What exercises are effective for the legs. Effective leg exercises at home

To achieve the desired result in increasing the volume and mass of leg muscles, you have to be patient, put a lot of effort and follow a certain training and nutrition regimen. For some, muscle hypertrophy, due to anatomical features, is easier, for someone every kilogram and centimeter is difficult, but the general rules and exercises for everyone are about the same. It is based on strength training, which is what we will talk about today and watch training videos.

Leg muscles anatomy

The muscles of the legs are large enough (in total mass) and well developed, since they participate in the daily activity of a person more than, say, the muscles of the back or the press.

The thigh consists of:

anterior muscle group that helps in hip flexion;
the medial group carrying out the adduction of the hip (that is, the reduction of the legs);
the posterior muscle group involved in hip extension.

In the anterior group, the largest muscle is the quadriceps or quadriceps muscle. It is called this way because it consists of 4 heads:

straight
lateral wide
medial wide
intermediate wide

Together, they make up the quadriceps, which occupies almost the entire front surface of the thigh.

The inner thigh or medial group consists of:

thin
comb
adductor muscles

The adductor muscles, in turn, consist of three bundles:

short adductor muscle
adductor muscle
long adductor muscles

The muscles of the posterior group consist of biceps, semitendinosus and semimembranosus.

It is also worth mentioning the gluteal muscles separately. They are divided into:

great
average
small

The gluteus maximus muscle occupies, respectively, almost the entire area of the buttocks. It is one of the most powerful muscles in the entire body and helps in movement and extension of the hip, and also holds our core in one position or another. The middle (located under the large) and small (the deepest of the three) gluteal muscles work together, they move the hip to the side and take part in straightening the body.

A set of exercises for the legs and buttocks, is it possible to effectively pump the legs at home

Research shows that basic exercises provide the best and most effective results in developing strength and increasing the volume of any muscle group. And at the heart of training should be strength training. What do both of these terms mean?

Basic exercises involve several muscles or muscle groups and several joints at once. They are contrasted with isolated exercises in which one muscle or muscle group is purposefully pumped. The former usually form the basis of the workout, while the latter are used at the end as an addition to "finish off" the muscles and / or more pronounced relief.

Basic exercises are usually performed with free weights, that is, with a barbell, kettlebells, dumbbells. The gradual increase in working weight leads to the fact that training becomes quite hard, but it is they that help to increase muscle and strength, which is why such exercises are called strength training.

By and large, strength training based on basic exercises is the only reliable and high-quality way to increase muscle volume, but it is difficult to implement at home. This is confirmed by a large number of studies.

Basic leg exercises include:

deadlift
squats
lunges

Let's take a closer look at these and some other leg exercises.

Squats with a barbell on the shoulders - the basis of bodybuilding

The classic basic leg exercise is the barbell squat.

By changing the position of the legs, it is possible to shift the load zone to one or another part of the thigh.

We remove the barbell from the racks, it should lie on the top of the trapezoid and on the shoulder girdle - in no case on the neck.
We take a step back and stand straight.
Legs shoulder-width apart or slightly wider (if our task is to load the medial group, then we put our legs wide and turn the socks to the sides), the socks look straight or slightly to the sides.
The abdomen is tucked up, the shoulder blades are brought together, the gaze is directed straight.
We take a breath and begin to go down, pulling the pelvis back and bending our knees.
If we want to load the quadriceps, then we squat to the parallel of the thigh with the floor, if the hamstrings and buttocks, then we need to squat below the parallel. In any case, the knees should not "go away" behind the socks, so as not to create excessive compression in the knee.
We do not "drop" the pelvis down, we go down in a controlled manner.
As you exhale, we rise and squeeze the buttocks at the top of the exercise.

Since our task is to build muscles, we perform the exercise for a small number of repetitions - 6-8 for 4-5 working approaches.

Technically, a slightly more difficult version of the squat, in which we hold the barbell not on the shoulders, but on the front delts and collarbones. You can hold the barbell with a straight grip or with your arms crossed over your chest.

When done correctly, this exercise can help target the quadriceps muscles more effectively.

The most important thing is to correctly fix the projectile, otherwise the squat technique remains classic.

The exercise is also performed for 6-8 repetitions in 4-5 approaches with a working weight.

