Restoration of walking after a stroke. Leg workout. The Best Leg Exercises at the Gym Leg Exercises to Start Walking Again

The only true way to improve your appearance, developed in the history of mankind and tested by many generations, is physical exercise. But many of us do not really believe in the effectiveness of physical exercises, they say, they are too simple, or they cannot overcome laziness, inertia, the habit of immobility. Do you want to become more beautiful? Do you want to correct the flaws in your figure? Then decide what you need to focus on first, and start ... for example, with physical exercises for the legs.

Physical exercises for the legs.

When you stand, walk, sit - keep very straight, trying to stretch, as it were, to grow up. At first it is tiring, then you get used to it, and then every step you take imperceptibly and naturally becomes a physical exercise. When the muscles of the legs are sufficiently and evenly strengthened, the redistribution of muscle loads will put the bones of the legs in a more correct position and the shape of the legs will be corrected.

That is why, surprising as it may seem at first glance, almost all leg exercises are universal. Full legs become slimmer, thin ones get fatter. Physical exercise tightens stretched and relaxes shortened leg muscles, so with patience and perseverance, even slight curvature can be reduced. In addition to physical exercise, walking, dancing, swimming, skiing, skating, ball games, especially basketball are useful for the legs.

Perform physical exercises at a fast pace, at first 3-5 times each, then gradually increase the load. During gymnastics, do not hold your breath - breathe freely, pay more attention to exhalation than to inhalation.

You need to do it daily, preferably 2 times a day

best barefoot on a rug.

Do not despair if the results are long in coming: classes are designed for many months. Be persistent and patient.

We offer several sets of physical exercises, from which you can choose the most suitable for yourself.

1st COMPLEX.

1. Lie on your back, hands on your belt, bend your leg at the knee, straighten it up so that it is completely straight, bend again and lower it. 20 times with each leg in turn.
2. Stand straight, feet together. Bend over without bending your knees, and try to clasp your ankles with your hands. Straighten up. 20 times.
3. Sit down, rest your hands on the floor behind your back, raise your straight leg up, take it to the side, up again and lower it. 10 times with each leg in turn.
4. Sit down, bend your legs at the knees and pull them up to your chest. Lie on your back and sit down again. 25-30 times.
5. Put your foot on a chair, hands on the back of your head. Bend and unbend the leg at the knee, then change the position of the legs. 20 times with each leg.
6. Stand straight, legs together. Rise on your toes and lower on your heels. At least 30 times.

2ND COMPLEX.

1. Lie on your back, stretching your arms along the torso. Bend and unbend the joined legs raised up at the knees. 20 times.
2. Lie on your back, arms along the body, put your palms under the coccyx. Counter movements up and down with straightened legs - "scissors". 20-30 times.
3. Stand, bend one leg at the knee, raise it, clasp the knee with your hands and make circular movements with your foot: 10 times from left to right and 10 times from right to left. The same with the other leg.
4. Standing on all fours, lift up alternately 20 times one or the other straightened leg.
5. Squat on toes, hands on knees. Crouching, turn your knees to the left and right. 10-12 times.
6. Run in place on your heels. 45 sec.

3rd COMPLEX(complicated).

1. Lie on your back, hands on your belt. Stretch your legs, with tension lift them low above the floor and make 18 springy movements up and down. 2 times.
2. Lie on your back, arms to the sides. Bend your knees and lower them either to the left or to the right, 10-12 times alternately in each direction.
3. The position is the same, the legs are extended, Slowly, with tension, alternately pull the socks towards you, then away from you. Pull the toe of the left foot towards you, at the same time pull the toe of the right foot away from you, then vice versa. 30 times.
4. Lie on your back, hands under your head. Straight legs with springy movements slowly raise to an angle of 45 degrees and also lower with springy movements 8-10 times.
5. Lie on your stomach, arms along the body. Raise the torso and head, and press the legs to the floor, bend in the back and lower back. 10-12 times.
6. Walking around the room 35-40 seconds, accelerated - 35 seconds, running - 35 seconds, walking - 40 seconds, walking on toes - 35 seconds, walking on heels - 35 seconds, walking on the whole foot - 40 seconds.
7. Stand facing the wall, legs apart, raise your hands up, rest your palms against the wall, bend in your back and turn your body left and right. 12 times in each direction.
8. Self-massage. Bend your legs. Stroking, rubbing, patting, shaking and stroking the thighs again, then put the foot of the left leg on the right knee and massage the lower leg. Change the position of the legs.
9. Stand up, feet together, hands on the belt. Spread your legs to the sides, rearranging either your heels or your socks, sliding your feet along the floor. 20 times to the left and 20 times to the right.
10. Walking on toes and running on toes. 1 min.
If the legs are straight, but very full or, conversely, thin, the following physical exercises are also useful in addition to those mentioned.

