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4 Exercise Variations to Strengthen Your Hip Flexors

November 27, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on November 21st, 2019 at 3:09pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

The hip flexors are a group of muscles at the front aspect of the hip. They get a ton of attention due to our increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and as a result, the shortness/tightness developed which can create a nagging sensation and/or limit flexibility. However, aside from stretching this muscle group, strengthening should be a part of your weekly routine.

Over the years, there has been such prevalence on strengthening the gluteals for better performance and reducing the likelihood of injury. Almost to the point where people, especially runners, are doing entire workouts devoted to this muscle group. As much as I think the gluteals are important, we must look more closely at the biomechanics of running and the role the hip flexors play throughout gait. Because in the end. this muscle group cannot be neglected.

Due to their location, the hip flexors help lift the knee in front of the body towards the chest. They are also active eccentrically to store energy throughout hip extension and push-off before pulling the hip forward during swing phase, and into the flexed position I stated previously. Because the psoas muscle spans all the way to the lumbar spine and the other hip flexors have many different pelvic attachments, they play a role in stabilizing the pelvis and lumbar spine during single leg stance and running. Therefore, it’s important that these muscles are strong, stable, and resistant to fatigue. This will prevent a breakdown in running form as mileage increases.

Since hip flexor strengthening is not talked about enough, I want to share with you a simple and effective 4 exercise progression that I commonly prescribe to my running clients. This will provide the guidance needed to properly target this muscle group.

Let’s begin…

Hooklying Band Resisted Marching

This hooklying band resisted marching exercise is a dead bug and core stability variation with emphasis on resisting hip flexion. When setting up for the movement, make sure you are maintaining a neutral spine and not using a resistance so hard that it causes you to lose position. Place the band around the feet and engage the flexed hip to prevent the stretched band from pulling you out of 90 degrees of hip flexion. Hold for a second or two, then switch sides. Complete this movement for 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions each. When proficient, increase the tension of the band or progress to exercise #2.

Watch the video below to learn more…

Hip Bridge with Band Resisted Marching

The hip bridge with band resisted marching is very similar to the previous exercise, but while holding the top of a hip bridge. What this does is require the gluteus maximus and opposite side hip flexor to work simultaneously. This muscle activity is very similar to running where one leg is extending to push-off while the other is flexing through swing phase in preparation for foot strike. Complete this movement for 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions each. When proficient, increase the tension of the band or progress to exercise #3.

Watch the video below to learn more…

Long Lever Bridge with Band Resisted Marching

The long lever bridge with band resisted marching is essentially the same exercise as #2 but with a lengthened lever arm. By extending the legs further out then the traditional hip bridge, this will place more emphasis on the hamstring muscle group. Not to mention it creates a greater degree of hip flexion to move through and more tension in the band. Therefore, it’s a harder variation than the previous two exercises. Complete this movement for 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions each. When proficient, increase the tension of the band or progress to exercise #4.

Watch the video below to learn more…

Single Leg Stance with Isometric Resisted Hip Flexion

As much as ground-based exercises do a great job at building strength in particular areas, we must always ensure that this strength carries over into an upright position. Because, plain and simple, that’s where running and everyday movements happen. The single leg stance with resisted isometric hip flexion challenges the non-weight bearing leg to engage the hip flexor and maintain a 90/90 position at the knee and hip. In addition, single leg stance requires a greater degree of stability and balance, so this exercise can really tie things together. Complete this movement for 2-3 sets of 30-60 sec holds each. When proficient, increase the tension of the band or cycle back through this exercise progression again with more repetitions or a harder band.

Watch the video below to learn more…

What’s important to realize is that this is a progression of exercises. Therefore, determine which exercise should be your starting point and begin building hip flexor strength, while only progressing to the next variation every 4-6 weeks. Each week, try to increase the amount of repetitions, resistance of the band, or time, to make the exercise more challenging. This will help you improve strength, endurance, and stability while becoming more proficient in the movement.

If you have any questions about the exercises outlined in this article or want to work more closely together to receive an individualized strength training program, please click here to contact me or comment below. Thanks for reading!

