Home gyms (part 2 of 2)

Balance is absolutely essential, just as maintaining a straight back. Smoothly go down to the bottom position, without bouncing, where you make a distinct turn and bring yourself up to standing again.

Quads: Leg extenstion
Sit at the end of the bench with your lower chins against the rolling pad of the leg-extension addition. Make sure to have three fingers width between the back of your knee and the edge of the bench. Keeping your abs tense and feet relaxed, stabilize your body by holding onto the bench while slowly extending your legs. Avoid bouncing at the top.

Hamstrings: Leg curls
Lie on your stomach on the bench, with the rolls against your Achilles-tendons. Check so that your kneecaps move freely and don't touch the bench. You want to avoid curling your back, so keep your abs tense and consciously keep the pelvis as straight as possible. Keep your forehead against the pad, and grasp the edges of the bench to maintain balance.

Calves: Dumbbell calf-press
Unless you have a Smith-machine standing around, you must use one hand to stabilize yourself throughout the movement. Put a phonebook or similar on the ground so that you can stretch your calves completely without touching the floor. Grab one dumbbell (probably heavy!) in the same hand as the calf you're about to train. Put your foot on the phone book (or whatever) so that the ball of the foot is on the surface but the heel is hanging in the air. Keep your knee straight without overextending it. Maintaining balance, stretch down to the very bottom and push your way up. Hold for a second, and slowly descend. As always, avoid bouncing!

These simple exercises should give you a flying start. Now, remember that all these instructions are simplified, and that there is some fine-tuning that can only be shown by hands-on training by a professional. Always stay in control of the weight, not the other way around. If you feel strange pain, stop training and see a medical professional. It could be an injury building up, so don't fool yourself by thinking that an aching joint will be "just fine" if you keep training it at high intensity.

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