Video: Squats with a barbell on the chest

The press can be performed in a special machine or use a Smith machine if there is no press machine.

By changing the position of the legs, as in squats, you can shift the focus on certain muscles.

To engage primarily the buttocks and hamstrings, the legs should be positioned at the top of the platform (see video). To shift the emphasis on pumping the quadriceps, you need to lower your legs lower. Well, if our task is to influence the medial group, then it is worth putting our legs wide.

We lie down on the simulator, tightly pressing our back against the back.
Hands can hold on to special handles.
When you put your legs in one of the ways described above, you can remove the platform from the stands and, while inhaling, lower it to a right angle at the knees or slightly lower.
As you exhale, squeeze the platform with your feet away from you.
Do not straighten your legs abruptly to the end, as this can damage the knee joint.
You don't need to "drop" your hips on your chest either. The amplitude of movement should be controlled.

The number of repetitions is also small - 8-10, 4 sets.

On the last approach, you can unload the simulator and perform the maximum number of repetitions in order to "finish off" the muscles.

Video: Bench Press in the Machine

Romanian deadlift

The deadlift has several varieties, and there is often confusion about concepts such as the deadlift on straight legs, deadlift and the Romanian deadlift. Some people believe that they are all the same, just the names are different. But it is not so. The deadlift on straight legs is a deadlift, but with the Romanian deadlift, the knees bend slightly.

In deadlift, you lean forward, and the exercise is more felt with your back, with Romanian deadlift, you take your pelvis back and bend your knees, so the exercise is working on the legs.

The Romanian Deadlift can be performed with a barbell, dumbbells, or without weights. Let's look at the barbell option, as in this case, you can take the greatest working weight.

Execution technique:

We remove the bar from the racks or stand. You can also take it from the floor, the main thing is to maintain natural lordosis in the lower back and a straight back.
Legs are shoulder-width apart, socks look straight.
We hold the bar so that the palms are shoulder-width apart. The shoulder blades are flattened, the gaze is directed forward. The shoulders are straightened and fixed, not
We take a breath and begin to go down, pulling the pelvis back a little and gently bending our knees.
We lower ourselves as far as the stretch allows so that the back remains straight.
As we exhale, we rise up and at the final point we squeeze the buttocks and give the pelvis forward.

We perform 8-10 repetitions, 4 sets.

Dumbbell lunges

Another classic version of the basic exercise, which can also be done at home, are lunges, the varieties of which are very many. First, you can use different weights - kettlebells, pancakes, barbell, dumbbells. Secondly, the attacks themselves can be done in different ways - step forward, backward, to the side, there are cross lunges, lunges in place, Bulgarian attacks. You can find several videos on YouTube with each type of lunges.

If our task is to load the front area of the thigh, then the step should be taken forward or to the side. When we want to work out the glutes and hamstrings, Bulgarian lunges, lunges with a step back, cross lungs are more suitable. If you are a beginner, then you can try to start lunges in place, in which you do not need to take a step.

Let's take a look at the general outline of the exercise. Take dumbbells as a burden. It will be more convenient for a beginner not to lose balance with them. We will walk forward.

Technique for performing forward lunges:

We take the shell in hand.
We get straight.
The back is stiff, the shoulder blades are brought together, the gaze is directed straight.
Legs the width of the iliac bones.
As we inhale, we take a wide step forward and go down, bending both legs at the knees at an angle of about 90 degrees. The knee of the front leg does not protrude beyond the toe, the knee of the back leg does not touch the floor.
Having fixed the position for 1–2 seconds, with an exhalation we rise up, we tune with our standing leg in front and pull it back.
The body during execution should be as straight as possible so that the load is evenly distributed. If you lean forward too much, you are putting excessive stress on the knee.

We repeat on each leg 6-8 lunges, 4-5 working approaches.

Extension and flexion of the legs in the simulator

To "finish off" the muscles at the end of the workout, you should use 1–2 isolated exercises. These include the extension and flexion of the legs in the simulator.

Extension of the legs in the simulator

This exercise isolates the quadriceps. It does not increase the size of the muscles, but helps to refine, if the basic exercise has not "hammered" the muscle to the end, as well as to form and show the relief.

