Lacrosse Exercises

Lacrosse is a high-intensity game that requires the use of both fast and slow twitch muscles. This is why athletes train using a variety of exercises, including Olympic lifts, medicine balls, and plyometrics that target the rapid contraction of the fast-twitch muscle fibers that make up so much of a player’s power. To develop a more complete level of power, players also need to strengthen their core and upper body using both push and pull movements. Finally, they need to develop their overall strength through the use of whole-body exercises that involve multiple muscle groups at once, such as the dumbbell bench press.

Lacrosse players must have excellent footwork in order to maneuver around opponents and score goals. To improve footwork, players can perform drills such as the 5-yard dribble pattern and the double-touch dribble. These exercises help strengthen the feet and ankles while improving the player’s ability to change direction quickly. In addition to footwork drills, it’s important for lacrosse players to perform long runs in order to build up their endurance and prepare themselves for the physical demands of the game. To develop endurance, athletes can perform distance cone drills by stationing a number of cones around the field and sprinting from one cone to another while resting for a few minutes in between each sprint.

For shooting, lacrosse players need to be able to shoot with speed and accuracy. To improve their shooting skills, players can practice by standing 10 yards away from a goal and practicing shots with each hand. To improve accuracy, players can also practice shooting with a target attached to the goal or by focusing on a specific area of the net. Dodging is another key component of the game of lacrosse, and to improve a player’s dodges, they can practice against a wall by performing a defensive drill. To do this, players can stand against a wall and shoot the ball at head height as they move back and forth between the sticks. Then, players can catch the ball rebounds while pretending that they have opponents around them in order to simulate defense.

To improve their shooting, lacrosse players should also work on their upper-body strength by performing exercises such as the cable chop. This exercise helps improve the shooting mechanics by facilitating the rotational movement of the upper body while forcing stability through the arm in contact with the ground. By working on this movement with a heavy weight, players can learn to shoot with more velocity in games.

Lacrosse is a high-contact sport, and it’s essential that players train to protect themselves from injury. To train this, players can incorporate exercises such as the foam roller and active mobility workouts that target the quads, hamstrings, hips, shoulders, and core. This includes exercises like the lunge, which teaches players to move laterally while improving balance and lower-body stability. The side plank is another great way to train the core while helping prevent injuries.