Squat

Rear Leg Elevated Split Squat Performing even a bodyweight Rear Leg Elevated Split Squat requires a fair amount of balance plus lower body and core strength in order to safely stabilize the front knee. Athletes who demonstrate knee valgus or other forms of instability in any beginning or intermediate leg exercises should hold off on doing Rear Leg Elevated Split Squat. For advanced athletes, the Rear Leg Elevated Split Squat is one of the safest and most functional exercises for heavy loading of the legs.

1. Stand in a split stance with your back leg elevated on a single-leg squat stand, bench, or step. The resting place for your back leg should be about knee height.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides or one dumbbell at your chest like a goblet. See Goblet Squat.
3. Bend the front knee and sit hips back until front thigh is parallel to the floor. At the bottom of a Rear Leg Elevated Split, front knee should be in line with or slightly anterior (in front of) the ankle and the back knee in line with or slightly posterior to (behind) the hip while weight is distributed mostly through the hips and core. If knee valgus or knee instability is present (see Low Step-Up) regress to beginner and intermediate leg exercises until corrected. 
4. Keep chest tall and shoulders back so that the spine remains neutral—not rounded or over-extended—from head to tail bone.
5. Drive through your front leg and return to standing. Work should come from the front leg, while the rear leg is used only for support.
6. Perform desired repetitions and repeat on other side.

Reverse Lunge Once athletes have baseline strength and coordination while performing bilateral exercises like the Goblet Squat and basic unilateral exercises like the Low Step-Up, it’s time to add slightly more advanced unilateral (single-leg) exercises. Unilateral training is important for athletes because most actions in sport—sprinting, throwing or serving a ball, kicking a ball, moving laterally, and often jumping—require the exertion of force from one leg. Lunges provide athletes an opportunity to train unilaterally while still receiving some support from the nonactive leg. For beginners—while neuromuscular coordination and strength throughout the core and lower body is developed—stepping backward (Reverse Lunge) is a safer option than stepping forward (Front Lunge). 

1. Stand with feet hip width, knees bent, toes pointed forward, and core engaged.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides or one dumbbell at your chest like a goblet. See Goblet Squat.
3. Take a step backward with your right foot, lowering hips until your left thigh is parallel to the floor.
4. At the bottom of a Lunge, the front knee should be in line with the or slightly anterior (in front of) the ankle and the back knee in line with or slightly posterior to (behind) the hip while weight is distributed mostly through the hips and core. If knee valgus or knee instability is present (see Low Step-Up) avoid loading this exercise with any weight until corrected. 
5. Keep chest tall and shoulders back so that the spine remains neutral—not rounded or over-extended—from head to tail bone.
6. Drive through your left leg and return to standing.
7. Perform desired repetitions and repeat on other side.

High Step-Up   After the Low Step-Up is mastered with good balance and control, athletes can move onto the High Step-Up—one of my preferred unilateral strength exercises for developing the explosive power needed to sprint and to jump from one leg.

Note: Step height for the High Step-Up varies depending on athlete height. With one foot in contact with step and one in contact with floor, set step height so athlete’s bent knee is at or slightly less than 90 degrees. If knee valgus or knee instability is present, lower step height.

1. Stand facing a high step, feet pointed straight ahead about hip distance apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides or one dumbbell at your chest like a goblet. See Goblet Squat.
2. Place your entire left foot on top of step, your right leg placed on floor directly behind step.
3. Shift weight to left foot and drive through left heel to push your body up until left leg is straight—without locking knee.
4. Continue flexing the right knee until it forms a 90 degree angle. Balance at top position for about a second before slowly returning right leg to starting position.
5. Perform desired number of repetitions then switch legs and repeat.

Athletes commonly want to push themselves up using their back leg; however the work should come from the leg on the step. Beginning athletes are instructed to control the movement both up and down. Once athletes have demonstrated good mechanics and baseline strength, power is added to the Step “Up” portion of the movement while continuing to use control on the Step “Down”.

Front Lunge   Once athletes have demonstrated good mechanics, balance, and strength in all beginner and intermediate leg exercises, Front Lunge can be added to workouts. While Front Lunge is mainly a strength exercise, it also contains components of a reactive exercise. A reactive exercise targets the ability to change quickly from an eccentric to concentric muscle action, commonly referred to as the stretch-shortening cycle. Front Lunge is a reactive exercise because at the bottom of the movement—when front knee reaches about 90 degrees—athletes immediately push themselves back to standing (unlike the slight pause that occurs at the bottom of a traditional lower body strength exercise like the squat).