Master the single-leg lateral depth drop to lateral bound, a plyometric exercise that builds frontal-plane power, reactive strength, and elite change-of-direction speed. Learn proper box setup, step-by-step technique, common mistakes, and programming to develop the explosive side-to-side movement sport actually demands. A complete guide for athletes who need quicker feet and stronger single-leg force production.
Forward bounding is a simple, low-equipment sprint mechanics drill that reduces ground contact time and builds the reactive, springy strength fast athletes rely on. Learn how to perform forward bounding correctly, the muscles it targets, common mistakes to avoid, and how to program it for sprinters, combat athletes, and youth athletes. All you need is a straight line and some open space to start running faster and moving more efficiently.
The front rack barbell front foot elevated split squat is one of the most complete single leg exercises you can program — combining deficit range of motion, heavy barbell loading, and a serious trunk and upper back demand. Learn the full setup, front rack options, step-by-step technique, common mistakes, and exactly how to program it for strength or hypertrophy. Whether you’re a powerlifter, a combat sports athlete, or just want stronger legs, this is the split squat variation worth mastering.
The front rack barbell split squat is one of the best ways to load single-leg strength heavier than dumbbells or kettlebells allow. Learn proper setup, cross-arm grip technique, common mistakes, and programming for wrestlers, MMA fighters, powerlifters, and general strength athletes. A complete guide to building unilateral lower-body strength with just a barbell and a rack.
The offset kettlebell drop and catch lateral lunge to slant board is a deceleration drill that teaches athletes to put on the brakes, yield into the hip, and stop cleanly before redirecting. Ideal for bigger, tighter athletes who struggle with lateral movement, this slant board exercise builds change-of-direction control, hip mobility, and single-leg stability. Learn the full setup, coaching cues, common mistakes, and programming from Brandon Smitley of THIRST Gym in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Learn the offset kettlebell drop and catch lateral lunge, a powerful deceleration and change-of-direction exercise that teaches athletes how to plant, brake, and stop efficiently. Brandon Smitley of THIRST Gym in Terre Haute, Indiana breaks down the biomechanics, coaching cues, common mistakes, and programming for wrestlers, combat athletes, and anyone looking to move more athletically. A must-know drill for building resilient, injury-resistant change of direction.
Toe taps to lateral push out is a reactive agility drill that builds ankle stiffness, frontal-plane control, and the split-second decision-making athletes need to change direction under pressure. Using nothing more than a low box and a timer beep, this drill turns a rehearsed pattern into true open-skill agility for wrestlers, court and field athletes, and advanced high schoolers. Learn the biomechanics, progressions, common mistakes, and programming from Brandon Smitley at THIRST Gym in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Standing rack-supported hip CARs are a simple, effective hip mobility drill that uses controlled articular rotations to unlock your hip’s full range of motion — flexion, extension, and rotation. Learn how to perform this versatile mobility exercise, the common mistakes to avoid, and how to program it as a warm-up or mobility filler for squats, deadlifts, wrestling, and athletic performance.
The lateral lunge to curtsy lunge is a frontal-plane flow that builds hip mobility, stronger glutes and adductors, and more athletic side-to-side movement with little or no equipment. Learn how to perform it step by step, why frontal-plane training matters, and three ways to program it — as a dynamic warm-up, a loaded strength exercise, or a bodyweight conditioning finisher.
The in-place lateral lunge with plate reach is a beginner-friendly hip mobility exercise that builds frontal-plane strength, lengthens the adductors, and teaches you how to load each hip with confidence. Learn the proper stance, the plate-reach counterbalance technique, the most common mistakes to avoid, and how to program this drill as a teaching tool or pre-training warm-up. It’s a foundational lateral lunge variation for wrestlers, combat athletes, powerlifters, and anyone who wants healthier, more mobile hips.