The Importance of Single Leg Training
Single leg training is an absolute MUST when it comes to healthy training, programming, and performance. As a client of Innate Performance you will experience single leg exercises in your routines.
**This is the part where my clients want to kick me in the throat.**
Look…. I get it. Single leg training isn’t the most exciting.
And it's definitely not easy (when performed correctly and effectively).
But… it's like going to the dentist, nobody loves it….you kind of just have to do it.
WHY DO WE NEED SINGLE LEG TRAINING?
Everyday we put one foot in front of the other, with an emphasis of your weight shifting onto the leading leg. Imagine trying to walk around the house, go up the steps, or run from a bear because you wandered too far from the campsite!
Potato Sack Race
You get the idea…. right?
Now, imagine performing any of those tasks without the ability to move your lower limbs individually. Our bodies are put into unilateral positions daily and by neglecting to train these patterns, we are essentially limiting our bodies from being able to achieve SO MUCH more with this strength.
BENEFITS OF SINGLE LEG TRAINING:
Joint Health
When performed properly it can help correct or alleviate any chronic hip or knee pain
Balance from Limb to Limb
It is crucial for a trainer to notice any compensation patterns or weaknesses, thus allowing for a much more effective program for the clients.
Improved Proprioception and Foot/Ankle Stability
With bias to one foot at a time, those small but very important intrinsic muscles in our foot and ankle must work a bit harder, which allows for some extra emphasis on neuromuscular control and coordination, a fancy way of saying it's great for improving balance!
Strength Transferred to Real Life and Athletics
Building this basic strength in our legs will transpire to real life and sports!
Reduce Weight on Back and Focus on Control
This is important because of how prevalent low back pain is in today's society. You’re still able to overload the lower body, but with much less axial demand. Also, with the added element of stability required, you’re forced to slow things down a bit and focus more on proper control and execution.
Master control before dramatically adding weight to your single leg work, your body will thank you.
WHO NEEDS SINGLE LEG TRAINING:
I’ve worked with every client imaginable, from high level professional athletes to aspiring youth athletes, to immediate post-op knee/hip replacement, to the much older population who are just happy to move around away from their walker.
My point is, everyone needs some sort of single leg work, and everyone will benefit from it.
As I tell my clients, hate me now…thank me later!
Contact Curtis Rigg for your first session FREE at Innate Performance of Nashville.
