Virat Kohli, the captain of the Indian cricket team, has left no stone unturned to be one of the fittest people in the country, and a fitspiration for all the youngsters out there. Time and again he has given us fitness goals, and this morning, he just gave us another one. Despite his neck injury, one which he suffered during the Indian Premiere League, Virat did not miss his workouts. Virat has been forbidden weight lifting for the time-being; so he decided to work on his lower body. The cricketer took to Instagram to share few glimpses of his workout this morning. He wrote, "Today's session included a lot of band work for lower body strengthening; including lateral band walk, monster walk and then striding a distance of 80 meters x 12 repetitions at speed of 16km/hr on treadmill. 15 second break between each stride and completing 2 sets of 12. Great way to begin the day."
Virat Kohli mentioned lateral band walk and monster walk in his morning workout regime. Let's take a closer look at what these workouts are, how they are performed and what are their respective benefits.
1. Lateral band walk
The lateral band walk workout looks and feels strange, but trust us, is it one of the best ways of improving hip stability, strengthening hip abductors and improving the stability of knee joints. This workout is meant for people engaged in sports which involve running, twisting, jumping and pivoting. A resistance band is used for this exercise. To get maximum benefits, you need to choose the right band and with right strength. Here's how you perform this exercise:
Keep the band flat and wear it just above your ankles, wrapping around both legs.
Keep your legs shoulder-width apart and do not stretch them.
Bend your knee slightly to come in a half-squat position.
Your feet should be in line with your shoulders, face forward and distribute your body weight on both legs.
Maintain the half-squat position and shift body weight from one side to the other. Step outward from one leg and move it in and out for 8 to 10 reps.
Keep your butt firm and do not move it from side to side or bounce it up and down.
Shift your body weight to the other leg and repeat the same.
2. Monster walk
Monster workouts focus on strengthening your lower body. A small band is wrapped around your legs and the exercise is meant to tone your hips and glutes. This workout may look like an easy one but it requires a great deal of strength and force to make your tense muscles monstrous. All you need is a resistance band wrapped around your legs, just above the ankles. Here's how you can practice this workout:
Stand straight and slightly bend into a squat position. This will add to the difficulty and effectiveness of the workout. Keep your back slightly arched.
Bend your knees and keep your hands in front of your chest. Try to keep your hands in a way so that you are not tempted to use them for support.
Start walking with a diagonal step; keep one leg outwards, opposing sides. Now walk with side steps. It may sound easy, but monster workouts require a great deal of strength.
Source - NDTV