Saturday, December 09, 2006

[Strength] Knee and Hip Exercise

Here is an exercise my physio recommended to improve my balance. This exercise helps to strengthen the knee and the hip as these are the parts which are engaged the most in this exercise.

Firstly, start off standing as upright as possible with your foot and knee planted against a wall parallel to the ground. Even if it is not exactly parallel, try and get it as parallel as possible.


The distance between your legs should be approximately shoulder width, with the knee and foot of the standing leg being in a straight line with each other as in the above image. The other leg which is leaning on the wall is bent slightly at an angle to create leverage so you dont just slide down the wall. However, don't place your leg too high up on the wall. You want your leaning knee to be only slightly higher than your standing knee.

It is better to wear shorts when doing this exercise as it frees up your movement more and makes it easier for you to 'stick' your foot and knee to the wall. Standing static in this position (above), you would eventually feel a burn in your hips and your glutes (your butt), which means you are standing correctly.

Once you are ready and are in position, perform a squat by pushing your bum down and backwards whilst leaning forward like you're riding a horse or about to fire a rocket out your ass. Keep your back straight by looking forward. After the squat, return to starting position as shown in the first image.

Starting out, you should perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions for each leg. If you can do more, go up to 15, but no higher. It's more important to do the exercise properly, so keep good form and speed, and you'll feel the burn.

Your hands should be free during the movement, so no leaning or touching the wall all through the repetitions. This will increase the effectiveness of the exercise and help improve your balance as well.