Important Points – please read before performing the following exercises:
* If you have knee injuries, weak ankles, hip or lower back problems check with your doctor before performing your leg exercises.
* Beginners, keep your weights very light or use no weights at all.
* Please follow your doctors or physio’s recommendations if they have advised you to wear strapping.
* Some workouts call for “alternating lunges”. Lunge – left leg, Lunge – right leg, Lunge – left leg, Lunge – right leg back and forth to complete a set… however… When starting out with Lunges (if you find it hard to balance or it puts too much pressure on your knee), rather than alternating between the left to the right leg within the one set, keep your lunge stride stance and lower yourself into the lunge and up again until you’ve completed your set. Then return to standing position and repeat the same on the other leg. Example: Complete 12 lunges – left leg then complete 12 lunges – right leg
* When lunging your front heal should remain on the floor and your back heel raises as you bend your back leg.
Stationary Lunge
Lunge forward with your left leg. Lower your body by bending your left knee (front leg) and your right knee (back leg) so it’s almost in contact with the floor. Return to starting position.
Keep your midsection firm throughout the movement. And your front knee should point in the same direction as your front foot.
Repeat this exercise to complete your set. Then swap leg lunging forward with your right leg.
Lunges
Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, by your sides, palms facing inwards towards your outer thighs, step forward with a large stride – not too far. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement and ensuring that your upper body isn’t learning forward. Do not swing your dumbbells around, keep them down by your sides, at arms length. After you have performed the required amount of reps on that leg, swap to the other leg.
Walking Lunges – without weights
The best way to perform this exercise is by performing Walking Lunges from one end of a large room to the other – so you can fit at least 10 -12 in at a time. I do them in my driveway or down in the hallway of my home if I am not at the gym. Expect to have sore leg and butt muscles when you have completed these! They are very effective.
Do not perform this exercise unless you are experienced in lunging. Walking lunges are high in intensity and need some practice to achieve good form. They are a great exercise for shaping your butt and thighs.
Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm, do not arch your back. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides. Step forward with a large stride. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. As you are pushing up and virtually at the top of your lunge step forward with the other leg repeating the lunge movement with the opposite leg. Continue with this sequence, alternating from one leg to the other until you have finished the required amount of reps. Keep yourself steady throughout the exercise. DO NOT allow your knees to go beyond your toes. I can’t tell you how important good technique with this exercise. If you can only perform 8 quality lunges then just do that to start with. Gradually build up the reps as your balance improves and you become accustomed to this exercise.
Walking Lunges
Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm, do not arch your back. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides. Step forward with a large stride. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. As you are pushing up and virtually at the top of your lunge step forward with the other leg repeating the lunge movement with the opposite leg. Continue with this sequence, alternating from one leg to the other until you have finished the required amount of reps. Keep yourself steady throughout the exercise. DO NOT allow your knees to go beyond your toes.
Lunges with Smith Machine
If you have a look at the sides of the smith machine you will see large hooks either side which latch onto the frame work / rack. To unlatch the bar you slightly lift the bar and either roll it either forward or backward (depending on how the machine is set up) until the hook is free from the frame. These bars are normally quite heavy so be careful. Adjust the bar to shoulder height making sure there is no weight on the bar, what so ever, when adjusting it. When the bar is in the correct position, and you have re-latched it stand underneath the bar so it is resting across your shoulders.
Stand with your feet together, keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Have the bar behind your neck resting across your shoulders. Your hands should be wider than shoulder width apart so that you can control the weight of the bar. Step forward with a large stride – not too far. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement. Repeat this until you have completed your reps. At the end of your set latch the bar back onto the frame. Then swap legs.
Reverse Stationary Lunges
Reverse lunges can be performed with barbells or dumbbells but I would recommend you not using any of these until you are well practised at performing this exercise with no weights at all. Don’t worry, you will still feel it working.
Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm, do not arch your back. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides. Here’s where it changes………..
Step backward with a large stride with your right leg. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement and ensuring that your upper body isn’t learning forward. After you have performed the required amount of reps on that leg, swap to the other leg performing the exericise again stepping back with your opposite leg. Take your time and keep yourself sturdy.
Note: If you have knee problems don’t do this exercise.
Continuous Lunges with Barbell
Stand with your feet together, keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Have the barbell behind your neck resting across your shoulders. Your hands should be wider than shoulder width apart so that you can keep the barbell steady. Step forward with a large stride – not too far. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement and ensuring that your upper body isn’t learning forward. Repeat the exercise to complete the required amount of reps as per your program. Swap and perform your lunges on the opposite leg.
Alternating Leg Lunges from Step
Lunges from Step – without weights for beginners
Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm, do not arch your back. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides.
Step forward with a large stride – not too far – with your front foot onto the step (eg. an aerobics step). Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be bent. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement and ensuring that your upper body isn’t learning forward back to standing position – with your legs together. Repeat exercise stepping forward with the opposite leg. Keep yourself steady throughout the exercise. Continue to alternate from one leg to the other for the required amount of reps.
Option: See the “important points” in regards to “alternating”.
Alternating Leg Lunges
Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, by your sides, palms facing inwards towards your outer thighs, step forward with a large stride – not too far. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement and ensuring that your upper body isn’t learning forward. Do not swing your dumbbells around, keep them down by your sides, at arms length. After you have performed the required amount of reps on that leg, swap to the other leg. Continue to alternate from one leg to the other for required amount of reps.
