Name: Playbook - TrickStrong RX - Lower Body Strength - No Equipment
Uploaded: 2023-11-29T19:22:50.722Z
Duration: 45 min
Description: Lower Body Strength - No Equipment

I had to stop halfway through because my glutes and hamstrings are cramping up even standing up, 10/10 workout my legs haven’t felt this worked ever since my first time squatting. I hope I can actually make it to the end next time🙏

Lars

Who says you need equipment to get strong? This is for those of you who want to improve your lower body and core strength, stability, coordination and power. 

You CAN grow muscle and get stronger with no equipment. What doesn't change though, is that we need to get close to failure for hypertrophy (muscle growth). 

Do each exercise in the main workout to within 2-3 reps short of failure. Each of the 3 sets should be challenging in order to get the gains we want. 

If you are on the advanced side and find it difficult to get a burn, slow your reps on the descent for more time under tension. You can also come out of each lift explosively.

Perform this workout 1-2x/week

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

This is a great drill to include in a warmup, core or mobility circuit. 

This combines the benefits of a downward dog stretch with a dynamic plank. Inch worms are excellent for total body mobility, stability and coordination.

Inch Worms

One of my favorite mobility drills! It is so effective in helping with the common movement restrictions we have in the hips and spine. 

Don't forget to rotate your head with the rest of your torso by looking at the ceiling (rotating towards the front leg).

Aim to get your elbow to the floor on the downward rotation, but not at the expense of form or pain.

Lunge with Thoracic Rotation

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 hip 90/90 is a great way to explore the surfaces of the hip joint and to really move into your restrictions.

This drill is a great way to warm up your hips and core as it is ACTIVE. Think of allowing one hip to trail while the other aims for the floor to encourage hip opening.  

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

Modifications: Hand Assist

Dynamic Hip 90/90

Warmup

A primer prepares your body for the work at hand!  You want to feel warm yet fresh at the end of this primer.  Complete 2 rounds.

This is a basic, but incredible exercise for developing power, agility and balance in the lower extremity. 

Your goal should be to keep ground contact time to a minimum. Try quick flicks with your ankle while keeping the core tight. Training like the floor is "hot lava" will improve reactivity - or your speed and efficiency in plyometric movement.

Modifications: jump rope, two legs, lateral movements, patterns

Ankle Bounding, Single Leg

This is a great power and coordination exercise targeting the glutes, hamstrings and opposing hip flexors. 

1) Dig your heel into the chair with your toes up. Notice we are on the side of the chair so that the free leg has clearance. Use a pad if needed.

2) Sequence your hip drive with the opposing knee drive. 

3) Keep the core engaged so that you maintain stability.  

4) Actively squeeze your glutes and opposite hip flexor at the top of the rep. 

5) Lower with control

Modifications: double leg, on the floor (reduced range of motion)

Hip Thrust Knee Drive

The Copenhagen plank is an incredible but underutilized side plank variation with emphasis on the adductors. 

These muscles are located in the inner thigh and are often undertrained even though they are necessary for efficient athletic movement. They aid in single leg stability and transfer of power from the upper to lower extremities via several anatomical slings (Lateral, Anterior Oblique, etc.)

To do it right: 

1) Get into a sidelying position with your elbow stacked directly under your shoulder. Use a padded but firm elevated surface for your top leg (such as a bench or padded box). 

2) Tensing your core, rise to a side plank with the bottom leg bent. Push into the surface using only your top leg to rise. Lower with control. 
3) Maintain neutral spinal, shoulder and lower extremity alignment

4) Hold the top position for 1-2 seconds before returning to the starting position

Modifications: Holds vs dynamic, bent leg vs straight, on floor vs elevated

Copenhagen Lifts

Primer Circuit

For all exercises in this workout, perform 3 sets to fatigue on both sides.

The Raised (heel elevated) Bulgarian Split squat is an excellent exercise for improving single leg strength, power and control with increased foot & ankle demands.

Perform a single leg calf raise and maintain this heel elevated position throughout the set. You can modify by placing it down between reps.

Think of this as a single leg squat variation. 90% of your weight should be placed on the front leg. 

Depth should be determined by your form. Go as low as possible with great form to improve strength and stability in your full ROM.

For the back leg, a height of 6-18 inches (about the height of a step) is an appropriate height for most people.

