Our legs provide us with mobility and deliver extra strength for lifting heavy items. They also support many of the fitness exercises we do to enhance our strength and boost our cardiovascular systems.
Yet many people - even those who hit the gym regularly - neglect to exercise them in a thorough.
``All of our movement is generated from our legs,'' says Steve Topham, a certified personal trainer at the Badminton and Racquet Club of Toronto. ``As a result, it is vital to exercise the legs in ways that increase their power, and improve their flexibility. In doing so, you have to bear in mind all the elements that make up the leg system, including the muscles, the joints and the ligaments. Add the fact that you are talking about a region that encompasses the foot, ankle, knee and hip joints, and there's a lot to take care of.''
Here are three exercises that can help you pump up your legs. As always, work out in loose-fitting comfortable clothing, and wear proper shoes such as cross-trainers.
Alternating Reverse Lunge
The reverse alternating lunge is designed to work the quads and glutes. Start by standing straight. Next, extend your right leg behind you, so that your toes touch the floor. Once your right leg is fully extended, bend at the knee on your left leg until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Hold this position for 1-2 seconds, then return to the upright position.
For the second lunge, do the same thing again, except this time it is your left leg that extends behind you, and your right leg that bends at the knee. Do these for a set of 10-12 repetitions. If you want to do more work, hold dumbbells in your hands, with the arms hanging down and close to your body. ``To add strength, extend your sets to 15 to 18 repetitions each,'' says Topham.
Side Squat with Knee Lift Balance
``The side squat with knee lift balance is a multi-part exercise that works your quads, glutes and abdominal muscles while helping to strengthen your hip and knee joints,'' Topham says. ``Beginning in a standing position, extend your right leg 45 degrees to the side, such that you can comfortably bend down on that leg. Bend down until the right thigh is parallel to the floor. As you do this, let the left leg extend behind you. This will happen naturally as you lunge into the right leg bend.''
Go into the side squat for one to two seconds, then return to an upright position. Once upright, bring the left leg up so that the knee is bent at a 90- degree angle and the leg is held high, with the thigh once again parallel to the floor. Do this on the right side 10 times, then reverse the setup and do it on the left side 10 times.
Calf Raises
As the name suggests, calf raises are designed to strengthen the calf muscles. These can be done in many ways. One of the simplest is to get a two-by- four or other short, flat surface and stand on the edge on the balls of your feet. ``In the resting position, your heels are angled down and touching the floor,' says Steven Topham. ``The exercise consists of levering up on the balls of your feet to get your heels off the floor. Your calves do the work of lifting your body. This exercise also strengthens the ankle system.''
Topham recommends doing 10 to 12 repetitions per set, up to three sets per day. ``If you want to get more out of this exercise, then increase the load by holding dumbbells in your hands close to your body,'' he says.
source: canada
No comments:
Post a Comment