A Great Programming Question
I received this via email yesterday and thought I’d share it. I’m in the process of writing a second edition of Functional Training for Sports ( my first book in 2004) and will clear stuff like this up…
Hey, Coach!- I’m designing my first strength program and had two questions for you:
Q 1) I am using your template for a 3-day strength program from Functional Training for Sports, and it calls for Double Leg Knee Dominant exercises on Day 1 and Day 3. I am much more in favor of single leg exercises, and there’s no shortage of Single Leg Knee Dominant exercises, so I wanted to know if substituting the double leg exercises for a Rear Foot Elevated Squat and a Split Stance Squat Progression would be okay? I remember reading that you were slowly progressing towards an ALL single leg training philosophy, but didn’t know if you had attempted it with any success yet. I am a track and field athlete, if that would make any difference in the matter.
A- We have not gone quite all the way yet with healthy athletes. Day 1 has Trap Bar Deadlift ( actually a hip dominant or hybrid) as our only bilateral strength exercise of the week.
Leading me into my second question…
Q 2) In your Advances in Functional Training, I recall you classifying Lunge-type exercises as Hip Dominant, although it can be confused with a Knee Dominant exercise very easily. If I were to use Lunge-type exercises as a Knee Dominant exercise in my program, would I risk under training a true Knee Movement, or would it not be an issue? (Didn’t quite know how to word that one )
A- Almost true. We would classify slideboard lunge as hip dominant but conventional lunges as knee dominant. I would not worry about being too hip dominant if you get Rear Foot Elevated One Leg Squats and true one leg squats once each.
Thoughts? Comments?
Michael Boyle's Strengthcoach.com Blog 