What do you guys think of using duck walks as a general strength excersise for a developing athlete? In case you don’t know duck walks are basically just dropping into a full squat, and waddling along a certain distance while maintaining the full squat (much like a duck). I did these yesterday and I can really feel my quads now. I did them for 10-20 meters at a time. Also would these be classified as high or low intensity?
STAY AWAY ALEX. The full squat position is fine for squats…but when walking the knee is not in a safe position. In fact my own knee was injured doing this…TRUST ME.
Thanks! Luckily yesterday was the first time I’ve done them so it’s good I found out about this now before they became a mainstay.
Alright new question. If duck walks are unsafe what exercises are okay for lower body general strength. Right now all I’ve got is bodyweight squats (full) and lunge walks for the lower body. Do lunge walks carry the same danger duck walks do? (I’m thinking no because the position is completely different, but better make sure).
I used to do lunges and they work well. Don’t let your front knees go past your feet though. It will put a lot of stress on your knees.
Walking lunges with weights are great GPP work…sailor walks and heidens are great training tools during this period.
But what about GS exercises in season?
Can you describe the two exercises you just mentioned, too?
Alex, listen to Clemson, any coach that advises you to do duck walks is just crazy. Extremely a bad idea for your knees.
If you are doing squats do not do full squats as they pose again too much strain on your knees, just do half squats as that is all that is required for a sprinter since in a start-to-acceleration position, thats really only what your body contourts itself as (half-squat).
As far as walk lunges they are great but keep 2 things in mind, make sure that your knees do not go past your toes and that the amt. of weight you use is only about 50-75% of your max.
If you are doing squats do not do full squats as they pose again too much strain on your knees, just do half squats as that is all that is required for a sprinter since in a start-to-acceleration position
anyone care to comment?
YMMV but I much prefer full squats. I find they are much kinder to my knees.
dcw23,
you find FULL squats to be kinder on yer knees?? how is that possible? I mean full squats you go ALL the way down and have your hams touching your calves, with ALL that weight on your shoulders + your body weight.
You must have some strong knees!
But I still think that FULL squats are not the way to go.
I’d been told that actually using a full range of motion on the joints is what makes them safer - I’ve got no evidence for this tho
I find full squats get into the hamstrings more but I only limit my squats to bodyweight
I spose you adjust the weight to the lift you do
Squat depth and sagital angles…
If the person has great squat technique then they can go all the way down with no problems. Gastroc-Soleus ROM is vital along with plenty of time with light loads.
The risks with the knee is having the hip letting the knee internally rotate. For example the duck walk has the knee a half a foot or longer past the toe…and the only way to move forward is to internally rotate! Add a bounce to get up and moving and that spells trouble.
thnx Ally for the past post on this topic, it was an interesting read.
However, I still find it hard to believe that a full squat can be safer on the knees vs. 1/2 squats.
Now please correct me if I am wrong, a FULL squat is when you go completely down, where the back of your leg is completely touching the back of your thighs, correct?? If this is the case, then wouldn’t this mean that the majority of the weight is being placed on the forward part of yor foot (balls) making your ankle and eventually, as you continue to fatigue with more sets/reps, your knees.
It would seem to me that the only remedy would be to either place a weight plate under your forefoot or just stick to half squats, and do them properly!!
I would like to hear from David W. on this.
At the bottom of a full squat, your weight does not have to be on the balls of your feet. It sounds as though you envision the heels raising off the ground in the bottom position but this is a technical mistake and, provided the squatter has adequate flexibility, it should never happen.
Clemson,
What do u tink bout duck walks fo people wit diabetes?>
I assuming your referring to Type II D.M. correct?
It is a new type my couzun got, the Type IIc. It makes him dizzy.
Hey Saint what do you mean? Don’t you know that only bear crawls are recommended for Type IIc diabetics?