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As a physical education teacher, you know one of the keys to a successful class is keeping all of your students involved. However, space and equipment limitations make that a major challenge when implementing strength training programs. Sharing just a few machines and resistance bands among a full class of students is not only an inefficient use of students' time, but all that waiting can stymie their enthusiasm. To develop a program that engages everyone, try expanding your scope and makin …

Imagine, if you will, someone jumping rope. Most of us tend to picture either grade school children jumping double-dutch at recess or professional boxers training for a big fight. Rarely do we imagine anything in between. However, jumping rope can be extremely beneficial for any young athletes looking to improve their jumping ability, speed or agility. These are crucial skills for everything from tennis to basketball. Here are five jump rope exercises professional trainer Shelby T …

No matter what sport they play, most athletes can benefit from improving their foot speed and agility. Fast feet can help tennis players adjust to fast serves and hard body shots, allow basketball players to shuffle and stay with shifty ball handlers and give football players an edge when making cuts in the open field. Luckily, just like strength or jumping ability, it is possible to improve your agility with careful training. Many coaches and athletes work on foot speed using agi …

When stepping up to the plate, nothing's more important to hitting the ball a country mile than smooth swing mechanics. One of the most common culprits behind poor cuts is the bats hitters bring with them to the plate. Too heavy and swings drag—the bat drops below the ball and takes too long to make its way around the plate. Too light, on the other hand, and batters tend to whip their lumber around the plate with just their arms, failing to harness the power of their lower body. Therefore, …

One of the best ways for athletes of all ages and skill levels to develop their jumping ability is through plyometric exercises. Plyometrics are exercises in which muscles exert maximum force over short intervals of time with the goal of increasing power.  When applied specifically to jump training, the resulting increase in explosiveness can help athletes jump both higher and quicker, which can not only help them become more effective in sports like basketball and volleyball, but can …