Lower body muscle training

One method for resistance training of lower body muscles that is of quite some popularity is the squat. This exercise involves standing with the feet at shoulder width apart, then gradually lowering the body by bending at the knees and the hip joints while keeping the spine vertically straight. This gradual lowering deepens into a squat, although current safety recommendations suggest that the knee joints should be bent no tighter than a ninety degree angle.

In any case, once the squat position has been reached, the body is then gradually raised again by re-straightening the knee joints and the hip joints, all the while the spine remaining vertically straight, until the exerciser is once again standing straight in the starting position. As with all other resistance training procedures, this exercise should be carried out with good form, in other words slowly, gradually and gracefully, in order to both prevent injury and derive the greatest possible training benefit from the squatting exercise.

Advanced practitioners of the squatting exercise tend to increase the degree of resistance by carrying a loaded barbell horizontally across the shoulders and behind the neck, with a hand gripping the barbell beside each shoulder. This does indeed serve the intended purpose of increasing the level of resistance delivered to the lower body muscles, in particular the thigh muscles. However it should be strictly reserved for training situations in which the exerciser is being or has been given expert tuition on the safe and correct application of the technique. The reason for this proviso is the potential for injury in this exercise if done incorrectly.

An effective method for exercising the calf muscles is to stand on a step or raised platform with the ball of the foot on the edge of this step or platform and the arch and heel of the foot suspended in the air beyond this edge. At the beginner stage the exerciser may choose to place both feet in this position and proceed to gradually lower the heel while keeping the ball and toes of each foot perched on the step. The body is maintained in a vertical standing posture throughout the exercise. The heel is then gradually raised until the starting position is resumed. Since the body remains vertically straight, the top of the head will move down, and then up, the same distance as the heels. A hand may gently rest against a wall to assist with balance, but should not bear any body weight during the exercise.

As the exerciser becomes more experienced and the calf muscles grow stronger over a period of weeks, it is then reasonable to experiment with the more advanced level. This involves the same exercise, but with one foot at a time. In other words, the right foot is perched on the edge of the step or platform, while the left foot is elevated (or rested behind the heel of the right foot) and vice versa. In this way the amount of work done by the calf muscles in the exercise is effectively doubled. At even more advanced levels, a gym machine can be used, in which an even greater burden of weight is required to be lifted by the calf muscle. In order to avoid any injury to the achilles tendon or calf muscle it is once again necessary to approach this exercise with caution. At every stage the exerciser should ease off if there is any feeling of strain or undue difficulty, and as always the training should be done with slow and steady movements avoiding any sudden shocks to the muscles or tendons.

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