JUNE 2025

THE ATHLETIC ASCENT: COORDINATION & BALANCE
This 4-week plan evolves your training by targeting coordination and balance. The exercises are selected to build stability, control, and integrated strength, all while respecting your shoulder and wrist health. Continue to incorporate one cardio and one mobility workout per week. Aim to complete each of the following workouts once per week.


IGNITION SEQUENCE WARM UP (8-10 MINS - DAILY)

Dynamic Flow:

Cat-Cow to Bird-Dog: Flow from Cat-Cow directly into a Bird-Dog, holding the contralateral arm and leg extension for a 2-second count. Focus on a flat back and level hips. x 8 reps per side.

Plank Rock to Downward Dog Calf Pedal: From a plank, gently rock forward and back on your toes, then push back to Downward Dog and pedal your feet to stretch your calves. x 10 flows.

World's Greatest Stretch with Balance Reach: In the top lunge position (hand off the floor), press into your front foot and slowly lift your back leg into a single-leg, airplane-like balance. Reach forward with your arms. Return to the lunge with control. x 5 per side.

Shoulder & Wrist Prep:

Banded Pull-Aparts with March: While performing your banded pull-aparts, stand and perform a slow, controlled march, lifting your knees to hip height. This challenges your core and balance. x 15 reps.

Wrist Circles & Finger Extensions: Gently make circles with your wrists (10 each way), then open and close your hands, fully extending your fingers to warm up the extensors. x 15 seconds.

Wall Push-ups with Scapular "Plus": Perform a push-up against the wall, focusing on the "plus" at the end (protracting your shoulder blades away from your spine). x 15 reps.

Balance & Activation:

Single-Leg Balance with Head Turns: Stand on one leg and slowly turn your head to look left and right. This challenges your vestibular system. x 3 turns each way per leg.

Glute Bridge with Alternating Leg Extension: In a glute bridge, slowly extend one leg straight out, hold for 2 seconds, and return to the floor. Alternate sides while keeping hips high and level. x 8 reps per side.




DAY 1 - UNILATERAL FOUNDATIONS (Lower Body Strength & Single-Sided Push)

Goal: Build single-leg strength and stability, and challenge core control with unilateral pressing.
Time Target: ~45 minutes including warm-up.
Rest: 60 seconds between sets.

BLOCK 1 - Single-Leg Dominance

Bulgarian Split Squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps per side.
Focus: Maintain an upright torso and control the descent. Your front foot, knee, and hip should remain aligned. Use a lower box or bench to start.

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift (RDL): 3 sets of 8-10 reps per side.
Focus: Hinge at the hips, keeping your back flat. The back leg should move in a straight line with your torso. Hold onto a stable surface for balance if needed, or use a light kettlebell/dumbbell in the hand opposite your standing leg.

BLOCK 2 - Asymmetrical Push

Single-Arm Dumbbell Bench Press (Neutral Grip): 3 sets of 10-12 reps per side.
Focus: The primary goal is to resist rotation. Keep your core tight and your non-working side engaged to prevent your torso from twisting. A neutral grip is generally more shoulder-friendly.

Half-Kneeling Landmine Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per side.
Focus: An excellent shoulder-friendly pressing variation. In a half-kneeling position (opposite knee down to the pressing arm), press the end of the barbell up and away. This follows a more natural arc for the shoulder joint.

BLOCK 3 - Core Coordination

Bird-Dog with a Dumbbell Row: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per side.
Focus: From a tabletop position with a light dumbbell in one hand, perform a row while simultaneously extending the opposite leg. This challenges coordination and core stability. Keep hips square to the floor.

Side Plank with Leg Lift: 3 sets of 30-45 second hold per side.
Focus: Maintain a straight line from head to feet. Slowly lift and lower your top leg without letting your hips drop. This adds a significant balance challenge.

DAY 2 - VERTICAL & ROTATIONAL CONTROL (Upper Body Pull & Integrated Core)

Goal: Enhance pulling strength with a focus on scapular control and introduce rotational movements for a more dynamic, coordinated upper body.
Time Target: ~45 minutes including warm-up.
Rest: 60-75 seconds between sets.

BLOCK 1 - Controlled Pulling

Tempo Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown: 3 sets of 8-10 reps.
Focus: Use a 3-1-1 tempo (3 seconds lowering, 1 second pause, 1 second pull). This increased time under tension will challenge your muscular control.

Single-Arm Seated Cable Row with 2-Sec Pause: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per side.
Focus: At the peak of the contraction, pause for two seconds and actively squeeze your shoulder blade toward your spine. This reinforces proper scapular retraction.



BLOCK 2 - Shoulder & Core Integration

Single-Arm Overhead Kettlebell/Dumbbell Carry: 3 sets of 50 feet per side.
Focus: With a light to moderate weight held overhead, walk slowly and deliberately. Keep your bicep by your ear, your shoulder "packed" (down and back), and your core braced. This builds exceptional shoulder stability. A front rack carry is a great alternative if overhead is uncomfortable.

