Exercises like pelvic thrusts and hip rotations are key to getting a bigger, rounder butt and tighter inner thighs. Learn how to strengthen hip flexors to alleviate back pain and explore movements that can help you eliminate saddlebags.
Heel raises, or calf raises, work your calf. Your calves provide stability for your knee and ankle joints as well as power when you walk, run, or jump. You must train your calves using a variety of methods, and many types of raises work the different functions of your calf muscle.
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The hip abductors and adductors work in opposition to draw your thighs apart and toward each other, respectively. They also serve an important function as hip stabilizers during common movements such as walking and running.
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The Lisfranc joint is that piece in the middle of your foot that allows you to bend your foot as you walk.
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The iliopsoas muscle (pronounced with the "p" silent) is made of three muscles: the iliacus, psoas major and psoas minor. Together these muscles work to flex the hip, rotate the hip outward, bend the spine laterally, and stabilize the spine.
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Having excess weight in the hips is the starting point of a pear-shaped body. This lower body fat is not as detrimental as belly fat, but it still takes its toll on self confidence. The goal is to not allow this fat to build up in the first place.
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The flexor digitorum longus is a long, narrow muscle that is found in the lower leg. This muscle plantar flexes and inverts the foot, flexes the toes and helps the foot "grip" the ground. Keeping this muscle strong and conditioned will help exercise-related and overuse injuries of the posterior leg.
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Numbness is defined as a decrease or loss of sensation in the skin. Numbness in the hip can be caused by medical conditions such as osteoporosis, sciatica or hip dysplasia. When numbness in the skin is felt for no apparent reason, it is called paresthesia.
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Build significant muscle mass in your butt, hips and thighs by incorporating lower-body weight-training exercises into your workout regimen. To build muscle, according to the American Council on Exercise, your workouts should feature primarily compound exercises, which are ones that involve movement at multiple joints.
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Most people think of the inner and outer thigh when they hear the words adductors and abductors. While that's partially true, a simpler, more accurate description is that abductors are the muscles that draw a part away from the midline of the body, and adductors draw a part into the midline of the body.
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Rehabilitative exercises are important following any surgery, but it is especially critical after a hip replacement. Recovery from a total hip replacement can take months, and it is imperative that you exercise the muscles of your hip to help prevent deterioration of tissue and to speed your recovery.
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The sacroiliac joint, also called the SI joint, sits at the bottom of your spine and makes up the rear portion of your pelvic girdle. The human body actually has two -- one sits at the left side of the pelvis and the other sits on the right. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is a possible cause of lower-back pain.
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The step-up is a compound exercise that works several lower-body muscles. It is a good strength exercise since it mimics a real-life movement, making it more functional than other lower-body strength exercises.
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Stair climbing is an exercise that uses your natural body weight to tone muscles in the hips, buttocks and thighs. Weight-bearing aerobic activities such as stair climbing can help reduce the rate of bone loss while providing cardiovascular benefits.
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Assessing your vertical jump height can give you an idea of where you rank compared to other student athletes, and can clue you in to whether you need to work on your jump height before you try out for a sport.
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Knee pain while squatting is often a symptom of injury or dysfunction in another joint. There are several possible causes for the pain. These causes often involve lack of mobility at the ankle or hip joints.
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Six hip flexor muscles are in your body. The most important are the iliopsoas, which are two muscles, the psoas major and iliacus, and are situated deep in the abdomen and the rectus femoris, part of the quadriceps muscles on the thigh. Tightening the hip flexors bends the hip in the front.
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Hip replacement is a serious procedure. However, with proper rehabilitation you can regain all previous strength and range of motion. The best rehabilitation involves careful planning and exercise routines.
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If you experience occasional pelvic pain after exercising, it's likely not a major cause for concern, as it's not unusual to have pain in your pelvis or abdomen after you work out, especially if you exercise hard.
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The deadlift is a compound move that works many muscle groups, including your hamstrings, core, glutes, lower back, upper back, mid-back and forearms. Because the deadlift works so many muscles, there is a temptation to keep loading weight on the bar as you progress.
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Squatting, done properly, compresses the spine -- but we have evolved to tolerate spinal compression. Assuming you don't bounce off something hard at the bottom of the squat, the spinal compression forces are extremely low and should present no risk unless you have a pre-existing spinal injury.
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