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

The Secret Behind Injury Prevention: Can You Run Your Next Race Pain-Free?

November 2, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on November 1st, 2019 at 4:45pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Have you struggled with persistent aches, pains, and various running-related injuries throughout the years? Are you at the point where you are ready to try something different in hopes of seeing better results? If so, this article should provide you with the guidance necessary to reduce your likelihood of injury once a for all.

I hate to mislead you with some attention grabbing title. But, the truth is… Running is a painful sport. In fact, the research shows that up to 70% of runners get injured each and every year. Therefore, the real goal should be how to reduce your risk of injury since it cannot be prevented altogether. This can be done by increasing your tolerance to the demands of running and functioning in a more efficient way.

In the following sections, I will present a few key points for you to consider when emphasizing injury reduction…

Perform a Running Analysis

Since you’ll usually spend anywhere from 3-6 days per week running, the first step is to run more efficiently. How do you go about that? Spend the time and a little money on the front end by paying a trained professional to conduct a running analysis. This can be done in simple ways such as slow-motion treadmill analysis or with wearable technology like the DorsiVii.

Too often do we pay for the best Garmins, self-myofascial release tools, and training programs. In reality, your money is best spent on improving the quality of your movement within the sport. More efficient running form will cause less wear and tear on the body, as well as improve performance.

Complete a Movement Assessment

In addition to analyzing your running form and implementing the corrections which will make you more successful on the road, it’s important to assess general and specific movement patterns. What’s important to realize is that the body is really good at compensating. This means that a movement might appear normal even though the strategy to achieve that position has been altered due to a mobility, stability, or motor control problem.

During an assessment, you will complete a series of movements that can be analyzed by a trained professional. These movements provide a good glimpse into how the body functions in various positions. And, these naturally play a big role in how well you run.

Most movement assessments consist of the squat, lunge, single leg stance, step down, and other relevant drills. They can also be broken down to a greater degree when a discrepancy is found by evaluating one or several of the joints involved. In the end, you can determine your overall movement competency, if there are any imbalances or asymmetries from side to side, and which weak links need to be addressed to reduce your risk of injury.

Correct Your Weak Links

With the running analysis and movement assessment completed, you will have a very good idea of which areas require your attention. What’s important to realize is that there might be several things which are not “optimal,” in regards to your movement. The good thing is, you don’t have to be perfect to be a successful runner. And, by no means do you have to correct everything. Instead, work closely with your healthcare provider to determine what are the low hanging fruit or most important priorities to target first. Start there!

When implementing a corrective plan, patience and consistency are the two key ingredients. You can’t work on your specific exercises once a week and expect it to have any impact. Many of these underlying issues may have been present for months or even years before uncovering them. Therefore, address them daily, progress your program when able, and stay committed for the long haul.

Incorporate a Structured and Progressive Strength Training Program

Runners either have a love or hate relationship with strength training. However, one thing we can’t deny is that a higher level of strength or endurance only increases your tolerance to the demands of running. And, the great thing about that is, you are able to improve your foundation without running more miles. This is crucial as we age.

In my opinion, strength training is not the best term for it. Of course, it’s helpful to be stronger and more resilient. But, there are other characteristics which could better reduce your risk of injury, including: mobility, stability, neuromuscular control, timing, coordination, stiffness, and shock absorption. All of these play a vital role while running and should be addressed within your strength training program.

The big question usually becomes, how do you implement a strength training program alongside your running? Of course, running needs to be your priority. With that being said, there are weeks or months throughout the year where you can be more aggressive in the gym. This is usually following your goal race as you take some time to recover or even early in your running plan while you are still establishing a base. Then, as mileage builds, strength training can back down into more of a maintenance phase. As long as your body is able to adequately recover between runs, strength training should play a role in some way. Anywhere from 1-4 days per week is recommended depending on the time of year.

