Leg Exercises
Wide Squats
Leg Exercises
Stationary Lunges
Muscles worked
Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and adductors
Success tips:
•Keep the knees pointed in the same direction as the toes.
•Keep the head and neck in line with the trunk.
•Pay close attention to all alignment and stabilization issues on every part of each and repetition.
START
START
•Grab the dumbbell with both hands and stand with you feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
•Slightly rotate your hips outward, feet and knees should be lined up in that outward position as well.
•Stabilize your torso by lifting your chest, tightening your abs and maintaining a slight arch in your lower back.
FINISH
ACTION
•Under control, slowly squat down by sticking the hips back as the knees start to bend.
•Keep the chest up and the and back flat as the hips continue to move backward.
•Lower to approximately
90 degrees at the knees, unless otherwise determined.
•Return to the starting position.
•Do not lockout the knees at the top of the squat.
Muscles worked
Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and adductors
Success tips
•Place feet in a position so that when you lunge down, your front foot is directly under your knee and your back leg lines up under your hip.
•Keep your head and chest lifted, with a slight arch in the lower back during the movement.
•Do only one side to fatigue, then switch to the other side.
START
START
•Stand with one foot forward and one foot backward in a position so when you move to the bottom of the lunge, you front foot is under your knee and you back knee is directly under you hip.
•Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing inward.
•Keep the chest lifted, abs tight and a slight arch in the lower back.
FINISH
ACTION
•Slowly lower your body bending at both knees, simultaneously keeping the front knee in line with the toes.
•Move down and stop just before the back knee is going to touch the floor.
•Reverse the motion and come back up to the starting position.
Calf Raises
Stiff-leg Dead Lift
Muscles worked
Gastrocnemius and soleus
Success tips
•Do not change your hip or knee position during the exercise.
•Rise up as high as you can, maintaining your balance, on the balls of your feet.
START
FINISH
Muscles worked
Hamstrings, glutes and spinal erectors
Success tips
• | Your torso should move from standing |
| vertical to leaning forward at the hips |
| without rounding your spine during |
| any part of the movement. |
• | Keep the knees slightly bent. |
• | Only move as far as you can correctly. |
• It is critical that you keep the chest | |
| lifted and do not allow your spine |
START
FINISH
START
•Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, feet facing straight forward.
•Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing in.
•Keep your chest lifted, abs tight and a slight curve in your lower back.
ACTION
•Slowly rise up on the balls of your feet, lifting your heels as high as you can off the floor.
•Slowly return to the starting position, keeping tension on the calf muscles.
to round at any time during the |
movement. |
START
•Stand with your feet approximately shoulder width apart
•Hold the dumbbells down in front of your thighs with your palms facing back.
•Stand with a very slight bend at the knees.
•Keep the chest lifted, abs tight and a very slight arch in your lower back.
ACTION
•Maintaining your knee position, slowly bend forward at the hips moving your butt backward.
•Stop as your hamstings begin to get taut and before your back begins to round.
•Concentrate on tensing your hamstrings to pull you back up to the starting position.
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