IF THE LEGS ARE FULL: stand in front of the wall, rest your palms on it and lift the straightened leg to the side without stretching the toe. Repeat 20 times with each leg. Do at least 1-2 times a day.

Extra massiveness can be removed if you jump over a rope, walk alternately on your toes, then on your heels and, of course, run, ski and skate.

IF THE LEGS ARE THIN: put your feet together and squat on your toes 2 times a day, 20 times. Starting position - legs together, hands on the belt, on the toes, perform springy movements 100 times 2 times a day.

Thin legs will get a more beautiful shape if you walk a lot, ride a bike, do exercises that imitate cycling.

CROOKED LEGS(resembling the letter 0) is more difficult to fix, but even here you can achieve a lot if you persevere in figure skating, skiing, gymnastics, swimming.

Useful for crooked legs (except those indicated) and the following physical exercises:
1. Get on your knees, spread your socks and sit on your heels or on the floor between them.
2. Put your legs apart and squat, connecting your knees.
3. Sit down, stretch your legs and quickly, sharply turn your feet with your toes outward, straining the muscles of your legs.

IF THE LEGS ARE X-SHAPED, we advise you to ride a bike more: if possible, then ride a horse, swim breaststroke, ski, jump, run. It is useful to sit down in a Turkish way and rise without the help of hands.

How many times during the day do we sit down and get up again, walk, climb stairs, carry heavy bags, finally, have to stand in lines or public transport?? Naturally, by the end of the day, our legs are literally buzzing with fatigue and almost refuse to move. Many people would like to have healthy, beautiful and hardy legs, and this can be achieved with the help of specially selected exercises.
MirSovetov will name only a few reasons why it is necessary to do exercises for the legs. The first and most important of them is, of course, taking care of the health of the legs, in particular, the prevention of osteoarthritis of the knee, varicose veins and many other equally pleasant diseases. In addition, regular exercise that strengthens the muscles of the legs brings great benefits to the whole body, significantly improving metabolism. The result - you give to your feet, and it is burned from the whole body. And, of course, specially selected exercises make the legs not only strong and healthy, but also beautiful, helping to cope with excessive fullness or, conversely, build muscle tissue on too thin legs.

