Post by quencyjones16 on Aug 31, 2008 12:58:19 GMT -6
Then this is your thread. The Ultimate Paintball Workout thread.
I am making this thread because of all the "how should I workout for paintball" threads I have found lately. So hope it helps.
I have been playing paintball for around 9 years now, rec and competitively and have always found with a good workout plan or just a few good stretches you will play better.
With this I am not talking paintball drills, or practicing paintball, I am talking about overall fitness for paintball. The Pro's do it all the time, why can't you. So with all of this said what can actually be done and actually work for your paintball game.
First, find something you like to do, something that is not hard for you or that does not take a lot of your time up (it is better if you find something that you can do while you are at the field or at team mandatory practices, it will save you time)
Running routines
There are many different things you can do for running, that will help you with your paintball game, mainly sprints and endurance drills. But one of my favorite workout routines is called the Snertz Ultimate Workout, which is actually created for Ultimate Frisbee, this can be found here.
This is an intense workout and CANNOT be done completely the first day you do it, believe me on this. For the first week, cut everything in half so that your body can get used to this, it is a lot of work at first, but after you are used to it, it gets a lot easier to do but is still an amazing workout.
Other workouts for endurance and leg power that can be done are,
Suicides- usually done at 45 ft. and 100 ft. distances, run to the 45 ft. mark, back to the start, then to the 100 ft. mark and back as fast as you can, repeat.
Stadiums- running up flights of stars as fast as you can, repeat.
100 yard sprints- sprinting as fast as you can for 100 yards, or if need be longer or shorter, until you want to throw up basically.
Cone runs- placing cones at varying distance and sprinting as fast as you can to the next cone and repeating
These are some of the more common workouts that can be done.
Weights
Running and endurance do help in paintball, but as in any other sport, muscle mass does matter, mostly in the core, legs and shoulders. Here are some of the more simple but yet effective workouts that can be done at the gym or at home, or better yet on the field.
[Chest
Push-ups - Decline from a chair with legs on chair. Go for higher number from 20-45 more reps, leaner lighter muscle.
Benchpress - Yet again do a weight that is light, maybe half your max, and as many reps as you can. go for around 3 sets of 20
Chestpress - Small amount of weight, as many times as you can. 3 sets of 20
After this your chest is toast, I know.
Back and shoulders
Lawnmowers - Weight around 15 lbs. stand up with your back bent over like a plank, now lift the weight up and down as if you were cranking a lawnmower. light weight, many reps. 4 sets of 15.
Pull-ups - We all know how to do these, do as many as you can, switching in between wide grip(gripping bar with hands further apart) or close grip( hands gripped close together). Go for around 2 sets of 15 if you can, or lower.
Deltoid lifts - Light weight around 10-20 lbs standing up, lift the weight straight out, in front of you, bring back down, then lift up straight out your sides. Go for around 3 sets of 12 to 15.
Trap lifts - Small amount of weight, while standing up place weights in both hands and shrug your shoulders up and down, it will take a while but you will start to feel it, 4 sets of 20.
Deadlifts - To really explain a deadlift and the proper form ( because with bad form, you can cause major damage) go to this website and look at everything before you attempt them. Click here.
[/LIST]
Now your shoulders are dead, good for you.
Core work
In paintball you use a lot of muscles while playing a normal game, but one of the most important muscle groups to work out is your core, or abs if you will. Here are some to help with this area.
Sit-ups - We all know how to do these, so do as many as you can, as fast as you can, as few breaks (if any) as you can manage.
Leg raises - Lay on the ground with your legs extended straight out, now raise them about 2 inches off the ground and lift them straight up. After they are in the air raise your abs and butt into the air as well, then let your legs back down with out them touching the ground, repeat as much as you can (usually around 25 times).
Pretzel lifts - Same as Leg raises but this time cross your legs like a pretzel, same number of reps as the Leg raises as well.
Oblique killers - Lay on your side at about a 30 degree angle, your legs will bend at the 30 degree angle. No raise your legs off the ground and rest on the same arm as the side you are laying on. Now raise your legs as close to your head as you can, not like a sit up but so that your elbow and knee cap could touch, repeat as many times as you can.
Now your abs are dead, getting better.
Legs
As far as working your legs at home, I gave some suggestions above, but most of the work will have to be done in the gym
Leg press - Small amount of weight with a lot of reps.
Squats - Small amount of weight with a lot of reps.
Quad machine - Look for it and small amount of weight with a lot of reps.