Understand Intensity, Volume, & the Importance of Recovery

Three of the most important variables in running are intensity, volume, and recovery. These have a very special relationship with each other that undoubtedly play into your likelihood of enduring a running-related injury. Plain and simple, the higher the intensity or greater the volume, the more recovery is needed. When recovery is overlooked for the sake of running faster or more miles, tissue breakdown will likely exceed tissue repair.

Running is infamous for chronic overuse injuries such as tendinopathies and stress fractures. How do these occur? A repetitive load is applied for too long or with too much magnitude for positive remodeling to occur. That’s why it’s very important to listen to your body and reduce intensity or volume when you are excessively tired, not sleeping well, experiencing high levels of stress, during certain times of your menstrual cycle, and/or not hitting your normal paces.

In the end, it’s important to be smart with your training. If you start to notice any of the warning signs listed above, consider what modifications you might have to make to stay healthy. That’s why I always recommend following a structured and progressive plan that builds you up for your goal race, while prioritizing recovery. Not to mention utilizing an experienced running coach to help you make smart decisions.

Like I mentioned upfront, running is hard on the body and there is no way to prevent running-related injuries from occurring altogether. Being smart, listening to your body, and applying some of the strategies I mentioned can help alleviate the risk so you can continue running on your terms for years to come.

Thank you for reading this article. Please comment below or contact me directly if you have feedback or any questions. And, if you feel like a running analysis, movement assessment, or individualized strength training program could help you become a more resilient runner, don’t hesitate to reach out!

4 Things Every Runner Should Do in the Offseason

October 4, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on October 4th, 2019 at 1:15pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Congratulations! You completed your goal race and you’re ready to reduce mileage and let your body recover. Although you’ll still be running some miles each week, this is a great time to adjust your focus for the offseason.

Now, let me start by saying that most runners are not fond of the word offseason. Regardless of whether this is late fall/early winter or late spring/early summer, you’ll most likely still be running and possibly signing up for a handful of “fun” races. This is completely fine!

What this time of year provides is the ability to switch gears and focus your attention on the supplemental strategies which will make you a more successful runner. Because running mileage is low, it’s important to take advantage of the offseason to come back stronger and with a refreshed mental capacity. Unfortunately, those runners who don’t do this usually set themselves up for failure.

Because you deserve so much success with your running, I want to share with you the most important tips to consider this offseason. Of course, you don’t have to incorporate each and every strategy. But, you need to realize how impactful this time of the year can be on your running if you want to see longevity in the sport.

Let’s get started…

1.Reflection

Plain and simple, you can’t see where you are going unless you understand where you have been! It’s easy to just move on after your goal race. But, this is a mistake.

Instead, reflect on the success, or lack thereof, of your goal race and training. This will help you determine what needs to be fine tuned the next time around for better results. And, it should open your eyes to what you can work on throughout the remainder of the offseason to get a step ahead.

There are several different areas which are important to reflect upon, these include:

Race reflection
- Time
- Pace
- Did you achieve your goal?
- What were the limiting factors? (pain, weather, nutrition, fatigue, etc.)
Training reflection
- Did your training properly prepare you for race day?
- Did you struggle at a certain mileage?
- Any injuries along the way?
- Total duration of training plan (# of weeks)
- Total volume (weekly, monthly, & total miles)
- Composition of running (long slow distance, track, hill repeats, tempo runs, etc.)
- Supplemental movement strategies (strength training, mobility, core, warm-up, cool-down)

All of these things need to be considered to determine where you can do better next time. Instead of doing the same thing and expecting different results, complete an honest audit of your running and adjust accordingly.

2. Schedule a running-specific evaluation

The offseason is the most important time of year to take a better look at your body and re-build the foundation. When running mileage drops, it allows for more emphasis to be placed on correcting underlying imbalances and faulty running/movement mechanics. Addressing these key areas will help you stay injury-free and thriving when it matters most.

If you experienced an injury or niggle while training for your last race, regardless of whether it is now pain-free or not, you have to get to the bottom of it. Just because an area is no longer exhibiting pain does not mean the underlying cause has been corrected.

Seeking the help from a trained healthcare provider can go a long way. But, not all providers are created equal!

