Dr. DaveStrength

Compound lifts should make up a big part of your lower-body training, but sometimes your whole body gets tired before the muscle you’re trying to train does.

That’s where isolation work can be really useful.

Leg extensions let you keep challenging the quads without needing your glutes, back, core, and upper body to stabilize a heavy load.

Lately, I’ve been using the Apex Adjustable Bench Leg Trainer in my garage gym, and it’s given me an easy way to add direct quad work without needing a full-size leg extension machine.

Save this for your next leg day. 💪🏻

Prevent knee injuries and build lower body strength with the Lateral Step Tap

Always a staple of mine. Whether you’ve worked with me in person on online, you know you’ve done this before and felt it in the quads and glutes 🔥

If you’re dealing with a knee injury, let’s talk. I’d love to learn more. Send me a DM 💪🏻

🔥 Have you tried these before?

Enhance your single-leg stability with perturbations using a resistance band and kettlebell. Adding an instability component to these exercises challenges your balance, helping to improve both sports performance and the stability needed for everyday movement.

Save this post and give these exercises a try!

The posterior tibialis is a deep muscle in your lower leg that plays a crucial role in supporting your arch and controlling foot movement. It helps with foot inversion and plantarflexion, making it essential for stability when walking, running, and cutting during sports.

When weak, this muscle can contribute to foot collapse, leading to adult-acquired flat foot, overpronation, and even knee or ankle pain.

In this video, I’m using a slant board by to strengthen the posterior tibialis by holding a concentric contraction, which mimics how the muscle stabilizes your foot during movement. This is a key way to build strength and reduce foot collapse in sports and daily life!

🔥 Try this exercise and keep your feet strong!

🔥 Stop skipping your hip flexors! Strengthening them in both the lengthened and shortened positions is key for better mobility, stability, and performance. Try these 3 moves to level up your hips and keep injuries away.

💥 Shoulder Pain? It Might Be Your Scapula!

Weakness and lack of motion in the scapula can lead to shoulder pain and dysfunction. Training the six motions of the scapula is crucial for smooth shoulder movement and maintaining strong, healthy shoulders. These movements include:

🔹Elevation
🔹Depression
🔹Protraction
🔹Retraction
🔹Upward Rotation
🔹Downward Rotation

In this reel, I demonstrate an exercise for each of these movements. Incorporating these exercises into your routine can improve shoulder stability and function, reducing the risk of pain and injury. Keep your shoulders strong and healthy! 💪✨

If you have any questions, drop a comment below! For 1 on 1 online training for strength and injury rehab, DM me or check out the link in my bio.

Stay strong, and

Your Achilles tendon and calf need to be prepared for the activities you want to do!

As a physical therapist, I’ve seen plenty of people go from being inactive for years to suddenly playing pickleball, running, jumping, and cutting at 100% intensity.

That’s usually when calf strains, ankle injuries, and even Achilles ruptures can happen.

It’s not that these activities are bad, it’s that your body may not be ready for those demands just yet.

Ease into it. Build calf strength. Progress your jumping and landing. Let the Achilles adapt before you go full send.

If you’re dealing with an ankle injury or want help building a stronger, more resilient lower body, send me a DM with the word ANKLE