An effective way to pump up your legs – the best exercises

Contents

The structure of the gluteal muscles
The thigh muscles of the legs
Leg muscle groups

Useful exercises for pumping the legs, using the athlete’s own weight.
Features of pumping legs in the gym

Do you do a regular leg workout day? That’s great, but are you sure you’re doing everything right? Let’s look at the main mistakes that can be made when training legs.

If your goal is to pump the leg muscles, you need to understand their structure and anatomy. All the muscles of your body, including the legs, have a very complex anatomy. Usually, they are usually divided into several main large categories: gluteal, calf and femoral. At the same time, each of these categories includes a whole set of individual small muscles.

The structure of the gluteal muscles

The buttocks include:

Large muscle of the buttocks Its main purpose is to ensure the movement of the hips, straightening, and also keeping your body in a constant position. It is one of the largest in the human body, and it is because of it that the buttocks have a rounded shape.
Gluteus medius muscle Thanks to her, the leg has the ability to move forward and backward, as well as be fixed in one position when unbending. This muscle also forms the gluteal relief, and without pumping it, you will definitely not achieve the ideal shape of the priests.
Minor muscle of the buttocks It is necessary to ensure the possibility of turns and movements of the lower extremities in different directions – to the right and to the left.

The thigh muscles of the legs

The main muscle of the femoral part of your body is the quadriceps (often also called the “4-head muscle”. The quadriceps performs the most important function, providing movement of the knee to bend and extend. The quadriceps muscle, in turn, consists of such components as the rectus, lateral, medial and intermediate muscles.

Despite the fact that all these muscles are “independent”, but for training they are usually pumped all at once. The femoral anterior muscle also includes muscles that enable a person to move. These include thin, tailor, comb and adductor muscles. As for the posterior femoral part: this zone is the most “problematic”, it is here that foci of female cellulite and fat deposits appear in the representatives of the stronger sex.

This includes:

2-headed femoral muscle or “femoral biceps” It is located on the back of the thigh, and its main purpose is to provide the possibility of bending the knee joint.
Semitendinosus “Helps” the biceps to bend and unbend the leg at the knee.
Semitransverse muscle It is “responsible” for turning the ankle joint in different directions, and is also responsible for the natural movements of the hips. Located on the back of the thigh.

Leg muscle groups

The muscles of the lower leg can be divided into:

Calf The largest ones are responsible for the overall shape of the lower leg and form its “relief”.
Flounder These muscles are also responsible for the shape and relief of the lower leg.
Anterior tibial Determine the possibility of extension of the foot.
plantar They belong to the “tendon” muscles and are rudimentary (may be absent).

If you want your legs to look aesthetically pleasing and have an ideal shape, you need to deal with all muscle sections at the same time. For this, certain exercises have been developed and successfully used that are perfect for people of both sexes and differ only in the number of repetitions. See also: jump rope workouts for beginners

Useful exercises for pumping the legs, using the athlete’s own weight.

Slopes

Straighten up and spread your legs shoulder-width apart (maybe even a little wider). We start the slopes, observing the correct posture.
We bend down until the body assumes a position parallel to the floor, while the legs must be slightly bent.
We take the original stand.
It is necessary to repeat in the amount of four sets of ten repetitions, rest between repetitions – 30 seconds.
During the bends, try to pay special attention to the fact that your body does not stretch upwards solely due to the support of the back muscles. The back is designed to keep the muscles in a straight position, and it is the legs that should lift the whole body. Otherwise, you run the risk of injury, and the legs themselves will not be able to pump up.

Squat

We again take the starting position, legs apart slightly wider than shoulders.
Inhale and begin to squat, while “winding” the gluteal part and lower back a little back (imagine that you are going to sit on a stool).
Lower yourself until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor.
Exhaling, return to the starting position.
It will be enough to complete five sets of ten repetitions each. Rest between repetitions – half a minute.
Try to perform this exercise with maximum amplitude, the lower you are, the more effectively the gluteal muscles will be pumped. The basic rules of the squat are to keep your back straight and your knees over your toes.

Squats followed by a jump

We accept the starting position.
Inhaling, do a squat, while lowering yourself to a parallel position with the floor (you can even lower, this will only benefit).
Take a high jump up as you exhale, while pushing off with full feet.
Try to jump as high as possible so that a significant load is applied to the hips and they “spring”.
When you find yourself on the floor again, start to sit down again, and so on 12 times. Repeat four sets.

Bulgarian squat

First you need to stand with your back to a stool, bed, chair, armchair or cabinet.
Throw either leg on the chair, while the second takes one step forward.
It is necessary to squat until the femoral part of the leg becomes parallel to the floor, and the back is perpendicular to it.
The working leg can bend 90° and should be the fulcrum, while the non-working leg should be absolutely relaxed. You can also transfer the main load from the foot to the heel.
We accept the original position. The ideal number of repetitions is about ten, the number of approaches is five.
We perform the first step extremely deep: this is necessary for the work of the gluteal region. The knee is over the toe of the foot.