Hamstring machine - Should be by the quad machine with small amount of weight with a lot of reps.
These are some of the easiest workouts to do, but will work you out extremely well.
Stretches
These are some of the more common stretches that can be done at home, in the gym or on the field before a game, no matter where they are done, they all work wonders for your game.
Legs
Hamstrings
- Sit on the floor with both legs out straight.
Extend your arms and reach forward by bending at the waist as far as possible while keeping your knees straight.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Sit on the floor with one leg out straight
Bend the other leg at the knee and position the sole of that foot against your opposite inner thigh.
Extend your arms and reach forward over the one straight leg by bending at the waist as far as possible.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Relax.
Stand and cross your right foot in front of your left
Slowly lower your forehead to your right knee by bending at the waist.
Keep both knees straight.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Relax.
Repeat by crossing your left foot in front of your right.
Stand one foot from a wall and place your hands on the wall at shoulder-height, shoulder-width apart.
Take a step back with one leg while pushing into the wall.
Keep your back straight and press your heels into the floor.
Hold for 30 seconds.
Step forward and repeat.
Quads-
1) While standing, hold onto a counter top or chair back to assist in balance.
2) Bend your knee back by grasping your ankle with one hand.
3) Assist in bending your knee back as far as possible.
4) Maintain position for 30 seconds.
5) Return to standing position.
6) Repeat exercise 10 more times with each leg.
Calfs
1)Sit with your feet our in front of you on the floor
2)Hold a sheet or towel with one end in each hand forming a loop
3)Place the loop around your foot
4)Pull your toes toward you
5)Stop when you feel a comfortable stretch in your calf muscle
6)Hold for 20 seconds and repeat 10 more times
7)Perform on opposite leg
Index: Leg Stretching Exercises
Back
Lie on your stomach
Prop yourself up on your elbows extending your back
Start straightening your elbows, further extending your back
Continue straightening your elbows until a gentle stretch is felt
Hold for 30 seconds
Return to the starting position
Repeat 10 more times
Shoulders
Shoulder stretches are very important for overall fitness and playing in paintball just from holding up your equipment. So I have found a video to explain some if the stretches that can be done in everyday life, or on the field. The video can be found here.
* Sources physicaltherapy.about.com/od/flexibilityexercises/ss/Legstretches.htm *
video.about.com/exercise/Shoulder-Stretches.htm
I am making this thread because of all the "how should I workout for paintball" threads I have found lately. So hope it helps.
I have been playing paintball for around 9 years now, rec and competitively and have always found with a good workout plan or just a few good stretches you will play better.
With this I am not talking paintball drills, or practicing paintball, I am talking about overall fitness for paintball. The Pro's do it all the time, why can't you. So with all of this said what can actually be done and actually work for your paintball game.
First, find something you like to do, something that is not hard for you or that does not take a lot of your time up (it is better if you find something that you can do while you are at the field or at team mandatory practices, it will save you time)
Running routines
There are many different things you can do for running, that will help you with your paintball game, mainly sprints and endurance drills. But one of my favorite workout routines is called the Snertz Ultimate Workout, which is actually created for Ultimate Frisbee, this can be found here.
This is an intense workout and CANNOT be done completely the first day you do it, believe me on this. For the first week, cut everything in half so that your body can get used to this, it is a lot of work at first, but after you are used to it, it gets a lot easier to do but is still an amazing workout.
Other workouts for endurance and leg power that can be done are,
Suicides- usually done at 45 ft. and 100 ft. distances, run to the 45 ft. mark, back to the start, then to the 100 ft. mark and back as fast as you can, repeat.
Stadiums- running up flights of stars as fast as you can, repeat.
100 yard sprints- sprinting as fast as you can for 100 yards, or if need be longer or shorter, until you want to throw up basically.
Cone runs- placing cones at varying distance and sprinting as fast as you can to the next cone and repeating
These are some of the more common workouts that can be done.
Weights
Running and endurance do help in paintball, but as in any other sport, muscle mass does matter, mostly in the core, legs and shoulders. Here are some of the more simple but yet effective workouts that can be done at the gym or at home, or better yet on the field.
[Chest
Push-ups - Decline from a chair with legs on chair. Go for higher number from 20-45 more reps, leaner lighter muscle.
Benchpress - Yet again do a weight that is light, maybe half your max, and as many reps as you can. go for around 3 sets of 20
Chestpress - Small amount of weight, as many times as you can. 3 sets of 20
After this your chest is toast, I know.
