ankle straps in bodybuilding are most often used as attachments for pulley machines in the gym. The straps provide additional resistance to the lower body allowing you to perform effectivestrength and endurance exercises.
Putting on an ankle strap weight lifting strap is quite simple: often they feature Velcro material or a buckle mechanism. Each strap has a hook or loop to connect it to the end of a cable pulley machine, which offers weight resistance that you can set according to your level. Thus, you perform controlled and fluid movements. It's a great way to build muscle for your legs and glutes!
Why use ankle straps to build your lower body and what are the benefits ? What are the best strength exercises to do with this accessory?
Why use an ankle strap in bodybuilding?
Using an ankle strap in strength training allows you to quickly tone the muscles of the legs and glutes.
It is an excellent accessory for training, since you take advantage of the support of the straps to perform different exercises for the lower body, with corrected and accompanied movements.
The ankle straps for cable machine make it possible to multiply the possibilities of possible exercises. In addition, they provide significant additional resistance, which ensures that you work the muscles in depth and obtain real results. A companion article: TOP 7 exercises with an undulating rope
With this simple change, you can enjoy an improvement in the quality of your training.
What are the best exercises with ankle straps?
The side slits
The cable side lunges with ankle straps are an amazing way to train your hamstrings, glutes and calves in strength training.
For this exercise, start by attaching an ankle strap to your left leg and hook the cable pulley to the lowest possible height. Once attached, place your right shoulder (the one facing the leg you have the ankle strap on) facing the cable company.
Take a big step to the side with your left leg. Your knee should bend and you should arrive in a classic lunge position. Hold the position for a second. Repeat with 25 reps on each leg.
Quadriceps Extensions
To work the front of your thighs and therefore your quadriceps, stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart. You have your back to the pulley.
As with the previous exercise, the ankle strap is attached to one of your legs, and the pulley connected to the bottom of the machine. Bend your knee so that your foot is 1 or 2 cm above the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles to keep your torso stable. An article about it: Abs Wheel: How to Get Toned Abs
Push your leg against the resistance of the cable until it is fully extended. Do not lock the knee and try to do the movement without arching your back. If you can't, stop the extension at the point where your back begins to arch.
You will still get good muscle work, even if it will be less intense.If you're still having trouble with this exercise, try hanging onto the back of a chair for support
Kickbacks
kickbacksare a well-known exercise for working and strengthening the glutes. They are therefore carried out with weight training ankle straps connected to a pulley and allow you to focus on training the gluteal muscles.
The pulley is always placed at the bottom of the cable box. You have to face the machine and hold it. Your arms should help you balance. Extend the weighted leg backwards as far as you can.
Engage your abs and hold the position for a second when you reach the top of the movement. Slowly return to starting position. Perform 15 reps per leg. A companion article: How to get bigger hips: 10 secrets of diet and exercise
Hip extensions
The leg extensions allow you to work the upper gluteus. Stand to the side of the pulley, about one pace away from the machine. Stand sideways to the machine.
Fix the strap to the ankle furthest from the pulley and place that foot in line with the other. Raise your leg out to the side as far as you can while resisting the strain and keeping your leg straight. Return to starting position.
In bodybuilding, there is a variation on this exercise, always with an ankle strap. For working the inner thigh you are in the same position. Only, rather than extending your leg outward, you bend it inward. You can stop the movement when your worked leg comes level with your other leg.
Squats
This side squat is quite special, and it involves a ankle strap weight training. Attach it to your right ankle. Your left foot will remain unattached to provide balance and stability.
Position yourself so that your right leg is away from the machine as you move sideways. Get into a squat position and move laterally during the movement.
Your weight should remain evenly distributed between your two feet. While maintaining your squat position, bring your right foot back to the starting position and repeat. Alternate both sides to work your lower body evenly. An article that can help you: Doing squats every day: Good or bad technique?
What are the advantages of ankle straps in bodybuilding?
The benefits of pure bodybuilding
Ankle Straps offer many benefits for athletes who use them regularly:
- Improving your physical condition: whether you are an experienced athlete or a beginner, the ankle straps allow you to intensely work the leg muscles and the gluteal muscles.
- Weight Loss: The workout is so effective that you burn calories while building muscle mass. The exertion burn associated with cable machine exercises with ankle straps is often strong, proving how well the exercise works and shocks your muscle tissue.
- Respect for movement: most exercises performed with the ankle straps are basically free movements.It can then be complicated to exercise with the correct movement, especially for the end of series where it becomes difficult. The straps allow you to train in a guided way, and therefore to perform slow and controlled movements.
The benefits for your cardio
Do you like to walk, run and jog? Using ankle straps with a cable TV can help you increase your performance. Indeed, you gain in amplitude at the level of your ankles: you are stronger, faster and more efficient in your movements.
By doing exercises for the legs and glutes, you can strengthen them, but also make them more enduring. It is enough to train with medium weights and a high number of repetitions, to work the slow muscle tissues, those which are responsible for your level of endurance. An article on this subject: What are the benefits of jumping rope and how to take advantage of them?
Weight training is not incompatible with cardio, on the contrary. Often, working your muscles through muscle strengthening also allows you to progress in aerobic exercises.
How to choose your ankle strap in bodybuilding?
The ankle joint is strong, but also fragile. You should therefore choose an ankle strap that offers excellent support, but also great comfort. There's nothing worse than exercising with a weight training accessorythat's getting in your way! That's why we recommend the Glute Ankle Strap™ from Fitness Super-Human™.
It provides strong insulation for the buttocks and legs and guarantees high comfort of use thanks to its padded interior and its Velcro fastener. Supplied with carabiner and attachment ring, this ankle strap will accompany you in your weight training sessions, without hindering your movements!
In summary: the ankle strap in bodybuilding
The ankle strap is an excellent weight training accessory for isolating and working the glutes and leg muscles in depth. It has many other benefits, such as losing weight and improving your movement.
Some of the best bodybuilding exercises to do with an ankle strap, specifically targeting the lower body, include: side lunges, quadriceps extensions, kickbacks , hip extensions and squats. They all make it possible to build muscle and effectively strengthen the lower body, with the only equipment being a pulley machine.
Since the strap is going to be subjected to potentially high loads, we recommend that you purchase a high quality weight training ankle strap, which will hold up over time. The Ankle Strap for Buttocks™ from Fitness Super-Humain™ precisely combines comfort and solidity. You will finally be able to progress and get the legs and buttocks you dream of!
So convinced about using the Strength Ankle Strap to tone your lower body?
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