For week six we will be introducing the movement skill component of the program. Start these at an easy intensity and only increase very gradually. Pay close attention to the video demonstrations and instructions below.
The daily routine is still to be done every day:
The workout needs to be done three times per week, with at least 48 hours rest between each one:
Remember to keep logging your pain levels before and after the days program.
Don’t panic if you have the occasional moment of soreness, that is totally normal. If your pain stays elevated for more than a day, it might be worth revisiting your acute to chronic workload ratio to see if your training load has jumped up suddenly.
Week 6, getting close to completing the program!
Great movement skill is a key foundational quality so many junior athletes lack. Fundamentals such as running, jumping and efficient cutting mechanics are inadequately taught to a generation that spends less time in free play than any before.
For week six we will be introducing our two favourite drills to help you land like a ninja and run with lightness and elasticity. With only two weeks to go, your knees should be feeling consistently much better, potentially even 0/10
Every athlete wants to learn to jump as high as possible but before you can fly you need to be able to land properly. Soft, stable landings are a crucial part of deloading the knees and reducing the grounding reaction force loading of sport.
A soft, glute dominant landing pattern will take advantage of your newly activated glutes, helping redistribute ground reaction forces away from the knees and spreading them evenly through the lower body.
A good landing should look very similar to the squat pattern you have been practicing. Be sure to land with the midfoot hitting the ground first, then stick the landing with the entire foot. You should finish in a stacked, stable and glutey shape.
Start small with tiny little jumps over an imaginary postage stamp on the ground, if you feel confident, gradually jump higher each workout to test your skill and control.
Correct running technique is a critical competency for many team sport athletes. Learning how to execute a smooth coordinated stride-out pattern is the first step to faster, more efficient sprinting.
Think of the stride-out as being like running in slow motion, giving you the time to consciously make the shapes and reach the positions your body needs as you move through the gait cycle.
Some key points to focus on:
Watch the video for James’ demonstration on how to perform Stride-Outs
Using HUDL to record your form from side-on is also super valuable.
You’re nearly there!
Only one more week to go. Hopefully, by now your knees are feeling great and you may even notice you are moving better. See you next week for the final week of the program.
Also, we would love it if you could leave us a program review for how you went, you can do that by pressing the link below. These reviews go a long way to helping us continue our mission helping athletes around the world treat their Osgood Schlatters. Review the program here.