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Quadriceps: The large group
of muscles on the front of the upper leg, often referred to as the
thighs. Your quadriceps are so named because they are a group of
four (quad = four) different muscles: the rectus femoris, vastus
lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedialis. The quadriceps
run along the front of the thigh, starting at the hip joint and
ending at the knee joint. The quadriceps' primary function is to
flex the hip and extend the knee, very important in walking,
running, jumping, climbing, and pedaling.
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Muscles worked: |
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Primary: Quadriceps
Secondary: Hamstrings,
Buttocks |
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Instructions: |
- Stand before a bar set on a rack at about chest height,
grasping a barbell with palms down.
- Place the barbell behind and below your neck and evenly
across your trapezius muscles and shoulders.
- Your back should be straight, your feet hip-width apart
with toes pointed forward.
- Your knees should be slightly bent and your back should
have a slight forward lean.
- Squat down keeping your shins close to perpendicular to
the floor until your thighs are approximately parallel to the
floor.
- You should be looking upwards, your upper torso slightly
leaned forward and your lower back slightly curved inward or
straight.
- Now stand up to the starting position forcing your hips in
and your head up.
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Don'ts: |
- Don't allow your back to hunch over at any time. Try to
keep good posture with your upper back straight and your lower
back slightly arched.
- Don't allow your knees to move farther forward than your
toes. This increases the risk of a knee injury and throws of
posture.
- Don't squat down farther than your quadriceps being
parallel to the floor.
- Don't bounce or jerk your body in an attempt to gain
momentum.Always move in a very slow, controlled manner.
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