The STACK Exercise of the Week will help you improve your overall sports performance—including strength, speed, conditioning and flexibility. This week, we highlight Resisted Knee Drives, an exercise that increases core, leg and hip strength.

Who’s Doing It

• Brek Shea, FC Dallas midfielder

Muscular Benefits

• Increases hip (hip flexor) and leg (hamstring) strength
• Improves core stability

Sports Performance Benefits

The Resisted Knee Drive is great exercise for any athlete who wants to increase hip flexor and hamstring strength. For Brek Shea, the exercise has played a major role in building his powerful soccer kick. Strengthening these two muscles and teaching them to work together also increase speed by developing a powerful knee drive. The more powerful your knee drive, the more force you can put into the ground. To top it off, Resisted Knee Drives also strengthen your core and teach your body to remain stable when performing an explosive leg movement.

Resisted Knee Drive How to

• Attach cable to shoe just above laces
• Assume push-up position with hands on bench
• Explosively drive knee to chest
• Slowly return leg to start position
• Repeat for specified reps
• Perform set with opposite leg

Sets/Reps: 3×10 each leg

Coaching Points

• Keep core tight to maintain straight line with body
• Drive knee up quickly, return it to start position slowly
• Use weight that allows proper form and speed