Execution technique:

Before starting the exercise, we adjust the simulator to our height. We adjust the back so that when you sit down, your back is tightly pressed, and the seat does not rest against your calf muscles. The lower roller also needs to be adjusted so that it is not on the lower leg, but on the upper area of the foot.
After that, we put on the weight and sit on the simulator.
Keep your back straight.
It will be more convenient to take hold of the handles.
As we exhale, we begin to unbend our legs until they are fully straightened. At the top point, we shorten the quadriceps muscles as much as possible.
While inhaling, we lower the roller slowly, without throwing it down, the movement is carried out under control.
Do not lower the roller too low. Maintain a 90 degree angle at the knee.

Since our task is to "hammer" the muscles, the exercise is performed for a large number of repetitions, but with an average weight of 15-20 or up to a maximum of 3-4 sets.

Leg curl in the simulator

Flexion, on the other hand, isolates the back of the thigh, namely the biceps. It can be performed while standing or lying on a special simulator. While standing, you can do this exercise in the same simulator in which the extension is performed.

Consider a lying leg curl.

Execution technique:

In this case, you should also adjust the roller so that it is in the ankle area, just above the Achilles tendon, but not in the middle of the calf muscles during the exercise.
We set the required weight.
We lie on our stomach in such a way that the knees hang down a little, and not rest against the bench (if the feature of the simulator allows).
With your hands it is worth grasping the special handles.
We start our legs behind the roller and as we exhale, we begin to bend our legs at the knees.
In this case, there should be no impulsive jerk, in which the roller bounces and breaks off the legs. Also, do not hit yourself on the buttocks with a roller.
We fix the contraction of the biceps of the thigh at the top point and while inhaling, we also slowly lower our legs down. We do not "drop" them and do not straighten them completely, so as not to "block" the knee joint.

This exercise is also designed for a large number of repetitions - 15-20, 3-4 sets.

Both exercises can be performed first with one leg, then with the other.

Gym leg workout programs

The leg workout can be done 1-2 times a week, depending on how soon you need to see results.

On average, 1-3 basic exercises and 1-2 isolated exercises are selected for a training program. We always start from the "base".

Training scheme

We take the minimum weight and gradually increase it.

For a beginner - 1-2 weeks:

Squats with a bar - 1-2 sets of warm-ups with an empty bar 12-15 times; 1 lead - medium weight, 10-12 reps; 2 workers - with the maximum weight for you - 6-8 repetitions.

For a beginner - 3-4 weeks:

Barbell Squats - 1 warm-up with light weight, 15 reps 1-2 leads with an average weight - 10-12 times; 3-4 workers - 6-8 reps.
Bench press - 1-2 warm-ups, 10-15 reps; 1 lead - 10 reps 3-4 workers for 8-10 repetitions.

For the intermediate level - 4-8 weeks:

Squats with a barbell on the shoulders - 1 warm-up, 1 lead, then 4-5 workers for 6-8 repetitions.
Leg press - 1 warm-up, 1 lead, 3-4 working 8-10 repetitions.
Barbell Calf Raises (for the calf muscles) - 1 warm-up, 1 lead, 4-5 working sets of 8-10 reps each.
Flexion or extension of the legs (can be alternated from training to training) - 1 warm-up, 3-4 workers.

For advanced level - 8-12 weeks:

Squats with a barbell on the shoulders - 1 warm-up, the subsequent working for 6-8 repetitions.
Romanian deadlift - 1 warm-up, 12-15 times; 2 lead - 10-12 times; 3-4 sets of workers for 6-8 reps.
Leg press - 1 warm-up, then working for 8-12 repetitions.
Rise on toes with a barbell - 1 warm-up, then workers 8-10 times.
Flexion or extension of the legs - 1 warm-up, 3-4 working approaches.

