T his month's newsletter is devoted to exercise of the hips and legs. Hip movements that we will address are: flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction. For legs, we will address knee flexion and extension, and ankle planterflexion and dorsiflexion. Don't worry, we will even get to know what all of these "things" are.

In fact, let's get it out of the way right now. Somtimes using technobabble is actually beneficial, so here are some kinesiology (science of human movement) terms that are used in this month's newsletter:

• Flexion is when bones move toward each other at a joint.

• Extension is when bones move away from each other at a joint.

• Hyperextension is when a bone moves past its "straight" position.

• Abduction is movement away from the midline of the body.

• Adduction is movement toward the midline of the body.

• Dorsiflexion is movement of the toes toward the shin.

• Plantarflexion is pointing the toes.

HIPS

Figure 3-1 Hip Flexion

• Leg Raise - Lying in a supine (belly-up) position, with hands under your hips (to help support your lower back), raise your legs a few inches off the floor, pause, lower to just above the floor. Don't let your heels touch the floor until you have completed your set (up to 50 reps). To add intensity you can use a slant board, ankle weights, or multiple sets. Note that for beginners, it is recommended that one leg at a time be used (less lower back stress).

• Straight Legged Sit-up - With your feet anchored, sit up to about 60 degrees - no more than 90 degrees, and on your return to a lying position, don't let your back touch until your set is complete.

• Multi-hip Machine - This obviously requires access to a gym (or a rich friend who has his/her own), and "they" will show you how to use it.

• Step-ups - This is really an extension exercise, but with ankle weights, the step up is resisted by more than gravity, so it can go on this list. You need something to step up on. Stairs at home work; so does an aerobic "Step," or a box (not cardboard). Step up, step down. Do all of your planned reps on one leg, then switch; or alternate legs on each step.

• Home-body Hip Flexion With Ankle Weights - Hold on to the back of a chair (or not), and walk-in-place with a high knee lift. This can very legitimately be done with extended knees if what you are holding on to isn't in your way.

• Low Pulley Machine - Probably a gym again - face the machine, hook the pulley to your ankle via a leather "cuff," (this is a standard piece of equipment in most gyms). Now raise one knee (it may be bent or straight), pause, and slowly lower, but don't touch the floor before you start your next rep. Note that this exercise can also be done in a lying position, where your head is aimed away from the machine.

Figure 3-2 Hip Extension

Figure 3-3 Hip Hyperextensions

• Multi-hip Machine Extensions - Get instructions from the "gym" about setting up the machine. For the exercise itself, you will be standing sideways on the platform, and will raise the pad with your thigh. Up and down, under control, is one rep. Don't let the plates of the weight stack touch; always maintain some tension.

• Squats - First we will discuss what can be done at home without a lot of equipment. To do free-standing squats, stand with your feet at about shoulder width, feet pointed out at about 45 degrees, project your buttocks rearward as you, in essence, "sit" until your thighs are about parallel to the floor. Some of you might want to squat a little deeper, or a little less. The main thing is to stay within your normal range-of-motion (ROM), and don't let your knees project beyond your toes, they should be about over your ankles - to avoid excessive shearing force on your knees, which can lead to injury (This caution applies to all squating type exercises, regardless of their name.). Throughout the squat, keep your back as vertical as you can - your weight should be supported by your hips, not your back. You may want to extend your arms as you squat, that movement will help you maintain balance. You can also lean back against a wall or door, and just slide up-and-down. If you have them, dumbbells or a barbell may be used to add intensity to your work. As you straighten up (extend), you push from the heels, so don't do squats with your heels raised, that pretty much insures an improper knee position.

  Now let's talk about this exercise as you would do it in a gym. I don't normally recommend that this exercise be done with free weights; although it is an excellent overall body developer, I have not once seen it done with knees in the proper position. Maybe with front squats (bar across the upper chest) it could be done, and if you happen to be able to do this exercise in the knees-over-the-ankles position, go to it. There is one exception; I recommend squats if they are done on a Smith Machine (a gizmo that lets a bar slide up-and-down on rails, and has hooks on the bar to allow you to lock it up if you get in trouble. I like this machine because it removes the balance problem, which lets you use the proper "knees-over-the-ankles" position, and the hooks make it relatively safe, even without a spotter. A variation is a "hack squat." There are special machines for this, or the handy Smith Machine works well. What makes it unique is that your feet are positioned well out in front of your body. You end up moving up-and-down on an angle - and you "sit" so low that you almost touch the floor, but without compromising your knees. It is a good glute developer, as well as a quad developer.