Leg exercises

Unless otherwise indicated, repeat each exercise 5-6 times for the first month, then 10-15 times thereafter. In classes, the main thing is to maintain regularity. Do each exercise slowly, calmly - this way each muscle is better worked out.
Exercise 1. Walking in place
Walk in place for 2-3 minutes, raising your knees high.
Exercise 2. Stretching the legs
Starting position: lying down, hands behind the back. With an effort, stretch your left leg and pull the sock towards you. Repeat the exercise for the right leg, and then stretch both legs at the same time.
Exercise 3. Pressing the legs
Starting position: lying down, hands behind the back. Press your legs as close to the floor as possible, and then relax them, bending your knees slightly. Repeat the exercise.
Exercise 4. Pull socks
Starting position: lying on your back, legs straight, arms spread apart with palms to the floor. Slowly, with effort, pull your socks first towards you, and then away from you. Complicate the exercise by slightly raising your straight legs.
Exercise 5. Freeze with raised legs
Starting position: lying on your back, hands under your head. Raise your legs at a 45° angle, stretch your toes and hold in this position for 5 seconds and lower them. Slowly bend your legs, gradually pressing them to your stomach, and also slowly straighten them. Slightly raising the body, freeze in this position for 5 seconds, and slowly lower it.
Exercise 6. "Pistol"
Starting position: standing with your left side at the table. Raise your straight right leg forward and sit down on your left leg as low as possible. MirSovetov draws your attention to the fact that the entire foot should fit snugly on the floor without coming off. Turn to the table with your right side and repeat the exercise for the other leg.
Exercise 7. "Bicycle"
Starting position: lying on your back. Raise your legs at a 45° angle and do the movements that mimic the process of riding a bicycle, first forward and then in reverse. Repeat the exercise, slightly falling first on the left, and then on the right side. Repeat 15-20 times for each position.
Exercise 8. "Scissors"
Starting position: lying on your back. Raise your legs at an angle of 45 ° and spread them alternately to the sides and crosswise, lying first straight, and then, similarly to the previous exercise, alternately, slightly falling on your side, left and right. Repeat 8-10 times for each position.
Exercise 9
Starting position: lying on your back. Raise your bent knees up and sharply straighten them, and then bend them again. Do the exercise 8 times.
Exercise 10. We spread our knees from a sitting position
Starting position: sitting on the floor. Your task: to move and push apart the legs bent at the knees, while holding them with your hands with force
Exercise 11. We spread our knees from a prone position
Starting position: lying on your back, bent legs apart slightly wider than shoulders. Alternately connect your knees and spread them apart. Repeat, closely connecting and spreading your legs as far as possible.
Exercise 12
Starting position: sitting on the floor, straight legs extended forward. Tilt your torso, trying to touch your straight knees with your chest. Do 6-8 tilts.
After completing the set of exercises, please your legs with a light self-massage. To do this, lightly massage the surface of the legs in the direction from the fingers to the pelvis, performing the massage in the following sequence: stroking, rubbing, kneading and stroking again. MirSovetov reminds: the lymph nodes located in the groin area and under the kneecaps cannot be touched! And there are contraindications to shin massage: thrombosis and other similar diseases.
It is also useful to supplement the complex with elements: for example, immediately before going to bed, douse your feet with cold water and, without wiping, go to bed. Such a simple procedure not only beneficially relieves fatigue from the legs, but also improves sleep. Of course, you should start gradually, at first just moistening your feet with your hands soaked in cold water.

Gymnastics for the legs

How often we do not have enough time to regularly perform complex gymnastic complexes. However, while busying around the house, you can simultaneously do simple exercises for the legs. Of course, they will not bring a stunning effect, but they will completely help to relax tired legs. MirSovetov brings to your attention several examples of such exercises:
Turn on your favorite music and, while doing housework, dance to it with pleasure.
If you need to get something from the bottom shelf of the closet, sit down slowly, trying to keep your back straight. If, on the contrary, the thing you need is on the top shelf, stand on tiptoe and stretch as high as possible.
Resting on the sofa in front of the TV, bring your left foot over your right and stretch your left toe up as far as possible. Change legs. Now you should redirect the effort of the muscles of the thighs and buttocks, feel how they tightened. Hold the muscles in this state for up to 10 seconds and relax again. Repeat these exercises until you feel a pleasant warmth in your legs.
Remember: only constant care of your feet will help you to keep their health, strength and beauty for many years!

Beautiful, healthy legs are the result of proper care and rational physical activity. However, the modern pace and, on the contrary, a sedentary lifestyle can interfere with this. Let's get acquainted with for adults and children. Exercise will help relieve pain, strengthen muscles and correct flat feet. And this does not require special props.

Stretching

Gymnastics for the legs must begin with stretching. It is recommended for muscle cramps, as well as a warm-up, as it reduces the risk of injury when performing a strengthening complex, and helps prepare the body for exercise. Stretching should start from the feet, slowly rising up.

Exercise #1

Stand facing the wall at a distance of one meter. Stretch your arms out in front of you, slightly tilting your body. Now take turns lunging with your left, then your right foot. Slowly, keeping your heels off the floor. Hold for 15 seconds. Feel the stretch in your ankle muscles and ligaments. Perform the exercise 10 times on each leg. Breathe freely.