Features of nutrition during training for weight gain

Nutrition plays a significant role in the quality and rate of weight gain. The meal plan should be selected individually, do not use a meal plan that is not for you, as the characteristics of the body and its metabolism can be very different: someone gains weight easily, for someone it can be very difficult. However, there are some useful guidelines that are common to everyone:

The most important thing is the accurate calculation of calories. Each meal should be described in terms of calorie content and BJU (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), and at the end of the day you should get the daily calorie intake for you. That is, the food must be weighed and the result recorded. The most convenient way to do this is using applications for your phone or PC. Such calorie counters will help you calculate the rate for you and will allow you to conveniently track each meal.
Include more healthy slow carbs in your diet. Many people focus on protein, but its breakdown in the body is an energy-consuming and long process, so a person loses weight by consuming large amounts of protein. Carbohydrates are easier to digest, leading to weight gain.
Some people prefer to eat fractionally and very often - up to 6 times a day. This is not necessary unless you are a performing athlete. 4-5 times will be more than enough.
With a high-carb diet, there is a chance of gaining fat mass as well. But it can be removed in the future on a high-protein diet. Trying to immediately gain weight and "dry" the body is always stressful for the body, considering that training is hard and consumes a lot of energy.

In bodybuilding, building up mass or "drying" the body should not be carried out for a long time, this is too much stress for the body. It is necessary to take breaks and exercise in a softer mode. For the period of the mass-gathering process, provide your body with a sufficient amount of vitamins (you can take ready-made complexes), vegetables, fruits, get enough sleep and be sure to rest and recover after exercising in the gym.

Working out at home is much easier than you might think. You can properly load the muscles of the lower body without simulators, a stepper, or squats with a barbell. From the article you will learn how to pump up the legs of a girl at home without additional equipment. All you need is your body weight, maybe a chair, and a little motivation to work your quads, hamstrings, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. And of course, this list of 13 equipment-free leg exercises that you can do anytime, anywhere.

Strong legs will definitely come in handy. Even if you are not preparing for a race or striving for any specific athletic goal, having pumped up legs will literally take you a long way in life. Any action from walking up stairs to lifting a heavy laundry basket is much easier if you have the strength in your legs. Fortunately, effective leg exercises don't have to be difficult. What's more, they don't even have to require a gym membership. There are many bodyweight leg exercises that you can use to complement your workout program to strengthen your muscles or make progress in strength and endurance.

Bodyweight exercises are realistic and functional: they help tone the muscles that we use in our daily life. For example, while squatting, we actually sit on an imaginary chair, which helps us improve our posture during an actual chair squat. As we climb out of the squat, we push with our heels and pinch our core muscles, which means that we are essentially developing wonderful habits that translate into our daily life outside the gym.

Weight-bearing leg muscle exercises are also valuable because they allow you to learn the correct technique for some exercises before adding weights. You should not grab the weights until you learn how to do simple lunges and squats without weights. Another advantage of bodyweight training is that it is always with you and absolutely free, so you can do these exercises wherever and whenever you want! Are you interested in the best exercises that will help you easily pump up the legs of a girl working out outside the gym? With exercises in your arsenal that literally can be done in any setting, you will surely want to incorporate them into your training program.

The exercises below will help develop strength and easily pump up a girl's legs without special equipment, while preparing the body for more complex strength exercises with weights. Try them and feel your muscles.

1. Squat with body weight

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and spread your toes slightly apart, transferring your body weight to your heels.
Tilt your body forward, take your pelvis back and lower yourself into a squat. Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Push off with your heels and straighten the body, returning to the starting position. While lifting, pinch your glutes and contract your core muscles.

Start in a standing position with feet about shoulder width apart.
Step back with your left foot, landing on your toes and bending both knees to a right angle.
Push off with your right heel to return to a standing position. As you rise, bring your left knee to your chest.
Repeat on the other leg.

3. Plie squat with raising toes

Stand with your legs wider than your shoulders, socks apart, hands on your hips or in front of your chest.
Sit down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Remaining in the squat position, lift both heels off the floor and hold for two seconds.
Lower your heels to the floor.

4. Jump squat

Stand with your feet spread slightly wider than your hips.
Lean forward, take your pelvis back, lower yourself into a squat. Bend your knees until your hips are parallel with the floor.
Jump up as high as possible, straightening your legs. Help yourself with your hands, lowering them along the body, keep your back straight and lift your chest.
Land on soft knees. Immediately go to the next squat.

5. Running with high knees with touches

Stand facing a bench or box (or chair, if not otherwise), hands on your waist or along your body.
Touch the bench with the toe of your left foot, then change legs and touch it with the toe of your right foot, quickly changing legs.
Straighten your back and raise your chest throughout the exercise.

