Pirates Coach Hates Couches

Erwin Valencia is the Pirates Physical Therapist and Rehab Coordinator. Valencia  has done some cool things including creating Terminators (below,) which is a prevention exercise that concentrates on the shoulder and its extension into the lower body, he really has a focus on CORE exercises. 

In this video, Valencia explains why a strong CORE has benefits and why a couch doesn’t.  He also rocks the benefits of a scarf.

Terminators

For: Baseball, softball, volleyball and football players
Works: Shoulders, rotator cuff, core, hamstrings, quads

• Place physioball between mid to low back and wall
• Place med ball between legs, just above knees, and hold dumbbells at sides
• Assume squat position, making sure knees and hips are 90 degrees. Retract scaps, draw in core, and squeeze med ball using adductors and pelvic floor muscles
• While in squat, lift arms forward about three-quarters; repeat 10 times
• Maintaining squat, make “V” with arms by lifting them three-quarters; arms should be parallel to floor.
• Repeat 10 times
• While in squat, raise arms to sides, about three-quarters; repeat 10 times

Set/Reps/Rest: 2-3 sets of 10 with no rest between each variation; 45-60 seconds rest between sets

Coaching Points: Use six-pound or lighter weights // Keep body weight on your heels, not on the balls of your feet, as this misplaces the direction of your weight, increasing the risk of knee injuries // Maintain proper squat position to avoid back injuries // If the exercise is too hard to perform without a break between changes in lifts, start with no weight, because technique is more important