Bowflex Ultimate - Manual (Page 60)

60
Leg Exercises
Muscles worked: This exercise strengthens and
develops the muscles on the outside of your lower
legs (peroneals). These muscles are essential for
standing balance and lateral agility of the ankle.
Pulley position: Narrow.
Starting position:
• Sit on the bench with one side of your body
facing toward the Power Rods ® .
• Attach the handle around the ball of the foot
farthest from the pulley.
• Straighten the attached leg and sit up straight.
• Allow the foot to rotate inward toward the Power
Rods ® .
Motion:
• Keeping your leg stationary, slowly rotate your
foot outward, away from the Power Rods ® .
• Slowly return to the starting position without
relaxing.
Key points:
• The only movement that occurs is at the ankle,
keep the rest of your body/leg motionless.
• You should feel tension in the outside of your calf
throughout the entire motion.
Ankle Eversion
Muscles worked: This exercise is very similar
to the squat and is also considered a total body
exercise. It involves the glutes, adductors,
hamstrings and quads – which are primary movers
– and the spinal erectors and trapezius, – which
are key to stabilization.
Pulley position: Low pulley
Starting position:
• Remove the back support and straddle the rail.
• Use the bar harness to adjust strap length
allowing tension at the appropriate depth. This
will require experimentation. Increase depth
slowly according to your ability, knee conditions,
etc. Most orthopedists recommend that healthy
knees not go any lower than a 90 degree angle
(between the thigh and calf) when using extra
resistance. Many people go lower for their goals,
but this dramatically increases the risk to the
knee cartilage and increases the probability of
degenerative/arthritic changes. To go lower than
the harness allows, connect the cable snap hook
directly to the D-ring of the bar.
• Position your feet in line with the cable/pulley.
• Place your feet shoulder width or wider and point
your toes outward slightly. Direct the thighs to
the same outward angle as the feet.
Motion:
• Using control, slowly squat down by sticking
the hips out as the knees start to bend. Keep the
chest up and back flat as the hips continue to
move backward.
• Lower to approximately 90 degrees at the knees
(unless otherwise determined).
• Grasp the bar with an overhand grip and slowly
stand erect maintaining the alignment as
indicated.
• Keep the pressure through the middle of the
arches/feet, not through the toes or heels.
• Slowly lower to the predetermined range,
maintaining tension from the cable.
Key points:
• Keep knees pointed the same direction as the
toes.
• Keep the head/neck in line with the trunk.
• Pay close attention to all alignment and
stabilization issues on every part of each and
every repetition!
• Never attempt to exercise with more resistance
than you are physically able to handle.
Deadlift
FINISH
START
FINISH
START