All
Fours Back Leg Lift
This
exercise works the buttocks and the hamstrings or back of the thighs.
Equipment
Exercise mat. You can also use an ankle weight of one to five pounds.
There are two ways to do this exercise: On your hands and knees or on your forearms.
On your hands and knees:
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Keep your arms directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hip joint.
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Straighten one leg behind you with toes resting on the floor.
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Tighten abdominal muscles slightly.
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Contract your buttocks to lift the leg to hip level.
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Slowly return to starting position with toes touching the floor.
On
your forearms:
Follow the same technique but bring the leg higher than hip level.
Performance
Tips
1. Keep the working leg straight.
2. Keep both the hips and shoulders facing the floor.
3. Keep your spine neutral – neither rounded nor arched.
4. Keep your head in line with your spine. Do not hang your head
down or arch your neck up.
5. Use the contraction in the buttocks to lift the leg rather than
jerking the leg up.
6. Some people feel dizzy when they do this exercise on their forearms.
If you feel this, do it on your hands and knees.
Repetitions
Do 10 repetitions per leg. Do one or two sets.