Resistance Band GIVEAWAY + Top 3 Leg Strengthening excercises

I just stumbled upon a new giveaway and thought I would share ...

Enter at the parents.com website

Do you have a resistance band? If not, make sure you enter this one, it's as easy as sending an email and they are giving away 100 of them.

I love my band, use it every other day for strength training. The giveaway page talks about using it for your arms, which I occasionally do - but more often I use it for low mount leg exercises.

Try tying one end to something low (I slip the handle onto the bottom of my {heavy} coffee table leg) and the other onto one leg - I go through a series of 3 exercises, 2 sets of 15 reps per leg.

(The following exercises are courtesy of sparkpeople.com)

For video of how to do each exercise, just click the name and it will take you to the SparkPeople demonstration for that one.

1) Low Mount Hip Flexor with Band
Stand with the mount behind you, band attached to right leg, weight on the left leg, knee slightly bent. Place hands on hips or on a chair back or wall for balance if necessary. Flex right foot.

EXHALE: Lift right knee up to at least hip level, keeping knee bent at 90 degrees.

INHALE: Slowly lower to starting position to complete one rep. Finish 12-15 reps

Muscles Worked: Hips, Upper Thigh, Glute

2) Low Mount Abduction with Band
Continuing on the right leg, turn with your left side toward the mount. Shift weight into left foot keeping knee soft and right foot flexed. Allow the resistance to pull your right leg across the center line of your body to start.

EXHALE: Extend your right leg straight out to the right side, leading with your outer thigh towards the ceiling, keeping foot flexed.

INHALE: Slowly lower with control to starting position to complete one rep. Finish 12-15 reps.

Muscles Worked: Outer thigh, Hips, Glutes

3) Low Mount Adduction with Band
Turn around so that your right side is toward the mount. Shift weight into left foot keeping knee soft and left foot flexed. Allow the resistance to pull your right leg out to the left side of your body to start.

EXHALE: Keeping foot flexed, leading with your inner thigh, sweep your right leg across your body towards the left as far as you can. Hold for 1-3 counts.

INHALE: Slowly return to starting position to complete one rep. Finish 12-15 reps.

Muscles Worked: Inner thigh, Quads

Switch the band to your left leg and complete 12-15 reps of each exercise. Complete a second set on each leg.

Modifications:
If any of these is too easy step farther away from the mount; do not let leg rest on ground in between reps; do not hold onto a wall, etc. for balance.

(For added difficulty on the Hip Flexor, you can swing arms forward and back as if running to challenge your balance.)

If any of these are too hard you can move closer to the mount for less tension; rest your foot on the floor between reps; hold on to something (chair back, table, wall) for balance.

Remember: Keep abs tight and upper body stationary. Avoid leaning back or to the sides during the movement. Raise/lower with control-- don't let the band's resistance snap your leg back down to the starting position.

BALANCE TIP!: For help with balance when completing any of these exercises, try holding on to your ears -I know, it sound weird, but I promise, it works!

If you love these exercises and want to see more, click the link below ...


So, leave me a comment and tell me what your favorite exercise is - could be cardio or strength training, with or without a band, yours just may be featured in an upcoming post ;)