PRIOR TO STARTING ANY LEG EXERCISES, IT IS RECOMMENDED YOU CONSULT WITH A PHYSICIAN

1.     JUMP ROPE

a.     Basic Jump Rope

                                     i.      Start with the rope behind your feet.  Simply swing the rope over your head and continue to jump rope.  You want to be jumping on the balls of your feet, stay off your heels.  The goal is to jump rope for 3 consecutive minutes.

b.      Squat Jump Rope

                                     i.      Start with the rope behind your feet.  Swing the rope over your head and jump over the rope.  After the initial jump, go down into a squat position and continue to jump rope in the squat position.  If you can not get into a complete squat position, bend at the knees as much as possible.  You want to be jumping on the balls of your feet, stay off your heels.  The goal is to jump rope for 3 consecutive minutes.  

c.      Double Under

                                     i.      This is an advanced jump rose exercise.  Start with the rope behind your feet.  Swing the rope over your head and jump over the rope.  After the initial jump, you want to jump the rope once while swinging the rope twice under your feet.  You want to be jumping on the balls of your feet, stay off your heels. The goal is to jump rope for 3 consecutive minutes.  If you want to add more of a challenge, you can attempt to add more revolutions into the exercise (3 or 4 revolutions in lieu of 2).

2.     DOUBLE FOOT HOPS

a.     Start with knees slightly bent, keep the feet together at all times, bouncing on the toes rising no more than 2 to 3 inches off the ground. Perform to prescribed time and sets.

3.     ASTRIDE JUMPS

a.     Start with knees slightly bent and with feet together, bounce on the toes and move your feet out to each side about shoulder width apart, bounce on the toes and bring the feet together again (this motion is similar to a jumping jack, but with out using the arms) and repeat.  Perform to prescribed time and sets.

4.     RAT-A-TATS

a.     Start with knees slightly bent, on your toes at all times. You are looking for speed of movement.  You run in place bringing the toes no more that 2 inches off the ground.  Perform to prescribed time and sets.

5.     COMPASS JUMPS

a.     Start with knees slightly bent, feet together and stay on your toes at all times.  Bounce and move your feet forward (north), bounce and bring your feet back to the starting point, bounce and move your feet to your right (east), bounce and bring your feet back to the starting point, bounce and move your feet to the rear (south), bounce and bring your feet back to the starting point, bounce and move your feet to your left (west), bounce and bring your feet back to the starting point, this completes one repetition.  Perform to prescribed time and sets.

6.     SHIN EXERCISE

a.     Stand one foot away from a wall. Lean back until buttocks and back touch the wall.  Keep heels on the ground.  Flex ankles so toes rise as high as possible, let the feet sink back, do not place toes on the floor and repeat.  Perform to prescribed time and sets.

7.     TWO LEGGED SQUATS

a.     Start by standing straight up with feet shoulder width apart and pointing straight forward.  While keeping your back as straight as possible, slowly bend your knees until your thighs become parallel with the floor.  Once your thighs are parallel with the floor, flex toes so heels rise as high as possible.  Slowly reverse the steps until you are in the starting position and repeat the steps.  Perform to prescribed repetitions or time and sets.  You can add resistance to this exercise by adding dumbbells, weight vest, etc.

8.     SINGLE LEGGED SQUATS

a.     Start by standing straight up with feet evenly distanced and pointing straight forward.  While keeping your back as straight as possible, slowly bend your knee until your thigh becomes parallel with the floor.  While bending your knee, lift the other leg off the ground (you must be able to maintain balance).  Once your thigh is parallel with the floor, flex toes so heel rise as high as possible.  Slowly reverse the steps until you are in the starting position and repeat the steps.  Perform to prescribed repetitions or time and sets.  Switch leg and repeat exercise.

9.     SINGEL LEGGED SQUAT HOPS

a.     Start by standing straight up with feet evenly distanced and pointing straight forward.  While keeping your back as straight as possible, slowly bend your knee until your thigh becomes parallel with the floor.  While bending your knee, lift the other leg off the ground (you must be able to maintain balance).  Once your thigh is parallel with the floor, jump as high and far as possible (height is more important the distance).  Perform to prescribed distance and sets.  Switch leg and repeat exercise.

10.            Glute Hamstring Curl

a.     Starting in a kneeling position with your feet anchored and your knees bent at 90 degrees.  Slowly lower your upper body to the floor. You will probably need to catch yourself at the bottom, at least in the beginning.  Once on the floor, contract your hamstring to return your body to the starting position.  Chances are you will also need to give yourself a slight push off the floor in order to get moving up again. This is extremely challenging exercise at first and few people are good at it. If you are unable to lower your body all the way down utilize an exercise ball, chair, bench, etc. to assist you perform the exercise.  Perform to prescribed repetitions and sets.

11.            Good Morning

a.     Place a training bar (10 to 30 lbs) across your shoulders.  Bend at your waist while keeping your head up and your back and legs straight.  Lower your body toward a position where your torso is parallel to the floor.  Do not round your lower back, it is critical to execute the exercise with proper form.  Perform to prescribed repetitions and sets.

12.            CROUCH LUNGE

a.     Start with one foot in front of the other and spread apart about 3 feet.  While in a crouched position, slowly bend both knees until both legs are at a 90 degree angle.  The front leg’s heel should remain on the ground while the knee stays directly above the center of the foot.  Slowly return to the start position.  You can add resistance to the exercise by adding dumbbells, weight vest, etc.  Perform to prescribed repetitions and sets.

13.            LATERAL STEP UPS

a.     Start by standing to the side of an 18” high box.  Step up with your leg and press off it to bring the other leg up to the top of the box.  Slowly lower back down and repeat.  Perform to prescribed repetitions and sets.  Once you have perfected the exercise, you will want to step up and over the box and go back and forth rotating the legs.

14.            CALF RAISES

a.     Start standing straight up with knees slightly bent.  Slowly raise your heels off the ground as high as possible, return to the start position and repeat.  Perform to prescribed repetitions and sets.  You can resistance to the exercise by adding weights.

15.            SPRINTING

a.     While performing sprints, you want to run on the balls of your feet.  Stay off your heels.  Each time you take-off from the start position, focus on powering out by driving off with the balls of your feet.  Perform to prescribed distance. 

                                           i.      If you want to add variety into sprinting, you can incorporate stairs, parachutes, tires, or any other type of resistance, into your exercise.

16.            JOGGING

a.     While jogging, you want to your feet to hit the ground from heel to toe.  Perform to prescribed distance.