Whoever started ‘Leg Day’ must have noticed that something was wrong. For many years we’ve seen men with great upper body but with really skinny legs. They look okay when wearing pants, but when they wear shorts in the gym, on the streets, or in beaches, we cannot help but wonder why they had to skip leg workouts. Didn’t they want to have a well-proportioned body?
According to some articles, men focus on working out their upper body parts because that’s what they see when they look in the mirror. True enough, when you look in the mirror, you would barely notice the lower part of your body. So in this case, you exercise your muscles that you could easily notice. Furthermore, it is easier to see the changes on your chest and bicep than changes in your legs, and that’s why you tend to be more motivated when you exercise your upper body part.
If you’re skinny all over or if you’re fat all over, you need to remember that when you work out, you need to target all your muscle groups. You would want to have a proportioned body. Go to a trusted gym, like In-Shape. Their professional staff will be able to help you get fit and have a nice, firm body.
But if you already have a muscular torso and you notice that you have apparently neglected your legs and calves, do not despair. If you have time to go to the gym, then it means you have time to exercise your legs. Don’t be tempted to work on your arms and your chest, because on leg days, your legs need undivided attention.
What are great leg exercises you could do during workout?
Squats
This is one of the main workouts for leg development. For the traditional squat, plant your feet flat on the ground and they should be shoulder-width apart. The bar should be positioned over your trapezius muscles. It shouldn’t be over your neck.
Once you have dismounted the barbell on the rack, stand up and look straight ahead. You will need to thrust your hips forward, and then lower yourself. From this position, lift the barbell up. Your upper body should be tight at all times.
Depending on what you’re capable of, you could try a variety of weights and a number of repetitions.
Glute ham raise
Similar to a compound leg curl, this exercise will be engaging your glutes through the flexion of your knees and the hip extension. You will be using your body weight in this workout; but if it’s too heavy for you, you could choose the band-assisted option.
To begin, adjust the equipment to fit your body. Your feet should be placed against the footplate, and your knees should be placed behind the pad. Starting from bottom movement, flex your knees—ensure that your back is arched. Continue the movement until your body is in near-upright position. Remember to keep your descent under control to avoid accidents.
Walking lunge
This is one workout that can stress your leg muscles in a good way. If you don’t regularly workout your legs, this exercise can cause you sore thighs the following day. During your leg day, you can do three sets with 15 repetitions each set.
To do this exercise, start by standing on your feet. Your legs should be shoulder-width apart. Your hands can be on your hips or you could carry a dumbbell on each hand. If you’re not carrying a dumbbell, you could do five sets instead of three.
One leg should step forward; your hips will drop as you flex your knees. Your knee should almost be touching the ground. Return to upright position, and do the same exercise on the other leg.
Leg curl
This exercise will develop your hamstring. Your hamstrings are important for the bending of your knees, as well as assisting hip extensions. You could do three sets with ten repetitions; and also, choose heavy weights for this exercise.
Using the gym equipment, you can curl your calves as far as possible, but your upper legs should not be lifted from the pad. Exhale as you curl your legs, and inhale as you bring your legs back to their original position.
Calves workout
Train your calves intensively for you to get those thick, muscular calves. You could do three calf exercises every week, with one rest day in between. Calves easily recover from workouts, so you could train them more often than the other muscles.
You could do six sets every workout. To start, do these for the first three sets: point your toes forward; point them slightly outward, and then inward. For the next three sets: uses 2-1-2 repetition tempo; next, a full contraction for 2 seconds—pause for another two seconds before releasing.