Wednesday 01-04-2020 - 08:00

Our fantastic Sport Lancaster team present: Workout Wednesdays!

As the gyms close and we're in lockdown it can be all to easy to abandon any form of fitness regime and retire to the sofa for the foreseeable future. Yet, with all this extra time, now is the perfect time to ramp up that exercise routine, try something new and get those feel-good endorphins pumping. With this in mind, the students' union sports team brings you Workout Wednesdays!

Each week we're sharing a new group of exercises for you to try from the comfort of your very own home. 

This week we're back with 4 lower body strength-building exercises. Let us know how you did over on the Corona Community page!

 

LYING CALF RAISES

Even when it comes to working out at the gym it is easy enough to neglect your calves. While almost everyone works out their upper body the lower body is often neglected, and of the lower body muscles the calves might be the most neglected of all. So, put that right with this simple but effective exercise.

For this one you do need one item of equipment. This can be either a dining room chair or an exercise ball. To get in the starting position sit on the floor in-front of the chair or ball, then lay your head and shoulders on your chosen piece of “home-gym” equipment, with your feet on the floor, and your knees are bent at around a 90 degree angle. At this point your body should be in a horizontal line from head to knees. If you feel unstable at this point you can stretch your arms out to the sides to balance yourself. Using an exercise ball instead of a chair will make the exercise work your abs even more as a secondary muscle group, due to having to tense more to combat the instability.

Once in the correct position make sure to tense your abs and glutes, and then raise your heels off the ground until you are holding your body weight on the balls of your feet. Hold this position for around a second, before coming back to the starting position. Then repeat this movement as many times as feels comfortable. That might be 10 repetitions, or 20, depending on how much time you have previously spent working your calves. To make the exercise more difficult you can lift one leg off the ground and work one leg at a time… just make sure you swap legs from time to time to avoid building just one enormous calf!

MUSCLES WORKED: Legs (calves, hamstrings, glutes), back (lower back), abdominal (rectus abdominus)

GLUTE BRIDGES 

This exercise works out two of the largest muscles in your body, your glutes and your hamstrings, and as an added bonus works your triceps and stomach as well. It also needs no equipment whatsoever, apart from a clear floorspace.

To start the exercise simply sit on the floor, then place your hands by the side of your body, with your palms on the floor. Ensure your hands are next to your bum, or ever so slightly behind it with your fingers pointing towards your feet. Then make sure that your feet are at a hips width apart.

At this point lift your hips off the floor, supporting your weight with your hands and feet. Try and create a horizontal line between your head and your knees, so that your body is straight while lifted off the floor. Your knees should be bent at close to a 90-degree angle. Hold this position for a few seconds, and then brings your hips back down, but without touching the ground. Then repeat, lifting and lowering your hips as many times as you feel comfortable doing so, holding the position for a few seconds each time. If you want to make the exercise more difficult, lift your heels off the ground to also train your calves.

MUSCLES WORKED: Legs (hamstrings, glutes, calves), back (lower back), abdominal (rectus abdominus), arms (triceps)

SKI SITS

This is one of those exercises that seems a lot easier than it actually is! It is also perfect for a home workout, as the only thing required to do it is a blank wall… and virtually every home has one of those.

To get in the starting position find around one metre of wall that is clear of radiators, desks, windows and clutter. Then stand with your back to the wall, around one normal step away from it. Make sure that your feet are a hip width apart, and also rotate your toes ever so slightly outwards.

With a straight back then lean against the wall, your knees should be bent at around a 90-degree angle, and if they are not, adjust how close you are to the wall until they are. Let your hands hang down by the side of your body, make sure your feet do not move, and push your back as fully against the wall as possible. Then simply hold this position for around 30 seconds for an exercise that does a great job working some of the biggest muscles in your body… if you feel comfortable holding it for longer then go for it! If the exercise is too difficult you can adjust it by holding your lower thighs with your hands. If you want to make the exercise even more difficult then combine it with a calf raise, either holding for as long as possible or doing reps.

MUSCLES WORKED:  Legs (quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, glutes), back (lower back)

 

PISTOL SQUAT

In terms of difficulty this is one of the tougher home gym exercises out there, and if done regularly and properly can be even more effective than all manner of lower body weight machines in the gym. It also requires no equipment whatsoever apart from your own bodyweight. Don’t be too concerned if you cannot manage to do it though, often an inability to do so is not about raw strength, and instead about ankle flexibility.

To begin the exercise, stand up straight on one leg in a clear space. Then get your other leg and reach it straight out ahead of you, as high as you can. You will also want to reach out both arms and hold them parallel to the ground, this will help a lot with your balance before you get into the exercise properly.

Then once you are in the starting position start to bend the leg that is supporting your bodyweight. Try to ensure that your heel stays on the ground and that your back stays straight. It will also help if your other leg stays reached out as far as possible, and as straight as possible. To help with your balance you can tilt your upper body forward slightly as well. Then sink down completely on your supporting leg until your calf and hamstring touch. Then raise your body back up again until you are stood up straight on your one leg. You have completed a pistol squat! Now change your leg and repeat the exercise. Start out trying to do five on each leg, and see how far you can go.

MUSCLES WORKED: Legs (quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, adductors), back (lower back)

 

Don't forget to finish with a cool down and stretch