Want a Challenge? Try these for Lower Body.

I thought that I would give you some really challenging single-leg movements, along with one of my favourite unstable, chain movements. 

At the beginning of every lower body workout, I perform two different unstable movements.  They could be banded, slider board, chain, or just bodyweight.  Usually they are single-leg, but one of my favourites is the chain squats.  This is a two-legged movement, and there are some others that I will show you later.

When you watch this video, you may not think things are that tough.  You are wrong.  If done correctly, these will be hugely challenging, to the point that alot of you may not be able to implement them into your workouts at this time, or will have to shorten up the movements.

If I do look to be extremely challenged in this video, it is because two days ago I did my killer circuit.  If you go back to that video, you will notice lots of chains, and deadlifts.  Yes, my hated favourite.  I really can't bend over now, as I'm typing this.

Please, make sure that you are warmed up before you try these exercises.  I would strongly suggest trying to work them into your routine at the start, when you are freshest.  Get your head around the fact that these exercises are not traditional, especially the squats.  Don't dismiss them as being wimpy, because it's not what you see the current Mr. Olympia doing in the latest  magazine issue.

Am I saying don't do any traditional movements?  No.  But try to get strong enough to add some of these movements in.  When I had my gym, and now with the young athletes that I teach, I see huge gains in the 1RM squat (single rep maximum), the 40 yd. dash, the 20 yd. shuttle, the standing long jump, and the standing vertical because of these unstable movements.  So many muscles are needed to hold your line tight for these movements.  You just won't get the same muscle recruitment if all you do is the same old squats, lunges, machines, etc.

When guys would ask me, "How do I get my squat numbers up?", I would pull them into the team room quietly.  I would ask them to do a one-foot squat, as I demonstrated in the video.  They would get halfway and crumble, or maybe to the bottom, and then get stuck.  I would smirk, look them in the eye, and tell them that I had a few suggestions. 

It's a shame that only a few would try to be innovative, and use all the resources available to them.

Or maybe deep down, everyone knew that I might have had some interesting advice, but were too scared, or soft, to try it.

Watch the video, and even if you can't execute perfectly, try to work some single-leg activity in.  Stay tuned for some cool, productive slider board work.