In

Speed
Srength
Agility
Perormance
Preventiom
Kendall Goodier Hales, MPT, COMT
 Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Improper and proper landing techniques
III. Warm-up
A. Forward jog
B. Backwards jog
C. High knees
D. Butt kicks
E. High skips
F. Bounding
IV. Progressive resistive strengthening exercises.
A. Lower extremity
1. Closed chain hip abductions
2. Unipodal bridges
3. Eccentric hamstrings
4. Lunges
5. Calf Raises
6. Wall rotations
B. Core
1. Knee up crunches
2. Trunk rotations
3. Leg ups on elbows
4. Supermans
5. Side planks
V. Donning a Valgus Eliminator
VI. Plyometrics (with Valgus Eliminator)
A. Vertical Jumps
B. Line/Hurdle Jumps
C. Box Jumps
D. Jump downs
E. Broad Jump
F. Twist Jumps
VII. Neuromuscular/Balance/Agility (without Valgus Eliminator)
A. Star
B. Shuttle
C. Karaoke
D. Sprint
E. Ladder
F. Split Jumps
 Warm up

The warm up is designed to stretch the muscles of the lower

extremities in a dynamic fashion. Several studies have shown
that dynamic stretching of the muscles of the lower extremities is
better than static stretching for Sports that require explosive
speed, quick direction changes and jumping. Each warm up
exercise should consist of about 250-300’ which is approximately
1 lap around a basketball court or 1 length of a sideline of a
soccer field. Focus should be placed on technique not speed
during the warm up.
1. Forwards jog
2. Backwards jog
3. High knees
4. Butt kicks
5. High skips
6. Bounding
 Lower Extremity Strengtehing Exercises (2 sets of 15
on each leg)

1. Closed chain hip abduction

1. Begin by lying on your side

with your elbow at 90
degrees. Keep your top leg
off the mat and straight and
your bottom leg bent.
2. Push down on the bottom
bent leg and lift hips
upward. Repeat on other
side.
2.
2. Unipodal Bridge
1. Begin by lying on your
back with one leg bent.

2. Push down on bent

leg and lift buttocks as
well as contra lateral leg
off the mat.

3. Advance by using
different sized balls under
bent leg.
3. Eccentric hamstring in prone

1. Begin by lyingon your

stomach with knee bent
to 90°. Try and hold that
position while partner
tries to force leg
downwards. Repeat

2. Advance by beginning in tall

kneel. Have partner push you
forward and use your
hamstrings to come back up,
keeping your body in a straight
line. You may need a second
person to help hold your legs.
4. Lunges

1. Begin by standing with

one foot forward and
the other foot back.
Bring back knee
towards the floor. Make
sure the front knee
does not go beyond

2. Advance by placing
back leg on varying
height boxes.

5. Calf raises
 1. Go up on your toe
with a slightly bent
knee. Begin by
holding on to a wall .

2. Progress by performing
the exercise without
support and then on a mat
or unlevel surface.

6. Wall rotations

1. Begin by placing your

leg on the wall with
your knee bent.
Cross your arms
across your chest.
2. Rotate your body
away from the wall
while pushing your
knee into the wall.
 7.

CORE EXERCISES
1. Knee up crunches
1. Begin by lying on the
ground with your
hands behind your
head and your knees
bent.

2. Bring your elbows

toward your knees
and your knees
slightly towardyour
elbows. Make sure
you don’t tuck your
chin.
2. Trunk Rotations

1. Begin by sitting up
an arms length from
your knees and with
your knees slightly
bent.

2. Slowly rotate from side to

side.
3. Leg ups

1. Begin with body off

the mat and weight
on elbows and toes.
 2. Raise left leg – hold
for 3 seconds and then
return to mat. Raise right
leg then return to mat.
Make sure you keep your
hips down and yourback
straight. There should be
no extension in your back.

4. Supermans

1. Begin by lying on
your stomach.
Raise your left arm
and right leg
simultaneously and
hold for 3 seconds.
2. Raise right arm and
left leg. Be careful not
to raise arms or legs
too high to prevent too
much extension of the
spine.
8. Side Planks

1. Begin by lying on
your side, propped
up on your elbow.
 2. Lift your hip off of the
mat and then return to
the starting position.
Repeat on the other side.

PLYOMETRICS

The next set of exercises focus on landing techniques and will

help to incraese your vertical jump and your explosive power to
the ball. Perform each exercise 15 times and make sure to take a
minute break in between exercises. You can also double up with a
partner and rest while they perfoem the exercise. You may
increase the number of repitions, but do not exceed 30. There is
a progression to each exerciseto increase the difficulty. You
should advance a progression each week until you reach
progression 5. After the athlete is able to perform all exercises
with proper landing techniques , a sport specific drill may be
added to simulate a game like situation.

