Start your Footy season ahead of the game by mastering dynamic strength and control exercises for the legs and hips. Achieving this will not only make your body stronger but enable you to play at your absolute best.
There are many ways to improve dynamic strength and control through the lower limbs, however, the exercises listed below focus upon the essential areas most athletes lack for performing at their best.
Challenge your single leg balance - important for running, sidestepping and passing a ball.
Stand in the centre of the Bosu ball on one leg, or simply stand on one leg. Extend your non-standing leg forwards and then back to centre, sideways and then back to centre, and behind you and back to centre to challenge your stability.
Tips - control both the glutes and quadriceps muscles to achieve functional strength and stability in the lower limbs - keep the pelvis straight and still, increasing the activation in the target muscle groups – don’t let the hips drop to either side, keeping them level is essential in maintaining control and muscle activation.
Perform this exercise for 30-second intervals, progressing up to a few minutes as your balance improves.
Functionally strengthen the quadriceps and gluteal muscles - essential for explosiveness in the lower limbs.
Use a regular size chair for this exercise, hold your hands out in front, lift one leg off the ground and stand up by leaning forward. Control through the hips and knees until standing. Slowly lower back down onto the chair, again controlling through the hips and knees.
Tips - don’t allow your knee to collapse inward as this decreases the activation of the quadriceps and gluteal muscles.
Start with 10 repetitions for 3 sets, progressing to more repetitions as your lower limb strength improves.
Challenge your leg strength with the added challenge of passing and catching a ball, putting your stability to the test.
Start by performing a pistol squat at a right angle to a wall (a few meters away) - hold a ball in front of you, lift one leg off the ground and stand up by leaning forward. Control through the hips and knees until standing. Rotate your body sideways throwing the ball into the wall and catching it upon return. Lower yourself back down slowly keeping control through your glutes and quadriceps.
Tips - don’t allow your knee to collapse inward as this decreases the activation of the quadriceps and gluteal muscles.
Perform between 8-12 repetitions for 3 sets, progressing the number of reps and sets to continue challenging your dynamic stability.
The advice from the Australian Physiotherapy Association is that the Federal Minister for Health, Hon Greg Hunt, has advised that all allied health businesses can continue to operate and are encouraged to do so. We are therefore open for business and are working very hard to ensure the health and safety of our staff and clients.
Everyone must practise good hygiene to protect against infection and prevent the virus spreading How to handWASH
International travellers or those who have had 'direct contact' with an infected person should self-isolate for 14-days to prevent the spread.
If you develop a fever, a cough, sore throat or shortness of breath within 14 days of overseas travel, seek medical attention. Stop the spread
If you have a confirmed case of COVID-19, you need to isolate yourself to prevent it spreading to other people.
First and foremost we have increased the frequency of our infection control procedures in the clinic and we are adapting to national recommendations daily as needed.
Here are some of the things we are doing in the clinic as our response to stopping the spread:
Watch out for our posts on social media (Instagram and Facebook) over the next few days/weeks as we share how we continue to adapt to the recommendations provided by Australian Government, Health Minister and NSW Government and the challenges currently facing us all.
Keep up to date: Department of Health Updates
The health and safety of our staff and clients is of the utmost importance to us. Continuing to provide excellence in physiotherapy services to our valued clients is at the core of what we do every day and we will continue to that while we can.
Physical activity and exercise every day are important for preschoolers to help their growth and development.
Preschoolers (3 to 5 years) should spend at least 3 hours a day doing physical activities with at least 1 hour being energetic play such as running, kicking, jumping and throwing. Getting outdoors, running around with them and showing them ball skills will keep the whole family fit and healthy and can be so much fun!!
Sitting for extended periods or being restrained in a car seat or stroller should ideally be for no more than 1 hour a day. Screen time may keep your young ones quiet for a while but only up to an hour is recommended each day. During sedentary time (quiet time) parents are encouraged to engage them in reading, singing, telling stories or doing puzzles.
If your little ones are kept busy and active during the day then getting the recommended 10 to 13 hours good quality sleep each day should be easier.
Recommended activities:
Benefits of exercise in children:
For further details see Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines
