To 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. The key here is that squats must be done in an effective and safe manner. When done incorrectly they lead not only to knee injury, but to low back injury.
Leg extensions are also good exercise when done correctly but can create additional knee problems. The problem here is that when you do the leg extension exercise on a machine, your thigh remains stationary. 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 can do standing leg extensions with Active Cords. In this exercise variant, the thigh is free to move and must be dynamically stabilized. Because it is capable of moving and does not remain perfectly still, it lessens the internal forces. This makes the exercise safer to execute and as a result more productive.
The leg extension exercise with Active Cords closely duplicates what occurs in open field or court play as for example in tennis, soccer, football, baseball lacrosse, handball, field and ice hockey. In addition, this exercise closely matches what occurs in the knee joint when kicking a soccer ball or football. When the kicking action is visualized as the leg extension exercise takes place, the improvement in kicking can be quite significant.
In the standing leg extension exercise you attach the Active Cord to the ankle and then 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.
Knee extension with a raised thigh is seen often in game play when getting to the 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 also assists 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. In addition, as mentioned above, doing this exercise helps you duplicate the kicking action to make it even more powerful after the thigh comes forward.
The key to successful execution of this exercise is to hold the knee in place. This means maintaining the thigh at approximately a 60° angle. You will find that this is not as easy to do as it sounds. When you become proficient in the standing leg extension exercise you can combine it with the lunge, also done with Active cords. This is a combined exercise in which you first execute the lunge and then the knee drive followed by leg extension. The leg extension in this instance will not be complete.
This is a more advanced exercise that should not be done by beginners or when first getting started even by more advanced athletes. Concentrate on the movements and work up gradually to doing it with maximum speed and explosiveness. After you become proficient in the exercises you will see dramatic improvement in your quickness on the field or court, especially when taking the first two steps. You will also be more explosive in your kicks.
For more information on this exercise see Biomechanics and Kinesiology of Exercise. Also see Explosive Running. For more information on the Active Cords see the DoctorYessis store.