Exercise #2

Now you should pay attention to the hamstring. For its stretching, a fold is best suited. Sit on the floor, stretch your legs in front of you, and as you exhale, slowly lower yourself down. Try to keep your chest touching your knees. To do this, keep your back straight. Hold in the crease for 10 seconds. On inspiration, you can return to the starting position. You can strengthen the stretch by pulling the toes of the feet towards you as much as possible. Repeat the exercise 9 more times.

Exercise #3

There is a good exercise for the legs that allows you to simultaneously relax the lower back and gently stretch the thigh muscles. To do this, lie on your back. Pull your legs in turn to your chest, lingering in position for a few seconds. Breathe freely. Repeat the exercise 5 times on each leg.

Then pull up both legs and just lie there for 30 seconds. At the same time, alternately stretch one or the other leg. The number of repetitions is arbitrary.

strengthening

Strengthening gymnastics for the legs allows you to keep your muscles in good shape, increases their endurance.

The simplest calf pumping exercise is calf raises. To do this, stand up, fix your hands on your belt. Place your feet at shoulder distance. Inhale, and as you exhale, slowly rise on your toes as high as possible. Hold this position for a few seconds, and as you inhale, return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times. To complicate this exercise, you can walk on your toes around the room for 5 minutes, slightly bending your knees.

The best exercises for strengthening the thigh muscles are lunges and squats. The effectiveness of the first depends on the depth. From the starting position while standing, inhale while inhaling, first on the right leg, while exhaling, return to the starting position. Do the same on the left leg. Do 10 repetitions. Remember the position of the arms and legs in gymnastics. For high-quality performance, it is better to keep your hands at your sides. Do not twist your foot too much to avoid sprains and loss of balance.

Squats are a versatile exercise. They strengthen not only the muscles of the thighs, but also the calf and gluteal muscles. Efficiency is higher from an incomplete squat. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. And as you inhale, lower yourself so that when you bend your leg, your thigh and lower leg form a right angle. As you exhale, return to the starting position. Repeat squats 15 times.

For vessels

Violation of the blood vessels can cause pain in the legs. Gymnastics can solve this problem. There are two simple, but very effective exercises. They are allowed to be performed without getting out of bed.

Exercise 1

Vibration will help normalize blood circulation. After waking up, raise your legs and arms up and make small and frequent shaking movements with them for two minutes. This helps not only to perform vibromassage of capillaries, but also contributes to the redistribution of lymph, which removes toxins from the body.

Exercise 2

This exercise is called "goldfish". Take a lying position. Keep your legs together, and put your hands on your neck, at the level. Raise your head and pull your socks towards you. In this position, make vibrating movements with your whole body. It helps relieve spasm of nerves and improve blood circulation.

For joints

An imaginary bicycle can also be useful for joints. Lie on your back, put your hands under your lower back. Raise your legs up and imagine that you are pedaling. Do 10 turns forward and the same back. Exercise not only increases the flexibility of the knee joints, but also improves the functioning of blood vessels.

It is also possible to increase the mobility of the pelvic bones and ligaments, thanks to gymnastics for the legs. Arms and thighs are perpendicular to the floor. As you inhale, pull your right knee closer to your chest, and then as you exhale, take your leg back so that it is parallel to the floor and forms a straight line with your spine. Repeat 10 times on each leg.

A more difficult option may be to raise the legs at the same time. Take a supine position. Place your hands under your buttocks. As you exhale, raise your legs behind your head. On an inhale, return to the starting position. The toes are stretched. Repeat 15 times. This exercise also helps to pump up the lower press, eliminate congestion in the small pelvis. Remember that bent legs make gymnastics easier and less effective. Therefore, try to strictly follow the technique for performing the element.

Feet

With flat feet, spurs, varicose veins, gout, swelling and even migraines, it is recommended to perform “wipers”. Lie on your back, keep your arms at your sides. Legs are straightened. The fingers move back and forth. Bending should be maximum so that the tension of the entire foot is felt. Repeat at least 10 times.

