Up Leg, Down Leg (Part 2)

May 11, 2023

Adarian Barr, down leg, feet, flexion, foot, heel, hinge, knees, load, lunge, motor learning, pelvis, Physical, ribs, rotation, shins, sprint, squat, stability, technique, up leg

Part One looks at identifying each leg and how each prioritizes a different foot arch.

Directional Bias: Perpendicular vs. Parallel.

Up leg works the foward and back (parallel to ground). Down leg works the up and down (perpendicular to ground).

Video from feature photo: same task, two different methods. Up leg hinges, down leg squats (torso stays upright).

DETAIL: Where you place pressure on the foot influences whether you will squat or hinge. Inner edge brings knee in and you squat. Outer edge brings knee out and you hinge:

STEP UPS & SHINS

Up leg knee just keeps moving foward:

Down leg knee-ankle-weight shift stops half way:

Right-squat-down leg is what I would naturally step up high with.

Strength Training Application

Allow lateral shifting into preferred half movement:

Rack pull – torso pitch and lifted leg action:

Collisions

Down leg (hip) handles impact much better than up leg.

Foot placement (from air) – Up leg lands behind center of mass (push), down leg lands far in front (don’t fall):

[Consider the jumping implications from these last two concepts.]

It’s only fitting to close out this post with the man who first noticed (and termed) this phenomena, Adarian Barr:

Foot placement and center of mass:

Go forward (hinge, up leg) vs. stop forward (squat down leg):

Application to pitching starts:

Have Fun.

POST COMPETITIVE INSIGHT

understand yourself

Up Leg, Down Leg (Part 2)

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