Leg Exercises
SEATED HIP ADDUCTION
Muscles worked: This exercise will not burn off fat from your inner thighs or make them smaller! There is no exercise that will burn fat from a specific area. This exercise will, however, strengthen the muscles on the insides of your thighs (adductor muscle groups). It also works the mus- cles on the outside of your hip (gluteus medius) on the side that you are standing on. Use very light resistance and small range of motion on this exercise. Think of this exercise as a tool for challenging your ability to stabilize your hip and stand on one leg.
Starting position:
•Sit one side near the power rods, and attach the cuff to the ankle nearest the machine (inside leg).
•Sit straight, lift your chest, tighten your abs and maintain a very slight arch in your lower back. •Adjust your position away from the machine so that there is room to move the attached leg toward the
pulley.
•In the beginning, you may hold on to the bench for added stability.
Action:
•Slowly allow the attached leg to move outward towards the pulley
•Then slowly draw the leg back toward the support leg, returning to the starting position.
Key points:
•Do not use this exercise for losing fat from your thighs. It will not make your thighs smaller. Use it to develop hip strength and stability.
•Do not cross the attached leg in front of the standing leg. Use a very small range of motion. More is not better.
•Keepyourspinestraightandyourhipslevel. Trynottoraiseyourhipswhenraisingyourlegtotheside or drop the hip when return to the starting position.
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STANDING HIP EXTENSION (Knee stabilized)
Muscles worked: This exercise strengthens and develops the muscles of your buttocks (gluteus maximus) and the hamstring muscle group (biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitenonosus) on the back of the upper leg. Remember, there is no such thing as “spot reduction”. Do not do this exercise with the belief that it will remove fat from this area. Do it to strengthen and build these muscles.
Starting position:
•Remove the bench.
•Facing the power rods, stand on the platform to one side of the rail.
•Secure the cuff around the ankle furthest from the rail. Keep this leg straight but not locked at the knee.
•Bend over 30 - 45 degrees from your hips (not your waist) and very slightly bend the knee of your sup- port leg.
•Keep your spine in good posture, with your chest lifted and abs tight, maintain a very slight arch in your lower back.
Action:
•Initiate the movement by tightening your glutes. Extend your hip by moving your entire leg backwards, then slightly up.
•Slowly move your leg as far as you can, without allowing ANY movement to occur at your waist. •Then slowly return to the starting position.
Key points:
•Make sure all of your motion occurs at your hip, NOT your waist or lower back. •Keep your abs tight throughout the entire exercise.
•Keep your working leg straight or very slightly bent.
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