Therapeutic gymnastics for the legs with the same effect includes the “fist” exercise. Take the same position as in the previous element. Squeeze your toes as much as possible, then also spread them strongly. Follow the rhythm while doing it. The number of repetitions is arbitrary.

Complex for children

Gymnastics for the legs for children is playful. It is also aimed at warming up joints, strengthening muscles, treating and preventing various diseases.

The first exercise of the children's complex is game squats. As if showing a large object, let him stretch his arms up, and to indicate a small one, he crouches. To help the baby, you can use a gymnastic stick, which he will hold on to. The number of repetitions is 5-7 times.

An excellent blood circulation and strengthening of children's legs are "solar jumps". To begin, let the baby take a standing position, legs together, arms on the sides. At the first clap, let him jump, legs and arms apart. Another cotton is the starting position. To increase interest, you can jump to music or to a counting rhyme.

All children love to imitate animals, insects, birds. You can use it for health purposes. Let the child imagine that he is a bug that lies on its back and dangles its paws. Not only the legs are included in the movement, but also the arms. This is a kind of alternative to an adult bike.

With flat feet

Gymnastics for the legs with flat feet in children has many exercises. The most effective are rolls from toes to heels and vice versa. Let the baby take a standing position, put the handles on the belt. First, the emphasis is on the heels. Fingers stretch up as much as possible. Then follows a roll on toes. Repeat 5-7 times.

This is interesting:

  1. Leg exercises are best done in the morning after waking up. In this case, the quality and pace will be higher.
  2. Before going to bed, it is useful to make a warm foot bath of sea salt and chamomile decoction to relieve tension.
  3. After gymnastics for the legs, it is recommended to do a massage. If it is not possible to contact the master, you can try self-massage. You should start from the feet, gradually rising to the hips. There is no need to use force or rubbing. It is better to massage the feet with the thumbs, paying attention to its bend. It is advised to act on the calves and thighs with light circular movements. Also, a vibrating massager can provide pleasant sensations and relaxation.

When choosing exercises for children's gymnastics for the legs, it is necessary to take into account the age of the baby. This article provides universal exercises designed for ages from 3 to 5 years.

Nothing transforms the physique like well-developed legs. In this article, you will learn about the best leg exercises.

If you regularly go to the gym, but at the same time neglect leg exercises, then your body will look like this ...

I perfectly understand your reluctance to train legs.

I confess that I myself often skipped leg workouts, and because of this I looked like a guy in a photo.

But I realized my mistake and I won't make it again. And although my legs lack definition and volume (which is a matter of time), they are still quite well developed ...

I also learned to enjoy leg workouts.

Be that as it may, the bottom line is that it takes a lot of time and effort to develop the muscles of the legs, and for this it is not enough to do only squats.

Of course, squats are an extremely important part of your leg workout, but if that's the only thing you do, then you could benefit a lot more from your time in the gym.

  • the most effective way to create a leg workout program;
  • the best exercises and techniques for their implementation;
  • my favorite workout program that you can start using right away.

Let's start!

Anatomy of leg muscles

Before we talk about training, I would like to briefly review the main muscles of the legs so that you know exactly what we need to develop.

Quadriceps (quadriceps femoris) is a muscle that consists of 4 heads and makes up the main muscle mass of the front of the thigh. The four heads of the cradriceps are:

  • rectus femoris;
  • lateral broad muscle of the thigh;
  • medial wide muscle of the thigh;
  • vastus intermedius muscle.

Muscles of the lower limb

The main part of the back of the thigh is:

  • semitendinosus muscle;
  • semimembranosus muscle;
  • biceps femoris.

Here's what they look like:

And last but not least, what is worth mentioning is the back of the lower leg, which consists of two muscles:

  • calf muscle;
  • soleus muscle.

Here's what they look like:

As you can see, the main part of the back of the lower leg is the gastrocnemius muscle, under which is the soleus muscle.

