Exercises Legs
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
, Posted by Msry 7or at 12:27 PM
Available leg workout routines:
Choose a leg workout exercise that you wish to perform, and fully labeled directions shall be provided on the following page
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Beginner Squat
STEP 1. While holding two dumbbells by your side at arm's length, keep your feet roughly a shoulder-width apart and pull your shoulder blades back.
STEP 2. Slowly bend your knees and lower your body. Stop when you find that your thighs are parallel to the floor.
STEP 3. It is important to keep your knees from moving forward past your toes and have your lower back in its natural arched alignment. Slowly return to the starting position in the same manner.
STEP 2. Slowly bend your knees and lower your body. Stop when you find that your thighs are parallel to the floor.
STEP 3. It is important to keep your knees from moving forward past your toes and have your lower back in its natural arched alignment. Slowly return to the starting position in the same manner.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, Glutes, Soleus
Difficulty: Beginner
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Bulgarian Split Squat
STEP 1. Using an overhand grip, hold a barbell so that it is resting on your upper back (be careful not to rest it on your neck) and then stand about three feet in front of a bench. Then, lace your left foot on the bench behind you so that only your instep is on it.
STEP 2. Slowly lower your body so that your right knee becomes bent 90 degrees and your left knee comes close to touching the floor. Your torso should remain upright while your right lower leg is perpendicular to the floor.
STEP 3. Push yourself back to the original starting position as quickly as you are capable. Repeat until you feel you are done, then switch feet so that your right foot is now resting on the bench while your left leg does the workout.
STEP 2. Slowly lower your body so that your right knee becomes bent 90 degrees and your left knee comes close to touching the floor. Your torso should remain upright while your right lower leg is perpendicular to the floor.
STEP 3. Push yourself back to the original starting position as quickly as you are capable. Repeat until you feel you are done, then switch feet so that your right foot is now resting on the bench while your left leg does the workout.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, Glutes, Soleus
Difficulty: Advanced
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Cable Hamstring Curl
This exercise not only helps with balance and stability but also develops the strength of your hamstrings. You can work your gluteal muscles if you use the third variation.
STEP 1. Stand tall and hold on to the support with both hands, place the foot and ankle of the leg to be exercised into the support strap and raise that leg slightly off the group. Flex your standing leg slightly at the knee. Your legs should be parallel to each other and your abdominal muscles pulled in - but not so tightly that your breathing is affected.
STEP 2. Exhale and slowly pull your ankle up toward your bottom, keeping your hips and knees in line with each other. Do not allow your ankle to travel backward.
STEP 3. When your ankle has moved as far as it can, inhale and slowly lower your leg back to the starting position - but do not allow your foot to touch the floor.
STEP 4. Repeat for desired number of repetitions, then repeat the exercise using your other leg.
STEP 2. Exhale and slowly pull your ankle up toward your bottom, keeping your hips and knees in line with each other. Do not allow your ankle to travel backward.
STEP 3. When your ankle has moved as far as it can, inhale and slowly lower your leg back to the starting position - but do not allow your foot to touch the floor.
STEP 4. Repeat for desired number of repetitions, then repeat the exercise using your other leg.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius
Difficulty: Intermediate
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Cable Leg Extension
This exercise is an excellent one for improving running technique. It requires good balance, but works all of the quadriceps.
STEP 1. Stand tall with your planted leg slightly flexed at the knee and your hands on the support bar. Pull in your abdominal muscles slowly, exhale and start to raise your knee.
STEP 2. As your knee nears 90 degrees at the hip, slowly extend your lower leg as far as is comfortable without compromising your body position.
STEP 3. Inhale, slowly flex your lower leg and return your knee to the starting position - do not allow your foot to touch the ground.
STEP 4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then repeat the exercise using your other leg.
STEP 2. As your knee nears 90 degrees at the hip, slowly extend your lower leg as far as is comfortable without compromising your body position.
STEP 3. Inhale, slowly flex your lower leg and return your knee to the starting position - do not allow your foot to touch the ground.
