17/10/2025
I have a client I have been working with. She is a current client and we are working to get her back to where she was before a car accident and now that she is post PT.
Here we are using a resistance band which is pulling the knee forward (anteriorly) during her split squats. This creates a unique stimulus that improves mechanics, stability, and neuromuscular control. Here is a breakdown of the key benefits:
1.
Enhanced Knee Stability and Joint Control
The band provides anterior pull, which the lifter must actively resist by engaging the hamstrings and posterior chain to stabilize the tibia.
This teaches co-contraction between the quadriceps and hamstrings, improving joint centration (balanced alignment of the femur and tibia during motion).
Great for ACL injury prevention or post-rehab situations, since it trains the hamstrings to resist anterior tibial translation—the same motion limited by the ACL.
2.
Improved Motor Control and Knee Tracking
The forward pull forces you to actively control the knee path, preventing valgus (inward collapse) or excessive forward drift.
Helps cue the lifter to “keep the knee over the middle toes” and feel how to control that movement pattern under load.
Over time, it develops proprioception (joint awareness) around the knee—helpful for athletes and those with past knee instability.
3.
Better Glute and Hip Engagement
Because the knee is pulled forward, the lifter must increase glute activation to stabilize the pelvis and prevent the hip from dropping or rotating.
This can increase hip extension power out of the bottom of the split squat, improving strength transfer to sprinting and change of direction.
4.
Increased Eccentric and Isometric Control
The band tension magnifies instability during the descent and bottom range, forcing more controlled eccentric loading.
You’ll engage stabilizers around the hip, knee, and ankle to maintain balance and alignment, improving overall movement efficiency.
5.
Reinforces Proper Knee-Over-Toe Mechanics
Used correctly, the band allows a controlled forward knee translation, encouraging ankle dorsiflexion and quad strength at deeper ranges.
This mimics the approach popularized by “knees over toes” style training (e.g., ATG split squat) but adds external feedback that enhances form awareness.
Summary:
The anterior band pull in a split squat trains your hamstrings to protect the knee, improves joint control, stability, and glute activation, and encourages safe, strong knee-over-toe mobility.
Citations-1) Reece, M. B., Arnold, G. P., Nasir, S., Wang, W., Abboud, R. J., & Wang, W. (2020). Barbell back squat: How do resistance bands affect muscle activation and knee kinematics? BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 6(1), e000610. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000610
Mirzaee, F., Sheikhhoseini, R., & Piri, H. (2020). The acute effects of one session of reactive neuromuscular training on balance and knee joint position sense in female athletes with dynamic knee valgus. Acta Gymnica, 50(3), 122–129. https://doi.org/10.5507/ag.2020.011
Foley, R. C. A., Bulbrook, B. D., Button, D. C., & Holmes, M. W. R. (2017). Effects of a band loop on lower extremity muscle activity and kinematics during the barbell squat. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 12(4), 550-559. PMID: 28900561.
