Let’s stop neglecting our poor legs. Finally get those defined, outlined quads that attract the envious glares of those around you. A few targeted exercises will help guide you through your workout to get those toned thighs and calves. Soreness is inevitable if you are just taking those baby steps into the world of health. Some of these exercises may burn and cause you to hobble around your home, but it is a necessary evil to encourage future growth. Practicing the following exercises with the correct form will make you feel stronger and will give you a sense of reward. Whichever path you take will build up your physique in no time. QuadricepsBackground information: The quadricep muscle group (consisting of the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and the rectus femoris) is located at the front of your thighs. They play an essential role in everyday activities such as running, walking, and jumping. Building up those quad muscles allows you to have more stabilized ligaments, enhances your ability to do everyday tasks, and expands the horizons on what you can do in your sports. The Bulgarian Split SquatTo perform the Bulgarian Split squat, elevate your back foot onto a flat and stable piece of furniture/ block. The furniture/ block’s height should be below your knee, approximately around your upper shin area. Keep a square position with your shoulders and have your chest upright. Focus on bending down with the weight on the soles of your feet. Then fire through your quadriceps and stand back to neutral. Power through the movement as if you were pushing the floor down and away from you. Keep constant tension in your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves during the exercise. Remember, slow and steady on the way down, and then surge up. Repeat exercise 10 times per leg for three sets. Repetition is essential for muscle overload and will help you get stronger. If you feel confident, throw some weights in your hands and challenge yourself (one dumbbell- hold near chest but do not touch the weight on any parts of your body… two dumbbells- hold one each on both sides of your body.) The Jump SquatThis is not your average squat. It is a bit higher intensity, but I am confident that you can successfully attempt it. This is a perfect, intense movement that hits all the parts of your lower body. Start by holding your hands away from you (not touching your body), or with your hands gently holding your head. Bend down 90 degrees to form a right angle tracing from your glutes to your knees, down to your feet. It should be a seated position like it would be in a chair. Push the ground away from you and jump up. Focus on getting a high lift, pushing from the soles of your feet through to your toes to elevate you off the floor. This will help you get a higher vertical and position in the air. Transitioning from the air back into your ground squat, you want to land gently and get the 90 degree knee bend from the starting position. Then, power through the ground squat back into the air. Repeat in sets of 20 for three sets. HamstringsBackground information: The hamstrings are made from various fast-twitch muscles that allow you to extend the thigh, rotate the tibia, and flex the knee. Running, walking, and other forms of impact (from your body to the ground) relies on the strength of your hamstrings. This muscle group allows you to slow the leg down and prepares it for impact to the ground. Heavy lifting requires hamstring strength for explosive movements that allow you to shift the weight from the knees to your hips. Building hamstring muscles will improve your speed, power, and agility in everyday movements. Romanian DeadLift (RDL)Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold your weights (dumbbells, barbell, etc.) with the palm of your hand facing inward (overhand grip). Push your chest up (neutral spine), engage your core, and pinch your shoulder blades together. Hinge (slightly bend/ fold) at your waist with a slight bend in your knees maintaining a flat spine and engage your hamstrings when standing up. Concentric (fast/ powerful) on the way up, and then eccentric (slow and controlled) on the way back down. Make sure to have your weight on the sole/ heel of your feet. You should feel tension in your glutes and hamstrings in both movements (up and down). Remember to squeeze your glutes when you reach the top (ie. standing position). Form is important in this exercise to reap the full benefits. Repeat the RDL 15 times for three rounds. Kettlebell SwingStand with your feet shoulder width apart and place your weighted item about a feet or two in front of you. Pinch your shoulder blades back and have a soft knee. Keep your chest up and spine neutral as you engage your core/abs to pick up the weighted item. Shift the weight to your heels and lift the kettlebell off the floor. Swing it through the center of your legs and allow gravity to take its course. When your wrists hit your inner thigh, use your hamstrings and glutes to propel the weight forward. Your arms should be stiff and straight. Do NOT use your arms to power this movement. It is all about isolating the lower body. Keep your core tight and engaged. When you thrust your hips forward, you should be in a standing position and the weight should be eye level. Then, allow the weight to swing back between your legs with a soft knee and a hinged hip and then immediately thrust your hips forward again to propel the weight up to eye level. Make sure that the weight is on the soles of your feet and usually near the back of the foot towards the heel. Repeat the kettlebell swing 10 times for three sets. GlutesBackground information: The glutes are made of three main components, the gluteus maximus, the gluteus minimus, and the gluteus medium. Since the glutes are one of the largest groups of muscle in the human body, it is important to train it properly. Some would agree that the glutes are the engine to your body. Hip ThrustsLie down on your bench with your shoulders and upper back flat on the surface. Prop yourself up using your knees to form a right angle. Your body should imitate a table and should be relatively flat. Then you can take a seat on the floor making sure that you haven’t shifted positions and are facing straight. Begin the workout by engaging your core to keep a flat position and using your glutes to stay tight/ stable. Place the weights where the divet/crease is when you naturally bend down. Hands should lie on the weights you are using with palms facing toward you to help stabilize. Thrust your hips up toward the ceiling and push your chin down. Push the ground away from you with flat feet powering through your sole and heels. Maintain the tension in the upright bridge for two seconds then control the tempo on the way down. When thrusting upward, dig your feet deep and power the movement upward making sure to exhale. On the way down, it should be a controlled pace to reap the maximum benefits. Repeat in increments of 10 for three sets. No bench no problemIf you do not have a bench, lay flat on a mat and extend your legs far enough so that you have a flat back position slanting downward towards you. Then follow the same instructions seen above. Sumo SquatsHave a straight spine when you stand and move your feet wider than shoulder length apart. Turn your feet slightly outward to rotate your hips. Collapse your hands together, push your hips back, and squat down to form a right angle. Push through your heels and engage your core and inner thighs. These exercises should burn your inner thighs and your glute area. If you are feeling comfortable, hold a single dumbbell with both hands to add more resistance. If you do not have weights and want to step up this movement, try jumping sumo squats. CalvesCalf muscles are essential in any movements containing impact. They help propel and absorb your jumps and landings. They help stabilize your body and improve balance. Additionally, they offer support for your foot and ankles. Strong calves give the benefits of longer runs, higher jumps, and improved stamina. Working this lower body muscle will help give you the competitive edge by helping you explode power through every movement. Calf RaiseBy far one of the simplest exercises that can be done at any time, anywhere. Stand up straight, push from the balls of your foot, and raise your heel to stand on your toes. Then lower back to the flat foot position. JumpropeBring your heart rate up by grabbing a jump rope you have lying around and just start jumping ! Increase the duration of the exercise to make it more difficult and limit the breaks !
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January 2021
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