Stance knee caves inward
VMO is the target — valgus defeats the purpose of the exercise.
Overactive muscles
Adductor complexTFL
Corrective work
Foam RollAdductors↗Foam RollTFL↗StretchButterfly adductor stretch↗Squat · Lower Body
Peterson Step-Up
Coaching cues
- Stand on a low box; lower the trailing leg heel-first toward the floor
- Controlled single-leg descent — VMO eccentric focus
- Trailing heel barely touches; drive back up through the stance heel
- Specifically targets VMO for patellar tracking and knee rehab
Common faults 2
Trunk leans over the stance leg
Hip abductor weakness causes a Trendelenburg lean.
Overactive muscles
Quadratus lumborumTFL
Corrective work
Foam RollQuadratus lumborum↗StretchQL side-bend stretch↗