Coach Noss’s Exercise Progression Series - Part 7

Coach Noss continues to share programs he put together for his college and pro athletes. He’s provided short routines that give a progression of corrective, functional and strength building moves you can pick and choose from depending on where you are physically and what you’re trying to accomplish. This week we’re working on shoulder and core balance. In particular, we’re focusing on pull downs, which is one of the movements Coach Noss likes to superset with single leg holds. We like it because it gives our legs a bit of a break! For these pull downs, start by lying on a foam roller. Make sure your head is supported and your lower back is pressed into the roller. Reach your arms above your head, grab the cables and pull them down to the floor as you breath through your diaphragm. From here, release the cables and work on single leg balances to work on your balance. Raise one leg off the floor about 6 inches and hold it, keep your core engaged the whole time. Switch legs about every 30 seconds. Continue to go back and forth on each leg, while engaging your core and pressing your lower back into the foam roller. Next, stand up for standing press downs. Taking hold of the cables, bend your upper body at a 45-degree angle and keep your back flat. Hold the cables in front of you with your arms straight ahead to engage your lats. Pull all the way down to your sides for a full range of motion. Once you feel comfortable with these moves, move over to your table machine and use a straight bar to add more of a strength component. This will help you go 8-10 reps into muscle failure, which can, in turn, help build more muscle. There you have your pull downs and leg balances! Thanks, Coach Noss!