Stand with feet hip-width apart.
Take a wide step to the right. Bend your right knee and push your pelvis back, keeping your left leg straight. Keep your chest raised and pinch your core muscles.
Repeat on the other leg.

7. One-leg calf raises

Raise your left knee to hip level with socks facing forward, hands on the waist or behind your head (choose any position that helps maintain balance).
Keep your core in tension by lifting your right heel off the floor as high as possible and balancing on your right toe.
Maintain this position for three seconds and lower your heel to the floor.
Repeat on the other side.

Stand straight with feet hip-width apart.
Step your right foot back diagonally behind your left leg and bend your knees into a lunge.
Push off with your right heel to get up. Return your right leg to its original position.
Repeat with the other leg.

9. Pistol squats

Stand with your feet together.
Lift your left leg off the floor a couple of centimeters and stretch it forward, pulling the socks towards you.
Bend your right knee, tilt your torso forward, and lower yourself into a squat while lifting your left leg to hip-height. Stretch your arms forward for balance.
If you succeed, try to bend your knee to a right angle. (This is an extremely difficult exercise, don't be discouraged if it doesn't work the first time).
Push off with your right heel, extending your leg and returning to the starting position.
Repeat for the other leg.

Lie on your side with your legs straight and one on top of the other. Lean your torso on your forearm (as shown in the photo) or lower your torso completely onto the mat.
Slowly and in a controlled manner, lift your upper leg towards the ceiling. Make sure that the movement was due to the work of the muscles of the thigh and buttocks, and not the lower back.
Return to starting position.
Repeat on the other side.

11. Raises the leg to the inner surface of the thigh

Lie on your side, legs extended and laid one on top of the other, torso lying on the floor or resting on your forearm.
Bend your upper leg at the knee and cross it in front of the lower leg so that the foot of the upper leg is directly in front of the lower knee.
Lift your lower leg up in a slow, controlled motion. Keep your core motionless throughout the entire exercise.
Return to starting position.
Repeat on the other side.

12. Glute bridge on one leg

Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor.
Raise your right leg and straighten it up. Keep your hips parallel to each other. Point your toe towards the ceiling.
Push off the floor with your heel, lifting your hips by contracting the gluteus muscles. Try to create a straight, diagonal line from the shoulders to the knee.
Hold this position for one to two seconds and lower yourself to the floor.
Repeat the exercise with the other leg.

13. Inverted leg abduction to inner thigh

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Lift your right leg up, bringing your hips together so that they touch each other, and straighten your right leg towards the ceiling.
Slowly lower your right leg over the side to the right as low as possible, keeping your hips still and keeping your lower back firmly pressed to the floor.
Return your leg to its original position.
Repeat on the other leg.

Improve your workout routine with these 10 women's leg exercises. Work your thighs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calf muscles at home to shape your legs and your entire lower body as tight and strong as you've always dreamed of!

A set of home exercises for leg muscles for women

Instructions for the implementation of the complex

Warm up

Leg workout for girls, whether in the gym or at home, should begin with dynamic warm-up exercises that warm up the muscles and joints to protect themselves from injury and get the most out of the exercise.

A set of exercises

Repeat this program three times with a pause of 60 seconds between sets.

Running with high knees: 60 seconds. Raise your knees to waist level and then slowly lower yourself onto your toes.
: 30 seconds + 30 seconds. Transfer your weight to your right foot, take a wide step back with your left foot and place it crosswise behind your right foot. Bend your knees until your right thigh is parallel to the floor and return to the starting position. Keep your toes pointing in the same direction as your knees.
Raising the legs lying on the side on the inner thigh: 30 seconds + 30 seconds. Lie on your side with your upper leg crossed in front of your straightened lower leg. Pull your lower toes toward you and lift your leg up and down for 30 seconds.
Jack squats: 45 seconds. Jump up, spread your feet apart, bend your knees and take your pelvis back. Push off with your heels and jump back to the starting position.
Bear squats: 45 seconds. Get on all fours, straighten your legs and lift your pelvis up towards the ceiling. Return to starting position and repeat.
Bulgarian split squats: 30 seconds + 30 seconds. Place a step platform or bench behind you. Place your right foot on a step platform, bend your knees and lower your pelvis until your left thigh is parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position, repeat the exercise for 30 seconds and change legs.
Skaters: 45 seconds. Lean forward, keeping your back straight, bring your left foot back, and bring your left hand forward. Jump to the left and bring your right hand forward, and take your right foot back. Repeat for 45 seconds.
Plie Squat Calf Raises: 45 seconds. Begin in a sumo squat position with your feet wider, toes pointed apart, thighs parallel to the floor. Lift your heels off the floor and pinch your calf muscles. Lower your heels to the floor and repeat.
One-legged glute bridge: 30 seconds + 30 seconds. Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, bend your knees and press your feet to the floor. Raise one leg and stretch your pelvis up as high as possible. Lower your pelvis, repeat for 30 seconds and change legs.
Wall squats: 45 seconds. Stand with your back against the wall with your knees bent and hips parallel to the floor. Hold this position for 45 seconds.

