'MO - November 2008 - (Page 14)

your health matters Click here to comment on these stories. FORM & FUNCTION Stay Up on the Downhill with Rock-Hard Glutes and Iron Legs By Madelyn Fairbanks We may not have a lot of sunshine in Seattle, but it’s hard to resist welcoming the long winter by using up your sick days on the slopes. Ski conditioning requires a fully ﬁt body, and getting more runs in before après means building up your cardio as well as leg endurance. Get your butt into shape by spending some extra time where your ski legs need it most. Fit these exercises into your workout, building up your weight and reps between now and ski season. LYING LEG CURLS Do a pyramid set of these three times. If you want to turn it up a notch, go for four—your buns and hamstrings will be burning for sure. Remember, the burn is your friend, and it’s what will earn you that rockhard ass. • With your chest and tummy on the bench of the leg curl machine, curl your first set at a heavy weight for eight reps. • Without rest, switch weight to medium for 15 reps. • Without rest, switch weight to light and bust out 21 reps. • Rest 30–90 seconds and repeat. SUPERSET: ONE-LEGGED DEADLIFTS & BELGIAN LUNGES This is a great superset because it isolates each leg effectively, and rest/recovery time on one leg is spent working on the other. The deadlift will target glutes and hamstrings while the Belgian lunge will give an all-over finish to many complementing muscles in your leg. ONE-LEGGED DEADLIFT • Hold 10–15 lb. dumbbells in each hand at your sides, balance on your right leg and keep your left leg straight. • Lower into a deadlift using just your right leg while keeping your back ﬂat and weights close to your shin. • Your left leg and upper body should come parallel to the ground, balancing on the axis of your hip. • Slowly come back up, squeeze your glutes, hamstrings, and abs • Repeat 12–15 times. BELGIAN LUNGE • Hold 10–15 lb. dumbbells in each hand at your sides, bring your left foot up on a work-out bench behind you and rest the top of your left foot on the bench. • Take a big step forward with your right foot, balancing most of your weight on your right leg. • With a neutral spine, perform a static lunge with your right leg, noting that your knee does not go past your toe. • Bring your body back up. • Repeat 12–15 times. Repeat both exercises, without rest, on each leg three to four times. Don’t forget to build up your cardio load as you prepare for the slopes, and enjoy your powerful legs all winter long. What better excuse do you need to pump some extra iron into those buns? Madelyn Fairbanks trains and teaches group exercise in Seattle, and owns Mad Abs Fitness, www.MadAbsFitness.com. 1 celebrating seattle’s gay community http://www.MadAbsFitness.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of 'MO - November 2008

'MO - November 2008 Contents Letter from the Editor Voices Elections '08: What Really Happened Instant Activist Pet Project Legally Speaking: Estate Planning 'mo-BIZ: Thinking Cap Communications & Design, Inc. Whistler-Blackcomb's Peak 2 Peak Gondola Form & Function: Stay Up on the Downhill: Glutes & Legs Gay City Health Project: 10 Tips for Safe and Healthy Travel Head for the Hills: The Top 4 Gay Ski Weeks in North America Book Review: Waiter Rant Book Review: The Transgender Child Capitol Hill Guide Live Event Preview: Teatro ZinZanni's A Rosa de Rio Live Event Preview: Jennifer Holliday and the Seattle Men's Chorus DVD Review: Kiss the Bride SceneOut: People@Places 'mo-Single Q&A

'MO - November 2008

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