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Well-Being | Slide into a new FitFans session

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FitFans is a Leicester Tigers initiative designed to get supporters of all ages active and healthy, organised in 10-week blocks and available online wherever you are.

It’s always good to have some new ideas to encourage physical activity, which is exactly where this week’s FitFans can help.

If you’re looking for some creative ways to try something different, we’re got it covered in our weekly sessions.

Follow the programme on your own, with a training partner or even form an online ‘virtual’ group using Zoom or similar to motivate and support each other.

If you want to start afresh, all of the 10-week blocks of FitFans sessions are still available, featuring exercise and nutritional advice. Click here for all of the links.

And if you want to pick up again in the second batch, here’s what we’ve covered so far:

Roll The Dice 

New sessions and ideas

Get creative

This week we are looking at Friction Training.

Friction FUNdamentals

  • Originally designed for use in winter sports, Friction Training is used for:
  • Neuromuscular sessions
  • Eccentric load – equivalent to the lowering phase of an exercise (keeping under tension) to help increase muscle size
  • Increase lactate threshold – the maximal effort or intensity that an athlete can maintain for an extended period of time with little or no increase in lactate in the blood
  • Target the Glute Max and Vastus Lateralis (quadriceps)

What are the benefits?

As well as being a great rehab tool, Friction Training provides:

  • Numerous physiological responses
  • Increase in muscle power, strength and endurance
  • Anaerobic and aerobic adaptations
  • Increased flexibility
Fitfans

How can I do this at home?

You will need a suitable floored surface and exercise sliders, but it is easy to improvise, using towels (on laminate/tiled floor), cardboard (carpet/laminate/tiles) or even baking trays (carpet).

Test your ‘slider’ materials and tools carefully on your desired surfaces first so you don’t damage anything.

Footwear (trainers) must also be worn to protect yourself from any potential injuries.

Make sure you have a clear space in order to perform your desired movements without damage to yourself or your furnishings!

Friction Training session

You can perform as designated reps and sets, for example 3 x 10 complete exercises.

Or interval training, for example work 20sec, rest 20sec and complete 5 times.

Or a mixture of both, depending on your desired outcome – go for Reps & Sets for muscular strength and endurance; and Interval training for fat burning and increased lactate threshold.

Building a session

Choose 1 exercise from each pair in the list below and complete as you have selected. (See full description below)

  • SL Squat with Lateral Slide or Lunge
  • Push-Up with reach or Side Out
  • Mountain Climbers or Bridge Slides
  • Pec Flies or Wax On/Wax Off
  • Skating or Skiing

Perform all 5 options one after the other.

Then try the Finisher Challenge at the end of the session – the ‘Cha-Cha Slide’.

Leave at least a day’s rest between sessions as this will be a new stimulus of training for you so see how your body reacts.

Then in next session perform the other exercise from the paired groups along the same lines as above.

Finisher – the Cha-Cha Slide

Find the Cha-Cha Slide video on YouTube and in the Plank or Bear Crawl position, with sliders under hands, feet, both or alternate, follow the song’s instructions!

Exercise explanation

SL Squat with Lateral Reach
Starting on your right leg, sink your hips towards the floor while sliding your Left leg directly to the side on your slider. Keep your right knee over your toes, heel on the ground and body upright. Return to standing by driving through your right foot and sliding your left foot to meet (try to keep left leg as relaxed as possible).

Lunge
Starting on your right leg, sink your hips towards while sliding your left leg directly behind you on your slider. Keep your right knee over your toes, heel on the ground and body upright. Return to standing by driving through your right foot and sliding your left foot to meet (try to keep left leg as relaxed as possible).

Push Up with Reach
You can do this kneeling if you wish. Both hands should be on your sliders and, as you lower your chest to the floor, slide one arm out front of you and maintain control of your body. Drive your weight into arm to return to top position and slide your arm back in simultaneously. 

Pec Flies
You can do this kneeling if you wish.  Both hands should be on your sliders – lower your chest to the ground by sliding your arms out to the side as controlled as you can. Only go as far as you feel comfortable! Return by sliding your arms back together as if you were trying to clap your hands.

Mountain Climbers
Sliders should be under both feet.  In a press-up position, slide one leg up towards your chest, as you return, simultaneously pull you other leg up towards your chest.

Bridge Slides
You can do this either lying flat on your back on the ground or keeping your hips raised in a bridge position. Slide one leg out to as close as straight as you can control, when you slide this leg back, simultaneously slide you other leg straight (as with mountain climbers).

Side out
Sliders under both hands – you can do this kneeling if you wish.  In a press-up position, brace your core tight and reach one arm to your side as far as you can control – return by sliding your arm in. Repeat other side.

Wax on – Wax off
Sliders under both hands – you can do this kneeling if you wish.  In a press-up position, brace your core tight and with one arm, perform a circular motion slide on the floor as if you were waxing your car. Repeat other side.

Skating
Sliders under both feet. Try to keep your hips low in a half/full squat position. With your right foot planted on the floor, push off laterally and let your legs slide across the floor until you naturally come to a stop – repeat the other side.  Practise this first to get use to how you need to lift your heels/feet appropriately to get into a rhythm.

Skiing
You can use support for your arms if you wish. With sliders under both feet, imagine you are on an elliptical trainer (X-trainer) at the gym. Keeping your heels raised off the floor, slide your legs forward and back simultaneously.

Cha-Cha Slide
Have sliders under feet, hands or both and in a bear crawl or plank position – follow the order of the song for as long as you can.

  • Share your sessions and the time it took you to complete along with other ideas by tagging us on your preferred social media platform with the; #TigersFamily #FitFans