Tall Kneeling Flexion/Extension with Step

With the recent release Gray Cook's new book, Movement, it may be a good time to remind ourselves of its predecessor, Athletic Body in Balance.That book was in fact, written not for the clinician, but for the end user to Screen and potentially correct themself.  Certainly Movement is a converse, where it is written for the clinician with an extended and more contemporary view of the Functional Movement System.That being said, Carson Boddicker recently elicited some conversation on an exercise in ABB that has never really gotten a lot of face time during Gray's teachings.  This is the Tall Kneeling Flexion and Extension with a Step on page 116.  It is considered a strengthening exercises in the Hurdle Step Progression.  I do think more contemporary considerations would likely wait until there were symmetrical 2s in the Hurdle Step before progressing to something performed dynamically and with load, but this movement is worthy of discussion.  It is interesting that some moves out of ABB never really got any "face time."

In correcting the Hurdle Step, this technique should be accessed with as in-line a stance as possible to simulate 1-leg stance.  We see this suggestion often in half-kneeling chops, lifts, halos, tornado ball work, etc.Can this be a viable option when other equipment is not available?  Of course, but certainly take caution that Shoulder Mobility is symmetrical 2s given the overhead dynamic technique.I might also elevate the down leg to allow for the stepping side to move freely in the sagittal plane.  In the picture from the book, the toe would have to drag to clear the floor.