By Matthew Ibrahim
Find Your Lateral Squat Stance
Most Strength & Conditioning Coaches understand the importance of training in all planes of motion—especially in the lower body. But knowing why it's important isn’t the same as knowing how to coach it effectively or where to start.
I believe the lateral squat is the foundational movement for frontal plane lower body training.
Try this tip to find your lateral squat stance:
Jump, land naturally, and note your “power position”. This is likely your optimal squat stance. From there, reach one leg out to the side, and align your shoulder over your knee and foot.
Warm Up with Purpose
Your hips and knees are only as healthy as your hip mobility and adductor flexibility allow them to be.
Yes, squatting heavy and jumping high is awesome. But, what’s even more awesome? Doing those things pain-free.
Start including these mobility-focused warm-up movements to prepare the hips and groin:
-Hands Supported Catcher Rockback
-Catcher Rockback with Toe Turn
From there, layer your warm-up progression:
-Ground-Based: Developmental Positions (e.g., quadruped, half-kneeling)
-Standing – Stationary to Dynamic: In the standing phase, I’m a big fan of groin-focused frontal plane movements that also support hip and knee joint health.
Start here:
-Plate Lateral Squat with Press
Then, progress to:
-Plate Lateral Lunge with Press
Develop Frontal Plane Power
Lower body power development is more than just vertical or horizontal jumps.
Yes, Countermovement Jumps and Broad Jumps matter, and they transfer to sport. But, don’t forget that sports are multi-directional.
To develop truly complete athletes, you need to train for power in all planes, especially the frontal plane.
Here are two of my go-to lateral power exercises:
-Skater Hop with Quick & Stick
-Continuous Skater Hop
As you progress, build toward more advanced lateral power work:
-Lateral Leap with 2-Leg Stick
-Lateral Leap with Stick
Frontal plane power is often overlooked, but it’s one of the most vital athletic qualities for game-speed movement.
Train the Groin Directly
The adductors (inner thighs) are among the most undertrained muscle groups in sports performance—yet they’re absolutely essential for hip and knee health.
Enter: the Copenhagen Plank.
Start with short-lever variations to build tolerance and control:
-Floor-Based, Knees Bent
-Elevated, Knees Bent
Load the Frontal Plane Heavily
We must move beyond just bodyweight and introduce appreciable load to drive adaptations in the groin region. Here are two loaded options to consider:
-KB 1-Arm Offset Band Slider Lateral Lunge
-Barbell Back Lateral Squat
These train strength, control, and positional awareness—all under load and all in the frontal plane.
Additionally, as an industry, we don’t load the lateral squat heavy enough—or often enough.
Let’s fix that.
One of my favorites is the Landmine Lateral Squat, which allows for increased load while reinforcing technique with an anterior bias.
From there, expand your tool kit:
-Barbell
-Chains
-Weight vest
-Goblet variations, etc.
You can (and should) train the heavy lateral squat in the main strength block (A-block) of your training session. Don't be afraid to drop into 3–5 reps per side to maximize loading potential.
Frontal plane strength enhances hip, knee, and groin durability, all of which are critical for long-term performance and injury resilience.
The frontal plane matters. Let’s start treating it that way.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Matthew S. Ibrahim, PhD, CSCS, LMT, is a strength and conditioning coach, college professor, public speaker, and author. He serves as Clinical Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Endicott College, where he also volunteers in Athletics as a Strength & Conditioning Coach and Faculty Consultant. He is the founder of Athletic Performance University (APU), Adjunct Instructor at Maryville University, and a Massachusetts State Advisory Board Member for the NSCA. A sought-after speaker, he has presented globally—including in Europe and across more than 25 U.S. states—at EXOS at Google HQ, UFC PI, Stanford, Duke, NSCA, and Perform Better. His expertise has been featured in Muscle & Fitness, Men’s Journal, NSCA Personal Training Quarterly, Science for Sport, and T-Nation. His debut book, Train Like a Pro: Programming to Develop Your Inner Athlete, will be published by Human Kinetics on July 21, 2025.