Leg Day Wednesday

Today is everybody’s favorite – leg day. Just kidding. I don’t think anybody really likes it, but we need to work all the body’s major muscle groups. We divide our lunchtime workouts among different body parts because the workouts are so short. If we only work on legs they get a lot more exercise than they would if we also worked on arms or abs. This routine is mostly squats and lunges with a few other things mixed in. We do 8 to 12 repetitions of each move. That might not seem like much after your first set of squats, but it’s tough after you’ve done four or five sets. Don’t move too quickly. You want the muscles to do the work and not have momentum carry you. Make your motions smooth and controlled. We usually do these exercises holding hand weights, but that isn’t necessary. Especially if you’ve never done exercises like these before, you might want to do them without hand weights the first few times.

Here are the exercises. I’ve probably forgotten some. We don’t usually do them in any particular order. Most of the time we don’t have time for all of these. I generally try to intermix other exercises with the squats, so that we get a little bit of a rest from them. You might need to search for video demonstrations online.

The foundation for many of these exercises is the basic squat.

Stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart. The motion is like sitting down in a chair. Bend your knees while moving your bottom backward. Do the movement slowly at first to get the idea of what it should feel like. If you’re not sure how to do it, pull up a chair and very, very slowly sit down and pay attention to how your body is moving. As you bend your knees, make sure they do NOT cross over your toes. If your knees stick out in front of your toes, you’re doing it wrong, and it will begin to hurt. Squeeze your butt as you stand up. Bending your knees then standing back up is one repetition. You can do a basic squat with your hands hanging by your sides. I often bend my elbows and bring my fists together at chest level, but that’s not necessary. You should master a basic squat before moving on to variations.

Basic squat with a twist

Do a basic squat. When you stand up from the move, twist your torso to one side. It helps guide the move if you bring your hands (chest level, fists together) up with you rather than hanging them at your side. Do another squat, and when you stand up, twist your torso and arms to the other side. Alternate from side to side for all your repetitions.

Plie squat

Get in the position for a basic squat. Point your toes outward. Hold your hand weights in front of you with your arms extended downward. The motion, like the basic squat is to sit down and stand up. To get more advanced, do all your repetitions of the squat, then do about ten “pulses.” That is, you’ll do ten more squats, but you won’t fully stand up between repetitions. It really works your inner thighs.

Basic squats with kicks

Do a basic squat, but when you stand up, kick one leg backward. On the next squat, kick the other leg backward. Let your arms swing naturally to keep your balance. Alternate kicks for all repetitions.

Another variation

Do a basic squat, but when you stand up, kick one leg out to the side. On the next squat, kick the other leg out to the side. Let your arms swing naturally to keep your balance. Alternate kicks for all repetitions.

Sit and kick

Stand with your feet together. Like a basic squat, the motion is to sit down and stand up. When you stand up, kick one leg forward. On the next squat, kick the other leg forward. Let your arms swing naturally to keep your balance. Alternate kicks for all repetitions.

Squat, hips, overhead press

Stand with your feet together. Like a basic squat, the motion is to sit down and stand up with your hands hanging at your side. As you stand up, bring your hands (and weights if you’re using them) to your hips. Then reach your hands (and weights) over your head, so your arms are extended straight in an overhead press. The squat to the overhead press is one repetition.

Hip adductions and abductions

I’m not entirely sure these are the correct names for what we do. These are exercises for your hips and your balance. You’ll probably also feel it in your thighs and backend. Feel free to hold on to a chair for support. Stand up. Flex one foot to the side (don’t point your toes), so your foot is point out. Lift your flexed foot off the ground and swing it forward and back a few inches leading with your instep. Moving your foot forward then back to the starting position is one repetition. Do about 12 to 15 of these. After all your repetitions, reverse the motion of your foot. Again, leading with the middle of your foot, swinging your foot backward then returning to the starting position is one repetition. Repeat with the opposite foot.

Basic lunge (split squat)

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, one foot forward and one foot back. Make sure your knees are soft and not stiff. Give yourself a moment to feel balanced. Make sure your legs aren’t too close together as that will prevent you from being properly balanced. If you need to, use a chair for support. The move is to kneel down and stand up. Sort of like when someone gets down on one knee to propose. Unlike the basic squat, you are moving straight up and down, do NOT thrust your bottom out behind you. As you lower yourself, make sure your knee does NOT cross over your toes. This is wrong, and you will find it causes knee pain. To return to the standing position, push through the heel of your front foot. Complete all repetitions on one side then switch so the other foot is forward. You can let your hands (with or without weights) hang at your side, or move your arms to help with your balance. For a more advanced set, do all your repetitions of the lunge, then do about ten “pulses.” That is, you’ll do ten more lunges, but you won’t fully stand up between repetitions.

Backward lunge

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend one knee as you step backward with the opposite foot. Pressing the heel of your front foot into the floor, return the foot you stepped backward with to the starting position. This is one repetition. Complete all repetitions on one side then switch so the other foot steps back. I often bend my elbows and bring my fists together at chest level as this helps with my balance.

Forward lunge

This move is like the backward lunge except that you will step one foot forward rather than backward. Push with your heel to return your foot to the starting position. I often bend my elbows and bring my fists together at chest level as this helps with my balance.

Forward lunge with torso twist

This is a forward lunge with extra movement before you return your foot to the starting position. As you step forward raise your hands (with or without weights) and put them together at chest level. Keeping your hands in that position, twist your torso to one side while keeping your hips forward. Twist your torso to the opposite side. Move your torso back to the starting position. Return your foot to the starting position. This is one repetition. Complete all repetitions on one leg before switching to the other side.

Dead lift to upright row

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Tuck your belly button to your spine to protect your back. Bend at your hip flexors (not at your belly button) with your arms hanging in front of you. Keep your back straight. In the down position, your arms (with or without weights) are dangling toward the floor. Do not bend your knees. As you return to a standing position, pull up your arms so that they are bent at the elbow and your hands are in line with the top of your chest. It’s like your using both hands to pick up something from the floor. This is one repetition. If you’re doing this correctly, you’ll feel a stretch in the back of your legs.

We always end our Monday, Wednesday, Friday sessions with a plank.

Forearm plank or high plank

Lie down on the floor. Line up your elbows with your shoulders and rest your forearms on the floor. Flex your feet so your toes are on the ground and lift your body. Only your forearms and toes should be touching the floor. Tighten the muscles of your core, butt and thighs. Make sure you keep your body straight. You might want to do this in front of a mirror to check your form. You don’t want your bottom sticking up in the air. Hold the position. Try to work up to a minute or longer.

A high plank is the same except you hold yourself up with your hands rather than your forearms. Your arms are straight and in line with your shoulders. I don’t know which is more difficult. I prefer a high plank, because a forearm plank feels like it cuts off the circulation to my arms. Sandy usually prefers a forearm plank, but will sometimes switch between the two.

A modified plank might be a good place to start if you’ve never done one before. Instead of flexing your toes, put your knees on the floor. You will be held up by your hands and knees, instead of your hands and toes. Still tighten the muscles of your core, butt and thighs. Don’t be discouraged is you can’t hold a plank for very long the first time you do it. Do it for a few seconds then rest. You’ll see improvement in you continue doing a plank a few times a week.

Come back tomorrow for yoga Thursday!