Exercises for the muscles of the legs are useful for people of different ages. With their help, you can strengthen the strength, endurance of muscles, improve the shape of the legs and, of course, reduce the appearance of cellulite and sagging skin.

Many women include in the set of exercises for the muscles of the legs only exercises for the thighs, while forgetting to train the muscles of the calves and feet. This approach is illiterate. Indeed, in order to get strong and beautiful legs, it is necessary to load all muscles evenly.

Correct exercise

Even the most effective exercises will not work as expected if done incorrectly. The main requirement is the regularity of physical activity. You need to train 3-4 times a week. Naturally, at first it will be quite difficult to force yourself to start classes. But, according to experts, after three weeks of regular training, a habit of physical exercise appears and the body itself "requires" exercise. For the same reason, it is important to do a set of physical exercises on the same days of the week, and at the same time.

The first classes are held within 20-30 minutes. Gradually, the training time should be increased, the exercises should be complicated. Fitness experts recommend changing exercises every 3-4 weeks so that the muscles do not have time to get used to the movements. Otherwise, the effectiveness of the exercises will decrease.

In the first lessons, the number of repetitions of the exercises should be 8-10 times, in one approach. Each subsequent lesson can be added 1-3 repetitions. The number of approaches is also gradually increasing to 3-4. Fitness trainers advise doing so many repetitions of the exercises that the last of them is performed with effort. Do not exercise with force, this can lead to muscle fatigue, which will only worsen the results of the workout.

Before starting the exercises, you must definitely do a warm-up - squats, jumps, leg swings. At the end of the complex, it is recommended to stretch the leg muscles that you worked on.

A set of exercises for the muscles of the legs

A set of effective leg exercises should include exercises for all muscles - thighs, lower legs, feet.

Exercise 1. The muscles of the inner thighs work.

Stand straight with your legs wider than your shoulders, your feet spread apart, your arms at your waist. Do slow squats until the thighs are parallel to the floor, return to the starting position. If at first it is difficult to maintain balance, you can use your hands to support the support (back of the chair).

Exercise 2. The muscles of the back of the thighs work.

Stand directly next to the support (windowsill, chair back). Keeping your hands on the support, slowly swing your right leg back. After doing the required number of times, change your leg.

Exercise 3. The muscles of the outer thighs are trained. Lie on your left side, rest on the forearm of your left hand, which is perpendicular to the body, legs extended straight. Smoothly lift your right leg up, as high as possible, then lower it down. Repeat the required number of times, change legs.

Exercise 4. The muscles of the inner thighs are trained. The starting position is the same as in the previous exercise. Place your right foot with your foot on the floor in front of the knee of your left leg. Slowly lift your left leg up, then lower it to the floor. Do not raise your leg too high; to complicate the exercise, try not to touch the floor when you move your leg down. After doing the exercise for the left leg, switch sides.

Exercise 5. The muscles of the front of the thighs are involved. Get on your knees, back straight, move your hands behind your back. Very slowly and carefully tilt the body back, then just as slowly return to the starting position. There should be a sensation of stretching on the front of the thighs.

Exercise 6. The calf muscles are involved. Stand up straight, hold the support with your hands. Slowly rise onto your toes, while contracting the calf muscles and the muscles of the feet. Then reach up and begin to bring the heels of your feet in and out at a slow pace. After that, gently lower yourself onto your heels.

