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On your knees
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Exercising the quadriceps muscle helps keep the knee joint in good condition
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THE QUADRICEPS femoris muscle is essential for straightening the knee joint. The muscle lies largely on the front of the thigh, and towards its lower end its four components unite as a strong tendon that attaches to the base of the kneecap on its way to the leg. The quadriceps is a powerful muscle, but it is also very vulnerable to injury towards its lower end. It is responsible for the stability of the knee joint.
Weakness of the muscle can cause pain and swelling of the knee joint, and one way to combat this is by exercising this muscle.
The leg extension machine works on a simple principle: isolation. Isolating a muscle means ensuring only the muscle in question does the work involved in lifting the weight. With isolation, the weight lifted is a true indicator of muscle strength. Stack on weights to the weight rack of the extension machine. Sit comfortably on the seat; keep your back straight and pressed against the back support. Sit with both the ankles just behind the bars, the cushioned bars resting against the front of lower part of the legs, an inch or so above the feet.
The axis of the machine is in a way its knee. Align your own knee with this axis as much as possible. Stabilise your upper body by grasping the support bars. Remember the key word: isolation.
If your body is swaying all over the place, you are using more than just your quadriceps to lift the weight and dissipating the muscle-building character of the exercise.
The Extension: Straighten your knees slowly against the resistance of the bar over a period of 3-4 seconds. Exhale slowly as you lift. Keep your back straight and immobile throughout this phase. Do not move around in your seat in an effort to get more lift.
The Restitution: do not let go of the weight abruptly. The descent should be as smooth and controlled as the lift, taking roughly 3-4 seconds as well. At the end of the decent, the weight should still be under the control of your muscles and not resting limply in the rack. Repeat the movement 12 times per set, for four sets. Always do the leg extension as part of a comprehensive lower body workout. Because this exercise works a single muscle in isolation, one should always do it after a general lower body exercise like the squat.
It is unwise and dangerous to perform a general lower body exercise like the squat that works muscle groups rather than single muscles when some muscles are already more tired than the others are.
RAJIV M.
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