Conditioning is one of the toughest parts of off-season training. When there are no coaches pushing you to your limit, it can be difficult to find the motivation to maintain a high fitness level.
Make conditioning fun by incorporating the Dice Game into your summer training. Whether you’re in charge of unofficial team practices or just trying to stay in shape this off-season, try this group conditioning game, which is designed to push your team harder without using special equipment.

Equipment

• Two dice
• Cones or markers
• Pen
• Cheat sheet

How to Play

On the cheat sheet, list 11 exercises numbered two to 12. Members of your group take turns rolling the dice. The first roll determines the exercise from the cheat sheet and the second dictates the number of reps. If the second roll is doubles, you must double the number of reps. Play a predetermined number of rounds or until you complete every exercise at least once.

Choose the Exercises

Adapt the Dice Game to meet your team’s training needs. You can choose exercises that provide a well-rounded workout or you can focus on particular body parts. Include at least one cardiovascular exercise to keep your core body temperature up throughout the workout. The following is an example of a full-body program.
1. Mountain Climbers
2. Planks (one rep = five seconds)
3. Russian Twists
4. 25-Meter Shuttle Runs
5. Burpees
6. Jumping Jacks
7. Crunches
8. Wide Arm Press Up
9. 25-Meter Crab Shuttle Runs
10. Tricep Dips
11. Reverse Crunch
Customize your workout by checking out our conditioning guide and exercise library.

Customize

Customize the exercises in the Dice Game to meet your level of training. Feel free to add a weighted vest to the bodyweight movements, lengthen the distance exercises or change the reps. Play with only one die to keep the reps low, or multiply the numbers by as many as eight for a grueling conditioning workout.
The Dice Game is a free, low-tech way to spice up your off-season training. Get together with some teammates this week and try it yourself.