If you want to pump up the muscles of the legs, you must know everything about the structure of these organs. Leg muscles have a complex anatomy. Having understood it, you can competently build a workout and properly distribute the load. In total, at least 36 muscles can be counted, which are divided into the following groups:
- Buttock With their help, you can rotate the hip, lift it, take it in different directions.
- Calf They help to bend the lower leg, as well as the foot, actively work when walking.
- Biceps Participates in the rotation of the hip, allows you to bend the leg.
- Quadriceps Allows knee extension.
Important: any training for maximum results includes the complication of tasks. But not everyone is suitable for increasing loads due to the characteristics of health or body structure. There are a number of contraindications when it is impossible to perform strength exercises on the legs. Before embarking on the exercises described below, you need to make sure that your doctor does not prohibit you from actively playing sports and pumping your lower body. See also: Effective exercises to pump up your legs.
Leg exercises at home
To pump up your legs, it is not necessary to visit a fitness club every day. You can work effectively both outdoors and at home. Here are the main exercises that you can perform in any conditions:
- Slopes Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly and tilt your body so that it is parallel to the floor. It will be enough 10 times in one approach. Make sure that the body rises up due to the muscles of the legs, and not the back, otherwise there is a danger of injuring the back, and there will be no benefit for the legs.
- Squat Place your feet wider than shoulder width, squat with your buttocks back, as if you were sitting on a low chair. Squats should be performed until the thighs are parallel to the floor. You need to perform 10 times in each approach. Make sure your back is flat and straight.
- Jump Squats Squat down, then jump up. You need to push off the floor with your whole foot. Jump up as high as you can. After your feet reach the floor, sit down again; repeat the exercise 12 times.
- Lunge We stand in the starting position and take a large, deep step forward with one foot so that the thigh becomes parallel to the floor. The leg should be bent into a right angle. Do the exercise alternately on both legs about 20 times in one set.
- Swing your legs back. Take a sitting position – fully bend your legs, rest your hands on the floor. Lift one leg back and up a little, then return it to its original position. If the exercise is easy for you, use special leg weights. It will be enough 30 times for one leg in one approach.
The number of approaches you determine for yourself. For beginners, one will be enough, and for those who have been involved in sports for a long time, it is necessary to perform up to 5 sets of each exercise. Also Read: Lower Body Workouts
How to swing your legs in the gym
If you wish, you can visit the gym and exercise on the simulators. It is only important to observe safety precautions and monitor your health. In order not to overwork the muscles, it is enough to go to the gym no more than 3-4 times a week. Perform exercises from 15 times, while doing no more than 6 sets. Breaks between sets should be no more than 30-60 seconds so that the muscles remain in working condition and do not lose elasticity.
Loads are determined by your goals. To “dry” your legs, you do not need to use heavy weights. To pump up muscles and obtain the desired relief, the weight should be maximum. Before exercising, you need to do a warm-up, and then go on cardio machines – for example, on a treadmill.
Противопоказания
The most problematic disease of the legs is varicose veins. Intense exercise can only harm and provoke its development. The walls of the vessels are very weak, do not have the proper tone, therefore, with varicose veins, it is not recommended to do the following:
- weighted squats;
- any jumps;
- running without shock absorbers;
- long “riding” on an exercise bike.
So that the vessels do not expand even more, it is forbidden to increase the load and perform a series of strength exercises. It is best to consult with your doctor about what loads are acceptable for you.
Naturally, you can not intensively engage in injuries, serious diseases of the knee joints, spine. There are a number of gentle exercises aimed at increasing muscle tone, with a minimum load. Read also: How to start exercising again after a long break?