Single Leg Strength - Getting a leg up on the Competition

Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 11:16 AM GMT

Bren writes in with an interesting article on strength training.

by Tim Crowley B.S., C.S.C.S, P.E.S.
This report filed January 17, 2005 - www.ridefast.com

Strength training is a hot topic among endurance athletes and coaches these days. Internet web sites and forums constantly debate the merits and value of weight training for endurance athletes. Addressing this issue entirely is beyond the scope of this article, but I will demonstrate how and why you should incorporate single leg strength (SLS) training into a year round training plan...

The Split Squat

All strength training is not created equal. It is important to think of strength training as a spectrum, rather than just sitting on weight stack machines making time until spring. Big gear, low RPM cycling is a form of resistance training, as is swimming with paddles or executing hill-bounding drills. Body building type training will not lead to better triathlon performances, and it can be detrimental due to the creation of muscle imbalances and increased body mass.

Endurance athletes need to think beyond the value of strong powerful muscles. A well- designed strength plan will fortify tendons, ligaments and connective tissues, which are often the source of overuse injuries in many multi-sport athletes.

Laying the Groundwork
As a coach and athlete, I live in the real world where training time is your biggest opponent. You may be thinking about how to incorporate strength work while juggling swim, bike and run training. Training time is valuable, so your time in the weight room needs to be productive on several levels. Below are some criteria that need to be considered when developing a lower body strength plan.

Specific The muscles, tendons, joint angles and movement patterns of the exercises need to be specific to those encountered in cycling and running. Training movement is more effective than training individual muscles. This is the reason why leg extensions and leg curl exercises are less effective for cycling and running performance.

Individual Legs We all have a dominant leg. Single leg exercises help to create balance and offers a training effect not possible with double leg exercises such as squats or leg presses.

High degree of stabilization An unstable environment requires the stabilizers of the lower leg, hip and core to be recruited. This is important for reducing overuse injuries and improving running economy (increased run velocity for the same energy cost). Every running step, regardless of the surface, requires the body to stabilize over its center of gravity to prevent falling.

Time and energy effective Training time is valuable and exercise needs to accomplish several things while taking little time and energy, which could be spent swimming, cycling and running.

Single Leg Movements
For simplicity sake, I have put the exercises into two groups: knee dominant and hip dominant exercises. The single leg squat series is knee dominant, but it involves the ankle and hip as well. These are referred to as triple extension exercises.

The hip dominant exercises will focus on hip extension exercises, which strengthen the glutes and hamstrings. These two powerful muscle groups are the prime movers in both cycling and running.

When an athlete is in a single leg stance, there is a force coupling action involving the glute medius muscle of the hip and the quadratus lumborun, a deep stabilizing muscle of the core, which are key pelvis stabilizers. This action is not present when doing double leg exercises such as leg presses. A weak glute medius has been linked to IT band injuries and ankle sprains, where as strength in these muscles can vastly improve running and cycling economy.

Another benefit of single leg training is the strengthening of the lower leg stabilizers. Building stabilization endurance in the lower leg can significantly decrease common running injuries such as Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciaitis, and patella tracking injuries.

If you have never done any SLS training, begin gradually. Slowly incorporate these exercises along with your two-legged exercises

The Exercises
Knee dominant

1. Split squat- The back foot rests on a box or bench 12 to 18 inches high. Keep the front knee from extending beyond the toes. Press the back half of the foot into the floor. Pushing through the ball of the foot can stress the patella.

2. Squat touchdown- Holding a dumbbell in the opposite hand of the working leg, lower the dumbbell toward the floor. Focus on keeping the back flat and balanced over the base of support.

3. One leg box squat (On Airex mat)- Holding light dumbbells will assist your balance. Allow the non-working leg to lower toward the floor. The goal is to lower until the thigh is parallel to the floor.

Hip dominant

1. Single leg hip lift on medicine ball - Keep the ball close to the hip. Non-working leg points toward the ceiling. Press down through the center of the ball until the knee, hip and shoulder are in alignment. Pause at the top and lower all the way back to the floor to allow the hamstrings to relax.

2. Single leg hip lift on stability ball - Same as above but with a stability ball. This allows for a greater range of motion at the hip.

3. Single leg deadlift (On balance board)-Holding a weight in one hand, balance on the opposite leg. With the knee slightly bent, flex at the hip and lower the weight toward the floor. Keep the head in line with the spine, and the back flat.

4. Leg ham/ glute raise - Make sure the hips are extended beyond the pad on the ham/ glute bench. Place one leg between the roller pad, the other resting on top. Lower the upper body maintaining good form, then rise up until the body is straight. All movement occurs at the hip. Do not hyperextend.

Progressions
There are three ways to increase the intensity of the exercises, increasing the external resistance (weight), increasing volume (sets and/or reps), or increasing the proprioceptive demand (executing on an unstable surface). These variables can be incorporated separately or in combinations.

Resistance levels can be elevated through the use of barbells, dumbbells, medicine balls, cable systems or weighted vests. Each offers unique qualities, and varying the external load will lead to constant improvements in strength.

There are many tools you can select to create an unstable environment. Just switching to single leg exercises may be challenging enough to begin with. Simply closing your eyes will greatly increase the proprioceptive challenge. There are balance tools on the market, each with its own unique characteristics. Some popular ones are balance boards, wobble boards and Airex mats, found in well-equipped training facilities.

Programming
The goal of training each leg individually is to build balanced strength, muscle endurance and power to complement your tri-specific training. During the season, the goal is to maintain strength and stability through short focused workouts.

In the training program box, you will see a sample program and loads for each training phase. Each phase contains two days of training per week. Day one emphasizes knee dominant movements, while day two focuses on hip dominant exercises. The plan will give you some insight as to how you can use the single leg exercises in your training. It is not necessary to drop double leg strength exercises all together.

It is recommended that you find a qualified strength coach to assist you in teaching proper form.

Conclusion
It will take more effort and skill to perform single leg strength exercises as opposed to traditional lower body exercises. The time and effort will be well spent as you develop specific strength and stability. Improved movement economy and a reduction in overuse injuries will make you a better athlete. If you can train consistently without long breaks due to injury, you will improve performance. So train smart, and TrainRight.

Sample Single Leg Training Plan

BB=balance board
AM=airex mat
SB= stability ball
MB= medicine ball

Tim Crowley is triathlon coach with Carmichael Training Systems, Director of Strength and Conditioning at The Longfellow Club. He can be reached through www.ridefast.com or email at TC2coaching@aol.com.

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