Lift and firm your butt: an incredibly precise move for leaner legs and a toned tush - Do it Right

THE MOVE Ball-bridge hamstring curl

THE PAYOFF No exercise is better at isolating your hamstrings and boosting your buns, thanks to the added resistance you get from rolling the ball. This move also develops core strength and pelvis stability, which translates to better posture and the ability to maintain neutral spinal alignment. Finally, this move stretches tight hip flexors, making you more coordinated and agile in sports and daily activities.

THE RIGHT WAY

* Lying faceup on floor with arms relaxed at your sides, place heels in the center of a stability ball, legs straight and feet slightly less than hip-width apart (the closer your feet, the more challenging the move).

* Contract your abdominals to stabilize back, hips and pelvis.

* Lift your hips up off floor into a bridge so your body forms one straight line from your shoulders to your ankles; at the same time, roll the stability ball toward your hips by bending your knees and pulling the ball with your heels.

* Be sure to shift your weight only onto your shoulders (not into your neck).

* Pause at the top of the lift, then roll the stability ball back out by pushing it away with your heels until your legs are straight, keeping your hips raised in bridge position.

WORKOUT SCHEDULE

Do this move 2-3 times a week as part of a regular strength-training program. Begin with 2 sets of 10-15 reps, resting 1 minute between sets. When this is no longer challenging, add a third set.

EXPERT ADVICE

"Keep even tension on the ball by pressing down with your heels, and focus on dragging the ball toward your hips in a straight line," says Leigh Crews, NASM, The Cooper Institute-certified trainer and owner of Dynalife Fitness Inc. in Rome, Ga. "This will ensure that you're working the hamstrings, not the quadriceps, and that neither leg is dominating the effort."

RELATED ARTICLE: MUSCLES WORKED

1. gluteus maximus hamstring group:

2. semitendinosus

3. semimembranosus

4. biceps femoris

MISTAKES TO AVOID

* Don't arch your back as you roll the ball underneath you; this can put pressure on your lower back and spine.

* Don't let your knees open out to the sides so they're not in line with your ankles; this places stress on the knee tendons and hip rotators.

* Don't place entire foot on the ball as you roll it toward your hips; this can stress the knee tendons and ligaments as well as pull on your shin muscles.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group