Do sit-ups to pump enough hips

Those who want to pump her hips are often advised to simply squat. However, you should know which muscles can effectively work out with the help of sit-ups, and what better to look for other exercises.

Due to the nature of biomechanics load on the muscles in the squat is unevenly distributed: one loaded with more, others do not participate.

Hamstrings

It is believed that the squat effective study quadriceps, adductor and gluteus maximus muscles, but not so useful for the hamstring muscles. Scientific data support that.

StudyA Comparison Of Muscular Activation During The Back Squat And Deadlift to the Countermovement Jump. muscle activity in different exercises showed that during squats, there has been a weak interaction extensor muscles of the back, hamstring and calf muscles and a strong interaction of the gluteus maximus and the medial vastus.

Another studyThe effect of squat depth on multiarticular muscle activation in collegiate cross-country runners. It showed that an increase in the depth of squats with the same weight on the bar does not increase the load on the femur biceps, but harder to activate the quadriceps and large

Let's see why.

Why hamstring does not work in the squat

Hamstring muscles tense enough due to the characteristics of biomechanics. These muscles run through two joints - the hip and knee - and act as extensors of the hip and knee flexors.

When you go into the squat, bend both hip and knee. Hamstrings trying to cut in the knee and hip lengthened, and as a result their length maintained. During lifting simultaneously unbend and hip and knee, so that the muscles are lengthened and shortened at the knee in the thigh, so the result is again not change its length.

Despite the fact that the hamstring almost do not work in the squat, you can feel the tension in this area. This is due to the large adductor muscle.

In addition to driving the thigh, it also extends the time during its squat and thus located close to the back of the thigh. You feel like this is the strained muscle.

How to load the back of the thigh

To better load hamstrings, add to their exercise program that does not include the simultaneous movement of the hip and knee: deadlift on straight legs Romanian and cravings, lifting the hips with the feet on the dais.

Other exercises for the back of the thigh with photos and parsing techniques can be found in this article.

Muscles front of the thigh

On the front surface of the thigh is quadriceps or quadriceps femoris, which consists of four bits:

• medial vastus;
• vastus lateralis;
• intermediate vastus;
• rectus femoris.

The first three are attached to one joint and are responsible for straightening the knee. Rectus femoris as Hamstrings, attached to two joints and performs the function of hip flexion and extension of the knee.

As mentioned above, the squat is considered the best exercise for the quadriceps pumping, but this is true only for its three heads. Due to the structural features of the straight thigh muscle is loaded is not strong enough.

This is confirmed by results of a studyMuscle activation during lower body resistance training. 2014, which compared the effectiveness of squats and other exercises.

The study participants performed just some squats, and others - a variety of exercises, including squats, leg press and lunges. As a result, participants perform only squats increased three heads of quadriceps, excluding the rectus femoris, and those who perform a variety of exercises - all four.

Insufficient pressure on the rectus femoris, again, is due to biomechanics. When you squat - bend the hip and knee - the rectus femoris is trying to elongate the knee and hip become shorter. As a result, it remains one length. When you climb - the extensor of the knee and hip - rectus trying to become shorter than the knee and extending into the thigh, which also does not change its length.

How to load the rectus femoris

To study the rectus femoris you need to choose an exercise that does not require the same time to bend the hip and knee, for example, extension shanks on the machine.

In a studyMuscle activation during lower body resistance training. 2009 proved that the extension shanks on the machine loads the rectus femoris better than squats.

Another studyInhomogeneous architectural changes of the quadriceps femoris induced by resistance training. It confirmed that the isolated odnosustavnom exercise on the simulator straight thigh muscle is loaded is better than the other three heads of the quadriceps.

So, if you want quality to load all the muscles thighs, squats simple enough. You also need to add exercise to work out the hamstring muscles and isolated exercises for the rectus femoris.