Squats – Great Leg Exercises

In the summer of his tenth grade year of high school, Tim decided that if he wanted to make the varsity basketball team the upcoming year, he needed to increase his vertical leap. His ball handling skills were impeccable and he was the best shooter on his junior varsity squad, but he knew if he wanted to compete with better and older athletes, he had to be quicker and he had to jump higher.

Never one to spend much time in a weight room, Tim wanted one exercise that would work the right muscles in his legs and help them develop over a short period. When he asked around, the advice he got more often than any other was, try doing squats.

Squats are great leg exercises because they work several muscle groups and multiple joints. This type of movement increases core strength, improves muscle balance, enhances stability and strengthens joints. Compound skills such as this also require less time and less repetitions to reach the desired result.

This lower body exercise primarily works the quadriceps and the glutes. However, other muscles groups such as the calves, hamstrings and back muscles are also worked. While this is a relatively simple procedure, proper form is essential to avoid injury.

Exercise:

• With barbell and weight on a squat rack at shoulder height, step under the bar so that it rests on your shoulders. The feet should be at shoulder width.

• Grasp the bar with your hands for security and lift, and then take a step back. Bend your knees until your thighs are at least parallel with the floor.

• Lift back to the standing position and you have completed one repetition.

If you have never tried this exercise before, start with light weight and limit the repetitions. The effects (in the form of soreness) will probably be greater than expected the next day.

Best Hip Exercises for Men

Men design their workout programs in such a way that they focus on the most noticeable parts that are visible to others. Some smaller muscle groups enable men to lift heavier weight during exercises allowing them to keep up with their designed workout. The hip flexors are the ideal examples of this smaller, less-visible but highly functional muscle groups. Here are some of the major hip exercises that can enable you to develop your hip flexors.

Hip Lift. Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Squeeze your buttocks and push yourself down to raise your body until a line forms from your knees to your chest. This will allow you to raise your body using your gluteus rather than your lower back. When you reach the highest position you can attain, hold it for 15 to 20 seconds. Slowly go back to your starting position. Do 10 repetitions.

Hip Raise and Flex. Start by sitting with one leg extended in front of you and the other bent at the knee while keeping your foot flat on the floor. Lean back on your arms, making your trunk reach a 45-degree angle. Lift the straight leg at about 45-degrees from the floor. Hold, and then bend the leg by pulling your knee into your chest. Return to the starting position. Repeat the routine 5 times. Do the same for the other leg.

Hip Extension. Using your arms and legs, support your body with your wrists below your shoulders and your knees lower than your hips. Stretch out one leg behind you in a smooth movement until your heel is at the same height with your hips. Hold the position for a while and then move the leg back under your hip, keeping it slightly above the ground. Repeat the exercise for 15-25 times. Do the same for the other side.

These exercises not only build the hip muscles but also help you avoid hip injuries that may be caused due to a fall as you get older.

The Right Way of Doing Hip Alignment Exercises

The hips may experience misalignment due to simple daily living tasks. Minor accidents, sitting improperly, stepping off the wrong curb and many others may cause hip misalignment. The hips support the entire body and doing hip alignment exercises is a good step before taking a full body treatment to ensure better results.

You will need the assistance of another person in doing this exercise. Start by standing with your feet together and placing your hands at the top of your head. Let the other person stand behind you and place their hands at the top of your hip bone on both sides of your body. Ask your assistant if he/she notices any tilting with your hips, if the one side is higher than the other or vice versa. If hip misalignment is verified, then hip alignment exercises must be carried out.

Spread your feet at a shoulder width while pointing your toes inward. Slowly bend your knees and lower body while maintaining your back upright and keeping your feet still. Bend your knees as far as you can, ensuring that no discomfort is felt. While keeping the same position, return to your standing position. Repeat this routine for 3 times.

While keeping your feet still, rotate your hips in a wide circle five times toward the lowest side of your hip, as described by your assistant. Do the same in the reverse direction. Pull your toes toward each other without moving your heels and as far as possible. Do three more body dips (described in the previous paragraph) while maintaining the position.