Progression:
1. Double leg take off to double leg landing on Mat
2. Double leg take off to single leg landing (repeat on
other leg)
3. Single leg take off to single leg landing (repeat on other
leg)
4. Double leg take off from to single leg landing on mat
(repeat on other leg)
5. Single leg take off to single leg landing on mat (repeat
on other leg)
Valgus Elimitaor

1. Begin by wrapping the

smaller piece just above
the knee on each leg.

2. Next pull one strap at a

time up across your thigh
and around your waist.

3. Affix Velcro in front of your

waist
1. Vertical Jumps

1. Begin by having feet

shoulder width apart.
2. Jump straight up as high as
you can. Land on the balls of
your feet with your knees apart
and your feet shoulder’s width
apart.
Progression1 : Vertical Jumps on mat: progression

1. Repeat instructions to
vertical jumps.
2. You may vary the mat’s
density to increase the
difficulty of the uneven surface.
Progression 2: Vertical jumps (2 legs 1 leg)

1. Begin with feet shoulder

width apart.
 2. Land on the ball of your foot
on 1 leg. Repeat with other
leg.

Progression 3: Vertical Jumps (1 leg  1 leg)

 1. Begin on one leg.

2. Land on the same leg.

Repeat on other leg
Progression 4:.Vertical Jumps on a mat (2 legs  1 leg)

1. Begin with 2 feet

shoulder width apart on
a mat
 2. Land on 1 leg. Repeat
with other leg.

Progression 5: Vertical Jumps (1 leg  1 leg)

 1. Begin on 1 leg on a
mat.

2. Land on 1 leg. Repeat on

other leg.
2a. Line jumps (forward)

1. Begin with feet

shoulder width apart
facing the line on a
 2. Jump up as high as you
can and land on the other
side of the line.

2b. Line Jumps (sideways)

 1. Begin by standing on the
side of the line.

2. Advance exercise with

progressions 1-5
1. Advance to performing
all progressions over
varying size hurdles
3a. Box jumping (Forward)
1. Begin with a box in
front of you.

2. Jump up as high as
you can and land in the
middle of the box.
3b. Box jumps (side ways)

1. Stand to the side of

the box and repeat
step 2.
 2. Advancebox jumps with
progressions 1-5. You may
also increase box height to
increase difficulty.

4. Jump downs (from box)

1. Begin on top of a box.

 2. Jump up and land in
front of the box.

Advance jump downs with

progressions 1-5. You may also
increase box height to increase
difficulty.

5. Broad Jump
 1. Begin with legs
shoulder width apart
and knees slightly
bent.

2. Jump as far forward as you

can and land with proper landing
techniques.

Advanceexercise with
progressions 1-5.
6. Twist jumps

1. Begin with feet

shoulder width apart
and knees slightly
bent.
2. Jump up as high as you
can while rotating 180
degrees.

3. Advance exercise with

progressions 1-5.
1. Add sport specific
activities to imitate game
like activities after landing
from the jump.
 Neuromuscular/Agility Exercises
1. STAR
1. Begin by standing on one
foot. Touch as far out as
possible on each line.

2. Touch as far back as a

mirror image to the line in
front. Repeat other leg.
1. Advance by performing
exercise with your eyes
closed.
 2. Advance by standing on
mat or varying densities of
foam.

2. Shuttle/ Side steps

1. Shuttle across the

court in a side
stepping manner as
far as you can go and
then slowly side step

3. Karoke
 1. Cross foot in front of
your body and then
behind your body.

4. Sprints

1. Sprint foward
 Advance by using varying
sports cord tensions,
increasing speed and by
adding a sport specific activity
i.e. basketball pass, volleyball

4. Ladder

1. 1 foot in each slot

2. 2 feet in each slot

3. Hop on 2 feet
4. Hop on 1 foot

5. Cross over
 6. Blue/blacks- alternate
between hopping over the
blue rungs and the black
side strap.

7. In andOuts: Hop forward into

slot and then out and back in and
then forward again. Repeat
sequence.

To increase difficulty with the

exercise- increase speed.
6. Spilt jumps

1. Begin with one foot in

front of the other.

2. Jump up into the air and

switch feet. Be careful not to
have front knee go beyond
the foot.
3. Increase difficulty by
performing exercise on a mat.