Glutei and quadriceps

Cases studies Aims of the exercises Rules for performance of exercises Abdominal exercises Dorsal-lumbar exercises Cervical-dorsal exercises Exercises for glutei and quadriceps Hyperextension with support Half squat Dorsal-lumbar stretches Cervical-dorsal stretches Ischio-tibial stretches

Hyperextension with support

The starting position for this exercise is on your stomach (prone position) at a certain height from the floor. There are two ways to do this.

The first is on a table or a stretcher. You must lie on your stomach, with your legs completely resting on the stretcher, with a significant weight - or someone - holding your feet, with hips outside of the stretcher and your whole trunk hanging obliquely at an angle of 45º over the stretcher. Your arms may be crossed behind your head or resting on the side of the stretcher.

The other way to adopt this starting position requires a special device, available in almost all gymnasiums. This is a device which allows you to remain on your stomach with the trunk in suspension. It provides support under the hips - the upper part of the thighs should really be supported, not the hips - and another above the ankles. In this way, the legs are fixed between the horizontal bar and the hip support. The trunk hangs in front of the hip support, and you must let it hang at about 45º from the floor.

There is also another device for this same exercise where the starting position leans forward and not horizontally. Other than this, the exercise and the precautions are the same.

There are three starting positions depending on your previous training. The easiest consists of resting your hands on the hip support and helping yourself with your arms when doing the movement. The intermediate position consists of keeping your arms crossed in front of your chest. The most difficult position involves keeping your hands crossed behind your head. You will use the intermediate position when you are able to do 20 continuous repetitions of the easy position and will go on to the difficult position when your physical fitness allows you to do 20 continuous repetitions in the intermediate one.

From the starting position, slowly raise your trunk without moving your legs until you reach a maximum of a horizontal position (180º). Under no circumstance must you exceed the horizontal line, as this might overload your spine. If you do this, you will be doing a movement that you must specifically avoid. You may not be able to reach the horizontal position, but under no circumstances must you exceed it. Then slowly lower yourself and repeat the movement until the series has been completed.

If instead of letting your trunk hang at 45º you should let it hang vertically, during the first half of the movement (from the vertical to 45º) you will be working the glutei and ischiotibial muscles (those at the back of the thigh) rather than those of the back. Only do it this way if prescribed by your physician.

It is normal that on finishing the series you should notice that your back muscles are tired or pull somewhat, but stop doing the exercise if: