Banded Lateral Lunge
How to Do It
Loop a band for resistance (around the working leg or held) and stand tall. Step wide to one side, bending that knee and pushing the hips back while the trailing leg stays straight, feet flat. Descend to a comfortable depth against band tension, then drive back to center against the band. Reps, then switch.
Why It Works
Adds accommodating resistance to the lateral lunge, loading the frontal-plane hip and adductors through the push back to center, building lateral push strength and hip/adductor control with a joint-friendly stimulus.
Hockey Transfer
Trains the lateral push-off and return of the crossover and stride directly in the frontal plane; resisted adductor/glute loading improves side-to-side push power and protects against groin/hip strain.
Coaching Cues
- "Sit back into the hip"
- "heel down, toes forward"
- "drive back against the band"
Common Mistakes
Heel lifting; chest collapsing; knee caving; losing band tension
Progression / Regression
heavier band or add a DB
lighter band or bodyweight lateral lunge
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Strength/neural
Put it to work
on the ice.
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