Vertical lunge biomechanics question

Hi coaches,

So, I've got this debate about the vertical lunge with a gym PT regarding the knee compression caused by this exercise.  She said that it could be dangerous to compress the knee and stretch the quad since it could cause connective tissues injuries.

To what point can that be true?  

I suppose @Coach Sommer thought about that.  He must have chose it for its practical effects and a safe way to stretch the quads... (why this one instead of another?)

I've been doing this one for over a year and got only improvements.

So what do you think guys?  

Thanks

Hey Etienne, 

Claims like this are made about all sorts of exercises. Take the Jefferson Curl, for example. There are plenty who say it is harmful, and if incorrectly trained, it surely can be. However, even one of the worlds leading spinal health experts, Dr. Stu McGill, has agreed with Coach Sommer's protocols. My point is, it's easy to overthink and pick apart ANY exercise, but when GB's approach, protocols, and other context is applied, the "risks" seem to vanish.This shows in the results of GB students everyone(yours included). So, unless you have previously injured your knee joint, which it doesn't sound like you have, keep going.

Hi @Everett Carroll,

I do not doubt anything about GB, in fact I trust it completely. 

My point was that I didn't know how to respond to that and wanted to know more about this exercise to see how it really works (particularly on the knee for this thread).  

Hi Etienne, the only thing I want to add to Everett's answer it is that the matter of producing knee injury around the capsule increases as you perform internal rotation of the upper leg while the shinbone it is held on the floor like in this variation

this is why the wall variation it is much more useful.

43 minutes ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

Hi Etienne, the only thing I want to add to Everett's answer it is that the matter of producing knee injury around the capsule increases as you perform internal rotation of the upper leg while the shinbone it is held on the floor like in this variation

 

this is why the wall variation it is much more useful.

So, as I understand, we don't need to worry about the knee compression, since, there's no internal rotation?

15 hours ago, Étienne Lajeunesse said:

So, as I understand, we don't need to worry about the knee compression, since, there's no internal rotation?

That's my understanding, yes. 

INternal rotation with fixed shibone on the floor. the internal rotation it is generally due to tight adductors and tight quads.

Hi guys,

Does that mean that one should avoid the hero pose (both legs internally rotated with shins fixed on the floor) for stretching?

Hi Thomas,

I wouldn't say that everyone should avoid the hero pose. All exercises have their own place. However if you quads are tight you will need to modify this pose to avoid pain in the knees. This could be laying down on an elevated surface  

The body is definitely designed to be able to do movements like the hero pose when we become inactive and immobile as a result of limiting our ranges of motion as we grow up, it becomes more strenuous for us to do these exercises. In Japan, hero pose is a common resting position and most women can do it and many men can do it since it is practised in martial arts and as a resting position called "gyaku seiza". Once as an adult you attempt it with extremely limited ranges of motion, you should definitely progress back into the stretch slowly. Is it good for you? Absolutely. Do you need to be smart, patient, and methodical about the way you physically prepare and stretch your body? Absolutely.

On 21/10/2017 at 10:42 PM, Thomas Nordman said:

Hi guys,

Does that mean that one should avoid the hero pose (both legs internally rotated with shins fixed on the floor) for stretching?

If the pose it is the double leg variation there should be no problems because the hips position it is symmetrical. on the other side, the risk of the photo above it is due to different legs position because the exercise it is not symmetric.

Also, i do not consider the here pose with the shoulder to the floor an advanced pose.

There is no knee compression in this exercise. Your weight must be on the other foot and your hands, and only a little on the stretched leg.