These are the main muscles of the legs, to the development of which we must direct our efforts.

There are also a large number of small muscles that significantly affect our ability to work on large muscles, but we do not need to consider each of them separately.

By following the tips outlined in this article, you will develop them along with large muscle groups.

The Simple Science of Effective Leg Training

The three biggest mistakes that most people make when exercising their legs are:

  1. Doing inappropriate exercises

Many people focus too much on machines and isolation exercises when they should only be considered as an addition to the main exercises.

  1. Wrong squat technique

And I don't just mean incomplete repetitions. There are many other common mistakes, such as rounding the lower back, too narrow stance, and incorrect knee position.

  1. Doing too many reps

Such training inhibits the growth of all muscle groups of the body.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that when building muscle, the more heavy weight compound exercises you do (80-85% of 1RM or more), the better your results will be.

And if you hear any fitness model claiming to have huge muscles due to the high number of repetitions, then know that steroids have not been done here.

I know it sounds cynical, but it's true.

If you take steroids, then it is extremely easy to achieve muscle growth: stay in the gym for several hours every day, do more repetitions in each exercise, and the muscles will become bigger and bigger.

Steroids cause muscles to grow quickly, but ligaments and tendons can't keep up with this growth, so weight that may seem light to you may be overwhelming for connective tissues.

Therefore, joint injuries are common among those who use steroids.

In any case, do not despair - you can build great legs without "chemistry".

For example, look at this bodybuilder competing in natural competition:

Although he may not actually be a natural athlete (it is very easy to get around the drug test in many federations), but I think that it is quite possible for any natural athlete to build legs like his.

To achieve such (or almost such) result, it is necessary to have certain knowledge, as well as diligence and patience. The strategy is pretty simple:

  1. Focus on core exercises with heavy weights

If you want big and strong legs, then do 4-6 or 5-7 reps

  1. Do exercises that allow you to safely apply the progressive overload method.

As a natural athlete, you must take into account the following principle: if you do not get stronger, then you will not get bigger.

Rule #1 of natural muscle growth is progressive overload, which involves constantly increasing the working weight over time.

Some exercises are not suitable for both heavy lifting and progressive overload. For example, leg extension puts more stress on the knees.

Another aspect of leg training is the total number of reps you do in a week.

This becomes especially important when you do a lot of heavy weight exercises, because the main rule is:

The heavier the weight, the fewer reps per week you should be doing.

Heavy weights take longer to recover. This means that you cannot do a large amount of work without the risk of overtraining.

I have tried many different training programs and found the one that works best.

This statement applies not only to the muscles of the legs, but also to all other major muscle groups.

Now let's move from theory to practice and look at the best exercises aimed at increasing muscle mass and leg strength.

The best exercises for leg muscles

There are many exercises for the legs, but only a few of them are really necessary to perform.

The list of the best exercises for the leg muscles is quite short: several types of squats and lunges, as well as several exercises in the machines.

Before we look at them, let's talk about the Smith machine.

Should You Use the Smith Machine?

If we talk about squats, the main drawback of the Smith machine is that it provides less growth in muscle mass and strength compared to free weights.

One of the main reasons for this is that in such a simulator the neck moves along a constant vertical path. On the other hand, free weight exercise requires you to balance the equipment to prevent it from swinging and deviating from the correct trajectory.

I used to do squats on the Smith Machine and never lifted more than 105kg for multiple reps. When I first switched to free weight, I barely mastered 85 kg.

That was a few years ago, and since then I have increased my working weight in normal squats to 165 kg for 2-3 reps, and in front squats to 125 kg for the same number of repetitions (the result is not outstanding, but worthy of respect).

Power rack is the best choice

A regular power rack is a good option if you are training with a spotting partner. But if it is not there, you will probably not be able to apply maximum effort, for fear of not mastering the weight in one of the repetitions.

Even if you are an experienced athlete and know your abilities well, when training to muscle failure, there may be a situation where you feel that you can do one more repetition, but fail.

Use a power frame. Here's a great frame from Rogue that I highly recommend.

