LIFE+ Blog

Foam Rolling

IT Band

• Lay on your side with the foam roller on the outside aspect of your thigh
• Cross top leg over for support
• Roll slowly from knee to right under the hip bone

Quadriceps

• Lay on your stomach with the foam roller on the front of your thighs
• Position forearms under your body, almost in plank position
• Use your arms to roll back and forth from the top of your knee to right under the hip

Calf

• Position the foam roller under the calf
• Roll along lower leg, if not enough pressure feels like it is being applied then cross opposite leg over for more pressure

Dynamic Stretching

Active Hamstring Stretch

• Hold back of thigh with knee bent
• Continue holding the back of the thigh and straighten your knee
• Feel a stretch in back of thigh, hold 1-2 seconds and repeat 20 times

Downward Dog Alternating Heel Drops

• In downward dog position, alternate dropping each heel down to the floor, hold 1-2 seconds and repeat 20 times

Glute Strengthening

Clams

• Lay on your side, hips stacked on top of one another, hips and knees flexed.
• Keeping ankles together, lift knee up to the ceiling.
• Do not let hips rock back as knee goes up.
• Can use hand on hip to make sure hips don’t rock back for cueing.
• Repeat both sides 20 times.

Sidelying Hip Abduction

• Lay on your side, hips stacked on top of one another.
• Bottom leg bent to provide a counter balance.
• Keeping knee straight, lift leg up and back (into extension).
• Do not let the hips rock back when moving the leg into extension.
• Repeat both sides 20 times.

Crab Walks

• Go into squat position, hips knees and ankles in proper alignment.
• Take side steps always keeping tension on the band.
• Keep head at one height, do not let body bounce up and down with each step.
• Repeat both sides 20 times.

Ankle Strength: Resisted Ankle 4 Ways

• Band loop around foot, wrap the strap of the band around the opposite foot for resistance
• Start in neutral position and then evert foot, move ankle “out” away from opposite leg.
• Repeat both sides 30 times.

• Band loop around foot, cross opposite leg over working leg
• Wrap the strap of the band around the opposite foot for resistance.
• Start in neutral position and then invert foot, move ankle “in”.
• Repeat both sides 30 times

Crab Walks

• Band loop around foot, pull tension on the band to create more resistance and then resist down.
• Repeat both sides 30 times

• Band loop around foot, cross working leg into a figure 4 position.
• Pull tension on the band to create more resistance and then flex ankle up.
• (In picture ankle is flexing up, using the knee as the reference point to be completed independently.)
• Repeat both sides 30 times.