Top 10 Leg Workout Exercise -Building bigger legs and gaining muscle is one of the main reasons why so many lifters undergo a bulking period. Increased calories often allow for increased training volume, frequencies, and recovery. When looking to gain serious legs size during a bulking process, it is recommended to stick to compound movements like squats, hinges (stiff legs deadlifts), and exercises that allow for a high amount of muscle stimulus and fatigue without impeding your ability to recover. Training frequency is often a key factor in gaining size during a bulk.
2. Introduction
Top 10 Leg Workout Exercise -Building bigger legs and
gaining muscle is one of the main reasons why so many
lifters undergo a bulking period. Increased calories often
allow for increased training volume, frequencies, and
recovery. When looking to gain serious legs size during a
bulking process, it is recommended to stick to compound
movements like squats, hinges (stiff legs deadlifts), and
exercises that allow for a high amount of muscle stimulus
and fatigue without impeding your ability to
recover. Training frequency is often a key factor in gaining
size during a bulk.
3. Swiss Ball Wall Squat
Wedge a physio/Swiss ball between your lower back and the wall. Lean back
so your weight is pressing against the ball. “Transition your weight into your
heels (you should be able to wiggle your toes) and squat down until your legs
are parallel to the ground,” Lowe says. “Keep your shoulders back and chest up
as you do.” Push through your heels and stand up the same way you came
down, she adds.
“This exercise teaches you correct squat form without risking the chance of
injury [from squatting heavy],” Lowe explains. Make sure you keep your weight
in your heels. This will protect your knees while squatting and ensure the right
muscles are firing.
3 sets of 15 reps with 45-60 seconds of rest in between sets.
4. Split Squat (Lunge)
Place one foot about three feet in front of the other with your toes facing the
same direction. “Pull your shoulders back and keep your chest up as you lower
your back knee until it’s one inch above the ground,” Lowe says. Push through
your front heel and straighten your back leg to come back up to the start
position. Repeat all reps on one leg, then repeat on the other. Make sure you
don’t lean forward too far think about maintaining a “proud chest” as you rise
up.
“This exercise trains your legs to work independently without fully challenging
your balance since both feet remain grounded,” Lowe explains. If it’s too easy,
hold dumbbells or kettlebells.
2 sets of 8 reps (each leg) with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
5. Glutes Bridge
Lie down on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat. “Dig into your heels,
lift your hips, and squeeze your glutes as you come up into a bridge position,”
Lowe instructs. Hold at the top for one to two seconds, then lower down and
repeat. Keep your hips level throughout.
“This exercise strengthens two of the posterior chain’s main muscles directly:
your glutes and hamstrings,” Lowe says. Strong glutes and hamstrings are
critical to avoiding injury as you progress in your training. If it’s too easy, place
your feet on a ledge or bench, or hold a weight on your hips.
3 sets of 15 reps with 45 seconds of rest between sets.
6. LEG PRESS
The leg press is a machine for building quad size and strength, however, it is
also the one leg machine that nearly everyone does wrong. Make sure you
perform these in the fullest ranges of motion, often maxing out your pain-free
knee flexion angles and often using much lower loads that you are used to.
Refer to this great leg growth video discussing 7 of the most common leg press
mistakes people make.
7. MACHINE HAMSTRING CURLS
Hamstring curls on machines (either lying or seated) are a great way to add
additional hamstring training volume without having to load the lower back or
hips.
You can do these early in sessions to pre-exhaust the hamstrings before
compound lifts, or use it towards the end of a session.