I recommend finding a provider who has experience in caring for running-related injuries specifically. The overuse nature of these injuries need to be handled appropriately with a thoughtful and progressive corrective program. Not to mention, a deeper look at your running form and mechanics is probably warranted.

Once the provider has identified and educated you on the key findings, it’s time to get to work! Following your daily corrective program and scheduling periodic check-ins with the provider will ensure you are addressing the issues properly and also progressing the program. Doing so now will make sure the aches and pains don’t re-surface when you get back into your training.

3. Implement an individualized and structured strength training routine

I cannot overstate this enough… Runners need to strength train regularly regardless of the time of year. With that being said, the offseason is the best time to really double down on these gains when running mileage is low. Or, to begin a strength training routine if you haven’t done so before.

One of the biggest problems I see is most runners consider adding strength training at the same time they begin their formal running plan. What most don’t realize is that it’s harder for the body to recover with two competing stressors. Therefore, if you can strategically begin creating your base in the offseason, this will allow you to have a solid foundation in place before running mileage increases.

Remember that evaluation I mentioned above? That should help guide your strength training routine in the offseason. Instead of aimlessly getting stronger, consider what are your weak areas which may be limiting performance and predisposing you to injury. Once you understand that, spend time 2-4x/week creating a better foundation. This can be in the gym or at home with a bodyweight routine.

In general, it can’t hurt to increase strength and endurance. These characteristics provide a protective shield around the body which helps make you more resilient to the demands of running. But, you must also target power, stability, timing, coordination, and mobility. That’s why I always recommend the use of bodyweight movements, free weights, and minimal selectorized equipment.

A handful of the best exercises for runners are deadlifts, single leg deadlifts, squats, rear foot elevated split squats, lunges, calf raises, plank variations, and bridging variations. In addition, increasing upper body strength and improving posture will be especially important to maintain a good body position while running. So make sure your routine is full body and even consists of a few heavier lifts in the 2-6 repetition range.

4. Incorporate an activity that consists of multi-directional movements

When you look at the demands of running, it’s easy to realize that the movement happens in a straight line (sagittal plane). Despite this, smaller multiplanar movements (frontal and transverse planes) are occurring simultaneously throughout the body. Therefore, it’s important for runners to maintain their ability to move in multiple planes of motion outside of distance running.

Strength training is one great way to break the body out of this habitual movement pattern. This can consist of lateral and rotational movements which aren’t often found in the running motion. Some tend to argue that this lack of specificity won’t help improve performance, and I disagree. That’s because it creates a more robust and versatile movement vocabulary. This helps prevent against repetitive overuse injuries and provides a well-rounded foundation to put a more specific type of training on top of.

Another strategy is incorporating a different sport or activity that gets you moving in multiple planes of motion. For instance, soccer, tennis, and volleyball are very good offseason options. What these sports do is challenge muscles, joints, and movement patterns, in a completely different way than running. Plus, they more readily improve power, stability, coordination, and cardiovascular fitness, which can have a positive impact on your running.

Since the body is highly adaptable to the demands we place upon it, consistent running often produces good single plane athletes. With consistent training, many runners lose their ability to move competently in other planes of motion because they never practice these movements. From an injury and longevity standpoint this can be detrimental. That’s why I highly recommend finding an alternate sport throughout the offseason months which will preserve movement variability and provide a mental break before the next training cycle.

I hope you enjoyed this article on 4 Things Every Runner Should Do in the Offseason. Please take a second and comment below with any specific strategies or tips that have helped you in the past. And, if you need a running-specific evaluation or individualized strength training program, please click here to contact me directly.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

How to Progress the Side Plank for Better Core & Hip Strength

September 9, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on September 9th, 2019 at 11:35am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

When we look more closely at running, walking, and most daily activities, the core and hip musculature are very important to provide support to the spine, pelvis, and surrounding areas. One exercise in particular that might be the most impactful is the side plank. And, for good reason!

