Name: Playbook - TrickStrong RX - Lower Body Elastic Power (Posterior Chain Focus)
Uploaded: 2023-11-29T19:22:50.717Z
Duration: 75 min
Description: Lower Body Elastic Power (Posterior Chain Focus)

This the day after cannon legs has me feeling some type of way

Ethan

Parker

MORE OF THESE PLEASE!!!!!

Be still my beating heart 😹🤙🏻

Ange

This workout uses accommodating resistance to greatly improve your awareness, strength and explosiveness. Ideally you have access to some super bands and a nordic setup, but we’ve included modifications and alternatives for most exercises. 

Wait, what’s accommodating resistance? 

It is an advanced training technique used to improve strength and explosiveness through the use of bands. Bands are elastic, meaning that we have to accelerate through their tension and control the added tension on the way back. 

Take a deadlift for example. By putting a band on the bar, we force you to have to accelerate with a more aggressive hip drive to get to the top of the rep. On the way down, you have to control it so you don't collapse. This also improves reflexive strength which will help us absorb impact and rebound effectively. 

This workout stresses our posterior chain - our spinal erectors, glutes, hamstrings and calves. 

You will feel the difference in your power, explosiveness and stability after this workout - give it your best shot 🔥

FYI: The bands we use in this workout can be found in the resources section if you do not have one. They need to be rated to a proper resistance for the exercise you're doing. Getting a couple bands rated between the 20-80 pound range will be great for this workout and your overall training. 


Let’s go 💪

The reps are a guideline. The hallmark of a good warmup is that you feel prepared to move!

This mobility drill fits perfectly into a warmup as a line drill. You can also do this throughout the day to improve hamstring length and to reduce lower back tension. 

Lead with a straight leg and hinge from the hips while sitting your butt back. Arch your lower back when doing this. 

Another tip is to imagine that you are "scooping water" with your hands.

You should feel a stretch in your hamstring without feeling pain at the lower back, calf or feet.

Hamstring Walks

This mobility drill fits perfectly into a warmup as a line drill. You can also do this throughout the day to improve hip flexor and quad length.  

Grab your knee with the same side hand, and with core engagement, hinge forward. 

You should feel a stretch in the quad and hip flexors, without feeling compression at the lower back.

Dynamic Quad Pull

Piriformis walks are excellent for a dynamic warmup or mobility session. Support your ankle and knee joints as shown.

Piriformis Walks

Knee To Wall Taps are great for ankle mobility. They help us to create stability and control within our movement.

This is where flexibility and mobility differ. The former is just a position you can get to, while the latter is a movement you OWN. 

Notice the direction of the toes here. They are pointing forward, which encourages us to move through our ankle joint rather than our foot.

Shifting your weight to the front leg loads your foot and ankle more and enhances the benefits if you can tolerate it. If this is too much, you can start by shifting your weight more towards the back leg or by doing this same motion from a kneeling lunge position.

The wall gives us a goal to reach that can be measured over time and can guide us in going just far enough. We want to avoid letting the heel come up off of the ground.

Knee to Wall Taps

Lateral Band Walks are great for developing lower body strength - especially in the glutes! These are also awesome for building total body coordination, endurance and stability.

Lateral Band Walks

This drill is helpful in improving ankle joint mobility - especially in improving dorsiflexion ROM. 

The belt or band is placed at the ankle crease right at the top of your foot (not on your shin)! 

If your setup allows for it, try to have the band angle downwards by putting your foot on an elevated surface. If not, parallel to the floor will still have plenty of benefit.

The band helps mobilize the ankle joint by allowing your tibia (shin) to translate forward on your fixed talus (ankle bone). 

Notice the direction of the toes here. They are pointing forward, which encourages us to move through our ankle joint rather than our foot.

Shifting your weight to the front leg loads your foot and ankle more and enhances the benefits if you can tolerate it.

Be sure that your knee is tracking over your second toe and not going too far inwards or outwards. 

You should feel no pinching or pain during this!

Optional: Banded Ankle Mobilization

The goal of banded hip mobilizations is to improve joint mobility of the hip. 

In traditional stretching, although the hip is moving, the muscles are primarily targeted.

This drill is useful if: 

1)	there is pinch or block sensation (usually when you are in a squat or otherwise flexed and/or internally rotated hip position

2)	You are plateauing or unable to get more ROM no matter how much mobility work you do
3)	Pain relief

*If you have excessive hip mobility or instability, this exercise is not for you as it will likely make your issue worse. 

With banded hip mobilizations, we use the band to bring our hip into certain positions so the joint can be stretched. 

This banded child's pose drill helps improve hip flexion.

