 | from Paige Waehner
This week, we're covering the last of our muscle groups, the muscles in the lower body. When we talk about the lower body, we're including the hips, glutes, thighs and calves. These are some of the largest muscles in the body - and, no, I'm not saying you have a big butt! These really are the largest muscles in the body and working them means you'll burn more calories and, of course, build lean muscle tissue. You'll learn more about these muscles and what they do and, of course, you'll also learn some of the common exercises you can do to strengthen and tone the lower body. Don't forget, there's a quiz at the end so make sure you read through the information carefully and click on any links so you don't miss anything.
|
 | |
| The Lower Body |
![]() |
| | The Lower Body |
| 
| The lower body is made up of a variety of muscles, including the largest in the body the gluteus maximus. The gluteus maximus is the most visible muscle of the butt, but there are two, smaller muscles underneath it - the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. The glutes are responsible for movements of the hips like extension, rotation and abduction (moving the thigh away from the body). It's also heavily involved in that dance many of us have tried - shaking your booty.
Below the glutes and on the back of the thighs are the hamstrings, which include three different muscles as well. The biceps femoris has two heads (much like the biceps muscles in the arms,) and originates from the pelvis; the semitendinosus and the semimembranosus, both of which are smaller than the biceps femoris. The hamstrings work to bring the heel towards the butt (knee flexion) and to move the leg backwards (hip extensions). |  |
The calf muscles include the gastrocnemius (a.k.a. 'gastroc') and the soleus, which is a smaller muscle that lies under the gastroc. The gastroc has two heads on either side of the leg while the soleus is much smaller and works more during seated calf raises. The calves work to lift the heels and extend the ankles and are involved in a variety of activities from walking and running to swimming and cycling. |  |
The quadriceps make up the front of the thighs and include the rectus femoris, which is a larger muscle in the middle of the thigh, and the vastus lateralis, intermedius and medialis which lie under the rectus femoris. These powerful muscles are involved in a variety of activities (walking, running, jumping, squatting, etc.) and work to extend the knee as well as flexing the hip. |
|
| |
| Sponsored Links |
![]() |
| |  |
![]() |
| |
| FAQs about the Butt, Hips & Thighs |
![]() |
| | FAQs about the Butt, Hips & Thighs |
| Like the abs, there are a number of misconceptions about how to tone the lower body, how to build bigger butt muscles and how to get rid of things like saddlebags, just to name a few. Read through these myths and FAQs to make sure you know the truth about working your lower body: - Lower body exercises will not reduce fat over the glutes. We can't spot reduce fat from different areas of the body with specific exercises.
- You shouldn't avoid lower body work. Some people (mostly women) avoid lower body strength training because they worry they'll make their backsides even bigger. For most women (and even for most men), strength training, even with heavy weights, will not build huge muscles - women just don't have the hormones necessary to build mass. Training the lower body will actually contributes to weight loss and keep the body balanced and strong.
- There are no exercises that will get rid of cellulite over the hips and thighs. Cellulite is the same thing as fat and, as in the first FAQ above, you can't spot reduce fat from certain areas.
- You can't choose to build muscle in the lower body while losing fat elsewhere. The goals to build muscle and lose fat are contradictory. To gain muscle (whether it's on your butt or somewhere else) you have to eat more calories than you burn. To lose fat, you have to eat less calories than you burn. It's important to choose one goal and stick with it.
- Cardio machines will not make your butt big. One of the myths out there is that certain cardio exercises, like the stairstepper, will make your butt big. But, cardio machines don't provide enough resistance to build big muscles. To build muscle, you need to be using enough weight that you can ONLY complete about 8-12 reps.
Learn more about the butt, hips and thighs in my FAQs and read on to get the details of the most popular and effective lower body exercises.
|
| |
| Squats |
![]() |
| | Squats |
| The squat is one of the most common, and most effective, lower body exercises. This compound movement hits almost every muscle in the lower body including the quads, glutes and hamstrings. It's also a functional movement, similar to movements we make all day long as we sit,stand and squat to pick things up. If I had to pick one lower body exercise, squats would come out on top.  Step by Step: Squats
1. Stand with feet hip- or shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold medium to heavy dumbbells in each hand just outside the thighs or with arms bent above the shoulders.
3. Bend the knees and lower into a squat. Stop when your knees are at 90-degree angles OR before you lose the natural arch of your back.
4. Push into the heels and contract the glutes while stabilizing your body with a strong torso.
5. Slowly push back up without locking the knees and repeat for 1-3 sets of 10-16 repetitions. Do's and Don'ts - Do: Stick your butt out as you squat to keep your knees behind the toes
- Do: Keep the knees in line with the toes as you squat
- Do: Squat to a chair if you need more support
- Don't: Allow the knees to bend over the toes. This could cause knee injuries
Variations:
|
| |
| Lunges |
![]() |
| | Lunges |
| This compound exercise is another favorite because, like squats, lunges work multiple muscles in both legs - the hamstrings and glutes of the front leg and the hip flexors and quads of the back leg. The calves are also involved in this exercise, making it a tough overall exercise. Lunges tend to be harder than squats because you're in a split stance which requires balance and strength.
