Water Polo Building Blocks: Pre-Workout and Game Sequence

Methodology

This building block requires a series of resistance bands and is designed to give players a full body workout. At Bridge, we recommend starting with a lighter resistance band then moving up after mastering the correct technique.

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Level: All

Equipment: Resistance Band

Movement: Start standing facing away from the bands. Working one arm at a time, hold the handle with your knuckles up. With a slight bend in your elbows, raise your arms to shoulder height. Pause. Return slowly to the start position. Repeat for prescribed reps. Keep the movement slow, especially when returning to the start position.

Bridge Tip – Keep a slight bend in your elbow throughout the movement. Keep the movement controlled.

Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Equipment: Resistance Band

Movement: This is an excellent progressive exercise to work on overhead shoulder stability during a lower-extremity movement. With the band behind you, stand with your toes rotated slightly out. Hold a handle in both bands and extend your arms overhead into a Y position. Keeping your arms stabilized overhead, hands above your ears, squat down slowly and return to the start position . Repeat movement for prescribed reps.

Bridge Tip - Focus on depressing your shoulder blades (pulling them down) to keep your arms stable overhead and your hands above your ears throughout the squat.

3. Band Anti-Roatations

Level: All

Equipment: Resistance Band

Movement: This anti-rotational exercise aids in transferring power from the lower body and torso to the shooting arm, a key aspect of the water polo shot. Start standing with the band at chest level and a slight bend in your knees. Keep your chest up and avoid rotation by drawing in your midsection as you push your hands out in front of you. Pause. Return your hands to the start position and repeat for the prescribed number of reps then switch sides.

Bridge Tip - Although the water polo shot is a very powerful, complex movement, an athlete needs to be stable and strong through the mid-section to generate power for shooting.

4. Band Face Pull

Level: All

Equipment: Resistance Band

Movement: Start standing tall facing the band with the handles in each hand. Extend your hands out in front of you in the starting position. Pull the band back towards your face keeping your elbows at a 90-degree position. Pause. Extend your arms slowly to return to the start position. Pause. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps. 

Bridge Tip – Keep a slight bend in your knees throughout the movement.

5. X-Band Quickstep

Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Equipment: Resistance Band

Movement: Start standing with feet shoulder width apart. Place the band underneath your feet and grab the band on each side with both hands. Cross your hands over as you pull the band up to shoulder height forming an X. With a slight bend in your knees move your right foot to the right, then move your left foot to the right. That is one rep. Keeping the exercise fluid, move your left foot to the left, followed by your right foot in the same direction. Repeat this sequence for the prescribed number of reps or time.

Bridge Tip – Keep your chest upright and the bands at shoulder height throughout the exercise.