The side plank challenges the larger muscles surrounding the lateral core, as well as the smaller stabilizers at the spine to maintain a rigid, sidelying position. To execute this position with proper form, many of the joints from head to toe have to work together in a coordinated fashion. Not to mention, they must also possess the strength, stability, and endurance, to do so for an extended period of time.

One problem I typically see is that people are stopping at traditional side planks rather than continuing to progress this exercise. Now, don’t get me wrong, this is a fantastic exercise as I stated above. But, once you master the side plank and work on building endurance by holding for 60-seconds or more, you are in a great position to layer some more challenging exercises on top of it. In fact, you will quickly realize that the side plank is just the starting point!

If you are someone who has mastered the side plank and need more of a challenge, I welcome you to try several of the single leg variations. Due to the sidelying nature of the side plank, it’s very easy to incorporate different variations which add additional focus on the hip abductors.

The hip abductors are a super important group of muscles which provide stability and support to the hip and pelvis. In fact, when it comes to running or walking, these muscles are responsible for maintaining proper alignment of the lower limb, shock absorption, and propulsion throughout the gait cycle. Therefore, progressing the side plank a step further to target this area would be in your best interest.

Before I outline this effective side plank progression, let’s perform a simple (yet hard!) self-assessment! The single leg side plank isometric hold can serve as a valuable test to determine strength and endurance at the core and hip abductors. The goal is to be able to maintain a minimum of 20-seconds per side.

Now, that is the bare minimum in my opinion. That is why I want you to perform this exercise to failure and determine overall strength/endurance, as well as if you have an imbalance from side-to-side. If you are unable to hold for 20-seconds per side or uncover there is a weakness on one side, the side plank progression I will teach you later in this article will become even more important.

Self-Assessment: Single Leg Side Plank Isometric Hold

Goal: Minimum of 20-seconds on each side and symmetrical

Now that you understand the importance of progressing the side plank, let’s dig into the progression! We will start from square one and then increase the difficulty with a total of 5 different side plank variations…

Modified Side Plank

The modified side plank is the most basic starting point in this progression. Basically, the knee bent position helps shorten the lever to help you execute it with good form and confidence. If the full side plank is challenging, this is where you should focus your attention until you are able to perform 2-3 sets of 30-60 second holds.

Side Plank

The side plank is always the first choice for most people and often the last. But, as you’ll see there are progressions and regressions to really make sure this movement is performed in a proficient way and then progressed to see more benefit.

The traditional side plank is a classic when it comes to building strength and stability. Truthfully, it’s a full body exercise. Stabilization and proper positioning needs to happen from the head/neck, shoulder, spine, all the way down to the ankle and foot. So many things have to go right to execute this movement properly. But when they do the reward is huge! Perform the side plank for 2-3 sets of 30-60 second holds.

Modified Lateral Elbow Stabilization

What’s important to realize when looking at this progression is that we are moving back to the modified position. Now, that you are ready to move on from the side plank, it’s necessary to really put yourself in the best position possible when challenging the hip abductors to maintain an upright position.

By shortening the lever, you are allowing yourself to be more aware of how the hip is required to provide support in abduction without overloading this area. This is important to learn now before more challenging variations are performed in the next two progressions. Perform the modified lateral elbow stabilization for 2-3 sets of 10-20 repetitions.

Lateral Elbow Stabilization

With the modified position mastered, let’s kick it up a notch with the lateral elbow stabilization. This side plank variation requires an isometric side plank hold, while raising and lowering the top leg. Why I love this exercise is because it really challenges the core and hip abductors to work together in order to sustain the position. Therefore, it often highlights if we have a weak link at one of those two areas.

Even though you have mastered the modified lateral elbow stabilization, this step in the progression is, hands down, the most challenging. Instead of having two legs to hold the side plank, we are switching to a single leg which has to do twice the work. This proves to be challenging for many and that is why you might have to work at this exercise for several months before becoming proficient. Perform the lateral elbow stabilization for 2-3 sets of 10-20 repetitions.

