LOWER BODY MOVEMENTS

In our Strength Training System, most exercises that are being considered for a specific program will be placed into one of three general movement categories. Lower Body Movements involve the following movements: knee extension, hip extension, and plantar flexion. Lower Body Movements are those that will help increase strength in the lower back, quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus muscle group, hip extensors, flexors, adductors, abductors, and the muscles of the lower leg (calf and ankle). Bilateral Movements are prominent within the program, but we also utilize a lot of unilateral variations which are more sports specific and help reduce stress placed on the body during training.

LATERAL LUNGE EXERCISES

Lateral Lunges are a unilateral lower body movement variation important in teaching and strengthening proper load mechanics for deceleration. The depth of the Lateral Lunge may vary with each individual based on physiological traits such as limb length, hip structure, injury, etc. Lateral Lunge as deep as you can, with a flat foot, while maintaining a neutral spine. But it is preferred that the athlete squats to a depth where the top of the thigh is parallel to the floor. Lateral Movement patterns are important in incorporating leg adductors and abductors which are sports specific and often utilized during skating mechanics.

Lateral Lunge: Slide Board / Body Weight

• To be fair, this is more of a single leg squat with a lateral groin stretch. Use of the slide board also eliminates any push-up in returning to starting position.
• From a standing athletic position, feet hip width apart facing forward.
• Standing with most of your weight on the leg off the board, single leg squat while you reach laterally with the other foot on the slide board.
• Your Squat leg should have a depth with the top of thigh parallel to the floor with the opposite leg straight
• From the bottom position, push hard with the mid foot to return to the starting position.
• Maintain a spine neutral upright torso throughout the movement pattern.
• Notice your torso is leaning slightly forward and at the same angle as your front shin. I like to see the front knee slightly forward of the ankle because it matches proper skating mechanics
• Perform number of reps prescribed and switch legs