Even though they're the largest and
strongest muscles in our bodies, we tend to overlook the legs when
exercising. But strong legs make many tasks -- from walking to climbing
stairs to rock climbing and martial arts -- a whole lot easier. Static
leg exercises can help you build up weak leg muscles, as well as increase
your muscular endurance.
Wall chair
For most people, sitting is very
natural. So why not incorporate it into your workout? With the wall
chair, though, sitting becomes less and less comfortable the longer you
do it. But the benefits of the wall chair are greater than sitting in
your favourite chair.
To do the wall chair, stand with your back against a wall. Slowly lower
yourself until your legs form right angles. Keep your back straight
against the wall and your feet planted firmly on the floor. The position
you're in resembles sitting in a chair. Hold this position for as long as
you can. After about 30 seconds or so, you'll really notice the load on
your thighs. After a couple of minutes, you probably won't be able to
hold this position.
While the wall chair works the upper leg, you can also blast your calves
by raising yourself up on the balls of your feet. You'll notice the
effects quite quickly.
Horse stance
In many martial arts, the horse
stance (sometimes called the horse riding stance) is used when
practicing basic blocking and punching techniques. While pretty much
useless in combat, the horse stance is useful for building leg muscles.
One karate instructor that I had as a teenager had the class spend 20
minutes in a horse stance each class, performing basic techniques. You
can imagine the leg strength we all gained.
To perform the horse stance, place your feet about twice your shoulder
width apart. Then, lower yourself down as if you were getting into a
horse's saddle. Don't go too deep, but don't go too shallow, either. And
remember to keep your feet planted on the ground and your back straight.
As with the wall chair, you can also blast your calves by raising
yourself up on the balls of your feet. I don't advise doing this, though,
unless you have fairly good balance.
Calf raise
The static calf raise if a great way to
strengthen your lower legs. But what I like about this exercise is that
you really don't notice the effects until you stop doing it.
To do the calf raise, place your feet at slightly more than shoulder
width apart. Then, raise yourself up on the balls of your feet. Bend your
knees slightly for balance, and keep your back straight. Hold the
position for as long as possible. As I mentioned earlier, you probably
won't notice he effects until you put your heels back on the ground.