Master Your Squat… First

The Squat exercise is a foundation exercise for countless moves. Once you master proper form, adding in weight combo exercises, balance and agility challenges and even flexibility moves, will keep workout boredom away. Master your squat form first though to prevent injuries and increase exercise effectiveness.

Begin standing with your feet hip-width apart. Bending from your knees and hips, lower your body until your hips are just about level with your knees. To allow the sit-back angle, bring both arms forward to counter-balance your weight. Both feet should be flat on the floor. Both knees should be lined up over your ankles. Your hips should be back. Both shoulders should be down and back with your spine lined up (your spine should not be vertical, but should be in proper alignment.) Your chin should be slightly down toward your chest further insuring proper spinal alignment, which includes the cervical spine of your neck.

Master Your Squat

Floor Bridge for Leg Strength

Build leg strength with a Floor Bridge. Lie down on your back, bend both knees with your feet flat on the floor. Squeeze your glutes, press through your heels and then lift your hips straight up about six inches. Pause for one second, then slowly lower. Begin with 10 reps.

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

Floor Bridge for Leg Strength

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Make the squat your essential exercise!

A squat is a functional exercise. A functional exercise is a movement required often during your activities of daily living. How many times do you sit down and sit up during your day? Lots! Make the squat movement pattern your essential exercise. That means your main focus during a workout is to master, progress and challenge your squat exercise. Doing so will make this motion during your day much easier!

Here’s how to begin:

Hold a weight in each hand. Stand with your feet hip width apart. Bending from your knees and hips, sit back and lower your body down about ten inches. Pause for one second to reduce momentum, then stand up to complete one rep. Do eight to twelve reps in a slow and controlled pattern. Keep your spine aligned and belly button in.

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

Make the Squat Your Essential Exercise

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Squat for total leg strength!

Hold one weight with both hands in front of your body. Bending from your knees and hips, sit back and lower your body into a squat. Keep your torso aligned and abs pulled in tight. Return to your starting position to complete 1 rep. Start with 10 reps.

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Build Total Leg Strength

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Lunge Stretch for Runners

Stretch your leg muscles with this Lunge Stretch: Begin kneeling on your right knee, with your left foot forward and flat. Place one hand on the floor on either side of your body for support, or place your hands on your hips. Let both hips fall forward, feeling a slight stretch in the front of your right hip and thigh. For more of a stretch lift your right knee up about two-three inches off of the floor. Hold for 10-30 seconds, then release. Repeat the stretch kneeling on your left knee, and your right foot forward and flat.

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

Lunge Stretch for Runners

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Do a Single Leg Squat for leg strength.

Once you’ve mastered the Squat, try a Single Leg Squat to take your leg training to the next level. Here’s how:

Stand on your right leg only. Bend from your right knee and hips, and sit back lowering your body down about six inches. Keep your right knee lined up over your right foot. Maintain proper spinal alignment with your hips level. Now stand up straight again to complete one rep. Do 8-12 times. Repeat, standing on your left leg only. For better balance, extend both arms straight out in front of you. Progress to placing both arms across your chest. For even more of a challenge, reach forward and touch a point such as a chair or cone with your hand while maintaining proper form.

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Take your leg strength to the next level…

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Get Strong with Step Ups!

Build strong legs with this challenging exercise. Hold a weight in each hand. Stand facing a stable bench or secure chair. Step up on the bench with your right leg only. Transfer your body up onto the bench. Slowly lower your body back to the floor leading with your left leg.  Return to your starting position with both feet flat on the floor to complete one rep. Next, step up with your left leg, then slowly lower leading with your right leg. Begin with ten reps total.

A few form pointers:

Maintain proper spinal alignment with your shoulders down and back.

Maintain core stability holding your belly button in.

Control is key. Slowly lift your body, pause, slowly lower your body, pause. No bounce. No swing.

Exhale when you lift. Inhale when you lower.

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Strong with Step Ups

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Stretch during your day!

Decrease lower body tension and muscle aches that come with sitting in your office chair for hours on end. Here’s how:

Stand up behind your chair. Hold on to the chair for support with your left hand. Bend your right knee and hold your right ankle behind your body with your right hand. Keep your torso upright. Hold for 10-30 seconds, then slowly release. Repeat the same stretch, holding on to the chair with your right hand. Bend your left knee and hold your left ankle with your left hand. Stand up tall and breathe, hold for 10-30 seconds, slowly release.

*Always consult your physician before performing exercise.

How to Stretch During Your Day

All About Legs

Give your legs a boost! Here’s how to do it:

(Consult your physician before beginning exercise.)

20 Alternating Reverse Lunges
20 Squats
10 Burpees
1 Minute Jumping Jacks
20 Alternating Side Lunges
20 Mountain Climbers
10 Burpees
1 Minute Wall Squat

Rest for 1-2 minutes.
Repeat circuit 2-4 times.

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net

All About Legs by Tera Busker