Option: See the “important points” in regards to “alternating”.
Important Points – please read before performing the following exercises:
* If you have knee injuries, weak ankles, hip or lower back problems check with your doctor before performing your leg exercises.
* Beginners, keep your weights very light or use no weights at all.
* Please follow your doctors or physio’s recommendations if they have advised you to wear strapping.
* When lowering yourself down into the squat position lean into your heals.
* Squeeze your butt and thighs to bring you back up to standing position and NEVER lock your knees out.
Squats – without weights Beginners
Perform your squats with no weights until you are used to squatting correctly.
Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Have your arms outstretched in front of you or folded across your chest. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing frontwards. Now squat as if you were going to sit down, leaning into your heels, until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Make sure your knees remain behind your toes. (eg. if you imagine a straight line from your toes up to head height, your knees should not go beyond this line). Then using your thighs and butt muscles “squeeze” pushing yourself back up again.
You may like to put a chair behind you so when you squat your backside can touch the chair slightly. Make sure you don’t lift your toes too high up off the floor when leaning back into your squat as you will fall backwards. You can also put some small flat weight plates or a plank of wood 3/4’s inch thick (from an old shelf) under your heels for support, so you don’t feel like you are going to fall backwards. Just take it slow and steady. Return back to starting position and repeat the exercise until you have completed your required repetitions.
Half Squats
These squats are also great for beginners – especially if you’re not able to squat as deep as the above instructions.
Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Have your arms outstretched in front of you or folded across your chest. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Rather than lowering yourself for the full movement stop half way down, pause, then using your butt squeeze yourself back up.
Make sure you lean into your heels so you don’t hurt your knees. Repeat the exercise until you have completed your set.
b. Plie` Squat
Stand with your legs and feet wide apart. Have your knees and toes pointed outwards. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Holding one end of a dumbbell with both hands in front of you. Make sure your back is straight and don’t lean too far forward. Now bending your knees squat leaning into your heels as low as you can, depending on your flexibility. Push yourself back up again squeezing your butt and inner thighs.
Wide Stance Squats with Barbell
Stand with your legs and feet wide apart. Have your toes pointed outwards. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Place the barbell behind your neck, across your shoulders. Your hands should be wider than shoulder width apart so that you can keep the barbell steady. Now bending your knees squat leaning into your heels until your thighs are parallel to the floor, depending on your flexibility. Push yourself back up again squeezing your butt and inner thighs. Make sure you don’t lift your toes up off the floor. Just take it slow and steady. Return back to starting position and repeat exercise. You may also want to use an old towel to pad the back of your neck when squatting with a barbell. Fold the towel up so it looks a thick strip then place it accross your shoulders where the barbell rests.
If you perform barbell squats regulalry you may want to invest in a barbell pad. It’s foam padding that fits around the barbell that fastens with velcro.
Squats with Barbell
Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Have the barbell across your shoulders, behind your neck. Your hands should be wider than shoulder width apart so that you can keep the barbell steady. Now squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then using your thighs and butt push yourself back up again. Return to starting position and repeat the exercise. Good form is very important with squats.
Squats with Dumbbells
Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Place a dumbbell in each hand at arms length by your sides with your palms facing inwards towards your outer thighs. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing frontwards. Now squat leaning into your heels, until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor (or before – depending on your flexbility). Then using your thighs and butt push yourself back up again. Make sure you don’t lift your toes up off the floor.
Narrow Stance Squats with Dumbbells
Stand with your legs narrower than shoulder width apart with your toes pointed front wards. Place a dumbbell in each hand at arms length by your sides with your palms facing inwards towards your outer thighs. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Depending on your flexibility you can lower yourself to just beyond a half squat. Then using your thighs and butt push yourself back up to starting position. Make sure you don’t lift your toes up off the floor and don’t allow your knees to move beyond your toes.
Narrow stance squats, due to your knees pushing forward, are not for everyone. So strict form is vital. I would recommend checking with your doctor, physio, or experienced and appropriately qualified trainer before performing them.
Squat using the Smith Machine
First off, make sure there is no weight on the bar. If you have a look at the sides of the machine you will see large hooks either side which latch onto the frame work / rack. To unlatch the bar you slightly lift the bar and either roll it either forward or backward (depending on how the machine is set up) until the hook is free from the frame. These bars are normally quite heavy so be careful. Adjust the bar to shoulder height. When the bar is in the correct position, and you have re-latched it stand underneath the bar so it is behind your neck and resting across your shoulders. Have your feet about shoulder width apart. Keep your chest out and midsection firm. Now unlatch the bar lowering your body so that your thighs are parallel with the floor, and you are leaning into your heels. Squeezing your butt and thighs raise yourself back up to standing position. Repeat this until you have completed your reps. At the end of your set latch the bar back onto the frame. Once you have become accustomed to using the Smith Machine for squats you may start gradually adding weight plates. Because the bar is heavy it’s always safe to start without any weight when you’re a “Smith Machine” beginner.
You can vary your squat using wide and narrow stance using the Smith Machine.
© Mandy Gibbons
Virtual Fitness Trainer
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