Nature versus gym equipment 3.

A great way to work your legs is to do leg extensions. By kicking upward from either a sitting or standing position, you can work the four headed muscle group known as the quadriceps. Resistance is increased simply by increasing the weight that you are kicking upward. Many say that this is the exercise they opt for when low on time and want to work out the legs. This exercise is good for keeping the muscles strong and stable for the push phase of any lift and also helps to lengthen the stride while running. From a seated position, a leg extension isolates the quadriceps. From a standing position, the extension turns into an isometric exercise an it mainly focuses on the upper quad and hips while, the opposing foot it left to maintain balance for the rest of the body. When outdoors you can also isolate the quadriceps with a variety of movements. The one we use most often in our boot camps is called a hand squat. This is performed by placing your hands on the ground approximately 24 inches from the front of your feet. Then you while keeping the weight in your fingers, (or palms if you are flexible) you proceed to bend your knees so your heels touch your butt and then straighten your legs so your heels go into the floor while your hips raise into the air. This movement is very similar to the first movement a track athlete makes while coming out of his/her starting blocks. I have yet to meet a person who doesn’t feel a little burn after doing 25 of these. You can even increase the intensity by putting one foot on higher ground than the other. When comparing the leg extension with the hand squat, they both have their benefits, but a standing leg extension slightly edges the hand squat for effectiveness in working the quads for its ability to help with balance while strengthening the quads and hip flexors. The hand squat works on the endurance of the leg, but even while done with one leg, the hands provide extra support so balancing is not an issue. The leg extension comes in a distant third because of its lack of any focus on balance and its high rate of knee injury due to cartilage erosion. A brighter day looms over the horizon for outdoor exercise. We’ll continue next time with another focus on the lower body. Remember, there is always a great workout hiding in plain view. See you Outdoors!