Strength Training
Strength training is a type of physical activity, which uses resistance, either through an external source (dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls, etc.), or through bodyweight, that uses muscular contractions, which in turn builds strength, reduces injury potential, increases muscle size, bone density, and endurance. Different types of strength training that are popular today include body building, powerlifting, Olympic lifting, and fitness training, are all great forms of strength training. However, they are finite, and one dimensional, and does not holistically prepare an athlete for their sport.
Functional Training
Traditional Strength Training has definitely had a huge influence on the way we train athletes and clients but does not adequately prepare an athlete or client for a movement-based world. Functional Training is proposed instead to be able to meet the demands of a multi-planar, movement-based environment. Essentially, strength training should decrease injury potential and increase overall performance.
CONCEPTS BEHIND A LOWER BODY MOVEMENT-BASED PROGRAM DESIGN
Lower body strength training can be divided into two basic movements. A lower body push, and a lower body pull. Pushing exercises are further categorized into 2-leg or 1-leg variations, whereas pulls are further categorized into hip dominant or knee dominant pull exercises. Furthermore, hip and knee dominant pulls can also be sub-categorized into 2-leg and 1-leg variations.
Examples of LOWER BODY movements:
Bold exercises indicate the base line movement
(1) Lower body push
- 2-Leg
- Wall Squat
- Isometric Squat
- Sit-to-Stand
- Box Squat
- Goblet Squat
- BB Back Squat
- BB Front Squat
- BB Over Head Squat
- 1-Leg (supported)
- Assisted Split Squat
- Isometric Split Squat
- BW Split Squat
- Goblet Split Squat
- 2DB Split Squat
- BW Front/Reverse Lunge
- Goblet Front/Reverse Lunge
- 2DB Front/Reverse Lunge
- RFE Split Squat
- Goblet RFE Split Squat
- 2DB RFE Split Squat
- 1-Leg (unsupported)
- 1-Leg Squat w/ Tennis Ball
- Assisted 1-Leg Squat
- 1-Leg Sit-to-Stand Eccentric
- 1-Leg Sit-to-Stand Concentric
- 1-Leg Box Squat
- 1-Leg Squat
- Weighted 1-Leg Box Squat
- Weighted 1-Leg Squat
- Wall Squat
(2) Lower body pull
- Hip Dominant
- 2-Leg
- Hip Hinge w/ Dowel
- BW Hip Hinge
- KB Deadlift
- BB Rack Pull
- BB Deadlift
- 1-Leg
- Assisted 1-Leg SLDL
- BW 1-Leg SLDL
- 1KB 1-Leg SLDL
- 2KB 1-Leg SLDL
- BB 1-Leg SLDL
- 2-Leg
(3) Knee Dominant
- 2-Leg
- Slider Ecc Leg Curl
- BW Hip Thrust
- KB Hip Thrust
- BW Hip Lift
- KB Hip Lift
- BB Hip Lift
- 1-Leg
- Slider Ecc 1-Leg Leg Curl
- BW 1-Leg Hip Thrust
- KB 1-Leg Hip Thrust
- BW 1-Leg Hip Lift
- KB 1-Leg Hip Lift
- BB 1-Leg Hip Lift
- Slider Ecc Leg Curl