Using your foot at the lower side of your hip, take one big step forward, keeping it straight to ensure that when you place it down, it is facing straight forward. Bring your other foot forward and stand upright. Again, with the help of your assistant, assess the current alignment of your hips. If misalignment persists, you may do this exercise again, 2-3 times. If it’s still the same, rest for a few hours and do it again. Note that the longer your hips have been misaligned, the longer it will take to set it again in the proper alignment.

The Top 5 Exercises You Can Do with a Squat Rack

A squat rack can be used for more exercises than you think – its use is not limited to squats only. You can exercise your whole body with a squat rack and transform it into your own mini weight training centre. Here are 5 of the top exercises you can do with a squat rack.

For more information on a squat rack – what it is, how you use it, why you should use it, the different types, the most popular squat racks and where to buy them, have a look at this in depth article on squat racks.

Squats

A squat is probable one of the first exercises you will think of when thinking of a squat rack. This is how you perform the squat with the barbell weight. Hold the barbell weight at shoulder height close to your chest and slowly lower your bum to the ground, bending your knees (the movement is almost like sitting on a chair).

Lunges

Hold the weight at shoulder height with either gripping the weight with your palms or with your arms crossed. Slowly lunge your left leg forward and bend your right knee to the ground. Repeat for 10 times before moving on to the other leg.

Chest press

You will have to invest in an exercise bench to do this exercise and also the shoulder press. This is how you perform this exercise: lie on your back with the barbell on your chest, hands shoulder width apart and slowly press the weight overhead before lowering again towards your shoulders.

Bicep curls

The bicep curl will give you strong and defined biceps. This is how you do this exercise: hold the barbell in your hands, arms outstretched in front of you. Slowly bring the weight up towards your shoulders with your biceps.

Shoulder presses

Sit on your exercise bench, holing the barbell weight with palms facing forwards and your hands at shoulder height. Slowly press the weights up into the air before lowering them down.

These exercises will help you to get the most use out of your squat rack – transforming it into a full body weight training station. When you start with your exercise routine, be sure to warm up before hand and to stretch afterwards. If you need an exercise machine to train your abs, look no further than the ab cruncher machine.

Easy Knee Exercise

Knee exercise is imperative to every person’s workout regimen. Individuals who have had surgery or experience knee pain should do leg strengthening movements only after consulting a physician whom can give you the clear to do it without injury.

The knees are constantly in use while walking, running and standing. Injuries may result from everyday wear. In order to ensure your joints will not be taking the blunt of your travels do movements to strengthen your quads and calf’s. These muscles link to your knee and make it move when you need it to therefore strengthening these muscles can help ease the pain on this body part.

Some of the physical activities include standing, sitting and crouching positions. While sitting in a chair raise each foot one at a time off the floor and hold it in the air for five seconds and repeat. While standing lift your leg up and grasp your upper thigh with your hands holding it up. Then raise your lower leg ten times repeating this for the opposite leg. These simple motions can be done in your own home making them easy and free for you to try.

You can also try low impact exercise like swimming and cycling in low gear. If at any time you feel you are straining your knee, stop and try a different exercise.

You can run or jog as another alternative. You can certainly consider taping your knee or wearing a brace if you have pain in that area. Ensuring that you are wearing appropriate footwear is also very important in preventing injury.

This is simple and costs nothing to try. We all need to strengthen our joints and with these activities, you should decrease pain and increase strengthening joints and leg muscles. If pain is an issue be sure to see a doctor for tests and do not ignore the pain this could result in injury or further damage to surgical areas. The knee activity is important and not to be taken lightly therefore make it a priority to improve your health.

Calf Raises – Workouts for Calf Muscles

In general, some of the best exercises for the legs are incorporated in specific sports.

