HOW: Start in a tall standing position. Begin by slightly bending one knee up and push into the ground with the other foot propelling your body forward. Your feet should be off of the ground at the same time and alternating pushing off. Focus on staying nice and tall but not too stiff. Your elbows will be bent and at your side and should naturally go forward when the opposite leg goes forward. 

 

FEEL: You should feel the muscles in your lower body working. 

 

COMPENSATION: There should be minimal bouncing up and down, keep control of your body. Don’t twist to each side too much, stay straight up.

Follow along to see how to prepare your hips for a big workout!

 

Exercises: Lateral Toe Taps Monster Walks Side Steps In Place W’s Squats

HOW:  Get set up in a standing position. Begin this exercise by bouncing on the balls rotating from one side to the other. Think of yourself as a rubber band or a spring loaded coil. Be bouncy!

 

FEEL:  You should focus on maintaining a rigid/stiff foot/ankle as well as your legs, think of this exercise like you’re bouncing on a pogo stick. You want to keep your legs stiff so that you ‘bounce’ like you’re bouncing on a stiff spring.

 

COMPENSATION:  Do not let your knees excessively bend or your heels touch the ground, stay strong with your quad’s and bounce on the balls of your feet.

HOW: Stand on top of an elevated surface. Face one side with your feet together. With the outside foot, take a lateral step to the edge in front of your inside foot. From here, bring the lower foot off of the surface and slightly push off with the outside foot landing with both feet together and absorbing the landing. 

 

FEEL: You will feel all the muscles in your legs working.

 

COMPENSATION: Landing Position. Make sure your knees are aligned over your toes. They should not dive inwards on the landing. Your goal is to absorb as much of the landing forces as you can and land softly. That means that you want your hips and knees to bend as much as they need to, to absorb the force. If you do not let them bend much, you will land “stiff” and hard. Let your hips go back and while keeping your chest up to help absorb the forces. Your toes should touch the ground first when you land and quickly your heels will follow. You should land in a “ready position” like you would if you were playing sports, with your weight ever so slightly forward on the balls of your feet. You should not fall forward or backwards after landing. 

 

For a detailed video on landing mechanics on two legs, click here: https://youtu.be/RThUCYRDyZw

HOW: Place an elevated surface to one side of you. Start in a tall standing position with your feet shoulder width apart. All in one motion, bend your knees, hinge forward at the waist, push into the ground and jump to the side taking off and landing with both feet on the middle of the elevated surface.  

 

FEEL: You will feel all the muscles in your legs working.

 

COMPENSATION: Landing Position. Make sure your knees are aligned over your toes. They should not dive inwards on the landing. Your goal is to absorb as much of the landing forces as you can and land softly. That means that you want your hips and knees to bend as much as they need to, to absorb the force. If you do not let them bend much, you will land “stiff” and hard. Let your hips go back and while keeping your chest up to help absorb the forces. Your toes should touch the ground first when you land and quickly your heels will follow. You should land in a “ready position” like you would if you were playing sports, with your weight ever so slightly forward on the balls of your feet. You should not fall forward or backwards after landing. 

 

 

For a detailed video on landing mechanics on two legs, click here: https://youtu.be/RThUCYRDyZw

 

 

HOW: Start in a tall standing position with your feet shoulder width apart. All in one motion, bend your knees, hinge forward at the waist, bring your arms down back for momentum, push into the ground and jump straight up. As you are jumping up rotate your body and land facing the opposite way and then back to the starting position. Do this in a controlled, continuous motion.

 

FEEL: You will feel all the muscles in your legs working.

 

COMPENSATION: Landing Position. Make sure your knees are aligned over your toes. They should not dive inwards on the landing. Your goal is to absorb as much of the landing forces as you can and land softly. That means that you want your hips and knees to bend as much as they need to, to absorb the force. If you do not let them bend much, you will land “stiff” and hard. Let your hips go back and while keeping your chest up to help absorb the forces. Your toes should touch the ground first when you land and quickly your heels will follow. You should land in a “ready position” like you would if you were playing sports, with your weight ever so slightly forward on the balls of your feet. You should not fall forward or backwards after landing. 

 

For a detailed video on landing mechanics on two legs, click here: https://youtu.be/RThUCYRDyZw

HOW: Place an elevated surface in front of you. Stand in a tall standing position with your feet shoulder width apart. All in one motion, bend your knees, hinge forward at the waist, straighten your arms back, push into the ground and jump up with both feet landing softly on top of the elevated surface. 

 

FEEL: You will feel all the muscles in your legs working.

 

COMPENSATION: Landing Position. Make sure your knees are aligned over your toes. They should not dive inwards on the landing. Your goal is to absorb as much of the landing forces as you can and land softly. That means that you want your hips and knees to bend as much as they need to, to absorb the force. If you do not let them bend much, you will land “stiff” and hard. Let your hips go back and while keeping your chest up to help absorb the forces. Your toes should touch the ground first when you land and quickly your heels will follow. You should land in a “ready position” like you would if you were playing sports, with your weight ever so slightly forward on the balls of your feet. You should not fall forward or backwards after landing. 

 

For a detailed video on landing mechanics on two legs, click here: https://youtu.be/RThUCYRDyZw