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.

SPLIT STANCE SQUAT EXERCISES

Split Stance Movement Patterns are performed with one foot placed slightly back from the other at hip width apart. A simple way to find the appropriate distance is to start from a half kneel position. Your hip, knee and ankle should all be at 90°. Feet pointed straight ahead. Keeping your feet in place, stand up, straightening your back leg with weight on the ball of the back foot. Your front foot remains flat. Weight distribution should be 65% on the front foot, 35% on the back foot. You can relax the back knee slightly during split stance exercises, but your spine angle should match the thigh of your back leg.

Split Stance Squat: Front Loaded / Barbell

Front Loaded Split Stance Squats utilize a Front Rack Bar Position also taught during our Front Squats and our Olympic Lifts, otherwise known as the Catch Position. Front Loaded exercises emphasize more thigh recruitment and require a more upright torso position. Anterior core strength and involvement are also noticed during this movement pattern.

• Address the bar from the rack position
• Next grab the bar with the same grip you would use to bench, end of thumbs to smooth.
• Place the bar rest on your shoulders, just below your throat.
• From this Catch Position, your elbows need to be pointing straight ahead. The bottom of your arm should remain parallel to the floor throughout the entire movement. This will require some wrist and triceps flexibility which you will acquire over time
• Under control, walk the weight out of the rack slowly, one step at a time
• Prior, make sure your bar clamps are secure
• From the Split Stance Position take a deep breath and then slowly and under control, lower your hips until your back knee barely touches the floor
• Notice your torso is leaning slightly forward and at the same angle and in-line and with the rear thigh and front shin. I like to see the front knee slightly forward of the ankle because it matches proper skating mechanics
• Forcefully press with both feet through the floor and exhale as you return to your starting Split Stance
• Maintain a neutral spine angle throughout the movement
• Your head position should also match your spine neutral with a double chin position
• Perform all prescribed reps on one leg before switching to the other.