Upper Body Agility

First, do you include upper body agility into your routine or at some point during the day?

Think about your answer.

OK, your answer should be, "yes"; but you may not know what to do for upper body agility. Bet...you have done upper body agility since you were a child; you did it through jump roping. Jump roping is a great form of hand-eye coordination, which translates to upper body agility. Is jump roping a functional form of upper body agility? Not really. It is great for the legs in this case. To really hone in on upper body agility, target points are needed.

Agility thrives off target points or, in this case, hand placements.

Basically, the faster your hands can touch a single target the more improved your upper body agility presents itself. But, who cares about including agility into workout routines, right?...Wrong!

1) It is recommended by the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine).

2) It quickens your upper body.

3) You use upper body agility or hand-eye coordination when you drive, especially to prevent a car from steering out of control.

4) Do you cook? One pot at a time or several? If it is Thanksgiving or any other big cooking day or event, then the quickness in your upper body is at full force!

5) Have you ever climbed a ladder? Or, a rock?

6) Have you ever bartended?

7) Are you a professional offensive tackle for your favorite NFL franchise?...Talk about quick hand placement. These guys need this type of drill and more.

8) The list can continue...

But, the bottom line is that upper body agility is used for functional purposes as well as for general fitness. You may not see a lot of individuals perform upper body agility, but it is not in TEEM hiding.

Two quick drills:
1) Start in a push-up position (modified or full) with your hands together. Keeping your hips as stable as possible (that is, without swiveling or rotating), bring your hands wider (about two to two and a half feet wide) and alternate between the narrow and wider widths.  Go as fast as you can!

2) Add a partner. Start with both hands on a wall. Pick a few spots (you can number them) on the wall. Have a partner call out which number or spot to hit. At least, you get to include some lower body action too since it is best to have the spots or target points spread out. It makes you move!

Make it happen,
Derek

Make It Happen

Goals, events, activities, set points, muscle gain, weight loss, focus, energy, training, nutrition, rest, resolutions, new experiences, self re-inventions, motivation, follow-ups, follow-throughs, sleep, action, planning, contemplation, restoration, empowerment, move...

Make it happen.

It is a good theme for the year and for the years beyond. Personally, I have realized that planning has to translate into good execution no matter how big the task. When a plan is executed...wait, let's back up. In this field, when a plan is simply thought of, the very next step is to make it happen even if you have to re-adjust. We are 1/3 of the way through 2012, and the 1/3 mark on most calendars in the Western Hemisphere means spring, a season for making things happen, has arrived.

During this time of the year, it does matter what you are doing; but making plans or goals happen is refreshing and rewarding. For example, an athlete either prepares for the post-season, the regular season, or is well into the off-season with goals in mind. It is very rare that an athlete begins pre-season training or activity at this point of the year (Major League Lacrosse is one exception). Young athletes pull their parents' coat tails because they want to attend a summer sports camps as this time is prime time for signing up. Recreation athletes, which comprises most of us, gear up for marathons, shorter road races, triathlon season, and general-fitness-nice-weather-workouts (have you looked in the mirror yet and said, "wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, yea!...I workout!" Sorry, that song is funny).

Lastly, "make it happen" serves as the new sign off on these e-newsletters via email and this blog. In 2012, continue to make your goals happen. Graduate to the next level of action, thought, belief, execution, planning, modeling, and leading.

Your April-showers are a sure sign of perseverance.

Make it happen,
Derek