The limit bars are what makes the frame so indispensable. Set them to the right height and you can safely take the bar off your shoulders when you can't finish a rep. Here's what it looks like:

Let's now move on to an overview of the exercises I recommend.

The barbell back squat is by far the most effective exercise for building muscle and leg strength.

Many people think that this exercise is only for the legs, but it is not. In fact, this complex exercise involves all the muscle groups of the body, except for the chest.

However, it must be done correctly. Incorrect execution not only makes the exercise less effective, but also increases the risk of injury.

The first thing you need to know about squats is proper squat depth. You should lower your hips to at least parallel to the floor.

Here's what I mean:

Note that the pelvis is slightly below the level of the knees, and the hips are slightly below the line parallel to the floor.

There are several reasons for this position, but one of the main ones is that the shallower the squat, the less the muscles work, and this leads to a decrease in their growth.

Also note that the head and spine are in a neutral position, the chest is forward, the shoulders are back, and the knees are slightly forward of the toes.

These are the key points that will ensure proper squat technique. Here's what it looks like in action:

Before we move on to the next exercise, let's talk about the deep squat.

First, here's what it looks like:

While deep squats have their upsides (they put more strain on the legs and especially the buttocks), they require more mobility and flexibility—much more than most people.

If you are not, then squat to parallel. Deep squats are not necessary for building large and strong posterior chain muscles.

Lack of flexibility in the hips is perhaps the most common problem that prevents people from properly performing squats. But low mobility in the back of the thighs, calves, and ankles can also cause problems.

Fortunately, you can quite easily solve or prevent such a problem by exercising under this program.

  1. Front squat with barbell

The barbell front squat is by far my second favorite leg exercise.

Research shows that front squats work the quads more than regular squats (which work the hamstrings more) and also reduce stress on the knees and lower back, making them ideal for those with problems in these areas.

Here's how to do this exercise:

Yes, at first you may experience difficulty or inconvenience, but the more often you do the exercise, the better you will get it.

When I started doing front squats, 60kg put a lot of pressure on my shoulders. Now I work with a weight of 125 kg and do not experience any discomfort.

  1. Barbell lunges

While lunges are considered a quad exercise, studies show that they target more the hamstrings and glutes.

Whatever it was, this exercise should be included in your leg training program.

Here is how they are performed:

  1. Romanian deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is one of my favorite hamstring exercises.

Here's how it's done:

  1. Bulgarian split squat

Although you may observe that only a few people in the gym do this exercise, I consider it worthy of attention.

In fact, the split squat is becoming more and more popular among trainers. And not in vain.

Research shows that split squats can be just as effective at increasing 1RM in the squat as the squat itself, while putting less strain on the lower back.

In addition, they differ from front squats in that they more actively involve the hamstrings.

  1. Hack squats in the simulator

Although I'm not a fan of machines, I love this exercise because it focuses on the quads.

Along with front squats and split squats, this is an effective way to train your legs and hips with minimal stress on your lower back.

  1. leg press

Leg press is another exercise performed in the machine, which is specifically aimed at developing the strength of the quadriceps.

Most gyms have 2 types of leg press machines.

In one, you sit in a more or less upright position, pushing your weight forward and back:

In the other, you sit and press the weight at a 45° angle:

I prefer the latter option, as it allows you to do the exercise with a full range of motion. Here is how this exercise is done:

  1. Lifting the pelvis with emphasis on the bench

Although this exercise looks simple, it is great for working on the buttocks.

It can be performed without weights or with light weights:

Or with relief:

  1. Rise on socks standing

This simple exercise is a tried and true way to work your calves.

  1. Lifting on socks while sitting

This exercise is also a worthy option for developing the calf muscles.

I like the fact that this exercise does not put additional stress on the lower back.

  1. Rises on toes in the leg press machine

This is another calf exercise that I enjoy doing.

remember, that progress is the key to muscle growth.

These are the best exercises for leg muscles.

However, the key to success is not simply implementation these exercises, and in continuous progress in them. That is, you must increase the working weight over time.

If you don't get stronger, you won't get bigger.

