Bodyweight Leg Workouts

Bodyweight leg workouts are a great tool for athletes to use to improve balance and stability in each of their legs. The ability for the legs to operate individually and simultaneously as a pair is important for improved athletic performance.

Performing bodyweight leg workouts with Kbands Leg Resistance Bands will train and strengthen the legs and improve balance in a much different way than traditional strength training exercises like squats, one legged squats, dead lifts, or stiff one legged dead lifts. The placement of the resistance forces one leg to be explosive and improve balance while the other leg participates in the bodyweight leg workout by maintaining good body position. Since the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands provide lateral activation, varying resistance athletes will greatly improve balance on one leg while also building additional strength in the core and hips.

Bodyweight Leg Workouts On One Leg

The Hurdle Basic Drills With Resistance Bands is exactly what the name entails, a basic one leg bodyweight leg workout. The Hurdle Basic Drills With Resistance Bands is a great way to introduce athletes to the resistance provided by Kbands Leg Resistance Bands as well as becoming more familiar with how to use the hurdles during more advanced bodyweight leg workouts like the Plyometric Leg Workout, Kbands Hurdler Box Jumps, or Rapid Response Drill. All of these hurdler bodyweight leg workouts work on isolating one leg to strengthen and add additional power and/or to improve balance in one leg at a time.

To perform the Hurdle Basic Drills With Resistance Bands athletes will need one set of Kbands Leg Resistance Bands and 1-2 hurdles. Athletes should try to use two hurdles of different height to challenge and improve balance in the legs. However, if only one hurdle is available then the athlete can just use the resources available to them.

Athletes will place the hurdle on the ground and attach the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands just above their knees. If athletes are performing this bodyweight leg workout as a warmup or introduction to improve balance and become more familiar with the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands then a lighter amount of resistance bands (Red or Yellow Bands) will be more appropriate for the bodyweight leg workout. More advanced athletes using the Hurdle Basic Drills With Resistance Bands to improve balance, one leg jump height, and one leg jump speed should use a higher level of resistance bands (Green or Blue).

After the athlete has placed the hurdle on the ground and attached the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands just above the knees they will line up so the long side of the hurdle is lined up with the athlete. Athletes will balance on one leg (their outside leg) and powerfully explode over the hurdle, landing on one leg (their opposite outside leg). Athletes will land, gain their balance, and quickly explode off one leg, landing on the opposite side of the hurdle on their opposite one leg.

Athletes who are using a shorter hurdle and working for more one leg speed jumps will continue to alternate jumping off one leg for 20-30 seconds, moving at a high rate of speed, and resting after the time has expired. Athletes who are using a higher hurdle for the one legged jumps will perform the bodyweight leg workout for 35-45 seconds, taking extra time to land, balance, and explode back over the hurdle. Athletes will perform 6-8 resisted repetitions of the Hurdle Basic Drills With Resistance Bands before moving on into more advanced bodyweight leg workouts.

One Legged Jumps

One leg jumps are a great unilateral bodyweight leg workout to train and improve balance in each individual leg. Observing proper takeoff and landing technique will help to keep the knees, ankles, and hips healthy while optimizing the effectiveness of the one legged jumping exercises. As athletes explode over the hurdle they will need to work against the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands so their natural jumping movements are not altered. The Kbands Leg Resistance Bands are meant to be a tool used to optimize athletic performance, improve balance, and strengthen one leg at a time. Athletes who utilize poor jumping mechanics while using the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands will reinforce bad jumping habits already being used and will limit the athletic benefits which can be attained from utilizing the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands during one legged exercises.

As athletes laterally jump back and forth on one leg they need to begin each jump with a slight bend at the knees and flexion at their hips. Flexion at the hips does not mean allowing the low back to round in order to lower the chest, but instead athletes need to engage their abs, give a slight arch in their low back, and focus on shortening the gap at their hips. Add in a powerful arm swing as the athlete quickly explodes up and “get tall” as they swing their arms, extend their knees and hips, and fly to the other side of the hurdle.

One Legged Landings

Landing can be just as tricky on one leg, but is also just as beneficial. Athletes can perform twice the workload and attain even greater benefits from one leg bodyweight workouts when a proper takeoff and landing are performed. Whereas taking off is performing work in a concentric motion, landing performs work in the eccentric motion. As athletes land they need to absorb the impact of their landing by flexing at the ankle, knees, and hips. Not only will this allow athletes a safe one leg landing but will also instantly place the athlete in great position to move right back into their next lateral jump over the hurdle. Not only does this make training more effective but helps teach athletes how to translate this landing and immediate takeoff method into competition.

For additional one leg exercises and bodyweight leg workouts go to the Training Section and learn about additional athletic drills which can be performed with the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands.