Knee bends with the expander

Introduction

The squat is a discipline of powerlifting and is especially used in strength training because of the large number of muscles involved. Since the thigh extensor (M. quadriceps femors) is the strongest muscle in our body, targeted muscle building training with the expander is only possible to a limited extent. For use in health and fitness sports, however, sufficient muscle loading can be achieved.

The opposite is true when using weights. Since the load, and the demand on the movement coordination are very high, health athletes should avoid knee bends with the barbell bar. For beginners in the fitness area, the movement can also be done without additional weights.

Muscles that are strained when bending the knee

  • Quadriceps femoris (M. quadriceps femoris)
  • Large gluteus maximus muscle (M. gluteus maximus)
  • Twin calf muscle (M. gastrocnemius)
  • Tailor Muscle
  • Lateral lower leg extensor
  • Straight thigh muscle
  • Lateral lower leg extensor
  • Anterior tibial muscle

In the starting position, the feet stand shoulder width apart. The tips of the feet point slightly outwards, the head is in extension of the spine, looking forward. The expander is attached under the feet and the ends are held at shoulder height with both hands so that it runs behind the body.

In this position the expander is in maximum extension. The athlete lowers the buttocks until there is a right angle in the knee joint. During the movement, the knee joints should not be moved (not forward).

The back is tilted slightly forward in an extended position. During the contraction phase, the knee joints are stretched and the body is brought back to its original position. The movement is slow and controlled. The knee joints are never fully extended during the entire movement.

Fields of application

Health sports Since the movement leads to sufficient strain on the muscles even without the resistance of the expander, the use of the expander is not absolutely necessary. The number of repetitions can also be increased in this exercise beyond the 25 repetitions recommended for health sports. Fitness In fitness sports, a resistance should be used.

Since the expander runs in the shoulder area, it is recommended to put a towel underneath. The number of repetitions is higher than in conventional fitness training because the load is lower than in knee bends with weights.