Recently I wrote a detailed article about a unique exercise called the “hip airplane” which is a variation of the single leg deadlift that I have been using successfully with people suffering with foot, knee, and hip injuries. Within this one exercise I added some slight variations to increase the challenge and difficulty to further strengthen the weak and lazy gluteal muscles. I received many emails regarding various ways I might progress this exercise once it is mastered for there are a ton of single leg variations you could use. In this article, I will give you a quick look at some of my favourite progressions to try that will challenge your body with multiple skills and strength. I also include some progressions to include for those who play sports. One thing is for certain it is an exercise that applies to people of all ages and something we all should be trying our best to improve.

If you have read any of my previous articles about hip pain, back pain, or knee pain you will know how important hip mobility and gluteal strength is to maintaining optimal joint stability and efficient movement. Anyone with pain in these areas will know how difficult it can be to either restore mobility to the hip, or strengthen the glutes without inflaming other areas of the body. The knee can be particularly vulnerable to instability caused by the hip and finding the right exercises to correct this dysfunction can be very frustrating and take considerable time. You will also know how critical it is to have optimal foot stability for achieving hip control. Training these weak areas separate to each other is a good start, but you will never make lasting changes until you link them together in an integrated movement. Two of the best exercises that I have used successfully in recent times to do this are the hip airplane and leg extension with rubber tubing pulling laterally on the tibia. In this article, I will explain how to do these exercises, why they work so well, and the various progressions you can use to enhance joint stability and strength of the body. This is one of those occasions.

When you have been exercising for a long time it is easy to get distracted by new and exciting exercises and lose sight of the fundamentals. While it is important to regularly change your training program you need to be careful of falling into the trap of looking for the latest thing. Sometimes the simple exercises provide the biggest gains, and allow you to maximise your full potential. A few years ago I wrote an article that rated the 20 most common exercises to see which exercises are the best and worst to use for improving strength and fitness. Previously I only looked at exercises that were commonly known, meaning I left out many great movements that I regularly use for myself and with others. In this article, I wanted to discuss some of these lesser known exercise variations that I have found to be game changers with people of all ages and abilities.