KRU PT + Performance Lab

The hip is a deep ball-and-socket joint built for stability, not just range of motion. In FAI, the femur and socket make abnormal contact in certain positions, managing it means combining capsular mobility, motor control, and load tolerance, not just stretching it out.

1. Hip MOBs
Gentle joint mobilization to address capsular restriction and ease compression in the socket.
🔁 2×10 reps per direction | Slow, oscillating movement
2. Hip CARs Kneeling
Controlled Articular Rotations build active control and proprioception through full available range.
🔁 3×5 each direction | Move slow, no momentum
3. Hip Flexion Iso w/ Band
Isometric hold in flexion — often the most provoked position in FAI. Builds tolerance without aggravating the joint.
🔁 3×20–30 sec hold | No pinching pain
4. SL RDL w/ Band Cueing
Band cue reinforces hip hinge mechanics and pelvic control, reducing compensatory rotation at the hip.
🔁 3×8–10 per leg | Band tension at hip crease
5. Lateral Step Down
Eccentric control of the front hip and knee — challenges single-leg stability and load acceptance.
🔁 3×8–10 per leg | Control the descent
6. Side Plank + Band
Band around the knees adds an abduction demand, targeting glute med for lateral pelvic stability.
🔁 3×20–30 sec per side | Hips stacked, no
7. Light Posterior Hip Capsule Stretch
Addresses posterior capsule tightness, which can drive compensatory anterior loading.
🔁 2×30 sec | Gentle — not aggressive
8. Hip Loop Bands SL
Single-leg stance against band resistance drives hip stability and control in a functional position.
🔁 3×10–12 per leg | Slow and controlled

Hip impingement rarely comes from one thing — it’s capsular mobility, motor control, and load tolerance working together.

The ACL plays a direct role in proprioceptive feedback. When it gets injured, that sensory communication gets disrupted alongside the structural damage. A well-structured progression rebuilds both.

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KB SL RDL — The hamstrings generate a posterior pull on the tibia, reducing anterior shear force at the joint. Train them slow, train them long.
3x8-10 | 3-sec lower

SL Box Squat — A fixed endpoint allows the nervous system to load the joint with confidence rather than brace against the unknown.
3x8 per side

RFE Split Squat w/ Valgus Resist — The band above the knee loads the hip abductors and ER directly against dynamic valgus — the pattern most associated with ACL injury.
3x8-10 per side

Slider Lateral Lunge — Frontal plane loading with eccentric demand on the stance limb. The inner and outer hip have to co-contract to control it.
3x10 per side

Lateral Step Down — Every compensation pattern surfaces here. Hip drop, knee drift, trunk shift. As much assessment as it is exercise.
3x10-15 per side

Skater Hops — Single-limb lateral force absorption. Stick the landing for 2 seconds — the absorption is the point.
3x8-10 per side

3 Point Forward Lunge — Three angles, three loading demands. Captures the rotational and frontal plane stress straight-line lunges miss.
3x6 per direction

RFE Split Squat Hop — Reactive output over controlled tempo. The bridge between strength work and sport.
3x6-8 per side

SL Depth Drop — Absorb a single-limb landing quietly. No stiffness, no valgus. If this breaks down, earlier stages need more time.
3x5-6 per side

The UCL is the primary stabilizer against valgus stress at the medial elbow. Every throw, swing, or overhead movement places tensile load on this ligament — and without the surrounding musculature trained to share that load, the tissue accumulates micro-trauma until it fails.

1️⃣ 90/90 Internal Rotation Trains the rotator cuff to decelerate internal rotation, reducing torque that transfers down to the medial elbow.
3 x 12–15 | Slow and controlled, pause at end range

2️⃣ Banded Supinations Strengthens the supinator directly around the proximal radius, reducing valgus stress during pronation/supination cycles.
3 x 15 each direction | Full ROM

3️⃣ Grip Strength Carries — DB Farmer | Plate Pinch | KB Ball Activates the flexor-pronator mass — the muscular sleeve that runs directly over the UCL across three grip patterns.
3 x 30–40 meters | No straps

4️⃣ Y & W Ball Quick Catches Builds proximal stability through the lower trap and posterior rotator cuff so force is absorbed at the shoulder, not the elbow.
3 x 10 per position | Reactive tempo

5️⃣ Half Kneeling 90/90 Eccentric Pull Forces true eccentric loading through the elbow in the exact position it experiences peak tensile stress during deceleration.
3 x 8–10 | 3–4 second eccentric

6️⃣ SA Wrist Flexion/Extension — Pull Down Machine Builds tensile strength through the common flexor tendon — a direct secondary stabilizer to the UCL under valgus load.
3 x 15–20 each direction | Full ROM, no momentum

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body — mobility demands stability.

The rotator cuff controls how the humeral head moves within the socket. Training it means working rotation, scapular mechanics, and load control together.

1. Scaptions w/ Mini Band + Dumbbells
Scaption plane is where the supraspinatus is most active. Mini band keeps the humeral head centered.
🔁 3×12–15 | Controlled descent
2. Prone YTW Raises
Y = lower trap, T = mid trap, W = external rotators. Prone removes momentum.
🔁 3×10 each | No shrugging
3. 90/90 ER Band at Wall w/ Press
Fixed arm position + press challenges rotator cuff co-contraction. Wall cues scapular position.
🔁 3×10–12 | Hold ER 2 sec before pressing
4. Bottoms Up KB Press
Inverted KB demands constant cuff activation to stay stacked overhead.
🔁 3×8–10 per side | Light weight, full focus
5. Banded “No Money”
Targets infraspinatus and teres minor with elbows pinned at 90°.
🔁 3×15–20 | Squeeze at end range
6. Wall Dribbles
Perturbation training — trains the joint to react and stabilize under unpredictable force.
🔁 3×20–30 sec per arm
7. Sidelying ER w/ Red Ball
Ball between elbow and ribcage eliminates lat compensation, keeps the movement pure.
🔁 3×12–15 per side | No trunk rotation
8. Single Arm Kneeling Landmine Press
Diagonal press follows the natural plane of the shoulder. Kneeling demands trunk stability.
🔁 3×8–10 per side | Control the arc

Shoulder issues rarely come from one thing — it’s rotation strength, scapular stability, and load readiness together.

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Your shoulder is the most mobile joint in your body and the most commonly injured in sport.

Restricted range of motion doesn’t just limit your overhead press. It alters scapular mechanics, overloads the rotator cuff, and increases injury risk across almost every athletic movement pattern.

These drills target the key restrictions athletes develop from repetitive training. Work through them daily — before sessions, between sets, or as a standalone 10-minute routine.

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, which also makes it the most vulnerable. Poor posture, muscle imbalances, and skipping warm-ups are the leading culprits behind rotator cuff strains, impingement, and instability.

The rotator cuff is made up of 4 muscles:
→ Supraspinatus
→ Infraspinatus
→ Teres minor
→ Subscapularis
These muscles work together to stabilize the humeral head in the socket. When they’re weak or imbalanced, the entire joint pays the price.

What shoulder injury prevention actually looks like:
→ Strengthening the rotator cuff with banded external rotations
→ Training scapular stability — serratus anterior & lower traps matter
→ Maintaining thoracic spine mobility
→ Avoiding excessive internal rotation dominance (common in pressing-heavy programs)
→ Warming up the joint before overhead or loaded movements
Common mistakes that lead to injury:
→ Too much pushing, not enough pulling
→ Neglecting rear delt and upper back work
→ Overhead pressing with a collapsed scapula
→ Ignoring early signs of impingement
A strong, healthy shoulder starts long before pain ever shows up. Prevention is always smarter than rehabilitation.