Exercise of the week 3/21/11

Standing Hip Extension

This exercise primarily works on the gluteal muscles.  The benefit of performing this exercise standing is that while you are moving and working one side of the musculature, the other side is also "working".  The non-moving side is involved because it has to stay active and contracted to help hold you in place.  Many people will notice that during the 2nd and 3rd sets of this exercise the stationary leg is burning more than the moving leg.  There are many ways to increase the difficulty of this exercise, but I would recommend that you master the basic version before you progress to tougher versions.


How to perform:


✦ Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with a slight forward lean
✦ Place your hands on a stable object
✦ Plant one foot firmly on the ground and shift your body weight to that side
    ◆ This should leave your unweighted leg dangling slightly above the ground

✦ Lead with the heel and move the non-planted foot back away from your body
✦ Keep your moving foot relaxed while performing the exercise
✦ You may get a better muscular contraction if you twist your foot slightly out during the exercise
✦ Move your leg as far back as it can comfortably travel
✦ Hold/squeeze the muscle at the end of the movement
✦ Relax the leg and let it return to the starting position
✦ Repeat for the prescribed number of reps

Experiment with the angle at which you move your leg.  Some people feel that they get the best contraction if they move straight back, and others find that they like to be slightly angled during their movement pattern.  What is a perfect direction for some might not be perfect for you.  When you feel you need more of a challenge, try adding some ankle weights to the lifts.  Refer to the Exercise of the Week 3/7/11 for my recommendation on ankle weights.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions about this exercise, or any other, and I am always open to suggestions on which exercise to cover next week.

-Jason