Pendulum Movements are a staple in my training system. Functionally adaptable movement encompasses efficiency, rhythm, grace, explosive power and center of gravity. When done correctly, Pendulum exercises improve all these dynamics. The Involvement of a Pendulum Swing during an exercise forces your body to adapt to momentum and horizontal forces that you wouldn't get out of traditional methods. An axial loaded squat, for example, primarily develops stability and strength while there is a vertical axis of pressure being placed down upon your body. With most sports and movement in reality, there's a stop and go element that needs to be taken into account, so momentum is a force that needs to be accounted for. Traditional squats are great, but they don't train the body to be good within a horizontal axis of resistance, Pendulum Squats do. The swinging of that weight not only accounts for vertical load, but also for horizontal loads as well. Keep in mind that the eccentric and concentric contractions mimic the speeds in which the body moves within gait.
In this video, I teach you how to do the most basic of all Pendulum exercises. Enjoy!
