Stand upright, facing the Swedish bench with your feet hip-width apart, engage your core and hold a dumbbell in the hand on the side of your supporting leg. Place your foot completely and firmly in the centre of the bench, ensuring that the ball of your foot and your heel are in full contact with it. Shift your body weight onto your front leg and push yourself up powerfully. Once at the top, bring your free leg straight up in a controlled knee lift (at least 90° at the hip and knee), whilst the opposite arm moves forwards and upwards in a runner’s arm swing. ‘Freeze’ in this end position on one leg for 1–2 seconds, keeping your pelvis level and your shoulders relaxed. Then, in a controlled and decelerated manner, bring the free leg back and down towards the floor, reset the supporting leg and repeat the movement fluidly, or switch sides.
Attention:
The lower leg pushes off the floor with momentum (a jump rather than relying on the supporting leg for power); the knee of the rising leg buckles inwards as it is pushed upwards; the final position at the top is not stabilised, but is immediately released; the pelvis sags downwards on the side of the free leg whilst standing on one leg (Trendelenburg sign); only the forefoot rests on the edge of the bench, whilst the heel hangs in the air; the descent is uncontrolled and unchecked (‘plopping down’).
Lighten:
Choose a lower box height or bench; in the top position, let the free leg tap lightly onto the bench with the tips of the toes, rather than holding it freely in the air; Slow down the pace of the movement; use your fingertips to hold onto a wall or bar for lateral support; choose lighter dumbbells.
Harden:
Wear a weighted vest or increase the weight of the dumbbells; deliberately slow down the downward movement (eccentric phase) significantly to 3–4 seconds before your foot touches the floor; place the foot of your supporting leg on a balance pad on the bench; seamlessly incorporate a light calf raise on your supporting leg from the top of the knee lift.
