Open Turn Dryland Exercises

Straight-Arm Plank With Alternating Knee Drive 

You need to aggressively drive your knees to your chest to accomplish the tight tuck needed for an open turn. The tighter your rotation, the faster your turn. Straight-arm plank with alternating knee drive helps you work on that. 

To do this exercise, start in the top of a push-up position with your arms straight. While maintaining that position, bring one knee up to your chest. Return with control and repeat with your other leg.  

Alternating Hanging Knee Raise 

Alternating hanging knee raise helps you learn to drive your knees to your chest powerfully.  

To do this drill, hang from a bar. Bring one knee to your chest at a time, alternating. Avoid rocking back and forth while hanging from the bar. Aim to bring your knees up to your belly button at least, preferably up to your chest.  

Bear Plank 

The bear plank is a great exercise to help you develop the necessary strength in your torso to quickly pull yourself into a ball.  

To do this drill, begin on your hands and knees with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Lift your knees slightly off the ground and hold the position. Because your knees are bent, you’ll work on your abdominals. 

Alternating Biceps Curl 

Strong arms help you accelerate through your open turn by assisting with your rotation. If you’ve practiced open turns without your arms, you know the how much they help. Strong biceps can help you pull yourself into a ball and rotate your body, and you can build strong biceps by doing alternating biceps curls. 

To do this exercise, stand with your feet under your hips and dumbbells in each hand. Curling one arm up, bring the dumbbell to the shoulder of that arm. Alternate sides, curling one arm up at a time. 

Alternating Reverse Lunge 

The alternating reverse lunge is a low-impact exercise that builds the strength needed to do a great push off the wall. Because you’re using one leg at a time, you’ll need much less weight to strengthen your legs than if you tried to work both legs at the same time. 

To do this exercise, stand with your legs hip-width apart. Step backward with one leg and lower your body toward the floor. Stand back up and return to the starting position. Repeat with your other leg. 

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift 

Your hip muscles are as important as your quadriceps are for strong push-offs. Although you can develop them by doing squats and lunges, a dedicated focus on them can be helpful for improving your open turn. Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts are a great way to develop these muscles. 

To do this exercise, stand with your feet hip-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand. While maintaining a good posture, push your hips back and let the dumbbells slide down your legs as you lower. Return to the standing position to complete the exercise. 

Rope Lat Pull-Down 

Although a great open turn is driven by punching your knees into your chest, pulling yourself into the wall can assist with the rotation of your body. Your latissimus muscles play a huge role in this movement. To strengthen these muscles, do rope lat pull-down.  

To do this exercise, in a lat pull-down machine, use a rope attachment. Grasp the ends of the rope and pull your hands down to your chest. Doing the exercise with the rope allows you to use a more natural range of motion. 

Goblet Squat 

The goblet squat is a simple exercise that’s terrific for strengthening the muscles required to do a great push off the wall.  

To do this exercise, grab a single dumbbell with both arms. Hold the dumbbell in front of your chest in a vertical position, with your palms supporting the top side of the dumbbell as if you’re holding a goblet. Lower yourself straight down into a squat while keeping your torso upright. Stand back up. 

Medicine Ball Slam 

Medicine ball slam provides great speed and power training. The goal is to be able to generate as much power as possible, as quickly as possible, with your arms. This will help you get through your open turn faster. 

To do this exercise, hold a medicine ball at your chest while standing. Quickly raise it above your head and then forcefully slam it down into the ground. Pick the ball up and do your next repetition.  

If possible, use a medicine ball with limited elasticity to prevent the ball from bouncing up and hitting you. 

Medicine Ball Thruster 

Medicine ball thruster is a fun exercise that’s terrific for helping you quickly generate a lot of force, just as you do when you push off the wall.  

To do this exercise, start by grabbing a light medicine ball. Hold it at your chest with your hands underneath the ball. Stand with your feet together hip-width apart. From this position, dip down slightly and then explode straight up. Try to launch the ball as high into the air as you can.