Side Plank with Top Leg Marching

The final step in this side plank progression is the side plank with top leg marching. Instead of abducting the top leg, as in the lateral elbow stabilization variations, this exercise utilizes a marching motion. Since the march is in another plane of motion, it provides a different set of forces for you to resist against while holding the single leg side plank.

Although not completely different than the previous variation, this exercise requires the bottom hip to stabilize in abduction and extension, while the top leg moves in the sagittal plane. This action has significant carryover to walking and running and is therefore important for endurance athletes. Perform the side plank with top leg marching for 2-3 sets of 10-20 repetitions.

There you have it! Those are 5 side plank variations for you to continue progressing and, ultimately, achieving great results. Remember, don’t stop at traditional side planks but continue to challenge yourself with the single leg variations. Although this progression looks pretty straightforward, I would expect it to take most people 6+ months to progress through with proper form and proficiency. So be patient and stay the course!

If you are looking for an individualized strength training program to fit your needs, please contact me and let me know how I can help. I have a range of options from remote coaching to in-person training and would love to help customize something to create you lasting results. Click here to connect with me directly.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

4 Soleus Strengthening Exercises for Runners to Build Bulletproof Calves

August 27, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on August 27th, 2019 at 06:22pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

If you look at the anatomy of the calf, you’ll easily notice there are two muscles. The outermost muscle is called the gastrocnemius. And, the deeper muscle is called the soleus. Both of these fuse into the achilles tendon and attach at the heel. But, they function in a slightly different way…

Yes, these muscles comprise the calf complex but there is an anatomical difference that we need to consider. It’s that the gastrocnemius muscle crosses the knee joint, while the soleus muscle does not. Anatomy and location dictate function and this means they need to be targeted in different ways when looking to improve flexibility and/or build strength.

—> Click here to read a popular article called, “Calf Flexibility: Differentiating Between the Gastrocnemius and Soleus Muscle.”

When considering the joint actions that these muscles create, the gastrocnemius plantarflexes the ankle AND flexes the knee, while the soleus muscle primarily plantarflexes the ankle since it only crosses one joint. Therefore, the gastrocnemius is more dominant during knee extended, plantarflexion. And, the soleus is more dominant during knee flexed, plantarflexion.

Now that we understand the difference between these muscles from an anatomical standpoint, we must also discuss why this matters for runners. While running, the knee never completely extends. Values range on the normal amount of knee motion since it depends on the individual runner. But, we typically see approximately 15-degrees of knee flexion throughout midstance. Because the knee never extends and remains in some degree of flexion during initial contact, midstance, and toe off, the soleus becomes the more prominent player in the calf complex.

By no means are traditional calf raises wrong! We must also address the calf/ankle with exercises where the knee is flexed. Ultimately, this will provide the most carryover to running.

Below, let me share with you a simple soleus strengthening progression to build bulletproof calves and improve running performance…

Soleus Wall Sit

The soleus wall sit is an exercise I picked up from Chris Johnson in 2018 at one his running seminars. I immediately liked this exercise because it allowed easy loading of the soleus in a wall sit position. There’s no better way to kill two birds with one stone. Plus, the depth you sit in the wall sit will dictate the amount of load so it is easily modified depending on the person. When completing this exercise, perform for 3 sets of 30-60sec and add additional resistance as needed.

Tip Toe Walking

Tip toe walking is another exercise taught at the same seminar. Similar to the soleus wall sit, this is an isometric exercise where we are targeting strength/endurance without creating any motion at the ankle joint. But, the walking nature allows a greater degree of challenge while absorbing force on each foot strike. When completing this exercise, perform 3 sets of 10-15 feet and add additional resistance as needed.

Bent Knee Calf Raise

The next exercise to target the soleus is the bent knee calf raise. This is very similar to traditional calf raises but while maintaining a degree of knee flexion. Now that we are moving through the range of motion, it’s important to reinforce a full range of ankle plantarflexion. When completing this exercise, perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions and add additional resistance as needed.

Bent Knee Calf Raise on the Leg Press

The final exercise in this series is designed for a greater degree of loading. You can certainly load more with dumbbells or barbells, but I often like to take balance and stability out of the equation to focus on one variable. When completing this exercise, perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions and add additional resistance as needed.

