressing the foot into the ground. Finish the lift by fully snapping the hips forward, firmly tensing the glutes at the top of the movement. In full extension, the weight should be held just in front of the groin/upper thigh. Pause for 1-2 seconds at the top before slowly flexing the hip, trunk and knee to return the weight to the floor. Keep your weight on your heel and maintain tension with IAP until you release the weight! Release the weight and stand up again without it. You will find that loading and unloading between each rep will challenge the balance much more than a constant load will.

Repeat for 3-5 reps with a relatively heavy weight. Gradually progress to as heavy a load as you can do with great form for 3-5 reps. Use the following progressions:

  1. practice on solid ground
  2. practice with eyes closed
  3. practice while standing on unstable surface, such as a Dyna disc, or BOSU Balance Trainer
  4. practice with eyes closed, standing on an unstable surface

Practice the above balance drills to increase your ability to reduce the forces you encounter on the playing fields. This will enable you to have greater control over the forces that you produce, and more success in your athletic pursuits.