o strengthen the knees most players do squats and leg extension exercises. When done correctly, squats are a great exercise for the knees and for all-around movement on the court or field. Leg extensions, done on a leg extension machine, however, may create additional knee problems. The reason for this is that when you do the exercise on a machine your thigh is stationary and when you straighten the leg against resistance, high compression forces are built up in the knee. Over time they can damage the support tissues of the knee.
To alleviate this problem you should do leg extension with the Active Cords™. In this exercise the thigh is capable of moving and thus it lessens the internal forces making the exercise much safer. It also more closely duplicates what occurs in open field or court play as for example in tennis, soccer, football, lacrosse, handball and field hockey.
In this exercise you attach one end of the cord to a stationary object approximately thigh high and the other end to the D-ring on an ankle strap around the lower shin. With tension on the cord you hold the thigh up at approximately a 60 degree angle with the knee bent and the shin vertical or slightly behind, under the thigh. You then inhale and hold your breath as you fully straighten the leg. Execute 10-20 repetitions. . For more resistance add another cord to the one you are using. Be sure to keep the execution the same.
Knee extension with a raised thigh is seen often in game play when getting to a ball or having to step out very quickly to get to the ball or for some other function. The first action is driving the knee forward to get the knee up after which you swing the shin out to reach as far as possible. The faster you can drive the knee forward and swing the leg out, the sooner you will get to where you wish to go. This movement can also help you in your running as it is necessary to fully straighten the leg before you drive it down and back in a pawback action to increase your speed. When you become proficient in the leg extension exercise you can combine it with the lunge, also done with the Active Cords™. This is a combined exercise in which you first execute the lunge and then the knee drive followed by leg extension.
Go easy when first learning this movement as it is not as simple as it seems. Concentrate on the movements and work up gradually to doing it with maximum speed and explosiveness. After you become proficient in both of these exercises you will see dramatic improvement in your quickness on the field or court, especially when taking the first two steps.