Years of training clients as a fitness professional has allowed me to hone my skills. The best trainers don’t turn off the minute their client leaves the gym. I’m constantly analyzing what exercises seem to be working, which ones burn the most calories, and what needs to be changed and adapted. Some of the most effective exercises for your rear, take place on ONE LEG. If you want to activate muscles that you sit on all day, you have to WAKE them up! Using one leg forces them to increase circulation, activate, burn calories, and increase lean muscle tone.
1 Leg Ball Squat
- Stand at a wall with your exercise ball at your low back with a considerable portion of the ball on your pelvis.
- Walk your feet out away from you as far as they need to be so you can bend your knees to a 90 degree angle keeping your knees over your ankles.
- Lift your right leg off the floor inhale as you bend your left knee to 90 degrees. The ball will roll up your back as you bend your knee. Don’t tuck your pelvis – keep your sits bones pointed straight down.
- Exhale and pull your abs toward your spine and straighten the left knee, coming to standing. Keep your right leg off the floor.
- Do: 10 reps on each leg for two to three sets (source).
Bench Lunge
Set Up: Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides and place one foot on a bench behind you, laces down [A].
Action: Bend your front knee and lower straight down, keeping your knee in line with your toes [B]. Straighten your leg to come back to the start position. Complete the set and then switch sides.
Do three sets of 10-12 reps on each leg.
If you want to get really crazy with this exercise, put your front foot on an unstable platform (airex pad, bosu ball, or dina disc), then put the back foot on a bench or stool. Using an unstable surface with boost your calorie burning for weight loss and work your core muscle for an added ab workout.
1 Leg Bridge
Start- Start by lying on your back. Hands are wherever they are most comfortable. Bend your knees and place them directly over your hips. Your feet are against the side of the stability ball. Place your right foot on your left knee.
Go For It- Lift your hips to the sky. Press your foot into the ball as you lift. Pause for one second and lower back to start.
Tips and Techniques-
– Exhale as you lift hips up to the sky. Inhale as you lower to the ground.
– Remember to do the other side. Balance is good!
– You can do this hams and glutes exercise various ways. You can lift up, pause for one second and lower down. You can lift up and hold for 15 or 30 seconds, then lower back to start.
– You should feel this hams and glutes exercise in your bottom and back of the thigh.
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