Lower Body 1

[click on other lower body workouts to the right]

 

 * Begin each workout with 5-10 min of light cardiovascular activity. Light stretching may be used as a warm up, however it is more beneficial to include flexibility exercises (stretching) at the conclusion of your workout. Not only will this assist in decreasing the light soreness experienced with strength training but, since the muscles are already warmed up from the exercise session, it will decrease the risk of injuring a muscle vs. stretching at the beginning.

* Choose a weight where you reach fatigue within the 8-12 repetition range. For instance, if you reach muscle fatigue before 8 repetitions, lighten the weight. If you can perform more than 12 repetitions with strict form, increase the weight slightly.

* The speed of each repetition is very important! The concentric phase of the exercise (the "push or pull" phase) should be somewhat faster and last 1-2 seconds. The eccentric phase (the "return" phase - resisting the weight back to the starting position) should be slower and last 2-3 seconds.

* Try to complete 2-3 sets of each exercise.

 

LOWER BODY

Illustrations of exercises can be found below

Exercise                                               Muscle Group Involved          Sets                 Reps

Walking or Stationary Lunges            Quads, Hams                            2-3                   8-12

Hip Extension                                  Hamstrings & Glutes                   2-3                   8-12

Hip Flexion (high knee)                    Upper Quad & Hip Flexors           2-3                   8-12

Alternating Leg Extension                  Quad                                       2-3                   8-12

Physioball Hamstring Curl                  Hamstring                                2-3                   8-12

Kneeling "Superman"                         Low back                                 2-3                   8-12

Sitting Calf Raise                                Calf                                       2-3                   8-12

 Abs: Crunch/Leg Tuck Combo. In one motion, perform crunching exercise with upper body while simultaneously tucking knees towards upper body (pictured). Reverse process, extending legs out and releasing upperbody and shoulder blades towards the ground.

 

 Walking Or Stationary Lunges - Bar or Dumbbell

              OR      

 

Hip Extension                                                             Hip Flexion

                                                  

 

Alternating Leg Extension - perform single leg, ALTERNATING each leg

    

 Physioball Leg Curl - Try to keep hips off ground throughout entire set

    

 Kneeling "Superman" - When one arm rises, the opposite leg extends out;   alternate sides

   

 

Sitting Calf Raise