Exercise 7. The calf muscles work. The starting position is the same as in the previous exercise. Set your right leg to the side on your toe. Move the heel to the right and left, straining the muscles of the lower leg as much as possible. Do this exercise for the left leg.

Exercise 8. The muscles of the arch of the foot work. Stand directly in front of the support. Keeping your hands on the support, raise your toes higher, resting on your heels. Hold in this position for a minute, return to the starting position.

Exercise 9. The muscles of the foot are trained. Stand up straight with your hands lightly on the support. Lean on the toe of your right foot, raising your heel as high as possible. The left foot is firmly on the floor. Slowly "roll" from foot to foot: the right heel goes down, and the left heel, on the toe, goes up. Smoothly and slowly do these rolls for one minute.

Stretching the leg muscles

Exercise 1. Stand straight, make a wide lunge with a straight leg forward, rest your left knee on the floor. Hands can rest either on the floor or on the knee. Lean forward slowly, feeling the stretch in your thigh muscles. Hold in this position for 30 seconds. Inhale and as you exhale, try to bend even lower, maintain this position for another 30 seconds. Then slowly return to the starting position and repeat the stretch on the other leg.

Strong and beautiful legs are the goal of any person who pays attention to himself and goes in for sports. For some, the priority in training will be an increase in endurance and the development of relief, and for someone - an increase in the number of muscle fibers, that is, muscle growth in width and an increase in their mass.

Depending on your goal and choose exercises (their complexes), as well as the number of repetitions and weight. Today we will consider the most effective of them for building muscle mass.

Let's start with the fact that in order to achieve the desired result, your workouts for pumping legs for mass must go through at least 3 times a week, their duration should be from one and a half hours to an hour, excluding warm-ups and stretching.

Between training days must have a day of rest to restore muscle strength... Warming up and stretching is a very important part of your activity, as it reduces the risk of injury and prepares joints and muscles for more stress.

What is the number of approaches and repetitions to do for the growth of muscle fibers in breadth:

The optimal number of approaches for the gym - 2-3, for training at home - 3-5.
Number of repetitions in the gym - 8-12, and the last couple of times should be given to you with great difficulty. If this is not the case, then increase the weight to improve efficiency. When it comes to training at home, you can increase the number of repetitions to 14-17.

Brief anatomical data

Before starting the exercises, I would like to briefly touch on the topic of anatomy in order to know which of the exercises affects which muscle group.

The main muscle groups to be worked out will be:

gluteal;
adductor m. thigh (front surface) - quadriceps;
abducting m. thigh (back surface) - biceps;
m. shins.

How to pump up in the gym?

There are basic exercises for legs for weight (they involve several muscle groups in the process at once) and isolated (they are often used after a number of basic ones to work out the lagging group).

Basic

Barbell squat

Affects the muscles of the thigh and buttocks. Start position: standing, legs straight, at shoulder level, hold the barbell on the trapezius muscle (not on the neck!).

After a deep breath, we hold our breath and smoothly go down. In this case, the knees move forward a little, and the gluteus muscle and pelvis - backward, the body forms an angle with the wall plane equal to 45 °. Squat until the heels touch the floor (or the thighs are parallel to the plane of the floor). We tighten the muscles of the thighs, place emphasis on the heels and rise up, taking a breath and taking up the starting position.

If you want to focus on the quads, place your legs narrower than the shoulders, if on the biceps - wider.

With this exercise a great deal of stress falls on the back extensors, so be careful and don't slouch when doing it, use a belt if necessary.

Deadlift

Acts on the gluteal, lower leg, biceps, back extensors. Start position: the legs are bent at the knee joints, the thighs are parallel to the plane of the floor, the back is straight. Hands hold the bar with a straight grip slightly wider than the shoulders.

We take a deep breath and begin to smoothly raise the projectile, slightly bringing the shoulder blades together. Fully straighten, exhaling air. We breathe in again, hold our breath and return to the starting position, exhale.

Leg press

We swing the shin, biceps, buttocks. Starting position: sitting on an incline bench with feet at shoulder level, located on a special platform. Legs in the knee area should not be fully extended.

