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Useful Leg Exercises |
The
Legs
Parkour/Freerun
requires tremendous power in the legs. In nearly every move it is the legs
which initiate and finish the movements associated with the discipline.
Remember that the muscles in the legs are far greater in size and strength
than those of the arms, so they are therefore arguably the most
functionally important muscles of the body to a Traceur or Freerunner.
Many gym users are guilty of neglecting their legs, concentrating only on
upper body exercises to get the beach-goer physique. This leaves them
unbalanced, open to injury, and weak overall. Think of it as a chink in
the armour.
Most
of the exercises shown here are NOT explosive, which is not strictly
functional for Parkour/Freerun. However, it is important to train static
strength as well as explosiveness. The muscles of the legs protect the
joints of the knees, ankles and hips if they are conditioned properly, so
these exercises will not only improve strength, but will aid in injury
prevention.
The Squat
The squat is one of the most
simplistic yet useful leg exercises that can be performed
anywhere. It is functional and there are countless ways to
progress and change it to suit your own goals. The pic below
shows the start and end point of a normal body weight squat.
Notice the feet are shoulder width apart with toes pointing
forward and the arms crossed across the chest to keep them out
of the way. The knees are then bent and the backside lowered to
the floor to around 90 degree knee bend (there is no need to go
any lower). Feet remain flat on the floor. Keep the back
straight (don't bend forwards) and keep the shoulders back. A
good way to test your form is to do the squat facing a door fame
in an open doorway with your nose touching the door frame when
you are stood up. If done correctly, you should be able to
perform the squat without your head coming forward and hitting
the door frame. Return to the start position by driving up
through the balls of the feet to rise to the start position.
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The Squat |
Reps: this should be a fairly easy
exercise to complete doing low reps so once you have the form,
it can be a good tool for endurance training too. By completing
upwards of x 100 reps at a time, you'll really work the legs and
in addition, will give the heart and lungs a good workout too.
Progressions: Weighted Squat
In a
gym this would be done with an Olympic bar over the back of the shoulders
for the heavy lifts. However, it can also be done with a weight
across the chest (see pic below). The weight is under the crossed
arms rested on the chest. The same exercise as above is performed;
however, the number of reps will need to be decreased to account for the
extra weight. Start small and work up. Ensure when picking the weight up
for the exercise, it is done safely, bending from the legs and not the
back. As always, avoid jerky movements and aim for correct form by holding
a strong posture and executing the squats in a controlled
manner.
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Weighted Squat |
Jump Squat
This
exercise is not illustrated here, but is performed as the original squat but
with the arms by the side. Once you have squatted down instead of just
driving up to standing point, jump as high as possible on the spot,
swinging the arms up to aid height gain and jump technique. Land safely by
bending at the knees and taking the impact on both feet evenly through the
balls of the feet. Stand up, reset and perform the next rep. Again, less
of these will be performed than the original squat due to the explosive
nature of the exercise.
Extended Arm Weighted Squat
This
exercise is exactly as the normal weighted squat but the weight is held
out in front, with arms parallel to the ground and a very slight bend at
the elbow. The squat is then performed with the arms remaining in the set
position (see pics below). The aim of this exercise is not only to
train the legs as with the other squats, but due to changing the centre of
gravity (it is now further forward) this will also train your core muscles. Some strength is also required from the
shoulders to hold the weight, so pick a plate that is comfortable and aim
to get the technique right before moving up through the weights. Note the straight back and 90 degree knee angle in the pictures
below. Due to the hard work on the core muscles as well as the legs, fewer
reps will be possible at first, so start out slowly and familiarise
yourself with the technique. Remember, quality over quantity and you'll be
fine.
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Extended Arm Weighted Squat |
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The Pistol Squat
The
pistol squat has a bad reputation for causing injuries to knees,
mainly due to people executing them incorrectly and without proper form. However, with proper technique and good concentration they can be an
excellent tool to add to your repertoire. As a closed chain exercise (feet are fixed to the
ground) there is no impact whatsoever. So actually they can be performed
very safely and are good for training post injury.
This
exercise will increase strength, flexibility, concentration and balance,
all of which are specific and functional to practitioners of Parkour and
Freerun.
To
perform the exercise, stand as you would for a normal squat, feet shoulder width apart, toes forward
and arms crossed across
body. Now shift the weight onto one foot, balance on it and let the
other foot come off the ground to the front of the body (see pic below).
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The Pistol Squat |
Lower the backside to the ground by bending the standing leg, using the
free leg as a counter balance and keeping it as straight as possible,
moving it out to the front. Go down to around 90 degrees, keeping tight
through the abdominal muscles to aid balance. Hold at the bottom (it can
help to hold your breathe at this point as well), then drive up
through the working leg to return to the top (while exhaling). Try not to
lose balance on the way up, hold at the top on one leg, and then
repeat.
This
is not an easy exercise to execute and will require plenty of practice to
get the form right. It is also not an exercise that can be repeated that
many times in succession, so start off slowly and don't be in a rush to
beat any records.
Progression: Extended Arm
Weighted Pistol Squat
Probably the most difficult of all the leg exercises shown here. This
combines the single leg squat and the extended arm weight squat. It
requires considerable balance, strength and concentration. It is performed exactly as the one leg squat except in this case,
the arms are out in front which can help with balance, but do not forget
the slight bend at the elbow. It is very important to tighten through the
abdominals to control and balance when moving up and down.
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Extended Arm Weighted Pistol
Squat |
Reps
wise, performing 5 on each leg is an impressive number depending on the
weight used.
Safety: Do not go too low at first and
remember there is no shame in getting to the bottom, holding and realising
that you do not have the strength to return to the top. This will come
naturally as
you become stronger, so do not feel the need to rush. You'll only be
cheating yourself and will put yourself at risk of picking up an injury.
Disclaimer
All of the information contained within these articles on the Urbanfreeflow.com
website are provided for informational and
educational purposes. This includes any videos, fitness
programs, fitness workouts and general articles.
In no event shall Urban Freeflow or any individual or company
involved with the development of these articles be liable for
special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages of any
nature, including but not limited to personal injury, loss of
anticipated profits or claims from third parties.
If you are unsure about your fitness levels, please consult
with a doctor before you carry out any exercises demonstrated here.
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