Side Lunge Warmup

What is going on guys!  There is no better way to start the week than by getting a solid training session in, and your training has to include focusing on your weak points. This week’s Mobility Monday Tip focuses on an active squat warmup. I learned this movement in October of 2016, and it has been a staple in my lower body warmup ever since. What I really enjoy about this movement is it acts as a dynamic stretch and activation movement at the same time. I am personally not a fan of static stretching without some type of active warmup either before it or with it, so that fact that this encompasses both at the same time is perfect because it also saves time. The reason that this acts as both a stretching and activation movement is because you are lunging to both sides. When you lunge away from your left side for example, you are putting the left adductor muscle group on a stretch. So as you are leaning away, you stretch the whole left side of your medial thigh while you are actively lunging towards your right side, so you are getting an awesome load on the glutes, hamstrings and adductors of that side. Additionally, if you keep that heel down of the foot you are lunging towards, you get an awesome posterior ankle capsule stretch that will help with your squat mobility, like we talked about last week.

To do this correctly, you begin by having your feet much wider than shoulder width apart, almost as if you are in a wide sumo deadlift stance. From there you will initiate a side lunge so your knee of the side you are lunging to should move directly over your foot. Again, you want to lunge to the side slow and controlled so you are activating your glutes, adductors and hamstrings of the side you are lunging to, while getting a nice eccentric load on the quads, so it is great for neuromuscular control. Next, if you are keeping the foot on the side you are leaning to flat as well, you will get a very nice opener for the posterior ankle. Concurrently, when you are lunging to one side, the opposite side will get an awesome adductor stretch, especially if you are keeping that foot flat as well. You should repeat this side lunge to both sides for a total of 12-15 reps. It won’t take much for you to begin to feel both sides beginning to burn, but it will have you ready to squat, lunge or deadlift in 2-3 sets. There is a second progression we can go into in upcoming weeks, but for now we will start here and move on later. If you have any questions feel free to hit us up, we want you to move better, feel better and keep hitting those PRs.

Todd Sabol - Contributorhttps://youtu.be/qlLt3fXmNUU

AREAS OF EXPERTISE: 

Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, Functional Examination, Soft Tissue Treatment

EDUCATION:

BS, Marietta College, 2015

MS, Ohio University, 2017

CERTIFICATION:

BOC Certified Athletic Trainer, 2015

OTPTAT Licensed Athletic Trainer, 2015

EXPERIENCE:

Currently is in his third year as Head Athletic Trainer at New Lexington High School providing sports medicine services for all athletes. He is the owner of his own sports medicine seminar business which provides seminars for Ohio coaching certifications. He also provides treatment at Old School Gym for Cory Gregory and numerous other members.

"I have always strived to be a practitioner of what I do. Whether that was being a collegiate soccer player or now engaging in powerlifting and bodybuilding, I strive to push my body to its limits like the clients I treat so I can be a more effective clinician. I get no better feeling than having someone leaving a treatment session with me feeling, moving and performing better, it is the reason I love what I do."