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STATION 4: Front Squat and Beam Hop/Lateral Jump

 

FRONT SQUAT

MUSCULAR STRENGTH:  QUADRICEPS (QUADS), GLUTES, HIPS AND HAMSTRINGS

Stand in front of the squat bar.  Grip the bar and stand at arm's length away. Starting with straight legs and feet a little more than shoulder-width apart.  Begin to squat down slowly, until quads are parallel to the ground and knees form 90 degree angle.  Pause for 1 second.  Slowly come back up to a standing position.  Repeat.

A person exercising at an outdoor fitness station in a park.
High Grip and Low Grip Front Squat

 

BEAM HOP/LATERAL JUMP

PLYOMETRIC EXERCISES & AGILITY:  QUADRICEPS (QUADS), GLUTES, HAMSTRINGS AND CALVES, ANKLE/KNEE/HIP EXTENSION

Lateral jumps are a plyometric exercise that uses your body weight to develop strength, coordination, stabilization, and the ability to absorb force.

Stand beside the bar that you are most comfortable with, feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.  Bend your knees and hips to lower yourself into a quarter squat position.  Perform an explosive vertical jump to your side, over the bar.  Land the jump on the balls of your feet and evenly distribute your weight along each entire foot while allowing hips and knees to bend to absorb the force.  Repeat the jump to the opposite side of the bar.  Repeat this movement back and forth until you have completed the desired number of repetitions and sets.

  • ADVANCED-TUCK JUMPS:  Perform lateral jumps as explained above.  Jump higher than you would for a standard jump and raise your knees toward your chest in mid-air.
  • PROGRESSION-SINGLE LEG LATERAL HOPS:  Single-leg variation promotes agility and weight transfer while alternating from one foot to another.  Stand beside the bar with the knee of the leg next to the bar bent.  Perform a lateral jump over the bar, landing on the opposite leg.  Land softly, maintaining bent knee.  Hold landing in a controlled manner.  Repeat, jumping back to the starting position.
  • MODIFICATION:  Perform any of the above movements/variations without the raised bar.  Use a straight line on a flat even surface in the park.
Two side-by-side photos of different people jumping over green parallel bars at a park.
Low and High Lateral Jumps