Tall Kneeling Dissociation

‍Attention: Athletes

What?

The tall kneeling dissociation medicine ball throw teaches us how to separate the upper body from the lower body. It’s actually a bit challenging to coordinate in the beginning. Give it a few sessions of training and your body will catch on! We like to start these in a tall kneeling position so we can focus on the center of your body (hips, trunk/abs, shoulders). If you’re in a throwing sport or swinging sport, this one’s for you.

How?

Start on your knees and bow down into your base position. The ball comes to one side of your side pocket and you throw towards the center of the belly. Catch the ball at the opposite hip and load back down to your start position before you throw again. If this is tough to coordinate, stay on one side and hold for 2 seconds before you throw.

Why?

If you have to run, jump, turn or throw in your sport you should know how to separate your upper body from the lower body. This is called dissociation. This drill will help you learn how to generate and transfer force from the ground up, while teaching the center of your body (hips, abs/trunk, shoulders) to link together to throw or turn fast. One last thing. Notice how I keep my eyes and head fixed while I’m rotating and throwing. It's very helpful to pick a spot on the wall or create a dot with your finger using some sweat from your forehead. Have fun managing yourself.

Yours in Performance,

Coach Nicole Rodriguez