• Lunges - These are very versatile leg exercises because they use so many lower body muscles. For the beginner, here is the easiest version: standing erect, with feet at about shoulder width, step forward, and at the same time, lower the knee of your back leg until it is about 1 inch from the floor. Your front knee should be bent about 90, degrees with your knee over your ankle, and your trunk vertical. As you return to the standing position, leave your forward leg "planted." Balance can be a problem with this exercise, at least in the beginning, so you may want to find something to hold on to, until you get your "sea legs." As you progress with this exercise, start pushing off on your forward leg so it returns you to your normal standing position. When this exercise gets too easy, add a step, or weights. And you can increase the height of the step to make this more difficult. You can do forward lunges, or reverse, or to the sides.

• Pulley Machine Hip Extensions - This is another gym exercise. Attach a cuff as you stand facing the machine. Move your leg, straight, backward as far as it goes without causing back distress, pause, then slowly return to the starting position. Start your next rep before all stress on your glutes is relieved.

• Reverse Leg Lifts - This requires a knees-and-elbows-position on the floor. With one leg fully extended, raise it as high as it goes - squeeze that glute (I assume that everyone knows what that is - the gluteus maximus muscle - what you sit on.), pause, then slowly lower it until it's parallel to the floor. Now, continue your set. Remember to keep your neck in the neutral position.

Figure3.4 Hip Abduction

• Hip Abduction Machine - This requires a gym access. "They" will teach you how to set it up, but the exercise is basically spreading your legs against resistance.

• Side-lying Abduction - On the floor on one side, with your body more-or-less straight from head-to-toe, raise your top leg, and lead with your heel (This slight femur rotation brings another muscle into play (the tensor fascia latae muscle on the out-side of the hip)). Move your leg down until it almost touches, then start your next rep. Don't forget to flop over and do your other side.

• Inner-tube Abduction - This is an alternative to the previous do-it-anywhere exercise. You can be lying, sitting, or standing (one leg at a time, of course). With a bicycle tube (or some similar elastic appliance, like surgical tubing) around your ankles, spread your legs, and try to break it.

• Pulley Machine Abduction - Standing perpendicular to the machine, and with your outer leg "cuffed," raise your leg out to the side as far as you can, pause, and return, under control, and without touching, of course. This exercise can, alternatively, be done in a lying position.

Figure 3-5 Hip Adduction

• Side-lying Adduction - Assume the side-lying position, with your upper leg flexed at the knee, and your foot placed in front of your lower leg. Hold on to the bent, crossed-over leg, and raise the bottom leg; you won't be able to raise it very far, but you will feel the inner thigh muscles contract. This is as convoluted as it sounds, but it works.

• "Thigh Master" Ball - This exercise basically replicates the previous one, but is much simpler, although it requires a piece of equipment - a beach ball. You know the kind - about the size of a basketball, but much lighter, and it starts losing air early in its life, but it only costs about $1.29. Put it between your knees, and try to pop it. Like the previous exercise, you won't be able to work through a very large ROM, but that isn't essential.

• Pulley Machine - For this exercise, stand perpendicular to the machine, with your leg closest to the machine "cuffed." Move it so that it crosses over the outside leg - do your full ROM. This can be done lying down as well.

LEGS

Knee Flexion - See Figure 3-6; the muscles used are the hamstrings and the sartorius.

Figure 3-6 Knee Flexion

• Leg Curls - On a machine, in a prone position, knees just beyond the bench, and with the ankle pad just above your heel (upper ankle); move your heels toward your buttocks - touch them if you can, but keep the movement smooth, and under control. Pause, then slowly lower the pad to the starting position.

Knee Extension - See Figure 3-7

Figure 3-7 Knee Extension

• Leg Extension Machine - Sit so the back of your knees are right at the edge of the bench - there should be no unsupported thigh between the edge of the bench and back of your knee. Your upper ankle should be behind the ankle pad. Note that you are either using a Leg Extension Machine in a gym, in which case, you will be sure your back is firmly against the seat-back; or you will be using a piece of home-gym apparatus of some kind, in which case you will probably not have a seat-back. In any case, fully straighten your legs, pause, and lower. Always control the weight. Don't kick it up, or let it drop.

Figure 3-8 Ankle Plantarflexion

• Heel Raise - Whether in a gym or at home, the drill is the same; with your toes on a raised platform (a board, step, machine, etc.), raise your heels as high as you can, pause, then lower your heels below the level of the step, or whatever. As you raise your heels, you should feel a strong calf muscle (see Note1) contraction, and as you lower it, a strong stretch.

