Posted on: Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Finish with single-joint exercises

By Nancy Cole
Knight Ridder News Service

You've lunged like a lunatic, squatted with sticks of steel, so why do you need any other lower-body exercises? Because training your body is similar to any other renovation project. A strong foundation is critical. Good bones are beneficial. And while the living space is the heart and soul of the structure, the finishes are what set it apart.

While multijoint compound exercises like squats are the foundation of your leg training program, single-joint exercises such as the cable hip extension are the finishing touches. In training, definition is definitely in the details.

To perform this exercise, attach an ankle cuff to the low pulley and secure it around your ankle. Choose a light weight (or no weight to start) that is challenging, yet allows you to perform this exercise smoothly and without jerking. While maintaining your hips square with the weight stack, look forward, grasp the handles and slightly bend your nonworking leg. Raise the cuffed working leg straight up and back, keeping it firm and straight throughout the movement to effectively emphasize the glutes. At the top of the exercise, squeeze your glutes, then slowly and deliberately return your leg to the starting position without allowing your foot to touch the floor or pause at the bottom.

Immediately execute your next repetition. Repeat for 16 to 20 reps before switching legs.