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Powerful and Athletic Like Virat Kohli and Ben Stokes

England and India will be sparring with each other for the berth in the final of the test WCC in Lords.

For India Virat Kohli will orchestrate a band of Indians against an equally well strung Englishmen. Virat symbolises aggression, grit, determination and finally sets a lofty standard in fitness. On the other side Ben Stokes, the once mercurial all rounder has now turned into a consistent match winner for England and sets high standard for them. Both the role models flaunt masculinity with tattoo, are powerful and athletic on the park. Ben Stokes lifts 100 kgs in dead lift. Virat Kohli’s hang clean and jerk is viral in the instagram.

The youngsters are obviously overwhelmed by their heroes and try to emulate them. But there is a lot to ponder before jumping the gun. Guys, it is better to be safe than sorry. In this episode I endeavour to bring clarity and provide a guideline for the youngsters who want to do the exercises that work on power.

Exercises such as hang clean, power clean, snatch, dead lift and squat jump that are performed wielding a 20 kg barbell come under Olympic lift. These exercises develop power. Dumbbell can also be used for beginners for the sake of safety. However, However, Ho for very heavy lifts dumbbell has limitations by way of maximum weight. For below 16 cricketers medicine balls are really safe and easy to educate.

Most importantly one must address caution before taking a plunge into Olympic lifts. There is an element of risk of injury involved with these exercises. One has to ensure proper form and technique; otherwise it can hurt the spine.

For the beginners in is imperative to master correct spine position and body alignment with a dowel bar. Afterwards he or she needs to progress to lighter barbells, say of 10 kg weight. Going by the strength and conditioning book it takes about 6-8 months for a beginner above the age of 16 to progress to Olympic lifts. There are periodised phases like anatomical adaptation, muscular hypertrophy, maximum strength that one needs to pass through before embarking on the power phase. Again mastering the technique and reaching that level varies from person to person. Doing it under the supervision of a professional fitness coach would be ideal. They say, first make a strength base and then move the base to power.