Plie Squats

We again become in the starting position, turn the feet at an angle of 40-45 °.
With a straight back, we squat and rise again.
Do five times ten repetitions.

This movement helps to qualitatively influence one of the most problematic areas – the intrafemoral muscles.

The knees should not protrude beyond the toes, the back should be straightened, the direction of the knees should be above the stop line. Well, remember: we perform this exercise with maximum amplitude.

Lunge

Starting position (we hope you have already learned it).
The exercise is similar to the Bulgarian squat, but is performed without a chair. We perform a deep and wide front step with one foot until the thigh is parallel to the ground.
The shoulder part is deployed, the back is straightened, and the arms “look” at the floor.
We perform alternately wide steps with both legs.
The leg that is in front is called the working leg. It is a fulcrum and bends at a right angle.
Run about twenty times in 5 sets.

This exercise has a beneficial effect on the gluteal region, as well as on the muscles from the front of the thigh.

Swing your legs back

Get on all fours.
Throw one leg back and up and return it to the opposite position.
If this is easy enough for you, then it is acceptable to apply additional weights.
We do thirty times for each leg for five approaches.
At the top point of the lift, the leg can be held and fixed for a certain time. This will help make your swings more efficient.

“Bridge” for the buttocks

Lie on the floor and bend your knees.
By tightening your abs and engaging your leg muscles, lift your pelvis.
To complicate the task, you can apply additional weight.
Do twenty reps for five sets.

In the highest part of the “bridge” you need to “linger” and strain the gluteal muscles at the same time.

Burpy

We squat down, put our hands on the floor in front of us.
With the help of a jump, go to point-blank prone, push up.
We return to the squat, jump up and return to the squat again.
Three approaches should be performed, the number of repetitions is not limited and depends on your capabilities.
Perform burpees at a fast pace, without interruptions, but at the same time monitor your well-being. If the pulse rate becomes too high, nausea or other negative sensations are felt, immediately stop the process.

Features of pumping legs in the gym

The leg muscles are considered the largest in our body, they should be dealt with in turn, for maximum results. Don’t forget: they also need rest for a full recovery: three, maximum four visits to the fitness club per week will be enough.

Separate exercises are repeated from 15 times and more, the number of approaches is no more than 5-6. Pauses between sets should be small so that the muscles retain their elasticity.

Weight is determined by tasks and goals: for weight loss it is usually minimal, for pumping muscles it is maximum. Naturally, all exercises must be preceded by a warm-up, then continue with cardio machines (this can be running on a track, walking on an elliptical stepper, jumping rope, and so on). See also: How to create a training program?

Squat using the Smith Machine

It is possible to perform squats in this classic type of equipment, which is considered a one-to-one must-have and a base. The classic squat exercises are performed with a barbell, but the Smith machine squat is easier and safer.

Sit comfortably under the bar of the bar, fix your legs.
Rest your trapezius muscles on the bar, place your hands in the most comfortable position for you.
Take the bar off the bed, bend over a little, inhale and start the squat with the pelvis back.
The hips should reach a parallel position on the floor – this is the lowest point of the squat.
You can exhale after the body is fully straightened.

Lunge technique with dumbbells

A very effective exercise recommended by fitness training experts.

Taking the dumbbells, take the maximum step forward with one foot.
Squat until the front working leg takes a right angle of degrees, and the body position remains as even as possible.
Repeat the same with the other leg.

Leg press

We lie down on the back of the simulator, tightly fixing the back and lower back.
Position your legs, guided by the following rule: more than the middle of the platform – will help load the buttocks and biceps, less than the middle – the quadriceps muscle, wide-set legs – for training the intrafemoral muscles, narrow-set legs – for training the lateral muscles.
Lower the platform while inhaling, having previously removed it from the racks, until the knees form an angle of 90 °.
When squeezing the load on the exhale, the main weight must be transferred to the heels.
At the top point, the knees do not straighten.

Leg extension in the simulator while sitting

Exercise allows you to work out the front surface of the thigh.

Adjust the position of the roller (it should be in the area of the ankles, not the knees).
Sit on the simulator, firmly pressing your back and lower back to the back.
Be sure to hold on to the handles: this will allow the body to maintain a correct and stable position.
Get your legs behind the rollers and straighten them to a horizontal position (the exercise should be done while inhaling).
Lock your legs for a second at the top point, and then take the starting position.
Exercise should be performed as slowly as possible to feel all the muscles.

Come to your first free workout at any Alex Fitness fitness club and our experienced trainers will help you find a workout that is right for you!