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Tag: leg muscles
Lengthened v. Shortened Muscles
At Urban Fitness, it is not just about working your muscles, it is also HOW you work your muscles. Whether it be through formal education or your own self-education about exercise, many of us think that muscles must contract and shorten in order to create movement and become stronger. However, several types of contractions […]
Read MoreStrength Training
WHAT IS STRENGTH TRAINING? Strength training includes all exercises that use resistance: from the added weight of lifting a dumbbell to the use of your own body weight against gravity. Exercises like wall pushups, climbing stairs, pilates, yoga, using resistance bands and lifting weights all fall into this category, along with many other exercises. With so […]
Read MoreStanding Hamstring Stretch
Standing Hamstring Stretch – Reduce Back Pain by Stretching the back of the leg This hamstring stretch is perfect for all levels of flexibility and is generally easier to get into position than a similar stretch lying on your back. It’s easy to work into everyday life like…NOW! Stand up behind your chair as you […]
Read MoreLaterally Rotated Runner's Stretch
So many of us are tight in the hips! Tight inner thighs can also impede our ability to become more mobile and flexible in this area. Stretch both areas with this variation of a runner’s lunge and whichever one is tightest, that’s where you’ll feel it! The setup for this hip and inner thigh stretch […]
Read MoreHip Flexor Stretch with Foam Roller
This intense hip flexor stretch is fabulous at getting deep into the hip flexors! It allows you to relax your leg into the stretch and get a deep hip flexor stretch with a straight and relaxed leg. A lot of the most common hip flexor stretches require knee bending and weight on one knee in […]
Read MoreStability Ball Hamstring Curls
Let me start by saying that if you drop your hips during this exercise, it will be way less effective. More on that later, but first let’s talk about the setup. One rule of biomechanics is that the longer the lever, the more difficult the exercise. A great example of this is that pushups from […]
Read MoreInner Thigh Lifts
Strengthen your inner thighs with this low impact exercise! This exercise is excellent at building inner thigh strength. Inner thigh strength is essential for keeping the head of the femur in the hip socket. It is also very helpful if you are twisted one way or the other in the hips to help stabilize your […]
Read MoreInner Thigh Stretch – Seated Butterfly with Heels Close
This inner thigh stretch is common and for good reason. It’s easy to get into as long as you’re able to get down on the floor and is a perfect stretch to multitask with something one the floor like reading a book or watching a video on your tablet! In order to get those best […]
Read MoreLegs up the Wall Stretch
Relax while you stretch your hamstrings, inner thighs and back! This stretch is a fantastic way to work on your flexibility while relaxing (or chatting on the phone to your loved ones). All you need is bit of wall that is wide and tall enough for your legs to fit up and open on. This […]
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