Frontal Plane Agility, Power, and Stability
This month’s exercise is a fun little movement that focuses on footwork, power, and stability all in the frontal plane. All you need to perform this movement are two hurdles, cones, or balls. Start facing so that the two hurdles are on one side. Keeping your hips square, perform two quick high knees over the hurdles, moving laterally. Once you reach the other side of the hurdles, load the single leg and quickly explode over the hurdles back to your starting position. Be sure to shock absorb on the starting leg and maintain a stable position before performing another repetition.
Use this combination movement to improve footwork and a powerful single leg push for change of direction. The single leg shock absorption and stick teaches proper landing mechanics to ensure our athletes are also stable on one leg.
Tips: Footwork should be quick; minimize ground contact time on the load and explode; shock absorb and avoid twisting on the landing. This is a great exercise to include into any strength and power training session and can be used by any athlete who is required to quick change directions.
Tim Kilpatrick is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist at Compete Sports Performance and Rehab in Lake Forest, CA. Tim is also the Assistant Strength Coach for the United States Tennis Association in Carson, CA.