Leg Workouts

Most strength training enthusiasts hate having to do leg days, and a good portion of weight lifters completely ignore their legs. This is due to many people only working out so that they can look good or due to the misconception that leg workouts are primarily for athletes. However, Working out your legs can have many benefits such as increased calorie burning, a more symmetrical body shape, and increased power for other lifts. The rest of this post will have some tips and recommended lifts that will help you achieve the most powerful legs possible.

Tips:

1.     Lift heavy weights for a maximum of five reps.

2.     Have three minutes of rest between each set.

3.     Do not lockout your legs during squats or any leg presses. This is to prevent possible leg injury, especially when you are lifting heavy weights.

4.     Make sure to utilize progressive overload in order to continue to grow.

5.     Do not do leg extensions because they are a waste of time and they put a lot of stress on your knees.

6.     Legs more than any other part of your body should be primarily developed using compound movements instead of isolation exercises.

Essential Lifts:

1.     Squats: Back Squats are best and it is important to at least lower the barbell until your thighs are parallel to the ground.

2.     Lunges: These can be done with either a barbell or dumbbells. This workout really targets the hamstrings and glutes.

3.     One-Legged Squats/Split Squat: This is an advanced lift where you place one foot on a bench and then simply squat using one leg. It is best to use a smith machine for this lift because you will need the stability. If you are confused, look up this lift on YouTube.

4.     Leg Press Machine: A leg press machine is a good way to finish a leg work out because you can safely go till exhaustion. It can also be used as a good warm up for squats.

Standing/Seated Calf Raises: These can be performed using a leg press machine, a smith machine, or one of the dedicated calf workout machines you can find in any gym. It is important to use a full range of motion and to use heavy weights because calves are notoriously difficult to grow. In fact, you want to hit your calves twice a week if they are not responding to a once a week workout.

To read about other leg workouts, please visit: The 30 Best Leg Exercises of All Time


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