If you work on building strength by doing these exercises, as well as eating enough food, then your legs will definitely improve. will respond to these actions.

Comprehensive leg workout

A good leg workout includes exercises to develop the quadriceps and hamstrings, and also emphasizes the basic exercises with a lot of weight. It may also include exercises for the buttocks and calves, if needed.

As with other muscle groups, a high rep range can benefit leg muscles, but you need to focus on heavy weights if you want muscle growth to continue over time.

You can learn more about building a workout program in my books Bigger Leaner Stronger and Thinner Leaner Stronger, but I want to give you a simple example of a leg training program that you can follow for the next 8 weeks to see how my adviсe.

For 8 weeks, train on the following program once every 5-7 days.

As you can see, the program includes 9 heavy sets for the hamstrings and quadriceps, while the exercises for the muscles of the buttocks and calf muscles are up to you.

If you think that correct posture matters only for your health, then this is not true.

No, of course, posture has a huge impact on the functioning of all our internal organs and can sometimes even cause serious health problems. But, besides this, it is a reflection of your psychological state, the degree of self-confidence and attitude to the world. Your body language can tell others about you even more than the most lengthy speeches, and more than the most expensive clothes. But, unlike a suit, posture does not cost you money and only requires your effort and practice. In this article, we will learn simple techniques for developing a posture that will become your real decoration.

Learning to sit correctly

The realities of our life have developed in such a way that we sit most of the day. And the wrong position of the body at the same time can become the main source of health disorders, fatigue and even bad mood. Today, the ability to sit correctly is the most important issue of survival.

  • Push your hips back so that your lower back is supported by the back of the chair.
  • Roll your shoulders back and down, and keep your chest expanded. Don't slouch.
  • If you are working behind a monitor, then position it so that you can watch without changing the natural position of the neck.
  • Position the keyboard so that your forearms and elbows are resting on the desk or resting on the arms of your chair.
  • To avoid knee problems, position your legs at a 90-degree angle so that your feet are flat on the ground.
  • Regardless of your posture, keep in mind that the human body is not built for prolonged sitting. So take breaks every 20-30 minutes. It is enough just to get up and take a walk for a couple of minutes.

Learning to stand properly

Look at the people around you. Have you noticed that most of them, even very young ones, try to sit up at the first opportunity? In transport, in line, at a party, their eyes instinctively look for a suitable horizontal surface, and their legs themselves carry them there. That's right, these people just forgot how to stand properly!

  • Stand straight, feet shoulder width apart. Now move the lower part of the body slightly forward to feel the heaviness of the body on the toes. Then compensate by moving your upper body back so that you feel the heaviness in your heels. Find such a balance that the weight of the body is evenly distributed. Thus, your pelvis should be slightly forward and your shoulders back. It is in this position that the weight of the body is optimally supported by the spine.
  • Pay attention to keeping your shoulders back and your chest up. Don't put your head down.
  • Don't keep your hands in your pockets - it makes you slouch.

Learning to walk correctly

In the previous paragraph, I wrote that we have forgotten how to stand. This applies even more to walking. A person walking when it is possible to pass is perceived as a freak. A person who has covered ten or fifteen kilometers on foot is perceived as a champion. Meanwhile, the ability to walk begins precisely with the correct movements of the body. And they are not that difficult, believe me.

  • Get into a proper standing position using the tips above.
  • Take a step with your foot, gently placing it on the heel and rolling onto the toe.
  • Repeat this movement ten thousand times throughout the day.
  • If you want to move to a faster pace, then bend your elbows and make auxiliary movements with them. Yes, it may look unusual, but it will help you then smoothly transition to running.

All of these tips are extremely easy to do...once or twice. The problem is to do it all the time. To do this, we need to consciously and purposefully pay attention to how we sit, stand and walk. Correct and straighten yourself. Do not ride where you can walk, do not sit down where you can stand, and do not blur where you just need to sit down.

If you do this regularly, you will see that after a couple of weeks it will become natural for you. In a month you will do it without even thinking. The world will see you differently and will be surprised at this transformation.



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