Supertone your lower body: one effective move for firming and strengthening your butt, hips and thighs - Do It Right

Shape, Oct, 2002

THE MOVE Hanging double-leg lift

THE PAYOFF This move perfectly isolates your butt, the upper fibers of your hamstrings and your inner-thigh muscles, since you use your abdominal, lower-back and scapular muscles to stabilize your torso against the bench. You'll quickly achieve an incredibly strong and sculpted lower body that will carry you through almost any activity.

THE RIGHT WAY

* Lie facedown and backward on either an angled or horizontal hyperextension bench with hip crease at bench edge, head pointing toward roller pad and legs hanging toward floor (depending on height of machine, your toes may touch the ground).

* Hold the roller pad with your hands shoulder-width apart - or for more stability, place your forearms, hands clasped, on the pad.

* Separate legs in a V, feet hip-width apart, and contract your abdominals to keep spine naturally curved and take tension off lower back.

* Squeeze your shoulder blades down and together, stabilizing position so you're not tensing your shoulders or hands.

* Without moving torso, and keeping legs straight, contract buttocks, lifting legs up to hip height; use inner thighs to bring legs together at top of movement.

* Slowly lower legs, separating them into a V at bottom of movement.

WORKOUT SCHEDULE

Do this move 2-3 times a week as part of a regular lower-body strength program. Using no added weight, do 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps each, resting 30-60 seconds between sets. To progress, attach 2- to 5-pound weights to each ankle (as long as you feel no added stress to your lower back).

EXPERT ADVICE

"Instead of using your back to facilitate lifting your legs, 'pre-contract' your abdominal and buttocks muscles," says Karen Andes, Philadelphia-based teacher, trainer and author of A Woman's Book of Strength (Perigee, 1995). "Also, begin by taking a moment to visualize the buttocks doing the work."

RELATED ARTICLE: MISTAKES TO AVOID

* Don't swing legs upward, letting momentum take over; this can injure the lower back.

* Don't let abdominal muscles sag against bench; this can cause torso instability and impede your ability to raise your legs high enough.

* Don't lift your head; this overstresses neck muscles and takes spine out of alignment.

MUSCLES WORKED

1. upper fibers of the hamstrings

2. gluteus maximus

3. gluteus minimus

4. adductors