Have you ever been to a soccer match? What is the most prominent muscle in a soccer player’s body? More often than not, the answer to that question will located somewhere in the leg. Sports that require athletes to spend extended time on their feet and run as well are perfect for concentrating on the large muscles in the legs. This includes the calf muscles, which are actually a pair of muscles (the gastorcnemius and the soleus). Any activity that incorporates walking, running or jumping will work this area of the body, as well as the hamstrings, which are located at the back of the thighs.

However, if you want to build this region of the body without chasing a ball up, down and across a field for a couple hours, there are some exercises that can do the same job in less time.

The most popular group of lower leg drills are the calf raises. These movements are available in a variety of forms, though the basic concept does not vary.

Try this one:

Using light weight (that will cause no significant effort to lift above your head), place a barbell across the back of your shoulders.

Once the weight is securely in place on your shoulders, step onto a calf block (any suitable secure raised surface will suffice), but leave your arches and heels extending off the surface. This means they will be completely off the ground.

Now, using the calves, raise the back of your feet as high as you can. The weight on your shoulders will provide extra resistance.

Lower the heels as far as the muscles will allow. Be careful that you do not lose your balance at this point.

This exercise is great for strengthening the lower leg.

Burn Calories At-Home

A lot of people lead very busy lives these days and not everyone has the privilege of heading out into the gym and working out. In line with that, it comes to no surprise why many people are on the lookout for home exercises to follow. If you are one among those “busy bees”, then there is no need for you to worry. Here in this article you will find an excellent home exercise routine that will take up roughly about fifteen to twenty minutes of your precious time.

This at-home routine that you are about to read is specially designed to boost your body’s metabolism which in effect, will get you in great shape as you will be shedding tons of unwanted pounds and at the same time make you a whole lot stronger. So, here it is.

For this particular routine, you will be required to follow four specific exercises and they are crunches, squats, shoulder presses and push ups. All of these exercises will target your main muscle groups (i.e. chest, shoulders, abs and legs). The only equipment that you will need is a pair of dumbbells. If you happen to have a pair sitting in your garage, well it is time to shake off those rusts. If in case not, then there is no need to worry since dumbbells are pretty dead cheap and you can even order them online.

Moving on, you will need to do twenty repetitions for each exercise. Once you have all four completed, that is counted as one set. You are required to perform three whole sets. Another thing is that; remember to rest for only thirty seconds in between sets. No rest in between exercises either. The key here is too complete all three sets as quickly as possible, so you could reap optimum results. Do this at-home routine four to six times per week and you will get fit and fabulous in no time!

 

Plyometric Training – What is It?

Have you heard of plyometrics? Plyometrics are high intensity exercises that involve the use of explosive, fast and powerful movements and these exercises are specially designed to build muscle power, strength and speed. A lot of athletes engage themselves in plyometrics training exercises in order to better their game in their respective sports.

When training with plyometrics, the targeted muscles are contracted and then released in quick successions.

The muscle fibers, tissue, tendons and ligaments are all enhanced which in effect, enables the athlete to jump higher and run faster. If you choose to follow the principle of plyometrics, you will build up both your strength and speed and you can excel in any sport that you wish to participate in. If you happen to be a ball player, here are some plyo routines that you need to include in your jump program.

1.) Vertical Tuck Jumps – In this routine, you are required to jump as high and as explosively as possible. To perform this exercise, simply stand straight with your feet at about shoulder distance. Slowly bend your knees and then quickly leap up vertically. While in mid-air, tuck both of your knees towards your chest. Land as quietly and as softly as you can and without resting, propel yourself back into the air.

2.) Box Jumps – This exercise will require the use of a box or any ample size, sturdy platform. Stand right in front of a box or an elevated platform, bend your knees slightly and then jump on top of the box. Step down and repeat the entire process. Do as much repetition as possible. Remember, you need to do each jump in quick successions if you want to obtain the best possible results.

3.) Split Squat Jumps – This routine will target your calves, quadriceps and hamstrings. Extend your left foot backwards and bend your right knee. While in what seems like a lunging position, jump up as high and as explosive as you can. Switch footing while in mid-air, so you land with your right foot extended backwards and your left foot in a bending position. Repeat the whole process.

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