Back and shoulders
Lawnmowers - Weight around 15 lbs. stand up with your back bent over like a plank, now lift the weight up and down as if you were cranking a lawnmower. light weight, many reps. 4 sets of 15.
Pull-ups - We all know how to do these, do as many as you can, switching in between wide grip(gripping bar with hands further apart) or close grip( hands gripped close together). Go for around 2 sets of 15 if you can, or lower.
Deltoid lifts - Light weight around 10-20 lbs standing up, lift the weight straight out, in front of you, bring back down, then lift up straight out your sides. Go for around 3 sets of 12 to 15.
Trap lifts - Small amount of weight, while standing up place weights in both hands and shrug your shoulders up and down, it will take a while but you will start to feel it, 4 sets of 20.
Deadlifts - To really explain a deadlift and the proper form ( because with bad form, you can cause major damage) go to this website and look at everything before you attempt them. Click here.
[/LIST]
Now your shoulders are dead, good for you.
Core work
In paintball you use a lot of muscles while playing a normal game, but one of the most important muscle groups to work out is your core, or abs if you will. Here are some to help with this area.
Sit-ups - We all know how to do these, so do as many as you can, as fast as you can, as few breaks (if any) as you can manage.
Leg raises - Lay on the ground with your legs extended straight out, now raise them about 2 inches off the ground and lift them straight up. After they are in the air raise your abs and butt into the air as well, then let your legs back down with out them touching the ground, repeat as much as you can (usually around 25 times).
Pretzel lifts - Same as Leg raises but this time cross your legs like a pretzel, same number of reps as the Leg raises as well.
Oblique killers - Lay on your side at about a 30 degree angle, your legs will bend at the 30 degree angle. No raise your legs off the ground and rest on the same arm as the side you are laying on. Now raise your legs as close to your head as you can, not like a sit up but so that your elbow and knee cap could touch, repeat as many times as you can.
Now your abs are dead, getting better.
Legs
As far as working your legs at home, I gave some suggestions above, but most of the work will have to be done in the gym
Leg press - Small amount of weight with a lot of reps.
Squats - Small amount of weight with a lot of reps.
Quad machine - Look for it and small amount of weight with a lot of reps.
Hamstring machine - Should be by the quad machine with small amount of weight with a lot of reps.
These are some of the easiest workouts to do, but will work you out extremely well.
Stretches
These are some of the more common stretches that can be done at home, in the gym or on the field before a game, no matter where they are done, they all work wonders for your game.
Legs
Hamstrings
- Sit on the floor with both legs out straight.
Extend your arms and reach forward by bending at the waist as far as possible while keeping your knees straight.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Sit on the floor with one leg out straight
Bend the other leg at the knee and position the sole of that foot against your opposite inner thigh.
Extend your arms and reach forward over the one straight leg by bending at the waist as far as possible.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Relax.
Stand and cross your right foot in front of your left
Slowly lower your forehead to your right knee by bending at the waist.
Keep both knees straight.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Relax.
Repeat by crossing your left foot in front of your right.
Stand one foot from a wall and place your hands on the wall at shoulder-height, shoulder-width apart.
Take a step back with one leg while pushing into the wall.
Keep your back straight and press your heels into the floor.
Hold for 30 seconds.
Step forward and repeat.
Quads-
1) While standing, hold onto a counter top or chair back to assist in balance.
2) Bend your knee back by grasping your ankle with one hand.
3) Assist in bending your knee back as far as possible.
4) Maintain position for 30 seconds.
5) Return to standing position.
6) Repeat exercise 10 more times with each leg.
Calfs
1)Sit with your feet our in front of you on the floor
2)Hold a sheet or towel with one end in each hand forming a loop
3)Place the loop around your foot
4)Pull your toes toward you
5)Stop when you feel a comfortable stretch in your calf muscle
6)Hold for 20 seconds and repeat 10 more times
7)Perform on opposite leg
Index: Leg Stretching Exercises
Back
Lie on your stomach
Prop yourself up on your elbows extending your back
Start straightening your elbows, further extending your back
Continue straightening your elbows until a gentle stretch is felt
Hold for 30 seconds
Return to the starting position
Repeat 10 more times
Shoulders
Shoulder stretches are very important for overall fitness and playing in paintball just from holding up your equipment. So I have found a video to explain some if the stretches that can be done in everyday life, or on the field. The video can be found here.
* Sources physicaltherapy.about.com/od/flexibilityexercises/ss/Legstretches.htm *
video.about.com/exercise/Shoulder-Stretches.htm