Cable Woodchop (High to Low): 3 sets of 12-15 reps per side.
Focus: This is a core coordination exercise. Pivot on your back foot as you chop the cable down and across your body. The movement should be driven by your hips and torso, not your arms.

BLOCK 3 - Arm & Wrist Stability

Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Curls: 3 sets of 8-10 reps per side.
Focus: Holding a light kettlebell by the handle with the bell facing the ceiling, perform a curl. This forces your wrist and rotator cuff to fire to stabilize the weight.

Dumbbell Zottman Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
Focus: Curl the dumbbell up with palms facing you, then at the top, rotate your wrists so palms face away for the controlled lowering phase. This works on both supination and pronation.



DAY 3 - THE BALANCE LABYRINTH (Unilateral Lower Body & Dynamic Core)

Goal: Challenge your balance with advanced single-leg movements and plyometrics that require precise, controlled landings.
Time Target: ~45 minutes including warm-up.
Rest: 60-75 seconds between sets.

BLOCK 1 - Advanced Unilateral Squats

Pistol Squat to a Box: 3 sets of 6-8 reps per side.
Focus: Use a box or bench that allows you to squat to a challenging but controlled depth. Focus on the eccentric (lowering) phase and use your arms as a counterbalance. The goal is control, not speed.

Skater Squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps per side.
Focus: This lateral movement challenges your balance in a different plane of motion. Bound from side to side, landing softly on one leg and sweeping the other leg behind you.

BLOCK 2 - Posterior Chain Stability

Single-Leg Glute Bridge on Foam Roller: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per side.
Focus: Placing your standing foot on an unstable surface like a foam roller will dramatically increase the stability demands on your glutes and hamstrings. Keep hips level.

Copenhagen Plank: 3 sets of 20-30 second holds per side.
Focus: Targets the adductors and obliques, crucial for single-leg stability. Place your top leg on a bench and your bottom leg underneath. Lift your hips into a side plank.

BLOCK 3 - Coordinated Landings

Single-Leg Hops (Forward & Lateral): 3 sets of 5-8 hops in each direction per side.
Focus: The emphasis is on the landing. Aim to land softly and "stick" it for a 2-second hold before the next hop. This builds reactive strength and ankle stability.

Box Jump with a Quarter Turn: 3 sets of 5-8 reps.
Focus: Perform a standard box jump, but as you jump, rotate 90 degrees in the air and land softly on the box. Step down and repeat, rotating to the other side. This adds a coordination challenge.



DAY 4 - THE ATHLETIC INTEGRATION (Full Body Coordination & Flow)

Goal: To connect all the elements with complex movements that demand full-body coordination, balance, and controlled flow.
Time Target: ~45 minutes including warm-up.
Rest: 60 seconds between sets.

BLOCK 1 - Dynamic Integrated Power

Turkish Get-Up (Light Weight): 3 sets of 3-5 reps per side.
Focus: The ultimate coordination and stability exercise. Perform it slowly and deliberately. A light weight perfects form. If any shoulder pain occurs, stick to the half get-up or use only your bodyweight.

Medicine Ball Rotational Throws: 3 sets of 8-10 reps per side.
Focus: Stand perpendicular to a solid wall. Rotate through your hips and core to throw the ball against the wall and catch it on the rebound. This builds coordinated, explosive power.

BLOCK 2 - Unstable Pulling & Pushing

Suspension Trainer (TRX) Rows: 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
Focus: The instability of the straps will challenge your core and scapular stabilizers. To make it harder, walk your feet further forward. Keep your body in a straight plank.

Push-up with Alternating Shoulder Tap: 3 sets of 8-12 reps.

Focus: Perform a full push-up. At the top, pause and tap your left shoulder with your right hand, then your right shoulder with your left hand. This challenges anti-rotation and stability. Elevate hands on handles if needed.

BLOCK 3 - Movement Flow

Crab Reach to Opposite Toe Touch: 2 sets of 8-10 reps per side.
Focus: From a crab walk position, perform a crab reach. As you return to the start, lift the opposite foot and touch it with the hand you just reached with. This adds a layer of coordination and hamstring flexibility.

Bear Crawl with Lateral Shuffle: 2 sets of 20-30 feet.
Focus: As you perform your bear crawl, take two steps laterally in each direction every few forward steps. This breaks the linear pattern and challenges your coordination.

BLOCK 4 - Core Stability Finisher

Pallof Press with March: 3 sets of 10-12 marches per side.
Focus: While holding the isometric Pallof press (resisting rotation), perform a slow and controlled march. This combines anti-rotation with a balance challenge.

Hollow Body Rock: 3 sets of 30-45 seconds.
Focus: Maintain a solid hollow body position (lower back pressed to the floor) and gently rock back and forth. This dynamic movement will challenge your ability to keep your core braced. Stick to a static hold if the rock is too challenging.