Ankle Dorsiflection - See Figure 3-9; muscles used: basically only one that we care about - the anterior tibialis, which may be better known to some of you as the "shin" muscle.

Figure 3-9 Ankle Dorsiflexion

• Toe Raise - This is the exact opposite of the heel raise. It is done on a board, or something, that will allow you to lower your toes before you raise them (to give you a wider range to work on the upward movement. This is easiest to do in a seated position. With a weight on the top of your foot (or not), and your heels on a board (?), lower your toes as far as you can, then raise them (not just your toes - your whole foot, except the heels) as high as you can. Make the flexion strong, and you can get something out of this even with no weight.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q Why have there never been any "dinosaur bugs? " You know, like a VW "beetle" beetle.
Y.M.K.F., Mtn Vw, CA

A That's an interesting question - a little unusual for this publication, but here goes. Us humans have a circulatory system - lungs, heart, blood vessels. Circulating blood carries oxygen throughout our bodies. Bugs are a little different - no lungs, and their blood is a bit different from ours. Bugs get oxygen through minute holes in the surface of their bodies. These holes ramify as they get deeper into bug bodies, and that is how oxygen diffuses throughout a bug's body parts. Scientists say that this is a good system for small bodies, but, as size increases, the surface area becomes too small for the total volume of the body. There wouldn't be enough ventilation to the inner parts, because of the limited surface area.

A second reason might be that their small size allows them to proliferate without using excessive environmental resources. Look what is happening to our world. Breeding patterns and life span are part of it too. Millions of "babies;" short life span.

Q I have been hearing about some drugs advertised by the Arthritis Foundation, are they any good? H.M.F., Chickasha, OK

A The name of the organization sounds impressive, but the pain killers that they have been advertising are not. According to the February 1995 Berkeley Wellness Letter, they are just asprin, ibuprofen (like Advil), and acetaminophen (like Tylenol). They are actually made by Johnson & Johnson, who are merely licensed to use the Arthritis Foundation name. Of course they (the drugs ) cost much more than the generics, and contain exactly the same active ingredients. Incidentally, Tylenol-like drugs do not reduce inflamation, and are, therefore, less effective against arthritis pain than the others.

Q I recently had a "best and worst" list of fast foods, but I can't find it. Can you help? T.F., Mtn Vw, CA

A Yes, I came across a similar list, and I will give you the highlights. From the January/February 1995 issue of "NUTRITION ACTION HEALTHLETTER" comes the following information, based on calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium content:

• Best Hamburger - McDonald's McLean Deluxe (Note that several companies put out a small, plain hamburger that has less fat because of smaller volume, but if you are actually hungry, stick with the McLean.)

• Best of the Chicken and Turkey Sandwiches - McDonalds's McGrilled Chicken Classic

• Best Roast Beef Sandwhich - We have to settle for Honorable Mention here - Arby's Light Roast Beef Deluxe - the best isn't sold in this area, I don't think - Roy Rodgers RBF

• Best Main-Dish Salad - McDonald's Chunkey Chicken Salad with Lite Vinaigrette

• Best Milkshake - This was very disappointing to me: Rax Yogurt Shakes (never heard of it), at only one gram of fat. McDonald's used to sell the same thing, but in 1993 they quietly changed to whole milk, with all of its disgusting fat calories - shame on them.

A I have to admit that I didn't know any of the answers to these question, but I found out some interesrting facts. I still don't know what growing rice looks like - only that some is grown in flooded fields (rice paddies), and some is grown in damp soil. White and brown rice is easier. It is essentially like white and brown bread, except that some brown bread is just white bread colored brown. White rice is essentially refined (see Note 2) - its nutrients have been processed into oblivion. Enriched rice is white rice with some nutrients restored. In fact, in terms of those restored nutrients, enriched rice often contains more than the original rice; but brown rice is more nutritious overall, because it contains vitamins, minerals, and fiber that aren't restored in enriched rice. Most nutritious of all is wild rice, but it is more expensive, and; therefore, less popular. A good way to take advantage of its superior nutritive properties is to mix it with other kinds of rice.

As far as short grain, medium grain, or long grain goes, the differences are as they sound - differences mainly in the shape of the individual kernals. There is no significant nutritive difference.

Note 2 - Rice processing is called "milling." Brown rice only has its husk (a hard, inedible "shell") removed, leaving most of its nutrients intact; while white rice is essentially evicerated - husk, bran, and germ - hence, the need for enrichment.

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