I hope you enjoyed these soleus strengthening recommendations. They have been very impactful for my clients to increase calf strength, improve running performance, and reduce the likelihood of plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinopathy, and other lower leg injuries. If you have any questions, I’d love to connect with you to talk more.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

4 of the Best Exercises to Perform with a Mini-Band

August 22, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on August 22nd, 2019 at 10:05am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Over the years, I have grown more fond of the mini-band. This small and affordable theraband loop can provide tremendous value in your exercise program.

Now, with that being said, by no means do I think you’ll get super strong by using the mini-band. However, when it comes to simple preparation exercises, and those that target neuromuscular activation, stability, and low-level strength, it can serve it’s purpose.

The biggest problem I see with the mini-band is not the band itself, but the exercises people typically perform with it. For one, you have lateral band walks. Don’t get me wrong, this is a fantastic hip strengthening exercise which everyone can benefit from. But, I’d like to see people challenge their hips more with loaded movements and instead incorporate some other mini-band variations into the mix.

Where I see the mini-band being the most applicable is before a lower body training day at the gym, in addition to one’s dynamic warm-up before running, or to target an underlying weakness or muscular imbalance. Not only can you target any and all muscles surrounding the hips, but there are a variety of single leg variations to improve balance and stability, as well. For the cheap price tag, the mini-band is a no brainer!

In this article, let me walk you through (4) of the best exercises to perform with a mini-band. They include:

Hip bridge with band resisted marching
Hip-biased static squat hold
Single leg stance with hip abduction
Lateral toe taps

The hip bridge with band resisted marching targets a key muscle group which is often overlooked… the hip flexors. Now, because this exercise is performed while holding a hip bridge, it requires gluteal strength and endurance while the contralateral hip is strengthened in flexion.

Does this muscle activity look familiar? Yes, it’s what happens during walking, running, and many everyday movements. Therefore, the hip bridge with band resisted marching is a challenging, yet valuable, exercise for you perform regularly with the mini-band.

The hip-biased static squat hold is very similar to the lateral band walks but performed isometrically. What I’ve seen over the years is that this exercise can be helpful for those people experiencing any type of gluteal weakness, inhibition, or hip/single leg instability.

By holding this movement for 30-60 seconds, the hip-biased static squat hold is a simple way to improve neuromuscular activation and engagement from the gluteals. Therefore, it’s usually advantageous as an entry-level exercise before moving on to more challenging single leg variations or a lower body lifting routine.

Single leg stance with hip abduction has become a favorite of mine over the last few years. With these single leg variations you can easily improve gluteal activation, single leg balance, and stability. In my opinion, this is where the mini-band adds even more value. Too often are people performing only bilateral exercises while neglecting these super impactful single leg variations.

When performing the single leg stance with hip abduction, it’s important to choose a mini-band of appropriate difficulty. The main goal is to maintain levelness at the pelvis and good alignment of the stance leg. Therefore, adding more tension for the sake of it will not provide a desirable outcome.

Lateral toe taps is a smart next step from the single leg abduction exercise mentioned previously. In this variation, slight flexion at the hips and knees simulate the position endured while running and in most athletic positions. That’s why I program this exercise regularly for runners and those with poor single leg stability.

While maintaining a small degree of flexion in the lower extremity joints, the angle of pull from the band creates more activity at the gluteals and lateral hip musculature. The main goal of the stance leg is to prevent loss of alignment. This is required as the moving leg increases tension on the band and attempts to pull the knee medially. Resisting the medial pull of the band will increase gluteal activation and set the stage for better stability during other single leg tasks.

Have you tried any of these mini-band exercises before? If not, I highly recommend adding them to your routine in order to prepare for strength training and/or running. They are very easy to progress as you can use a heavier mini-band or increase time/repetitions.

If you have any questions about the mini-band exercises outlined in this article, please feel free to contact me so we can talk more. They are very helpful, and therefore, I want to make sure you performing them properly to see success.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

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