You should not go to the point where you feel your pinch or block sensation as we are running into a joint block. 

Sets, reps and frequency should be gradually increased as tolerated as you can get sore from these drills.

Optional: Banded Hip Mobilization - Child's Pose

Lower Body Warmup

The primers should be done with INTENT as they prepare the body for the demands of this workout 💪

KB swings are great for building explosiveness in our hinging pattern. This is important for any athletic activity, including jumping, landing, running, cutting and pivoting. 

The deadlift is very effective in strengthening the hip hinge, whereas the KB swing stresses power. Like the deadlift, we need to maintain a neutral spine. The core stability we need is much more dynamic as we move quickly through this exercise. 

Start with a KB between your legs. Bend at the hips and knees a bit, similar to the bottom of a deadlift. Swing the KB backwards between your legs. Use momentum, combined with great timing of your glutes to thrust your hips forward. 

The band adds resistance to the hip hinge, forcing us to be more explosive.

Your arm should reach chest height just due to the momentum alone.

Once your form is solid, progress in weight to challenge yourself!

Modifications: unbanded

Primer A: Banded KB Swings (1 min, continuous)

The primers should be done with INTENT as they prepare the body for the demands of this workout 💪

The bridge is an amazing low impact exercise that improves glute strength, endurance and activation.

This single leg slider variation takes it to another level, requiring great hamstring and core strength/coordination to complete each rep.

As athletes, we need to train our glutes. We often lack the glute activation needed to fully extend through our hips at takeoff and to control our landings. This can lead to poor technique and increased risk of injury.

Modifications: furniture slider, towel on hard wood floor, wheel roller

Primer B: Bridge Sliders (Double OR Single Leg)

Few exercises beat sprinting for developing monstrous lower body power and athleticism.

In this variation, we stress power through the initial step by using a band. This needs to be a VERY strong band, such as a pullup assist or 'superband' to safely deal with your weight and force. 

1) Place band around waist and anchor to immovable object. Face away from band.

2) Get into low sprinting position with body angled forward. Keep back heel elevated. 

3) Explode through front leg to sprint forward using triple extension (full extension through hips, knees and ankles). Focus on getting a long stride length with first step. 

4) Catch yourself in the original position using your other leg to slow you down. 

5) Reverse and control steps to return to starting position

Be sure you are fully warm (you should be by this point) before going all out! We recommend a few warmup sets at 50-60% before getting into the 80%+ range.

Modifications: unbanded

Banded Sprint Starts

The power step up involves a step up where your free leg drives to a high knee position, isolating the working leg. This resembles athletic movement like sprinting, jumping & swings.

By banding this pattern, we force ourselves to explode thorough our hip and knee to rise. This also becomes much more difficult for our leg and core to stabilize when at the top and when lowering to the starting position, making this a great drill for controlling landings as well. 

1) Push your working leg down *through* the box in order to rise with power and stability. 

2) Keep your foot grounded as you drive to a standing position. 

3) Own the top "sprinter" position for 1-2 seconds. 

4)Lower with control. 

Remember, as long as we are training movement patterns to a degree where it is challenging (while good form is maintained) then we are golden! 

Modifications: unbanded

Banded Power Step Up

Choose the most appropriate variation for your current level. This may change as you fatigue through each set. You can use a secure, heavy barbell with padding on your legs for a nordic setup if needed. 

*If you don't have any nordic setup, you can perform weighted slider bridges using a foam roller or physioball. Weight this variation by putting a weight plate on your stomach while supporting it with your upper body.

The Nordic Hamstring Curl is an advanced strength exercise for the posterior chain. It is incredible for performance and injury prevention. 

Engage your core to maintain a neutral spine. Squeeze your feet into the bar and descend with control. 

Pull using your hamstrings and glutes to return to the starting position.

Use assistance methods and regressions (sliders, bands, ball walkouts, eccentric, kneeling hip hinge) once you are unable to perform full reps.

Nordic Hamstring Curl (Unassisted)

Use a pullup assist or super band to help train your nordics! 

Even if you can do a full rep, using the band will allow for more reps and therefore, more gains. 

Engage your core to maintain a neutral spine. Squeeze your feet into the bar and descend with control. 
This is an assisted Nordic Hamstring Curl, but try to minimize band assistance over time.

Nordic Hamstring Curl (Assisted)

Engage your core to maintain a neutral spine. Squeeze your feet into the bar and descend with control. 
This is an assisted Nordic Hamstring Curl, but try to use the ball as minimally as you can during each rep.

Nordic Curl - Ball Assisted Walkouts

Nordic Curl Variation 5x5 (Assisted OR Unassisted)

Our last exercise in this workout! If you don't deadlift often, start light using KBs or DBs to hone in your form. 

