Lateral Band Walks should an integral part of every warmup. When done properly, they do a fantastic job improving hip stability, strengthening the hip abductors—particularly the glute medius—and increasing knee stability. Having strong and stable joints significantly reduces your risk of injury… and who doesn’t want that?!
Are you in? Good! Now let’s make sure you’re doing them correctly.
5 MUST-DOS:
1. PUSH, DON’T PULL
You should be PUSHING, not pulling. In other words, if you’re moving to the left, you’ll raise your left foot slightly and PUSH WITH YOUR RIGHT LEG. Do not pull with your left leg!
2. KNEES BEHIND TOES
Assume an athletic position. Slide your hips back, make sure your shins are close to vertical, and lean forward slightly. If you stand too upright, your torso toes will end up in front of your knees, so lean forward!
3. TOES POINTED STRAIGHT AHEAD
Make sure your toes are pointed straight ahead, NOT turned out slightly. This is a common mistake. You’ll want to glance down at your feet every few steps to make sure they haven’t gone rogue on you!
4. KNEES TRACK TOES
It’s critical to actively push out on your knees the entire time, otherwise, they’ll collapse. And remember, this is about increasing knee stability!
5. KEEP HIPS/SHOULDERS LEVEL
Don’t get sloppy and rock the boat! Move slowly, and really try to keep your hips and shoulders level.
PRO TIP:
For greater emphasis on GLUTE ACTIVATION, place the band around your ankles. For greater emphasis on KNEE STABILITY, place the band just above your knees.
