Find Your Quads.

The quadriceps muscles are long muscles along the front and sides of the thigh. There are four of them, rectus femoris plus the three vasti muscles. One of the functions of the quads is to stabilise the knee joint, helping the knee to move in good alignment, to reduce the wear and tear. It is, therefore, important that they function efficiently.

Here are a few ideas to assist the workings of the quads.

Chair Work.

First Exercise.- Easy level

Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, knees either in line with the hips or a little lower (not higher). Keep gently lengthened through your spine so that you are not slumping (If your back aches in this position, find a chair you can sit back into with a cushion for support in the curve of your spine). Draw your belly in a little to support the spine.

With your shoulder blades drawn down, rub the front of the thigh above the knee (not on the joint) to stimulate the muscle. Place the palm of one hand onto the front of the thigh just above the knee. Try to ‘twitch’ the muscle underneath the palm of your hand. Don’t worry if you can’t feel anything at first, it can take several ‘goes’ before this happens. When you are able to feel the muscle working, try holding it for a few seconds. Remember to keep breathing regularly throughout, don’t hold your breath. Try to avoid over tightening other muscles such as the ones in the bottom, but do remember that muscles are attached to each other so it is usual to feel others a little. You just want your quads to be the main muscles you feel.

Second Exercise- Easy level

Sitting in your chair (as above), place a cushion between your knees. As you breath out, squeeze the cushion between your knees, relax as you breath in. Continue in this pattern.

Variation: Hold the squeeze for a couple of breaths.

Standing - Harder level

Only do this if  you have good balance and can manage the exercises above.

For safety with balance, it is advisable to have something stable to hold onto in  front of you such as a rail.

Stand in good posture with your belly gently drawn in (see looklovely.net posture notes). Tighten the quad muscles above the knee joint to the front of the thigh. Bend the knees, taking the bottom in the direction of the floor. Do not tuck your tailbone under as you go down. As the calf muscles tighten, stop lowering yourself. Take a breath. As you breathe out, tighten the quad just above the knee and bring yourself back to standing, keeping the quad activated as much as possible. You should really feel the muscles working in this exercise.

Work very slowly for best results.

These exercises main be helpful in stabilising the knee joint, as stronger, better activated muscles help the knee to function.

Disclaimer: If you have a knee issue or other medical concerns or are over 69 years of age, be sure to check with your medical practitioner before trying these or any other exercises. Not all exercises are suitable for all individuals. looklovely,net accepts no responsibility for injury arising from the practice of exercises on this website or linked sites.

Toning Up Your Pelvic Floor.

Tricia writes:

As a Pilates Instructor I do get personal. There just is no other way to do my job properly. For example, I keep discussing the pelvic floor. A properly functioning pelvic floor can make a huge difference to your life. A poorly functioning pelvic floor may lead to leakage of urine, affecting self-confidence. The pelvic floor also assists in stabilising the spine so is important in the maintenance of a healthy back.

The pelvic floor muscles are those that you hold onto if you are, for example, travelling in the car and you can’t find a loo. Think of them as a hammock strung from vagina through to rectum. Drawing these muscles upwards is activating your pelvic floor.

For urinary incontinence or leakage if you sneeze or cough, doctors will often recommend pelvic floor exercises.

Have a go at the exercises below, which may improve the function of the pelvic floor. Remember, if you have medical concerns, check with your doctor first and get his or her approval before trying out these exercises. Don’t make a diagnosis yourself, as underlying medical conditions may need to be ruled out. Doctors deal with these conditions frequently so there is no need to be embarrassed.

1. Draw up the pelvic floor muscles. If you don’t feel anything, try sucking your thumb as you draw up. This can help you to feel the muscles. Think of the area as being like a lift, travelling up ten floors. Go right up to the top floor. Now release halfway down to the fifth floor then release a little more to your third floor. Remember what the third floor feels like, and then let go. Now try to draw up to the third floor only without allowing other muscles such as the bottom muscles to tighten. (If you can’t manage to feel the ‘floors’ yet just draw the pelvic floor up a bit.) Hold for a count of six then release. Repeat several times, drawing up to the third floor. As you improve, gradually build up until you can hold for one minute. Remember to keep breathing throughout. Do this exercise several times a day. Just draw up to the third floor as soon as you are familiar with the exercises because you don’t want to over tighten other muscles by keeping on drawing up to the tenth floor.

2. This next exercise is important to help the pelvic floor muscles respond quickly when you sneeze or cough. Quickly draw up and then quickly release the pelvic floor muscles. Think of little snatches to the second or third floor. Try timing yourself. Aim for 35 plus little draw ups in 30 seconds.

The pelvic floor muscles are the ones that can stop the flow when you are passing water. Try doing this perhaps once or twice as an initial check to ensure you are using the correct muscles. Remember, the sensation should extend towards the rectum. Do not try this often, as it is possible to hold in urine and not empty the bladder completely leading to urinary infections with the technique of stopping the flow when you pass water to tone the pelvic floor.  

For great advice on the pelvic floor try out http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/womenshealth/sui/pelvicfloor_005167.htm  

Both men and women have pelvic floors. Men can also benefit from pelvic floor exercises.   Pilates and rebounding may have benefits in toning the pelvic floor. See our features in look lovely’s Keep Active section.

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Fitness Clothing

The correct clothing gives you a head start when exercising. It’s important to ensure your clothing and footwear is appropriate for the form of exercise you are undertaking. What then are the important considerations when purchasing?

Comfort. This has to be a first. Attempting to stretch and move in tight clothing obviously impedes your workout. Waistbands are important. Certainly, with Pilates a restrictive waistband is inhibiting so not a good thing whilst a closer fitting t-shirt is beneficial as it assists the instructor in seeing your posture.

Confidence. Appropriate clothing may help you to feel confident. With some sportswear there are restrictions regarding style (always put safety first before vanity) but you can often select a flattering colour.

Safety. Many activities have safety considerations regarding clothing. For example, with water sports the temperature on or in the water is often much lower than on land, plus the wind chill factor is a consideration which will affect your choices. A buoyancy aid is essential. When walking, layers and waterproof protection may be important.

Cost. Budget is indeed a consideration. There is no point in spending a fortune on several outfits, then finding you are not keeping up your activity. You may be able to borrow an outfit from a friend for your first efforts.

Fabric. You may wish to wear breathable, cotton fabrics for your class or activity.

Underwear. Just check out a few certain tennis players to see the importance of comfortable underwear! You don’t want to be constantly adjusting your knickers or feeling concerned that you forgot to wear your support bra.

Ethical considerations. Consider wearing organic cotton to reduce environmental concerns and /or fairly traded clothing.

Footwear. It is important to allow the foot to move correctly or be supported appropriately for your activity. If hill walking, you may require walking boots with ankle supports; if sailing, sailing boots to protect your feet from stones; for dancing ballet or tap shoes and  so on. For certain classes, bare feet or socks may be appropriate. Anti slip socks are available. If running, research your footwear carefully. Go to a specialist store to have your feet fitted carefully. You will require good shock absorption to reduce the impact on your joints.

Headwear.  We have only one head. Do wear protective headgear if appropriate, especially for seemingly innocent activities such as cycling.

Discuss the clothing requirements with your instructor before purchasing if appropriate. He or she should be able to give you a general idea of the requirements and perhaps an indication of suppliers.

You may wish to purchase on-line, especially for more specialist activities. Don’t forget the out of town discount suppliers as well as high street retailers.

Enjoy your activities in safety and confidence.

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