Raised Bulgarian

For all exercises in this workout, perform 3 sets to fatigue on both sides.

The sprinter single leg deadlift mimics athletic movements that require a hip hinge and simultaneous hip drive. Sprinting, yes, but I know my tricking athletes are noticing this closely resembles a swing through transition. It is also similar to a cheat takeoff position.

Training this athletic cross pattern trains our coordination, power and stability, improving our movement efficiency. 
Keep core tensioned so that you move primarily through the hips. 

If your hamstrings are tight, allow for more of a knee bend and progress to a straighter (but “soft”) knee over time. You can also progress in power applied to the movement.  Hold the end position for 1-3 seconds before initiating the next rep. 

Modifications: weighted, balance pad, banded, jump

Sprinter Single Leg Deadlift

Rest after completing the superset: SL Calf Raise, followed by SL Anterior Tib Raise. Rest 90 seconds between superset.

For all exercises in this workout, perform 3 sets to fatigue on both sides.

This exercise has excellent for functional carryover to athletics as we are often pushing off on one leg from various angles. Perform both sides.

This is great for injury prevention because it begins to mimic controlling landings and decelerating from cuts and pivots. 

Notice the angle of the body. This stresses full ROM and mimics takeoff angles. The same can be done with a slant board or step. 

Research shows eccentric exercises (slow & controlled lowering phase) are extremely beneficial for tendon issues. This can be a great exercise for those with achilles tendon pain provided it is progressed appropriately.

Modifications: slant board, off of a step, weighted, double leg

Calf Raise, Single Leg

For all exercises in this workout, perform 3 sets to fatigue on both sides.

The anterior tibialis muscle is important for foot and ankle stability. It has a massive role in decelerating us so we can convert our momentum from a horizontal run to a jump. We do this a lot in tricking during pivots. 

When contacting heel first, the anterior tibialis must slow the foot down so it can hit the floor with control. If its weak, we have "no brakes" and tend to get excess stress on the knees and hips to control that momentum.

For this exercise, try to raise your toes as high as possible and actively squeeze your shin muscles at the top of each rep. Lower with control.

Modifications: double leg, weighted, banded

Anterior Tibialis Raise, Single Leg

Superset: SL Calf Raise - SL Anterior Tib Raise

For all exercises in this workout, perform 3 sets to fatigue on both sides.

Lateral lunges improve our strength, stability and power in a side-to-side, or lateral plane of motion. Lateral lunges have the added benefit of opening our chronically tight hip adductors.

Start in a wide stance. You want to form 90 degree angle with the bent leg, while the straight leg assists by actively pushing it into the ground. 

Notice the "1.5" rep. Get to the the bottom of the rep, come up half way, descend to the bottom again and then rise. This increases time under tension, making this exercise more challenging. 

Modifications: weighted, conventional (vs. 1.5)

1.5 Lateral Lunge

For all exercises in this workout, perform 3 sets to fatigue on both sides.

The Reverse Nordic is great for building high level eccentric strength and control. This means that it strengthens our quad in a lengthened position.

Similar to the Nordic hamstring curl, the reverse Nordic is extremely injury preventative because it helps us turn on the brakes when we need it most. 

For example, if we land in a way that forces us to quickly bend our knees, our quads should kick in to make sure we don’t crumble. 
It also allows us to have strength in our quad in more challenging positions. 

Engage your entire body so that you are a rigid plank. Making a fist is helpful in doing this. Full range of motion is reaching your butt to your heels. Any more will involve joints other than your knees (lower back, hips, etc.)

This can be a lot on the knees, especially the patellofemoral joint, so progress slowly (partial ROM or band assistance) and always listen to your body. Using padding if needed.

Reverse Nordic

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 goblet squat is an awesome lower body exercise used to improve strength and power. The goblet hold creates a more vertical position which emphasizes the quads. Goblet squats are a great exercise to improve your vertical leap. 

It is also helpful in mobility training, as the weight helps push us into more ankle dorsiflexion and opens our hips.

Goblet Squat - KB

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

Optional: Mobility

Lower Body Strength - No Equipment

great way to hit the entire core in a pinch

Landen

Highly suggest this for when you are angry. 60% of the time it works every time.

Lower Body Strength - No Equipment

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