OCR Text |
Show w July 22, 1999 Exercise techniques l mm Hnmm Bitirah (Ql by Steven R. Ford Hilltop Times staff Second in a series offitness and articles designed to help people get in shape for the summer and the outdoors. body-shapi- ng the knees have reached an angle of 90 degrees or greater, slowly straighten the legs. Do not lock the knees at the top of the movement. i "When you come down, come down to the legs or chest, but keep the heels flat on the platform at all times," Muhr - ? ; ; i , the old advertisement said, said. beats a great pair of Muhr advises each person to avoid During the summer there's using too much weight. If you're comno way around it, your legs are conpromising slow, controlled form at any stantly on display. Whether in a pair time during the exercise, chances are, of shorts, a swimming suit, or, for you're working with too much weight. women, a short skirt, your legs are out there. So now is the time to help Lunges: them look their best. Stand with your feet together, toes The legs are the hardest part of the pointing straight forward and a dumb-el- l As ; body to work because you need them to support you. As such most people don't like to work too hard on their lower body because they feel weak, shaky or unstable afterward. But most women will tell you that a man looks pretty bad with a large upper body and spindly legs. By contrast, no woman wants to have "chicken legs." in each hand. Keep your shoulders squared and your head facing straight ahead. Step forward with your right knee and lower your hips until your left knee is just a few inches off the floor. Be sure to keep your chin up and back straight as you push with the right leg, mmhmbmhm "The upper body has the pretty muscles, the pecs, the abs, biceps and lats," said Dar-ri-n Muhr, the exer-cis- e physiologist at the Health and Wellness Center, as well as a cer- tified fitness instructor through e the American Col-leg- of Sports It's hard work to train the legs. The legs are a big muscle mass, and you still need to stand up after you're through. hard work to train the legs. The legs 99 are a big muscle mass, and you still need to stand up after through." you're raising yourself back up the start ing Medicine. "It's - Muhr, who got his degrees in physical education and health fitness from Central Michigan University, noted that one fear that women have about training is getting big, muscular legs. "Women simply don't have the chemistry to build big muscles," Muhr said. "So, yes, it's an unfounded fear." According to Muhr, there are three primary muscle groups involved in leg training, the quadriceps, the hamstrings and the calf muscles. The quadriceps are the muscles on top of the thighs, with the hamstrings under- neath, and the calf muscles com- prise most of the muscles of the lower leg. In order to train the "Big 3," Muhr suggests a workout that includes leg presses, lunges, leg extensions, leg curls and standing calf raises. Quadricep exercises . Leg Presses: For this exercise, you must use a leg press machine. Muhr recommends having someone knowledgeable in such strength training principles HAWC andor as the trainers at the take you the Hess Fitness Center through the weight room your first time out. Lie back on the machine with the back pressed firmly against the rest pad. Place the feet flat on the platform with a shoulder width stance. Grasp the handles, push the weight away from you and unlock the handles. , Slowly bend the legs, allowing the knees to travel toward the chest. When rt position. Repeat until you've done the planned number of repeti- tions for your right leg, rest, then do the same for your left leg. Don't put your front leg too far out in front of the other leg or too close either. Proper form is one leg extended to the point that when you bend down, your knee on the forward leg is over Darrin Muhr your foot. Do not swing the weights, keep them to your side at all times and do not bend for- 4 ward with your upper body. If you swing the weights or bend your torso forward, you run the risk of injuring your back. Keep the head pointed for-- . ward during the exercise and avoid looking at your feet. ex.. ft- Leg Extensions: Again you will need to use the leg extension machine at your chosen gym to do this exercise. Select a weight that feels good and doesn't create too much initial strain. From a seated position, with the legs at a 90 degree angle, extend the legs fully forward. Make sure the movement is slow and controlled. If the selected weight makes controlled movement too difficult, select a lesser weight. "The biggest problem with leg exercises is people use momentum to slam the weight up or throw the weight up," Muhr said. "Sometimes it can damage the machine itself. Also, at the same time that you're slamming the weight up, you're having to stop the weight on the way down, putting strain on the patellar tendon knee cap." Muhr did mention, however, that the leg extension machine is noted as being one of the safer thigh training machines. exercise Hamstring Note that the hamstrings are also involved while training the quadriceps using the leg press and lunge exercises. J J&.x-::s- Darrin Muhr, an exercise physiologist at proper form for the "lunge" exercise. 3 .t, 0i :;fflwrfvav Photo by Steven R. Ford the Health and Wellness Center, demonstrates the can be done with either the lying or cise, and you can use a ledge or steps seated machines. Begin by select- behind the heels to allow the feet to ing a comfortable weight as with the lower past "ground" level. But Muhr previous machine exercises. Place warns against too great a range of the heels or lower calves against the motion. machine pad and contract the calves "Mainly, when bringing the feet down toward the hamstrings. slowly," Muhr cautioned, "the last thing to watch out "What you need for, you want is an Achilles Tendon tear. whether lying or sitting, is arching of It can take between nine months and the back, which especially occurs dur- a year to recover from such a tear. Go ing the last part of the movement," down far enough to feel a stretch, then Muhr said. "What h appends is that come back up. Beware of going down you're flexing your hips forward which puts an unnatu back." u t Calf exercise jjpj, OfhOic ' um: y al With the feet together, stand with the balls of the feet, legs slightly bent. Lower the heels slowly, but try not to touch the ground, maintaining a tension on the calf muscles. Then extend up on the balls of the feet as far as you can go. Repeat for a set of 0 repetitions. Weight can be added through machines or dumbbells to increase resistance during the exer Standing calf raises 8-1- Leg Curls: Another machine exercise, leg curls " y 4 yt-- too far." Lastly, when selecting a beginning weight for training, use a weight that is relatively easy for 10 repetitions. Do not go for a "burn" the first time out. Leave the "pain" until after your body has adapted to your new workout routine. Then you can break out the shorts, suits or skirts and show off some great legs. Nothing beats 'em. For more information on leg training, or for other fitness questions, contact SSgt. Erica Shipp at the Hess or Darrin Fitness Center, Ext. Muhr at the HAWC, Ext. 61 |