Footbag strengthening exercises that one can do at home.

[busted]

Hello All,

I would like to start a thread on the topic of exercises that freestylers can do in order to prevent or rehabiltate injuries, or simply improve one's footbag form.

What I'm looking for is a list of exercises that uses the body's own resistance and weight, so that shredders/shredditas can do them at home, with relatively little equipment (i.e. do them ).

I used to go the gym and lift real weight before my footbag habit got so large that it started affecting my real life...

From reading around I see that:

* toe taps build front shin strength and can thus help with shin splints.
* wall sitting is great for quads.

These are the only two I can contribute.

Parts of the body I'd love to make stronger (while avoiding the gym and staying home )
* feet
* calves
* any muscles that protect the shins
* any muscles that protect the knees
* quads
* hamstrings
* gluts
* lower back
* abs

I think it would be most helpful if people provide descriptions. I will post desciptions for the two that I've already mentioned.

Thanks and Regards!
-David

[jon]

Hindu Squat:



"First stand upright and keep your hands to your sides. As you're squatting down, raise your heels off the ground and go down until your ass touches your calves. From there, explode up and swing your arms forward. Once there, pull your arms back into your sides as if you were rowing a boat.
Also, make sure you breathe out on the way down and in on the way up.
Have a short term goal of doing 100 straight reps and a long term goal of doing 500 in one set. However, in the beginning, just focus on form and getting used to the breathing. Shoot for 25 straight squats with perfect form and breathing and then build it up to 100. Also, don't do these in "super slow" mode. Instead, work on doing these as fast as possible without compromising form."

Donkey Calf Raises (can be done without weight)

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Gas ... Raise.html

--

a couple to get you started

[hackeysnacker]

To work your calves (and this is a good warm up between shredding):

balance on one leg [without using any objects for support] and raise your heels off the ground by pushing up as far as you can with your toes, do this as many times as you can, stretch ur calves, and play some more.

elevate pushups (with your feet on a chair, your hands on the ground) help with a lot of leg/back stability, and help prevent back injury or nagging pains from footbag.

edit: great idea for a thread

[Senor Grommet]

to build up symposium strength you can hop up stairs on one leg. You can also practice 1-footed jumping onto a raised surface, as long as it can support your weight Jump rope is very good for stamina and is similar to footbagging in the hopping nature of the game. Of course, dexercise and muscle stretching are important.

[HooD]

I wouldn't recommend the Hindu Squat just because the amount of torque and pressure going into your knees when you go into that deep squat.

Thighs -

- Try leaning your back against a wall with your feet shoulder width apart, walk your feet out until the angle in your knee is about 90 degrees or higher , No Lower ! Try holding it for about 30" a couple times. If you want to put some work into your calves at the same time, go into that wallslide squat, and start doing heel raises.

Calves -

- Find a stair or curb. Stand on one leg so that your heel hangs off. Let your body weight sink your heel downwards until you feel a slight stretch, and then push back up onto your tip toes. Try them until you feel a good burn in the calf area, you should be able to do anywhere around 15 if you're strong and healthy with one leg.

Hamstrings/Core -

- Try doing elevated bridges. Lay on the floor with your feet propped up on something about 2' high or so. You should be close enough to that prop that there is some bend in both your hips and knees. Push off your heels downwards to elevate your hips off the ground. The goal would to have a nice straight line from your knees > hips > shoulder blades. Hold for a couple seconds and repeat about 15 times.

Shins -

- Shins are muscles that primary lift your toes upwards. So you could do something like the exercise for the calves and find a curb or step. This time your heels will be in contact with the ground with your toes off the edge. Push your toes down and them raise them up as high as possible for a full range with both feet. You said with body weight, but if you could use any type of weight, that'd help for this exercise.

[HooD]

or you can just try some of these links.

Ankle Strength

Knee Strength

Hip Strength

I'm thinkin on the updated hoodshouse I'll have a new fitness guide. Cause it would be nice to have more exercises that you can just do right at home.

[shredzilla]

believe it or not, sit-ups and leg lifts. Strengthening your core will help reduce back pain after long sessions.

[Samurai]

not nesisaryly

[busted]

or you can just try some of these links.
Knee Strength
Hip Strength

I'm thinkin on the updated hoodshouse I'll have a new fitness guide. Cause it would be nice to have more exercises that you can just do right at home.

Hood- Thanks so much for the comprehensive response! Btw, I also agree that a list of more than just basics is great, but I'm also sensative to my own realities.

Btw, the ankle link looked awesome, but the knee and thigh links didn't work for me (9am in Austria.)

Thanks so much to everybody, I'm definitely going to use this resource and I hope other peeps will find it useful also.

Kind Regards!
-David

[busted]

TOE RAISES

Here is an external link that explains toe raises, with pictures. Ignore the geriactric guy and imagine yourself instead!

http://www.advocatehealth.com/system/in ... 30402.html

Regards,
-David

[sniikeri]

Balance board?

[full nelson]

I like planks a lot for core. I need to do more of those.

Hey John, I can help you out with the new fitness guide. I can hold a camera still on occasion. I was thinking of asking you about it not long ago.

[busted]

I like planks a lot for core. I need to do more of those.

Hey John, I can help you out with the new fitness guide. I can hold a camera still on occasion. I was thinking of asking you about it not long ago.

Hi Brad, would you be willing to post a description of the exercise for those of us who may not know them?

Thanks,
-David

[Paul Agostinelli]

or you can just try some of these links.

Ankle Strength

Knee Strength

Hip Strength

I'm thinkin on the updated hoodshouse I'll have a new fitness guide. Cause it would be nice to have more exercises that you can just do right at home.

i laughed when i saw the photos of the toe raises and such, and you werent wearing shred shoes.


another good excersize is to balance on a ball, soccer balls work especially well becuase they can take a beating.

stand next to a wall, or a railing, somewhere you can get support, you may not want to step onto the ball with nothing to brace yourself next to you, its easy to fall.

when you begin this, i recommend having the ball at a slightly lower pressure then full because it is a bit easier to balance. increase pressure as you get better at balancing.

this is a great excersize to strengthen your core muscles, as well as help you balance, which is essential for control.

if you get really good at just balancing, try to start moving around.

~NEL~

[shreddaily]

OK OK HOLD THE PHONE!!!!!!!


MR mahood...am I crazy or is there a picture in between your lunges that looks, lets say out of context????
am I going mental or is my computer bugged or what... EVERYONE check the knee section of Mahoods thred and like half down in the lunges is there a pic?

edit: well now its just a little icon for me...anyway if that was you mr mahood you are quite the dude!

[Xain]

another good excersize is to balance on a ball, soccer balls work especially well becuase they can take a beating.

~NEL~

this also ruins soccer balls if you do it enough. they become egg shaped.