The 3 Way Single Leg Heel Reach is a balance exercise for beginners to improve the athlete’s body control, balance and coordination.
Learn more about why having great dynamic balance is important and take a look at Tennis Champions: What Separates Them From The Rest?
Before you engage in stability training you may want to take a look at Medicine Ball Training: Strengthen Your Core & Enhance Stability for more exercises and a sample medicine ball workout for advanced athletes.
3 Way Single Leg Heel Reach Progression
If you use additional weights…make sure you use appropriate weight so you can control the action throughout the entire range of motion. Otherwise you defeat the purpose of the exercise.
Very often, people use too much resistance and they become sloppy. Especially when it comes to maintaining dynamic stability repetitively.
Also, don’t just progress with adding more weight. Instead maximize the speed and don’t look towards the targets while reaching but keep your head up and look forward. All while maintaining perfect form.
If that’s still too easy then keep your head up and track and object/person while reaching.
Here are the progression levels:
- Beginner: look down
- Advanced: look forward
- Professional: look forward & track an object/person
3 Way Single Leg Heel Reach Description
- Place three (3) cones (targets) in a semi-circle 1-2 feet in front of you
- Take on single leg stance position (left leg); knee and hip are slightly flexed; non-weight bearing knee is extended; back remains straight; face the cones; maintain neutral head position; keep looking forward
- Use right leg and point the heel towards the cone in front of you (cone #2) without losing stability
- Cross over and reach the cone to the left (cone #1) with the right foot heel
- Cross over to reach the cone to the right (cone #3)
- Switch legs
Related Balance Exercises
- Alternating Diagonal Lunge MB Trunk Rotations
- Lunge Overhead MB Pull Over
- Medicine Ball Trunk Rotations
Training Zone
In this section we provide you with some more workouts and training tips you may be interested in to optimize your training:
