It’s important to adopt the attitude of asking yourself “what can I do?” rather than focusing on what you can’t. Here is a great workout for your lower body, cardio and core that will help you strengthen, stabilise and work towards being pain free.
Trainer Sam Wood
Complete 40 seconds of each exercise, rest for 20 seconds and then move on to the next. Repeat 4 times for an epic 28 minute workout.
1. Banded lateral walk
Fit a looped resistance band around your legs, just above your thighs. The thicker the band, the harder this will be. Keep your core engaged and push your hips back into a squat position, step laterally one direction for 40 seconds. You should feel this in your glutes which will be working to stabilise the hip and reduce lateral stress on the knee.
2. Banded lateral walk (opposite direction)
Repeat as above, stepping in the opposite direction (opposite leading leg).
3. Banded glute bridges
Lie on your back with your knees up, feet flat on the floor towards your glutes and the resistance band looped just above your knees. Keep your arms flat by your side. Push out slightly on the band as you dig your heels into the ground, engage your glutes and lift your hips up to form a diagonal line from your knees to your shoulders. Squeeze and hold at the top before slowly lowering back down. Repeat for 40 seconds.
4. Slow, single leg deadlift
Balancing on one leg, slowly bend forward at the hips with your knees bent slightly. Maintaining a straight back, hinge forward with the hips and shift your weight onto one leg while your other leg extends straight behind you. Come back up, slow and controlled, squeezing the glute at the top of the movement. Feel free to add weight once you feel confident and strong through this exercise.
5. Dumbbell boxing jabs
To give the legs a little breather but get the heart rate up and core activated I love dumbbell boxing. Grab a pair of dumbbells (don’t go too heavy, your arms will burn!) and stand with your feet slightly wider than hip distance apart. You might like to have one foot forward for balance. Hold the dumbbells at chest height with your elbows bent. Extend your left arm across your body in a fast, punch motion. As you return your left arm to the start position, extend your right arm. Repeat for 40 seconds.
6. Dumbbell boxing uppercuts
Stand holding the dumbbells at shoulder height, using an underhand grip. Punch upwards with your left arm and repeat with your right. Repeat this for 40 seconds.
7. Flutter kicks
Lie on your back with your legs extended at a 45 degree angle. Lift your arms slightly off the floor, keep them straight in line with ground and palms facing down. Lift your shoulders, head and neck so that they are slightly off the ground and with your legs straight and toes pointed, lower one leg and simultaneously raise the other. Brace your core and continuously repeat the movement.
So many people continually build on their strengths and neglect their weaknesses when it comes to training. I understand that it feels great both physically and mentally to reach a really high level in a particular skill or movement. But if we neglect our weaknesses, they will catch up with us eventually. We should dedicate one session per week to working on these muscular imbalances and areas that we are not so strong in, we’ll thank ourselves in the long run.
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