Standing Hip Extension, to strengthen your gluteal muscles (the three muscles which make up the buttocks)
Prolonged sitting tightens the hip flexor muscles and weakens the hamstrings. To counteract this, you need to open the hips with hip extension moves. Hip extension involves some of our strongest muscles – the gluteal muscles and hamstrings. These muscles are essential for balance and walking so it’s very important to keep them strong and flexible.
- Stand upright with your feet flat on the floor, facing a sturdy chair
- Hold the back rest of the chair with both hands
- Put your weight on your right leg (slight bend in your right knee), brace your core, lift up your chest, relax your shoulders
- Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale slowly move your left leg backwards with the knee as straight as possible
- Hold the hip extension two seconds and return to starting position
- Perform 10-15 repetitions with the same leg before you switch legs
If you’d like to challenge and develop your balance, try to perform the exercise without holding onto the back rest of the chair.
Good Form tips:
- Keep your back straight without leaning too far back or forward – this is only a very small range of movement
- Keep your weight bearing knee slightly bent to alleviate pressure
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR SESSION
Fit For Good online sessions are a convenient, enjoyable way of improving your fitness and helping to increase your strength, stability and balance.
To make the most of each session:
- Position your computer, laptop, iPad or phone on a stable surface near where you will be working. If you can get YouTube on your television, that's another option
- Check the floor where you are exercising is not slippery and that there is nothing you could trip over
- Wear loose clothing and comfortable trainers or shoes
- Keep a glass or bottle of water to hand to ensure you stay hydrated
- Have a chair or other stable object to hold onto if necessary
- Place your weights - whether they are actual dumbbells, cans of beans, bottles of water or whatever works for you - where you can easily reach them, but won't trip over them
- Exercise within your comfort zone, pausing the video whenever you need to rest or hydrate
- Play background music if it helps you relax
WE'D LOVE TO SEE YOUR PHOTOS
If you're enjoying Fit For Good online sessions, we’d love to see you via photos or videos – we're regularly asked by news sources for images of people doing the sessions. Perhaps someone in your household has a phone and could take pictures or a video clip? Please send them here.
