Forgotten Exercise???

T

trevor

Guest
Hi Ladies,
I have seen a few of you complaining that you weren't quite getting the butts that you'd like to have through your current programs. One exercise that I was thinking of that I don't see alot of people doing is the back extension. Do it as a finishing move to your normal hamstring/glute work.
Position yourself facedown on a Roman chair and hook your ankles into the rollers. Hips are slightly over the top of the pad.
Cross your arms in front of your chest and start with flexing at your hips to hang over the padded bench to a minimum of 45-60 degrees. This is the start position.
Now raise your torso by flexing your hammies and glutes and pressing your ankles against the rollers. In the top position your body should be in a straight line. Go back down and repeat. Do 2 to 3 sets of 15.

This really squeezes your butt and involves the gluteus maximus, erector spinae, and inner and outer hamstring groups.

And for those that mentioned wanting to get that butt tuck, I think Kathryn called it---where the butt meets the top of the back of the leg---I am swearing by leg curls...standing, lying and seated ones. Especially standing ones. Do those HARD and a bit heavy for one month ladies and if you don't get some improvement(don't forget your cardio!) then you can come after me!! I swear it works!! Makes that "tuck" area hard as a rock!!!!
Try it!!
T. :)
 
Yeah I was thinking of those the other day.I use to o them all the time and felt them in my buttand hams.you must have read my mind;-)
 
As a butt - hamstring challenged woman - I thank you for reminding me of this exercise. I had almost forgotten. I am no longer a member of a gym - but I just may go to the local fitness store and check out the prices of these gizmos! I remember doing them at the gym and they always fried my hams and glutes! Thanks for the reminder. One last question though - what is the other one you are talking about? I can't picture it in my mind?

Also - do you know any woman who has improved this trouble area? I'm not making any progress and I must say...I'm almost at the point where I think its beyond help. Sometimes I feel as though its getting worse, despite all my lunging, high stepping, deadlifting etc...!
 
Hi Trev! Well I'm always looking for leg improvements and I like your recommendation, but what do you suggest for those of us that don't have access to a gym? :) :)

Jo
 
Hi Lynne!
Sorry I have taken so long to respond. My home computer is in the shop.
Are you asking about leg curls? That's the one where you curls your leg by bending at the knee and pushing your foot towards your butt. I get the feeling you may be asking about the back extensions but I am not clear from your question. Let me know. :)
There are some women bodybuilders at the club I go to with just, excuse the expression, amazing a$$e$, who do these exercises and switch them up with the lunges, squats, stepups, etc.
For myself, I have bulked up my butt and made it fuller by using the exercises I described in combination with heavy squats, leg presses, and deadlifts. The leg curl seems to really finish it off though, along with the back extensions. And like I described, really tightens that butt tuck area that Kathryn has referred to before.
I think more explosive type cardio helps too. Like interval running. Check out a sprinters body as compared to a long distance runner and you'll see what I mean.
You are not beyond help Lynne! Just give these a try and REALLY focus. Go a little heavier than you might otherwise. Please make sure you protect your back though...
T. :)
 
Jo, not having gym access makes this harder because the equipment is conducible to going heavier and trying more variations. You can buy that piece of equipment for back extensions. But, if you don't want to do that, you may be able to do a smaller type of back extension just lying face down on the floor. Just be careful not to hyper-extend your back.
I'd also go heavier on lunges, or whatever butt exercises you currently perform. You don't need alot of high rep stuff for that muscle. Or at least, all the time. Mix up your leg routines. Try more explosive type cardio moves while running or doing stairs.
If there's one thing I hope you all get from me, I hope it's to not be afraid to go heavier with the weights. I am telling you, it's going to get you the results you want.
Jo I know you run alot. What's your current weekly mileage and how is this mileage done?
T. :)
 
Oh sure, hyperextensions--why would you think they were forgotten?

