Legs Workout
The legs are comprised of many muscles, but your weight training routine will focus mostly on the following four major muscles:
1. Quadriceps ("quads") located in front upper portion of the of the leg, from the hip joint down to the knee joint.2. Gluteus ("glutes") located at the back of the pelvis and top of the femur (upper leg bone). 3. Hamstrings ("hams") located at the upper rear portion of the leg, from the hip joint down to the knee.4. Calves - Located at the rear lower portion of the leg, from the rear of the knee down to the ankle.
1.Barbell Squat
Main Muscle Worked: Quadriceps
Other Muscles: Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Compound
Execution:
Find yourself a squat rack. With the barbell at upper chest height, place bar high on back of shoulders and grab it to sides. The head should be facing forward, back straight and feet flat on floor. Get the bar off from the rack and stand with shoulder width stance. Bend the knees forward while allowing hips to bend back behind, while back is kept straight and knees pointed same direction as feet. Go down until thighs are just past parallel to floor. Extend knees and hips until legs are straight. Return and repeat.
2.Leg Press
Main Muscle Worked: Quadriceps
Other Muscles: Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings
Equipment: Machine
Mechanics Type: Compound
execution:
Place yourself inside the machine with back on padded support. Position your feet on platform. Extend hips and knees. Unblock dock lever and hold handles to sides. Lower the ride by flexing hips and knees until knees are just short of complete extension. Return by extending knees and hips. Repeat.
3.Dumbbell Lunges
Main Muscle Worked: Quadriceps
Other Muscles: Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings
Equipment: Dumbbell
Mechanics Type: Compound
execution:
With a dumbbell in each hand stand up straight and dumbbells hang down at your sides. Stride forward with one leg doing a regular lunge while the other leg is kept in place. Bring that leg back to the start position and repeat with the opposite leg.
4.Leg Extensions
Main Muscle Worked: Quadriceps
Equipment: Machine
Mechanics Type: Isolation
execution:
Get inside a Leg Extension machine with the pads over the top of your ankles and your back against the back pad. Keep your upper calves about half an inch from the seat pad and your knees even with the pivoting cam of the machine. Straight your legs up and squeezing at the top. Bring them back slowly without letting your knees bend past 90 degrees to minimize the stress.
5.One-Legged Cable Kickback
Main Muscle Worked: Glutes
Other Muscles: Hamstrings
Equipment: Cable
Mechanics Type: Isolation
execution:
Grab a leather ankle cuff to a low cable pulley and attach the cuff to your ankle. With your knees and hips bent slightly and your abs tight, contract your glutes to slowly kick the working leg back in a semicircular arc. When fully extended squeeze your glutes for best contraction. Get your working leg forward, resisting the pull of the cable until reaching the starting position.
6.Glute Raise
Main Muscle Worked: Glutes
Other Muscles: Hamstrings
Equipment: Body Only
Mechanics Type: Isolation
Execution:
Lie on your back with knees bent. Lift up the glutes. Lower and repeat.
7.Lying Leg Curls
Main Muscle Worked: Hamstrings
Equipment: Machine
Mechanics Type: Isolation
execution:
On a leg curl machine lie face down and catch your heels under the roller pads. Hold on to the hand grips or the edge of the bench for support. Bend your knees, bringing your heels towards your backside. Hold this contracted position for a moment then return to the initial motion.
8.Good Morning
Main Muscle Worked: Hamstrings
Other Muscles: Abdominals, Glutes, Lower Back
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Compound
execution:
Hold a barbell with wide overhand grip and position it on back of your shoulders. Flex and move back the hips to lower upper body until parallel to floor. Return and repeat.
9.Seated Calf Raise
Main Muscle Worked: Calves
Equipment: Machine
Mechanics Type: Isolation
execution:
Sit on the machine with the padding on top of your thighs and the balls of your feet on the edge of the foot pad. Push up with your calves to grasp the weight off rack and slowly let your heels drop as far as possible. Raise your heels up a high as possible. Pause for a sec for a max squeeze of the calves then slowly lower back down as far as possible.
10.Standing Barbell Calf Raise
Main Muscle Worked: Calves
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation
execution:
Position a block or a couple of free weight plates on the floor. Hold a barbell across your back and step up with the balls of your feet on the block. Slowly lift your heels up and then lower them back to the floor stretching them as much as possible.