 Step by Step: Lunges
1. Stand with right foot forward, left foot back about 3 or so feet apart. The feet should be far enough apart that, when you lunge down, both knees are at 90-degree angles and the front knee is directly over the ankle (and not forward).
2. Hold weights in each hand if desired and bend the knees to lower the body towards the floor. Keep the front knee behind the toes and lower straight down rather than forward.
3. Keep the torso straight and abs in as you push through the front heel and back to starting position.
4. Don't lock the knees at the top of the movement.
5. Perform 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps according to your fitness level and goals.
Do's and Don'ts - Do: Keep the abs engaged
- Do: Keep the knees in line with the toes
- Don't: Allow the knee to bend past the front toe
Variations:
|
| |
| Deadlifts |
![]() |
| | Deadlifts |
| The deadlift is an advanced, compound movement that targets the entire back of the body including the hamstrings, glutes and lower back. This move takes a bit of practice and form is crucial for protecting the back from injury. The key to this move is to bend at the hips rather than the knees and to keep the back flat and the abs engaged. If you have any back problems or aren't sure how to do this move correctly, you should skip it.  Step by Step: Deadlifts 1. Stand with feet about hip-distance apart and hold weights in front of thighs.
2. Keeping the legs straight, shoulders back, abs in and the back straight, tip forward from the hips and lower the weights towards the floor.
3. Keep the weight close to the legs as you lower as far as your hamstring flexibility allows. You can bend the knees slightly if you need to.
4. Push into the heels and squeeze to glutes to stand back up, repeating for 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps. Do's and Don'ts - Do: Keep the knees straight or slightly bent - this is not a squat, but a movement from the hips
- Do: Keep the back flat or slightly arched rather than rounding the shoulders forward, which could injure the back
- Don't: Lower down too far, only as far as your flexibility will allow
Variations:
|
| |
| Calf Raises |
![]() |
| | Calf Raises |
| The calf raise is an isolation exercise the works the meaty part of the calves, or what we call the 'gastroc.' It also involves the soleus as well. You can add intensity to this move by holding weights, or by doing them one leg at a time.  Step by Step: Calf Raise
1. Stand on a step or platform with the heels hanging off and hold onto a wall or chair for balance.
2. Push up onto the toes, lifting as high as you can and squeeze the calves.
3. Lower back down and repeat for 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps. Do's and Don'ts - Do: Engage the abs to keep the body stable throughout the movement
Variations:
|
| |
| How to Choose Lower Body Exercises |
![]() |
| | How to Choose Lower Body Exercises |
| When working the lower body, you want to follow the general strength training guidelines and choose a variety of exercises that work all the muscles of the lower body - the glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves. While most of the exercises covered here are compound exercises, you can also incorporate isolation exercises such as outer thigh leg lifts or inner thigh squeezes. These are relatively small muscles and they're also involves in all of the exercises listed above. In my opinion, it's better to work these small, stabilizer muscles with functional, compound moves unless you have knee or joint problems that require strengthening of the muscles around the knees. And, remember, these kinds of exercises won't remove fat from the thighs. More tips: - Choose about 5-6 exercises that target all the muscles of the lower body. For example, a basic gym routine might include squats (or a leg press machine), lunges, leg extensions, leg curls and calf raises.
- Start with the larger muscles of the quads, glutes and hamstrings before moving onto the smaller muscles of the calves or the focused moves for the inner and outer thighs.
- Beginners might start with 1-2 sets of each exercise, using a medium weight, especially when trying squats, lunges or deadlifts for the first time. These moves require good technique in order to effectively target the muscles, while avoiding injury. Perfect your form first before moving on to heavier weights.
- If you're just getting started, take a look at these lower body progressions to get an idea of beginner, intermediate and advanced exercises. Start with the beginner versions and progress as you get stronger and more confident.
- Keep your reps between 8-16 and, when you have a strong foundation, focus on using enough weight that you can ONLY complete the desired number of reps. For the lower body, lifting enough weight can be tough if you don't have a spotter, so you should always be safe and lift weights you can handle.
Lower body workout ideas.
|
| |
| Bonus Assignment and Take the Quiz |
![]() |
| | Bonus Assignment and Take the Quiz |
| You can get more out of this course by actually doing the exercises discussed. By learning the moves, step by step, and focusing on your form as well as the muscles you're working, you'll get a deeper understanding of how to work your body. Your bonus assignment this week is to try the lower body exercises listed and, of course, the variations as well if you're up for it. Your next assignment is to finish up this week's course by taking the quiz to find out how much you learned about the lower body.
|
| |
| Paige Waehner About.com Guide to Exercise http://exercise.about.com www.About.com About.com is part of The New York Times Company |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Learn Something New Every Day |
![]() |
Enroll at About U for More Online Learning
About U is our collection of free online courses on About.com. Each online course is sent to you via email on a daily or weekly basis and will help you learn new skills, solve common problems, find shortcuts and quick tricks to simplify your busy life, or just learn more about your world.
|
| |
No comments:
Post a Comment