UmpireFitness.com introduction . . .
UmpireFitness.com introduction . . .
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UmpireFitness.com is designed to provide you and other umpires with objective measures regarding speed, agility, and basic physical readiness to umpire the games to which they are appointed. To do this, you complete objective physical challenges involving acceleration, deceleration, and change of direction. Using our scoresheet, you can record and track your progress. Using the UmpireFitness.com result forms will allow you to compare your results with umpires from around the world. The UmpireFitness.com challenges only require a few cones and many can be completed using lines on hockey fields. Unless required by your assigner/umpire manager/association/tournament director/etc., you don't have to complete every skill challenge to have fun and benefit from the system. In nothing else, just do the challenges that focus on the areas you are try to improve. While most of the challenges can be completed in less than 30 seconds, one international umpire who was helping test the challenges described the longest, it lasts 60 seconds, as, "A proper workout." There are helpful links at the bottom of this page should you need to buy some cones. The more challenges you complete, the more likely you'll be able to compare yourself to other umpires like you. Before completing any of these challenges, make sure you are cleared by a medical professional. To begin using UmpireFitness.com, we recommend creating a secret code name to maintain your privacy when given the opportunity to compare your results to others.
Challenge 1: Speedy Interuptus
(clockwise)
Challenge 1: Speedy Interuptus
(clockwise)
Speedy Interruptus (clockwise) is a combination of speed and a small test of agility (acceleration, deceleration, footwork, turning, and accelerating again). Time yourself in a dash from the goal-line to the top of the circle but run clockwise around the penalty stroke mark (or a cone). Start in a plank position with both hands on the goal-line. In all skill challenges, "going around" means that your body/feet must go completely around or on the proper side of the mark or cone(s) being navigated as part of the challenge. No shortcuts! Complete this challenge as often as you want within 5 minutes. Track your most recent result on your copy of the UmpireFitness.com scoresheet and enter your best time here.
TOTAL COMBINED DISTANCE: ~17 yards/16.5 meters
EQUIPMENT: A stopwatch, recording material (plus 2 cones if you don't have hockey field markings)
Challenge 2: Speedy Interuptus
(counterclockwise)
Challenge 2: Speedy Interuptus
(counterclockwise)
Speedy Interruptus (counterclockwise) is a combination of speed and a small test of agility. Time yourself in a dash from the goal-line to the top of the circle but run counterclockwise around the penalty stroke mark (or a cone). As in challenge #1, you must start in a plank position with both hands on the goal-line. In all skill challenges, "going around" means that your body/feet must go completely around or on the proper side of the mark or cone(s) being navigated as part of the challenge. No shortcuts! Complete this challenge as often as you want within 5 minutes. Track your most recent result on your copy of the UmpireFitness.com scoresheet and enter your best time here.
TOTAL COMBINED DISTANCE: ~17 yards/16.5 meters
EQUIPMENT: A stopwatch, recording material (plus 2 cones if you don't have hockey field markings)
Challenge 3: Horseshoe Left
Challenge 3: Horseshoe Left
We call this one the Horseshoe Left. This challenge is a combination of speed with a larger mix of agility than challenge #2. In this challenge, you'll be making hard turns to your left. Using cones or markers, create a challenge box that is 10 x 5 meters. Start in plank position starting line next to the first cone, with the challenge box to your left. Sprint from the first cone to last in a counterclockwise direction. Complete this challenge as often as you want within 5 minutes and record your best time. Track your most recent result on your copy of the UmpireHockey.com scoresheet and enter your best time here.
TOTAL COMBINED DISTANCE: ~52 meters
EQUIPMENT: Four cones/markers, stopwatch, recording material
Challenge 4: Horseshoe Right
Challenge 4: Horseshoe Right
Horseshoe Right requires you to make hard turns to your right. Using cones or markers, create a challenge box that is 10 x 5 meters. Start in plank position, hands on the starting line next to the first cone. The challenge box is to your right. Sprint from the first cone to last in clockwise direction. Complete this challenge as often as you want within 5 minutes and record your best time. Track your most recent result on your copy of the UmpireFitness.com scoresheet and enter your best total time here.
TOTAL COMBINED DISTANCE: ~52 meters
EQUIPMENT: Four cones/markers, stopwatch, recording material
Challenge 5: Illinois Agility
Challenge 5: Illinois Agility
The Illinois Agility challenge was developed in 1979 by Leroy Getchell. Using cones or markers, create a challenge box that is 10 x 5 meters. Split the box down the middle with four cones evenly spaced (3.3 meters apart). Both of your feet must go on the side of the cone shown in the illustration of the course. You'll complete the pattern first without any hockey equipment and then complete the pattern dribbling. You are trying to achieve the fastest time possible (this challenge is not about counting how many cones you pass). Start in plank position by the cone/marker in the lower left of the image -- your hands on an imaginary starting line next to the first cone. Complete this challenge as often as you want within 5 minutes. Track your most recent result on your copy of the UmpireFitness.com scoresheet and enter your best total time here.
