Legs & Fitness
Legs and fitness will always go hand in hand. Fitness is always improved when you train the legs. This is mainly due to the fact that the legs are the bodies biggest muscle group and therefore require the most energy to function. The leg are also the furthest away from the heart which makes it harder for the heart to pump blood and oxygen to them.
Below are some excellent resistance exercises to train your legs.
Below are some excellent resistance exercises to train your legs.
Duck Walk
The Duck Walk uses different muscles and helps with balance, circulation, cardiovascular health and digestion/elimination.
- Get into a squatting position with your hands at your sides.
- Step forward with your left foot, then with your right foot.
- Keep walking like this until you can't go any further.
- Breathe naturally.
Single-leg glute Bridge
Single leg glute bridge strengthen the core muscles of the hips, glutes and lower back.
1. Assume start position as shown by bending right leg and lifting left leg up toward ceiling. 2. Lift butt off floor by pushing off right foot and lifting hips toward ceiling. 3. Return to start position and repeat on other leg. |
Single leg squats(Pistol Squat)
The pistol squat forms part of the testing. Therefore it should be included as often as possible. It is probably the best leg exercise as it works all the areas of the leg including the hips and core muscles.
1. Start the pistol standing on one leg with your other leg up straight and high as you can(You don't
have to lift it to hip level, just high enough so that it doesn't hit the ground)
have to lift it to hip level, just high enough so that it doesn't hit the ground)
2. Squat down to the position pictured above. Like a squat you will need to lean your torso forward onto
the knee and the back of the bum should touch the back of the leg. Extending the arms forward helps to
keep weight balanced, as well as providing some lateral stability.
the knee and the back of the bum should touch the back of the leg. Extending the arms forward helps to
keep weight balanced, as well as providing some lateral stability.
3. Press back up with just that single leg to your starting position
4. Repeat until failure. Make sure that you do an equal amount on both legs.
Flying lunges
The flying lunge is very similar to the pistol squat but has more of a focus on the glutes.
1. Similar set up to the pistol, except that the leg off the ground is bent at a 90° angle.
2. Bend the front leg as you extend the arms forward to keep balance. Try to take the back knee all the way to the ground
3. Push through the heel and return to the starting position
See-saws
See-saws work the hamstrings, glutes, thighs and the core muscles. It is an excellent exercise to improve focus and concentration.
1. Start with the hands above the shoulders and the shoulders squeezing back down the back. Balance on one leg(soft knee) with the other leg slightly forward.
2. As you breathe out keep the body in a straight line and push the chest toward the ground as you push the back leg back as straight as you can.
3. Stop when you can’t go down any further without compromising the posture. Ideally the body should be parallel to the ground forming a t-shape
4. Breathe in, and as you breathe out, squeeze the bum and pull the body back up to its starting position.
Variation – The aeroplane lunge : Once you are in the position above, bend the knee as much as possible in an attempt to lower the body in a straight line towards the ground Variation : To make it slightly easier, keep your arms at your side
Chair Pose
Chair pose is an excellent way to develop stabilisers in the knees, upper back and core.
1. Inhale and raise your arms perpendicular to the floor. Either keep the arms parallel, palms facing inward, or join the palms.
2. Exhale and bend your knees, trying to take the thighs as nearly parallel to the floor as possible. The knees will project out over the feet, and the torso will lean slightly forward over the thighs until the front torso forms approximately a right angle with the tops of the thighs. Keep the inner thighs parallel to each other and press the heads of the thigh bones down toward the heels.
3. Firm your shoulder blades against the back. Take your tailbone down toward the floor and in toward your pubis to keep the lower back long.
4. Stay for 30 seconds to a minute. To come out of this pose straighten your knees with an inhalation, lifting strongly through the arms. Exhale and release your arms to your sides..
Variation: Once you are in the posture try straightening a leg (similar to a pistol squat), hold it and then straighten the other leg. It might resemble Russian dancing
Lunges with twists/side bends
The lunge with twist/side bends, work the legs and the core. They improve balance and concentration.
- Hold a medicine ball (optional) in front of you with elbows bent about 90°. You may want to begin this exercise with no weight and build up your strength over time.
- Step forward with your left foot into a lunge position.
- Be sure to keep your left knee over your left foot; don't twist at the knee.
- From your torso, twist your upper body to the left. Then, reach across your left side with your arms out-stretched. (Think of pointing to the left from your belly button).
- Maintain a slow and controlled movement throughout the exercise.
- Slowly return your arms to center and step back from the lunge to an upright position.
- Repeat the movement to the other side. You can turn this into a walking lunge.
Froggy Jumps
Froggy jumps are an excellent way to improve leg power and the cardiovascular system. They can be used in relays, races and other games.
- Squat all the way down to the floor with hands in front of you.
- In an explosive movement, push up from the floor, jump up in the air and tap your heels.
- Land with bent knees to protect the joints and go back into your squat to prepare for the next jump.
Burpees
Burpees are an excellent way to improve explosive leg, core and arm strength. It also is an excellent anaerobic workout.
1. Begin in a squat position with hands on the floor in front of you.
2. Kick your feet back to a pushup position
3. Immediately return your feet to the squat position.4. Leap up as high as possible from the squat position
4. Repeat, moving as fast as possible. You should maintain a fast pace for this exercise. Strive for maximum height with each jump.
2. Kick your feet back to a pushup position
3. Immediately return your feet to the squat position.4. Leap up as high as possible from the squat position
4. Repeat, moving as fast as possible. You should maintain a fast pace for this exercise. Strive for maximum height with each jump.
