It is very difficult to find anyone, let alone athletes, who are perfectly balanced in mobility, flexibility and strength when comparing one side of the body to the other. Athletes face a greater challenge in using certain legs more than the other due the nature and demands of their sports.
Basketball and volleyball players will tend to favor one leg to jump off of verses the other and soccer players will plant their less dominant leg to support their bodies so their favored leg can pass and shoot.
Doing this hundreds of times is unavoidable, however if an athlete is not training each leg individually, especially in the weight room, injuries including muscles tightness, overuse (ex. tendinitis) and even muscle, tendon and ligament sprains and tears are highly possible.
It is in the athletes’ best interest to perform single leg work for increased balance, strength and stability. Below are my three favorite exercises that train those attributes and carry over well to the court and field when you play.
Step Ups[/bod]
At first this may seem like a remedial exercises, however it is the small details that make this exercise one of the best for sports performance. Find a box that is appropriate for your height and ability level.
I find that the perfect height of the box is best measured by the length of the athlete’s leg on top of the box that front thigh should not be higher than parallel with the floor.
It is important to use the leg that is on the step and not spring up with the one on the floor. Maintain proper knee alignment throughout the entire moment (up and down) where the shin is vertical and the knee is aligned with the foot. The most common mistake is letting the knee cave inward.
When stepping up make sure you extend your hip (straighten you working leg) fully before the free leg touches the box.
Forward Lunges
Lunges are a great exercise for athletes; though not the most enjoyable they may be some of the most rewarding. Lunges can be performed in a variety of manners but the forward lunge helps train the athlete to absorb force in the front leg which teaches the body to decelerate the body properly. Some of the worst injuries come from the body not being able to handle the deceleration stress and change of direction.
Step forward with one foot where the shin angle is about 75-90 degrees. Decelerate the body (drop) until the rear knee is just above the ground and then drive off the front foot until the feet are back together at the starting point, keeping knee and hip alignment in mind along with posture throughout the entire movement.
Single Leg RDLs
One of my favorite exercises for athletes because they are simple to learn but difficult to execute; RDL is an abbreviation for Romanian Deadlift. Stand on one leg with a slight knee bend. With good body posture and proper alignment, hinge at the hip until there is a stretch in the hamstring. This usually takes place when the arm is about mid-shin. Squeeze the glutes and hamstrings and extend the hip until the starting posture is achieved.
The goal with this exercise is not how low or fast one can go, more so how slow and controlled.
For further explanation about the tips mentioned above check out the videos above.
If you have any questions about this topic or any topics I should cover in the future feel free to email me at: doug@riseabovestrength.com
Interested in learning more about my training programs? Prep2Prep athletes can get two free initial sessions including an athletic assessment. Also check out DougFioranelli.com and sign up for my free newsletter for more training articles and videos.
Doug Fioranelli is the owner of Rise Above Performance Training™ (est. 2008) where he uses personal, progressive programming to increase his athletes’ performance and reduce their risk for injury. He has over 13 years of experience in strength training, conditioning and athletic rehabilitation. He has coached many adult clients and athletes from middle school to Olympic and Professional level.
Training: RiseAboveStrength.com
Blog: DougFioranelli.com
Twitter: @RiseAboveGym
YouTube: RiseAboveStrength
Facebook : Rise Above Performance Training
