The Half Kneeling Position: Why It Is Beneficial And How To Set Up For It

Most IFAST clients will be able to give you a detailed explanation of what a proper half kneeling position looks like. This is because many of them have spent a lot of time in the position performing various exercises and stretches.

We utilize the half kneeling position a lot at IFAST, and today, I want to discuss how to properly set up in the position and why it is beneficial.

Half Kneeling Set-Up

From the front:
Foot and knee should be about hip width apart to start (you can eventually make it harder by bringing them closer to inline).
The down knee should be stacked underneath the hip.
The foot that is planted should be in a line with the same knee and hip.
The hips and shoulders should be squared ahead.

From the side:
The down knee should be in line with the hip, shoulder, and ear.
The front shin should be vertical.
The back should be relatively straight.

Here is a video I shot a while ago that details the half kneeling position.

Benefits of Half Kneeling

It helps to improve balance – it is easier to stabilize your body than with standing.

It is a great way to mimic being on a single leg, but again, with less stability demands.

It teaches you to align your pelvis and rib cage more easily.  When the pelvis and rib cage are aligned properly, we are in the most efficient position to stabilize our trunk and keep our backs healthy.  This position will teach us to effectively engage our abs.

Once you are comfortable getting into a half kneeling position you can begin challenging your stability and strength with various exercises.  We perform many exercises from this position.

Here are just a few examples:

Half Kneeling Pallof Press
Half Kneeling Cable Lift
Half Kneeling Cable Chop
Half Kneeling Landmine Press
Half Kneeling Cable Row

Again, the idea is to be completely solid throughout your trunk and hips.  The only thing that should be moving is your arms.

Once you are able to perform a particular exercise in half kneeling with good stability, you can move to a more difficult position such as standing or split stance.  This will be more challenging because you are having to stabilize more of your body.

So if you feel like you could benefit from improved balance and stability, then give the half kneeling position a shot.  I think most of our clients can vouch for it’s effectiveness.

Have a great week!