Only add bands as shown if you are advanced. The band adds difficulty to the top of the rep, enhancing our pulling strength, stability and postural awareness.

1) Stand at a comfortable width (hip-width for most) with feet relatively forward

2) Use an overhand, underhand or mixed grip. Feel free to vary between sets

3) Pre-pull your weight by driving heels into ground with chest up, shoulders back and core engaged

4) Keep lower back neutral as you rise, continuing to drive through the heels

5) Once the weight passes your knees, drive hips forward using your glutes & hams (not your lower back!) to rise to a stand.

6) Lower with control. Dropping it from standing may allow you to lift more weight, but you are leaving gains on the table!

Remember, this is a pulling exercise. Lock your elbows close to your body as you pull using your mid back, lats and legs.

Banded Deadlift

End of workout is a great time for mobility as our muscles and joints are warm. If you have the time, do these mobility drills to supplement your workout.

The couch stretch is a great way to open up the front of your hips, really getting into your hip flexors, quads and even abdominal muscles. It’s called the couch stretch because we put our foot up on a surface (like a couch) to do this one. 

I actually prefer doing this one with a wall if you can handle it. If it’s too much knee bend for you, you can simply have your leg on a platform that isn’t as high. 

You also want to engage your core and tilt your pelvis so you are not arching at the lower back. 

You want to tighten the glutes on the side you are stretching. This adds a huge difference in relaxation from the hip flexor muscles due to neurological inhibition. 

To perform the contract-relax technique, tighten your glute and quad for a 5 sec hold. Imagine kicking your knee straight. 

When you relax, you should be able to get further into your stretch.

Couch Stretch - (5 sec contract/relax)

This is a great way to open up the hamstrings.

Reach for a stable surface (such as the ground, yoga blocks or chairs) so you can relax into the stretch. 
You also want to arch your lower back to maximize stretch on the hamstrings. 

You want to tighten the the quads on the side you are stretching. This adds a huge difference in relaxation from the hamstring muscles due to neurological inhibition. 

To perform the contract-relax technique, tighten your quad for a 5 sec hold. Imagine kicking your knee straight. 

When you relax, you should be able to get further into your stretch. Do cycles of contract-relax during each set.

Hamstring Stretching - Half Kneeling, Contract-Relax

The hip 9090 stretch is called this because of the 90 degree angles your hip will make. 

The hip is a ball and socket joint. This means that in order to train our mobility in an effective way, we will want to explore and be less linear with this stretch. 

The front hip is in external rotation. By keeping our lower back straight and leaning forward, we stretch the external rotators of the front hip and allow more opening. Try to find your restrictions and spend time with them, remembering to try slightly different angles. I like to spend at least one to two minutes on the front leg before working on the back leg.

You should not be feeling any pain in your lower back, hips or knees.

Hip 90/90 - Front Leg Stretch

The hip 9090 stretch is called this because of the 90 degree angles your hip will make. 
The hip is a ball and socket joint. This means that in order to train our mobility in an effective way, we will want to explore and be less linear with this stretch. 
You can improve internal rotation at the back hip by rotating towards It or by leaning backwards. We want to explore our restrictions in a 3-dimensional way, so I encourage you to rotate, move around, lift your arm overhead and play around with this. You should feel a deep stretch in your groin, but it should not feel sharp. You should not feel this in your knees either. 
By improving our hip internal rotation, we can really help with low back, knee pain and ankle pain as restrictions in hip mobility can often manifest as increased stress and pain with jumping, pivoting and landing.

Hip 90/90 - Back Leg Stretch

Frog stretch is great for opening up the hips in a supported position. 

I like performing a contract-relax if there is no pain associated. To do this, push your knees into the ground to contract your inner groin muscles (adductors). 

After a 5 sec hold, relax and try to go further into the stretch. Maintain a normal breath.

Frog Stretch

Calf stretching is useful in improving ankle dorsiflexion ROM if your restriction is coming from the gastrocnemius or soleus muscles. 

If you have a joint restriction, or pinching in front of ankle, I recommend you watch our banded ankle mobilization video to target joint restrictions.

For effective calf stretching, we need to target both muscles, the gastrocnemius and the soleus as either of them can be restricted.

They are both plantarflexors, but since the bigger gastrocnemius crosses the knee, that is the primary muscle you will be stretching with your knee straight.

The soleus is best stretched from a bent knee position.

Slant boards are really useful in stretching the calf as we can get more of our body weight over our foot. Lean into the wall for best results!

Lower Body Elastic Power (Posterior Chain Focus)

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