I stopped doing them b/c my lower back just ain't what it used to be. Now I use the machine at the gym. Very low weight & high reps. But I actually use the exercise for lower back strengthening rather than for glute/ham conditioning (just hurts the lower back too much, & the leg workout I do now is effective enough).
 
Oh, you could sub the hyperextensions w/good mornings and/or deadlifts if you want to do it at home & have a barbell. But as Trevor cautioned, you must must must use proper form.
 
Trevor -

Thanks for thinking that I'm not beyond help. I priced out the machine and it is affordable and I think I will get it.

It has just been really frustrating because I work so hard on my legs ( hamstrings and butt in particular) and I've really seen no results. I never miss a leg workout - if I have to skip a workout because of my busy schedule its an upper body one. I always get in at least 2 leg workouts a week.

However, I am starting to go heavier, much heavier and hopefully I will see some results.

I am also traveling a lot with a crazy new job( 3 to 4 days a week) and finding it hard to get in all my workouts. Most hotels have gyms - but they are not good gyms...usually some dumbells and bicycle machines at best. I do the best I can with what I have....
The travel will stop after Christmas and I can only hope that as I enter another year, things will improve...

Again Trevor - You are a big help.
 
Trevor, my mileage is down right now as I've been on a kickboxing spree (it's getting cold outside again!)! So I'm only running twice a week at 4 miles a pop. (So 8 miles a week.) I live in an equestrian area so I run on gravel and dirt trails with LOTS of hills. Out of that 4 miles there's probably only 3/4 mile (total) that's flat. Now that I say that - that's good for the butt! :)

I did Legs & Glutes this morning and we all know THAT's good for the butt!

Jo
 
RE: Forgotten Exercise???-Trevor

Trevor, how would you do this if you don't have the special aparatus? Do you think you could use a stability ball to do this one and hook you heels to the back of a chair or something? I think back extensions are VERY important and I do them on the floor laying flat. It has helped tremendously with my lower back problems. But I don't ever feel it in my glutes or hamstrings because I relax that part of my body when I do the back extensions for lower back purposes. I like this idea, do you have suggestions on how to do them if you don't belong to a gym?
Thanks!
Debbie in OH
 
Wouldn't this be what Cathe calls the Superman's in her workouts? She has one that is o, I think Push & Pull, that is a reverse one where you raise your legs up while lying on the ball that I can feel in my glutes and hamstrings as well as low back. I used to do hyperextensions over the pads on my leg curl attachment. I have managed to keep a device of some sort to do leg curls and extensions which I find very effective. I add these two moves onto a lot of my lower body workouts. Also for quads I like to throw in some sissy squats which I find effective if you throw in some of what Cathe calls the low ends. Since I have never been to a gym I am always looking for ways to get in an effective workout.
Diane Sue
 
Yep, Cathe has these supermans on one of her PP/SS videos and also the Stability Ball Ab work from the basic set she just putout. But when I do them I don't feel anything in my glutes or hamstrings, just my low back. I love doing superman's, they make my low back feel really good and strong!
Debbie in OH
 
Debbie,
It is the ones where you raise your legs and not the upper body where Cathe says to put your heels together to feel it in your lower body as well, that I feel it the most. I know what you mean, most of them I feel more in the low back.
Diane Sue
 
I think the stability ball idea is interesting.....
With the Roman chair at the club it depends how you line your hips with the top of the pad, at least for me, as to how you feel the squeeze. You really have to concentrate and tighten the back end on this move to feel it in the but. Note that this is a finishing move and should be used in combo with another exercise or two, like squats and/or lunges and/or deadlifts and/or leg curls.
Tomorrow morning I will be blasting my butt with these.....
T.
:)
 
couldn't you use the step for the back extension glute thing by hooking legs at end then hips just off the other end I htink in some of gin millers and charlene pricketts they do these been awhile I think the ball woudl work too but would bring in lots of other muscles to keep stable hence stability ball
Lisa
 
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