The Prehab Workout Routine

Author:
jtrobman
May 21, 2018

If you work at a desk, spend long hours in the car, or have been bench pressing since your first day in the gym, there's no getting around it—you have some muscle imbalances that could set you up for serious injury and reduce your ability to get the most out of your training. This workout corrects those problems, allowing your body to move more efficiently and helping to eliminate any pain you may already be dealing with. You'll realign your body for optimum performance.

We'll level with you: This won't be the most fun workout ever. There's no loading up the bench or curl bar. But you should still enjoy the challenge. Some of the more unorthodox exercises will have you using your whole body in ways it's not used to. Two main target areas are your core and upper back, which are o en tight and weak. You'll strengthen and improve your flexibility in these muscle groups, and you should see and feel the difference in your whole body in fewer than 30 days.

Directions

Frequency: Perform the workout twice per week, completing your other training or resting on days in between.

Time Needed 30 minutes

How to Do It

Perform the exercises marked with letters ("a," "b," etc.) in sequence, completing one set for each and resting as needed in between. Repeat for all the sets and then go to the next group.

Prehab Workout Routine

1A FIRE HYDRANT

SETS: 2 REPS: 10

Get on all fours and, keeping your abs braced, raise one leg out to your side while keeping your knee bent 90 degrees. You'll look like a dog peeing on a . re hydrant. Complete your reps on one side and then switch sides and repeat.

1B PLANK WITH ELBOW TOUCH

SETS: 2 REPS: CONTINUE FOR 1 MINUTE

Get into pushup position and then lower your forearms to the floor. Your body should form a straight line with your abs braced. Shift your weight to your left side and raise your right knee up while drawing your left elbow to your rib cage. Alternate sides for one minute.

1C I-Y-T. RAISE

SETS: 2 REPS: 6

Set a bench to a low angle and lie facedown on it with a dumbbell in each hand. Raise your arms up in front of you with elbows straight and thumbs pointing up (you'll makean "I" shape). Lower and raise them out 45 degrees in front of you (a "Y" shape). Lower and raise them again out to your sides (a "T" shape). That's one rep.

2A INCHWORM

SETS: 2 REPS: 8

Bend over from the hips and place your hands on the floor in front of you. Now walk your hands forward until your body is in pushup position. Perform a pushup, and then come back up and rotate your body to your right side, balancing on your le. hand and holding your body in a straight line. Face the floor again and rotate to the opposite side, balancing on your right hand. Return to face the floor and walk your feet forward, keeping your knees locked until you’re in the same posture you started in. That's one rep.

2B PRISONER SQUAT

SETS: 2 REPS: 8

3A SQUAT THRUSTER

SETS: 3-4 REPS: 8-10

Hold the bar at shoulder height and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Explosively come back up and press the bar directly overhead.

3B ONE-ARM CABLE SQUAT TO ROW

SETS: 3-4 REPS: 8-10

Attach a D-handle to a cable pulley at hip level. Grab the handle and squat down, letting the cable extend your arm forward and a little bit across your body. Come back up and row the handle to your side, rotating slightly.

3C DIVE BOMBER PUSHUP

SETS: 3-4 REPS: 8-10

Get into pushup position on the floor, bend your knees a bit, and stick your butt in the air. Bend your elbows and lower your face and then your chest to the floor in an arcing motion, and then push yourself forward and up. Rock your weight back to return to the starting position.

3D SINGLE-LEG ROMANIAN DEADLIFT

SETS: 3-4 REPS: 8-10

Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand on one leg. Bend your hips back and lower your body until you feel your lower back is about to lose its natural arch. Squeeze your glutes and extend your hips to come up. Complete all your reps on one leg and then switch sides and repeat.