Skipping leg day is a thing of the past. Lower body training is the key to sports performance and for longevity. The key is to train the lower body correctly. You can maximize your lower body lifting routine by doing a few things that we will mention below. Before taking any advice, make sure to visit your physical therapist to make sure these are right for you.
Not lifting the right amount of weight: From my experience, most people are either goblet squatting with a weight that weighs less than their laptop or they’re back squatting way more than they can do correctly. Do the work to find weights that are actually challenging in the rep ranges you’re working in and progress when you can.
Not bracing core: Learning to brace your core is a must for just about any exercise but especially for the lower body because of the load it puts on your spine.
Only working in the sagittal plane: Many people are only squatting and deadlifting, forgetting that our bodies move in all planes of motion. Start training some lateral and rotational movements.
Working through pain instead of adjusting: Don’t deadlift from the ground if you hurt your back every time. There are plenty of different variations that you can find that are pain-free. This is one of the most beneficial reasons for having a trainer IMO.
Not using a sled/ prowler: Ok this might be more personal preference but if you have access to one, I’d highly recommend using it. Not only will it help improve functional strength and athleticism, it also won’t leave you with much soreness as it has no eccentric phase.
A couple honorable mentions: not doing legs at all, and not doing any single-leg training, however I feel like everyone mentions that now.
Anyways, I hope this helps you train smarter out there!
If you want more help drop is a request.
