Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Exercise tip # 3 Inner Thighs and Butt

I actually struggled with what to call this tip the problem area is the title that came to mind. I think women would really identify with that title but the exercises I am about to give you are very important for men as well, and runners, cyclists and many other sports enthusiasts of either gender.

Whether you run, cycle, sit at a desk or just want to look good in your bathing suit and fit into those cute jeans, it is very important to work your leg muscles. This includes your quadriceps, hamstrings, adductor's (inner thighs), abductor's, calves and glutes. My interest today is showing you exercises for some of your stabilizing muscles i.e. adductor's and your glutes which are your hip stabilizers and really the center of your body.
I call this the Glute series but it starts with your adductor's (inner thighs). Each segment is to be done 10 times:

(1) Start on your back and lift leg up to 90 degrees, perpendicular to the floor, lower and lift 10 times,
2) Then on the 10th time with your leg up at 90 degrees lower directly to the side 10 times, place your hand on the outside of your thigh ( for support but do not actively hold your leg, this is to allow you to go as low as possible) lift the leg using your inner thigh muscles and make sure you are using your abdominals to stabilize and keep your opposing hip down on the floor
3) On the 10th rep lower your leg to a 45 degree angle circle from the floor and your center and circle in 10 times and circle out 10 times
4) Drawing your knee in to your body still at a 45 degree angle kick out also at a 45 degree angle. Make sure you are pointing your toes and take the tension out of your calf and that you are your knee in toward your chest and not your heel to your butt
5) Do the entire process on the other leg

After doing both legs and with no rest move into a 4 point stance. This means knees directly under the hips, elbows below shoulders and wrists below elbows. Do not arch back or round out shoulders, keep spine and head in alignment. You can switch hand position from palms on the ground to knuckles if your wrists get tired ( I do):

1) With your knee bent lift leg to the side with hips squared forward 10 times, (also called the fire hydrant for the image) raise your thigh to parallel to the ground without turning your hips out, you will feel a stretch in your adductor's as you start working your glutes, keep your abdominals drawn in
2)Keeping the same bent knee position circle in 10 times and circle out 10 times, make big circles that start from the hip ( the hip is a ball in socket joint and has the capability for this range of motion barring structural barriers)
3) Keeping the 4 point stance draw your knee to your chest and kick out to the side at a 90 degree angle 10 times, make sure to keep your leg up and draw the knee to the chest in between each rep you should feel a burn in the muscle
4) Repeat entire process on the other leg

Continuing in a 4 point stance, keep the hips squared forward and abdominals drawn in:

1) Extend leg straight behind you 10 times bringing the leg parallel to the ground, and squeezing the glute at the top of the motion, do not go higher or lower than parallel to the ground and no need to kick just extend and feel the muscles
2) On the 10th rep keep the leg extended and bend the knee and with bottom of the foot to the ceiling pulse up 10 times squeezing the glute, this is a small movement with a quick pulsing up using only the glutes make sure your quadriceps is at least parallel to the ground or you may be using your hip flexors for the movement
3) Then draw the knee down to the ground and kick up to the ceiling 10 times, this is a quick movement, make sure to keep your abdominals drawn
4) Staying in a 4 point stance with your hips squared forward and your leg parallel to the ground kick out to the side at 45 degree angle from your center 10 times (Do not turn out your hips! you will feel it in particular in your abductor's)
5)Repeat on your other leg you may have noticed by now that you often feel it more in the other leg, the one you're not currently moving and that is absolutely fine.

For the last part lay on your side with your arm under your head for support, hips squared forward legs extended with knees slightly bent:

1) Raise your leg to a 30 degree angle 10 times, do not go higher than that and do not turn out your hips
2) With your leg at a 30 degree angle circle in 10 times and circle out 10 times
3) Keeping your leg in the same plane, draw your knee in and kick out at approximately same angle 10 times
4) Bring your leg back to center and then kick forward with the entire leg to a 90 degree angle so your leg will be perpendicular to your body, make sure the movement starts from the hip.
5) Flip over to the other side and repeat

During these exercises be conscious of your abdominals. No rockette movements. Stay within the plane outlined for the exercises to be most effective All these are to be done on one leg then the other then proceed to next part. Each exercise is to be 10 times in sequence and on each leg before moving to the next segment.

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