STEP 4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then repeat the exercise using your other leg.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, Glutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
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Decline Leg Curl
STEP 1. Adjust the bench so that it declines. Then place a dumbbell between the insteps of your feet and lie facedown on the bench. Grab the front or sides of the bench if you require support.
STEP 2. Curl the weight up toward your buttocks but make sure to stop when your lower legs are pointing straight upwards.
STEP 3. Lower the weight gradually, without letting it touch the floor.
STEP 2. Curl the weight up toward your buttocks but make sure to stop when your lower legs are pointing straight upwards.
STEP 3. Lower the weight gradually, without letting it touch the floor.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Hamstrings
Difficulty: Intermediate
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Dumbbell Reverse Lunge
STEP 1. Hold a pair of dumbbells at arm's length at your sides as you stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward.
STEP 2. Step back as far as possible with your dominant leg and drop down until that knee grazes the floor, keeping your torso as upright as possible.
STEP 3. Push through your forward heel to return to the starting position, then immediately lunge back with that leg. That's one repetition.
STEP 2. Step back as far as possible with your dominant leg and drop down until that knee grazes the floor, keeping your torso as upright as possible.
STEP 3. Push through your forward heel to return to the starting position, then immediately lunge back with that leg. That's one repetition.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings
Difficulty: Beginner
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Front Squat
STEP 1. Similar to the back squat, but with a few alterations (a lighter weight is recommended). Grab the barbell in a overhand, shoulder-width grip and bring your elbows forward so that your palms are facing upward, as illustrated. Rest the bar on your front deltoid muscles.
STEP 2. Start a slow drop with your hips, and not your knees. Lower yourself, in a sense, as if sitting in a chair behind you. Keep your elbows high as you lower yourself until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor.
STEP 3. Pause at this point, then push yourself back up the starting position. Use a light weight to originally go through this exercise as it has a learning curve that requires getting adjusted towards.
STEP 2. Start a slow drop with your hips, and not your knees. Lower yourself, in a sense, as if sitting in a chair behind you. Keep your elbows high as you lower yourself until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor.
STEP 3. Pause at this point, then push yourself back up the starting position. Use a light weight to originally go through this exercise as it has a learning curve that requires getting adjusted towards.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, Glutes
Difficulty: Advanced
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Machine Leg Curl
This is a basic but effective exercise that promotes the development of the hamstrings.
STEP 1. Lay face down on the machine, with its leg pad just above your heels and make sure that your knees line up with its pivot points.
STEP 2. Slowly exhale and pull your heels toward your hips, flexing your knees as much as you need to for comfort.
STEP 3. When you have moved as far as you can without any sense of straining, inhale and slowly return your heels to the starting position.
STEP 2. Slowly exhale and pull your heels toward your hips, flexing your knees as much as you need to for comfort.
STEP 3. When you have moved as far as you can without any sense of straining, inhale and slowly return your heels to the starting position.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, Glutes
Difficulty: Beginner
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Machine Leg Extension
This is a good basic exercise that develops the quadriceps.
STEP 1. Position your lower legs behind the shin pad, making sure that the pad is on the lower part of your shins rather than your ankles. Line your knee up with the pivot points on the machine and make sure that your starting position is comfortable.
STEP 2. Exhale and extend your legs at the knee - stop the movement just before your legs become straight.
STEP 3. Inhale and slowly return your legs to the starting position.
STEP 2. Exhale and extend your legs at the knee - stop the movement just before your legs become straight.
STEP 3. Inhale and slowly return your legs to the starting position.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Quadriceps
Difficulty: Beginner
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Machine Leg Press
This is a useful exercise for beginners that develops all the major muscles in the leg, but particularly the quadriceps and the gluteal muscles.
STEP 1. Place your feet a hip-distance apart on the footplate with your toes facing forward, and set the seat so that you have a 90 degree angle at the knee.
STEP 2. Exhale and slowly push your feet away, making sure that you keep them flat on the footplate.
STEP 3. Push out to a point at which you still have a slight amount of flexion at your knees.
STEP 4. Inhale and slowly return to the starting position.
STEP 2. Exhale and slowly push your feet away, making sure that you keep them flat on the footplate.
STEP 3. Push out to a point at which you still have a slight amount of flexion at your knees.
