MUSCLE ACTIVATION / LOWER BODY

Muscle Activation exercises are designed to engage the specific muscles which are targeted that day during your training and temporarily improve the connection between the brain and the muscles. Improving muscle activation can allow for stronger contractions, better performance, and cleaner technique, resulting in safer and more effective training. Typically, these exercises are stationary by nature and specific to Total Body, Upper Body or Lower Body movement patterns.

GLUTE ACTIVATION SERIES / BAND WORK

We use short exercise bands through a series of exercises, performed in sequence without pause, to help strengthen hip musculature and improve muscle firing patterns to subsequently help improve athletic performance and reduce chance of injury. The Glute Activation series focuses primarily on the glute adductors and abductors as well as hip flexors.

Glute / Band Work: Lying Clam Shells

• Begin by sitting on the floor. Place the short mini band around your legs, just above the knee
• Then, lie on your side with both legs bent at 90 degrees and together
• Activate your core with a slight forward flexion. Do not arch your back.
• Beginners may start by lying on their side with their back against the wall to help prevent their back from arching or their lower hip from externally rotating
• Slowly externally rotate your top leg to end range.
• Keep your hips perpendicular to the floor throughout the exercise.
• It is just as important to push through the floor with your bottom leg while also activating your groin to help stabilize the hip and leg not rotating. This is stabilization movement pattern is very important in proper skating mechanics.