14
15
Leg Exercises
Stationary Lunges
Stiff-leg Dead Lift
START
ACTION
START
• Stand with your feet
approximately shoulder width
apart
• Hold the dumbbells down in front
of your thighs with your palms
facing back.
• Stand with a very slight bend at
the knees.
• Keep the chest lifted, abs tight and
a very slight arch in your lower
back.
• Maintaining your knee position,
slowly bend forward at the hips
moving your butt backward.
• Stop as your hamstings begin to
get taut and before your back
begins to round.
• Concentrate on tensing your
hamstrings to pull you back up to
the starting position.
FINISH
START
ACTION
START
• Stand with one foot forward and
one foot backward in a position so
when you move to the bottom of
the lunge, you front foot is under
your knee and you back knee is
directly under you hip.
• Hold the dumbbells at your sides
with your palms facing inward.
• Keep the chest lifted, abs tight and
a slight arch in the lower back.
• Slowly lower your body bending
at both knees, simultaneously
keeping the front knee in line with
the toes.
• Move down and stop just before
the back knee is going to touch
the floor.
• Reverse the motion and come
back up to the starting position.
FINISH
Muscles worked
Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and
adductors
Success tips
• Place feet in a position so that when
you lunge down, your front foot is
directly under your knee and your
back leg lines up under your hip.
• Keep your head and chest lifted, with a
slight arch in the lower back during the
movement.
• Do only one side to fatigue, then switch
to the other side.
Muscles worked
Hamstrings, glutes and spinal erectors
Success tips
• Your torso should move from standing
vertical to leaning forward at the hips
without rounding your spine during
any part of the movement.
• Keep the knees slightly bent.
• Only move as far as you can correctly.
• It is critical that you keep the chest
lifted and do not allow your spine
to round at any time during the
movement.
Leg Exercises
Wide Squats
START
ACTION
START
• Grab the dumbbell with both
hands and stand with you feet
slightly wider than shoulder width
apart.
• Slightly rotate your hips outward,
feet and knees should be lined up
in that outward position as well.
• Stabilize your torso by lifting your
chest, tightening your abs and
maintaining a slight arch in your
lower back.
• Under control, slowly squat down
by sticking the hips back as the
knees start to bend.
• Keep the chest up and the and
back flat as the hips continue to
move backward.
• Lower to approximately
90 degrees at the knees, unless
otherwise determined.
• Return to the starting position.
• Do not lockout the knees at the
top of the squat.
FINISH
Calf Raises
START
ACTION
START
• Stand with your feet about
shoulder width apart, feet facing
straight forward.
• Hold the dumbbells at your sides
with your palms facing in.
• Keep your chest lifted, abs tight
and a slight curve in your lower
back.
• Slowly rise up on the balls of your
feet, lifting your heels as high as
you can off the floor.
• Slowly return to the starting
position, keeping tension on the
calf muscles.
FINISH
Muscles worked
Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and
adductors
Success tips:
• Keep the knees pointed in the same
direction as the toes.
• Keep the head and neck in line with
the trunk.
• Pay close attention to all alignment
and stabilization issues on every part
of each and repetition.
Muscles worked
Gastrocnemius and soleus
Success tips
• Do not change your hip or knee
position during the exercise.
• Rise up as high as you can,
maintaining your balance, on the
balls of your feet.