STEP 4. Inhale and slowly return to the starting position.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, Glutes, Gastrocnemius
Difficulty: Intermediate
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Swiss-Ball Leg Curl
STEP 1. While lying on your back, place your lower legs on a Swiss ball. Then, put your hands flat on the floor next to your hips.
STEP 2. Push your hips up so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Without pausing, pull your heels toward you and roll the ball as close as possible to your butt.
STEP 3. Pause, then roll the ball back until your body is in a straight line again.
STEP 2. Push your hips up so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Without pausing, pull your heels toward you and roll the ball as close as possible to your butt.
STEP 3. Pause, then roll the ball back until your body is in a straight line again.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, Quadriceps
Difficulty: Advanced
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Prone Cobra
This exercise helps develop the strength of the spinal muscles and the muscles that retract the shoulder blades, and also improves spinal mobility - it is a useful exercise for anyone who sits at a desk for long periods.
STEP 1. Lie face down on the floor with your arms beside your hips and your palms facing up. Activate your core muscles by drawing your abdominals toward your spine and squeezing your gluteals.
STEP 2. Slowly exhale and lift your chest off the floor and your arms up and backward toward your hips. Rotate your thumbs toward the ceiling as you carry out the movement.
STEP 3. Pause at the top of the movement for two seconds, then return to the start position.
STEP 2. Slowly exhale and lift your chest off the floor and your arms up and backward toward your hips. Rotate your thumbs toward the ceiling as you carry out the movement.
STEP 3. Pause at the top of the movement for two seconds, then return to the start position.
Target: Abs Muscles Worked: Lower Back, Rectus Abdominis
Difficulty: Intermediate
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Power Clean
STEP 1. Squat on the floor with thighs running parallel to the floor. Hold a pair of dumbbells using an overhand grip and allow them to rest on the floor before your feet.
STEP 2. Keep your torso erect with a slight arch in your lower back. Then, with power from your legs, straighten yourself in a sudden movement as you drag the weights up along the front of your body towards your chest.
STEP 3. As you go up on the balls of your feet, quickly drop underneath the weights and "catch" them on your shoulders while keeping your elbows elevated. Immediately lower them in front of you and descend to the starting position.
STEP 2. Keep your torso erect with a slight arch in your lower back. Then, with power from your legs, straighten yourself in a sudden movement as you drag the weights up along the front of your body towards your chest.
STEP 3. As you go up on the balls of your feet, quickly drop underneath the weights and "catch" them on your shoulders while keeping your elbows elevated. Immediately lower them in front of you and descend to the starting position.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Glutes, Lower Back, Deltoids
Difficulty: Advanced
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Sumo Squat
STEP 1. Stand with your feet roughly twice shoulder-width apart and point your toes outward. With that stance, pick up a fairly heavy dumbbell and hold one end at arm's length with both hands firmly gripping to the inner portion of the upper weight, as shown.
STEP 2. Pull your shoulder blades back and lift your torso upward. Bend your knees and slowly lower until the top portion of your thigh is parallel to the floor.
STEP 3. Pause, and slowly return to the starting position while making sure that your knees are pointing in the same direction as your toes throughout the movement.
STEP 2. Pull your shoulder blades back and lift your torso upward. Bend your knees and slowly lower until the top portion of your thigh is parallel to the floor.
STEP 3. Pause, and slowly return to the starting position while making sure that your knees are pointing in the same direction as your toes throughout the movement.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, Glutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
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Swiss-Ball Leg Curl
STEP 1. While lying on your back, place your lower legs on a Swiss ball. Then, put your hands flat on the floor next to your hips.
STEP 2. Push your hips up so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Without pausing, pull your heels toward you and roll the ball as close as possible to your butt.
STEP 3. Pause, then roll the ball back until your body is in a straight line again.
STEP 2. Push your hips up so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Without pausing, pull your heels toward you and roll the ball as close as possible to your butt.
STEP 3. Pause, then roll the ball back until your body is in a straight line again.
Target: Legs Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, Hamstrings
Difficulty: Advanced
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Source:fullfitness.net/exercises/legs
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