How We Train  ›  Band Activation
Progression 7 of 9 · Ages 7–18
Wake the hips up first
Five minutes before every session. Glutes switched on so the big movements have something to work from, and hamstrings stay healthy.
7 drills, in order. Each one assumes the drill before it.
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Drill 1 · Clams With Resistance Band · Band Activation
7Drills in order
3Levels covered
FreeFirst drill
2004U.S. Olympian
The order
Before every session. Glutes and hips switched on so the big movements have something to work from. Tension over speed — this is not conditioning.
1

Clams With Resistance Band

Beginner Free

Side-lying and simplest. Nothing to balance, so the target muscle cannot hide.

  • Feet together, hips stacked
  • Do not roll backward to open further
  • Slow out, slower back
  • Feel it on the side of the hip, not the front
2
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Fire Hydrants (Band)

Beginner

Same muscle on all fours, with a stability demand added.

  • Hips stay square to the floor
  • Ribs down, no arching
  • Knee out, not up and over
  • Small range with real tension
3
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Single Leg Bridges

Beginner

Glute under a bit of load. The level of the hips tells you which side is weak.

  • Hips stay level — the side that drops needs the work
  • Squeeze at the top
  • Push through the whole foot
  • Do not arch the lower back to get higher
4
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Bridge Up/Down Wth Abduction (Band)

Intermediate

Bridge plus abduction. Two jobs at once, which is how the hip actually works.

  • Press the knees out the whole time
  • Let them collapse and it is just a bridge
  • Hold the top before lowering
  • Controlled down, not dropped
5
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Sidestep Squat w/ Resistance Band

Intermediate

Standing and loaded. The first one that looks like something they will do on the field.

  • Stay in a quarter squat throughout
  • Standing up between steps releases the tension
  • Steps stay the same length
  • Both directions equally
6
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Standing Straight Leg Kick Back (Band)

Intermediate

Glute in extension, standing. Closest to the sprint position in the sequence.

  • Drive from the glute, not the lower back
  • Stop before the back starts arching
  • Stance leg stays tall
  • Controlled return, no swinging
7
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Up-Down Elevated Bridges Abduction

Advanced

The hardest bridge in the library. Range, load and abduction together.

  • Full range up and down
  • Band tension never goes slack
  • Hips level throughout
  • Save it for when the rest are easy
6 more drills in this progression

Every one filmed, with the cues Coach J actually says. Online Studio opens all nine progressions and the programs built on them.

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