TOTAL DISTANCE: ~55 meters.
EQUIPMENT: Eight cones/markers, a hockey stick and ball, stopwatch, recording material
Challenge 6: Hockey Ladder
Challenge 6: Hockey Ladder
This challenge, the Hockey Ladder, was created for umpires by umpire coach Cris Maloney in 2006. Although cones or markers can be used if you don't have a hockey surface, we will describe the Hockey Ladder using hockey markings. Start in a plank position, with your hands on the 23-meter/25-yard line. Begin by moving to the first proximity mark and returning to the 23. Then move to the circle-line and return to the 23, move to the stroke mark and return to the 23, and, finally, move to the goal-line and finish by crossing the 23. Reach the required marks with one or both of your feet, do not bend over and touch the surface with your hands. Complete this challenge as often as you want within 5 minutes and record your best time. Track your most recent result on your copy of the UmpireFitness.com scoresheet and enter your best total time here.
TOTAL COMBINED DISTANCE: 100 meters
EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Five cones/markers or an outdoor hockey pitch, stopwatch, recording material
Challenge 7: T-Race 30s
Challenge 7: T-Race 30s
The T-Race 30s (30-second mode) for umpires doing sub-varsity games, U8-U16. If you are umpiring high school varsity or university games, skip this challenge and instead do challenge 7b. The outside measurements of the challenge box are 10x10 meters. You begin the T-Race in plank position with your hands in the middle of an imaginary line drawn between the two cones at the bottom of the image. Follow the pattern in the image and pass as many cones as possible in 30 seconds. In all skill challenges, your feet must go around the cone being navigated. You get one point for each cone you pass in 30 seconds. If your feet bypass a cone, you don't get a point for having reached that cone. Complete this 30-second challenge as often as you want within 5 minutes and record your best time. Track your most recent result on your copy of the UmpireFitness.com scoresheet and enter your best total time here.
EQUIPMENT: Six cones/markers, stopwatch, recording material
Challenge 8: X-Race 60s
Challenge 8: X-Race 60s
The X-Race 60s (60-second mode) is a must for umpires doing varsity and university games, U19-U21 and higher. Set up a challenge box with outside measurements of 10x10 meters. You begin the X-Race in plank position with your hands in the middle of an imaginary line drawn between the two cones at the bottom of the image. Follow the pattern in the image and pass as many cones as possible in 60 seconds. In all skill challenges, your feet must go around the cone being navigated. You get one point for each cone you pass in 60 seconds. If your feet bypass a cone, you don't get a point for having reached that cone. Complete this 60-second challenge as often as you want within 5 minutes and record your best time. Track your most recent result on your copy of the UmpireFitness.com scoresheet and enter your best total time here.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Five cones/markers, stopwatch, recording material
"Just for umpires" conditioning training app to help keep you injury free...
"Just for umpires" conditioning training app to help keep you injury free...
As you know, our sport is having enough difficulty finding umpires without people who are currently umpiring getting hurt. Game assignments are coming up in just a few months and keeping up with high school and college athletes doesn't come without the risk of injury. Whether you want to prepare to complete the movement challenges I told you about last time that you'll find on UmpireFitness.com or simply want to be as "umpire healthy" as possible, fitness trainer Austin Ardrey started his company, Runnin Ref, to help sports officials stay healthy and get them game ready.
Austin said, "The step-by-step strength and conditioning program that I developed specifically for sports officials will not only help you perform your best in fitness evaluations, such as those on UmpireFitness.com, but also in real world, game situations. The better prepared you are for keeping up with young athletes, the less likely you'll be to pull a muscle or suffer a joint injury."
Make Austin your fitness buddy by subscribing to his service. You'll get a step-by-step, app-based (iPhone or Android) strength and conditioning program that will give you everything you need for a healthy and fit season ahead. Use "UmpireFitness" during your purchase and save 10%. Here are links to program options...
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Simple nutritional changes, 10, that you can make TODAY to be healthier this year...
Simple nutritional changes, 10, that you can make TODAY to be healthier this year...
Being fit isn't only about how well you can perform movement challenges. Your nutrition is equally important. Which foods should you add to your diet and which foods should you drop? Click here for the details from Plus Foods Minus Foods, an UmpireFitness.com sponsor.
Take this 6-page document with you when you won't have access to the web where you'll be doing the UmpireFitness.com challenges. Especially great for organizers of a Play Day.
Use this as a map to help you plan a Play Day for a group of umpires. Nearly every challenge can be setup at one time. You'll need up to 28 cones and one quarter of a hockey field.
Whether at a Play Day or performing the skill challenges on your own, you can record your results on the handy scoresheet and then on UmpireFitness.com when it is convenient.
UmpireFitness.com is published by Cris Maloney. Other free sites published by Cris are HockeySPOTS.com (teams and players can connect for free to fill open spots at tournaments), FieldHockeyBooks.com (field hockey books written by various authors), and GrandPrixFieldHockey.com (skills and fitness readiness program for teams and players)
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