When it comes to side-to-side, or lateral motion, most training and exercise programs are notoriously weak. Front and back motions like lunges, squats, push-ups and pull-ups are all-too-common, lateral movements are all-too-rare, and this deficit results in a body that is skewed and imbalanced in the ability to move in all directions.
This ultimately results in injuries, poor performance, weak external rotation muscles, and a less aesthetically pleasing body appearance. Of the thousands of folks that I've worked with, from athletes to recreational exercisers, almost everyone moves poorly in the side-to-side direction. They're lateral movement weaklings (and I've personally been guilty at one time of being included among that population).
So what's the solution? Try these 5 exercises to begin implementing side-to-side motion in your program. You can simply choose some of these exercises to put at the end of your current workout, or use the exercises below as a weekly “lateral movement training” circuit.
Leave comments below this post if you have questions.
Lateral Step With Reverse Fly:
[leadplayer_vid id=”50DB06E6EF7E1″]>
Skates:
[leadplayer_vid id=”50DB072CCBE8F”]
Side To Side Hops:
[leadplayer_vid id=”50DB0779120F6″]
Cable Torso Twists:
[leadplayer_vid id=”50DB07BC37BC7″]
Lateral Lunges:
[leadplayer_vid id=”50DB081717DA1″]
2 Responses
Dear Mr Greenfield,
I’m sorry for double-commenting! I mistyped my email.
I’ve been doing your lateral step with reverse fly as part of your warm-up for your female mesomorphic workout (thank you for your book!). With a resistant tube instead of a cable machine.
But I feel like I’m not doing it right and I can’t find any further instruction than the above video demonstration.
May I ask, please, if you could post a step-by-step of the lateral step with reverse fly? I would wager I’m not the only one with your book who is wondering.
Kind regards,
Medea
Great suggestions. Lateral strength is too often overlooked.
See you in Kona!