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Advanced Athletic Leg Training:
Complete Neuromuscular Overload

Some exercises found in "Complete conditioning for Ice Hockey" (Twist, 1997).

Dead lift (1-leg)
Stand upright on one leg and hold dumbbells (DB's) close to the body with a slight bend in the knees. Bend at the waist and slowly lower the torso towards the floor. Keep the head up, shoulders back, chest out, and the low-back in a flat position. Do not let the back round. Limit the range of motion of the exercise to keep the back flat at ALL times. Return to the upright position by extending at the waist and the hips using the low-back and hamstring muscle groups.

Dead lift (wide stance)
Stand with the feet a half-step wider than shoulder width apart. Execute a stiff-leg dead lift, making sure to keep the back flat at ALL times. The adductors will assist the movement by attempting to bring the legs in to the midline.

Low-back bench extension
Lean over an extension bench with the body in a straight alignment. Press the thighs into the pad. Bend at the waist and lower the torso with the back flat. Lower until the back can no longer remain flat and then raise the torso up to parallel.

Lunge
Hold DB's at sides and take a slightly greater (1 foot length) than normal step forward. Plant lead foot and lower the body straight down until the trailing knee is just above the ground. Keep the torso upright, back flat, and knee in line with foot. Return to the upright position by pushing off the lead leg (recruits quadriceps and hip extensors).

Lunge (backward)
Instead of taking a stride forward, step backward with one leg. Rest only the ball of that foot on the ground. The stationary leg is the working leg. Simply squat straight down with the stationary leg supporting the body weight. Return to the start position using the quadriceps and hip extensors of the stationary leg.

Lunge (diagonal)
Holding light dumbbells at sides, step out at a 45o angle (similar to a skating push-off). The knee should be in line with the toes.

Lunge (walking)
Perform alternate leg lunges. Do not return back to start position BUT/ continue to progress in a forward direction. Use a medicine ball for increased difficulty.