Even if you’re not a football fan, you have a lot to gain from Heisman exercise.
Named for the way it (sort of) mimics the ball carrier atop college football’s Heisman Trophy, this sideways jump builds strength, speed, agility and cardiovascular fitness.
“The Heisman is a full-body plyometric move and great conditioning exercise that gets your heart rate up, boosts metabolism, and burns fat,” says Tony Carvajal, CSCS, trainer in Miami.
Here’s how to do the Heisman exercise correctly.
Heisman exercise: step-by-step instructions
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, chest up, and arms at your sides.
- Jump from your left foot to your right, gently landing on your right foot and lifting your left knee above hip level as you pump your right arm forward.
- Immediately jump to your left by reversing the movement of your arms and legs.
- Continue to alternate sides, never letting both feet touch the floor at the same time.
Benefits of Heisman Exercise
- Strengthens legs, core, hips and glutes.
- Increases heart rate and breathing to improve cardiovascular fitness.
- Improves reaction time and agility.
- Improves your ability to generate energy.
- Requires no equipment and minimal space.
More exercises like the Heisman
Whether you want to increase or decrease the Heisman, here are some variations.
1. Double Heisman
- Add a stutter step between each high knee of the Heisman exercise to blend left to right.
- Think: step, step, step, knee high. Step, step, step, knee high. Both feet will never be on the ground at the same time.
2. Heisman slot
- Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest, place your right foot in an inverted lunge, and rotate your torso to the left.
- Push off on your left foot to stand up and lift your right knee toward your chest while rotating your torso toward your right knee.
- Immediately descend into the next rep and repeat for the prescribed number of reps. Then, switch sides, performing equal reps on both.
3. Skier jump
- Keeping your feet together and swinging your arms out to the sides (as if holding ski poles), jump from side to side.
- Land with knees slightly bent to minimize impact.
4. Skater jump
- Imagine the Heisman exercise only with larger jumps. Once you plant your jumping leg, cross your opposite ankle behind it.
- Then, perhaps tap the ground near your planted foot with your opposite hand before immediately launching into the next rep.
