IMPROVING MUSCULOSKELETAL FITNESS

5 best ways to improve musculoskeletal  fitness

1)SHOULDER-NECK MOBILITY

Raise your hands (thumbs ahead ) above your  head as far as you can while keeping your arms shoulder –wide .Turn your hands and try to place backs of your hands against the wall ,keeping your elbows and wrists straight .

2)HAND GRIP

You need a calibrated hand and dynamometer with  adjustable grip

Squeeze the handle of the dynamometer  as forcefully as  possible .Keep arm straight and slightly away from the body ,do not jerk arm or body .Perform two test trials ,with an interval of about 10 seconds between them .You should squeeze when the tester gives the order ‘squeeze!’ The tester reads the result of each trial.

3)JUMP –AND –REACH

You need a measurement board to reach ,tape measure and magnesium powder

Jump as high as possible ,using your hands to enhance your performance .You may flex your knees to enhance the performance ,but whole feet must stay on the floor .During the jump touch the board with your middle finger while at the highest position .The tester shows the correct performance .Do one practice trial and two test trial with maximal effort .

4)MODIFIED PUSH –UP

You need a gym mat and a stop watch

Do as many correct push-ups as you can in 40 minutes .Start by clapping hands behind your back

5)DYNAMIC SIT –UP

You need a gym mat

Perform the test  in  three performance levels with increasing difficulty .Perform 5 sit-ups in each level without a rest between the levels .The performance should be smooth and back of the head elbows should  touch the mat between each sit –up. Perform  as follows :

The first five sit –ups   :Reach mid patella with finger tips of both hands from a straight lying position while keeping the arms straight and palms resting on thighs

The second sit –ups :  Fold arms over chest to reach the thighs with both elbows

The last five sit –ups :Touch back of ear lobes with fingertips to reach the thighs with elbows .