He removes the platform from the safety catch and, while inhaling, slowly lower it to the chest. In the position of maximum flexion, the knee angle should be 90 °. On exhalation, the platform should be returned to its original position, while the muscles should be strained as much as possible and the platform should be pushed with the heels. At the end of the approach, we again fix the platform with fuses. Throughout the exercise, the back should fit snugly against the back of the bench.

The load on the biceps and quadriceps can also be adjusted according to the stance width principle.

The advantage of this exercise is that if you have a back injury, you can safely perform it without fear of causing yourself additional injury, since she does not participate in it.

Isolated

Lying Leg Curl

We swing the biceps, partly the calf muscles. Initial position: lying on the bench of the machine, the support of the legs under the roller falls above the Achilles tendon, hands on the handles of the simulator.

You should bend your knees to a right angle during inhalation, hold this position for a couple of seconds, then return to your starting position.

Choose the right weight especially for you, so that during the exercise there are no jerking movements. The thighs should fit snugly against the bench at all times.

Seated leg abduction in the simulator

The inner thigh and biceps are affected. Starting position: sitting in the simulator, hands on the side handles, legs apart and behind the pads.

As we exhale, we bring our legs together and hold them at the point of maximum approximation for a couple of seconds. On inhalation, we return to the starting position.

Particular attention should be paid to the upper torso that must remain motionless.

Seated leg abduction

The outer part of the thigh, buttocks are trained. Starting position: sitting in the simulator, hands on the side handles, legs are brought together and are behind the blocks.

The principle of operation is the same as in the previous exercise, only we work on leg extension.

Download at home

If for some reason you don't have the desire or opportunity to work out in the gym, we can advise you on an excellent selection of exercises to work out your leg muscles at home. Recall that the number of approaches should be at least 3, and repetitions - 15.

We turn to exercises to build up the muscles of the legs - calves, biceps and the rest - at home, and a description of how you can correctly and effectively achieve the result.

Classic squats

The quadriceps, gluteus muscles, biceps work. Can be performed both without weighting and with additional weight(dumbbells, if any, or just a heavy bag).

The only thing worth watching is to ensure that it does not go beyond the level of the toes, that is, the shins should be perpendicular to the floor.

Read more about proper squatting technique.

Various options for lunges

If you step 1 wide step forward and sit down (thigh parallel to the floor) - this will be considered a forward lunge (mainly quadriceps and gluteus muscles), if to the side - then a side lunge (outer thigh, buttocks, quadriceps).

Lifting with one leg to the support

The muscles of the thighs, legs and buttocks swing. For this exercise, you you will also need a chair in addition to dumbbells.

From a standing position (with dumbbells in your hands at your sides) we put one leg on a chair previously placed in front of you. Next, we transfer all our weight to it and make it a supporting one, and then we lift the second one with a bent knee joint to the level of the waist. Then everything is in reverse order. Returning to the starting position, we take on the other leg.

Romanian deadlift

The biceps and buttocks are trained. Starting position: standing, legs shoulder-width apart slightly bent, arms with weights at the sides in a neutral position.

Trying to keep your back straight, bend forward, while simultaneously pulling the pelvis and gluteus muscle back... In this case, your hands will be at the level of the knees in front or slightly lower. With an inhalation, we return to the starting position.

Cardio - 5 minutes
Squats.
Weighted forward lunges.
Lying leg curl.
Deadlift.
Side lunges with weight.
Reducing the legs in the simulator while sitting.
Cardio - 15 minutes

You can superset your workouts to increase efficiency.

Approximate complex:

Barbell squats, leg reduction in a seated machine.
Bench press, deadlift.
Side lunges, reduction of the legs in the simulator while sitting.

Useful video

Here's how to gain muscle mass on your legs at the gym:

And this video will tell you how to pump up calves and other leg muscles at home:

It is quite possible to have a beautiful shape of the legs and buttocks, you just have to make a little effort, willpower and, of course, endurance, since no one has canceled the diet and the correct one. Do not forget about the correct sleep and wakefulness regime, because in its absence, the muscles will not be able to recover as quickly as possible. We wish you good luck and sporting success!

Reading time: 27 minutes

Want to lose weight in your thighs, tighten your buttocks and get rid of cellulite without going to the gym or group training? We are offering to you a super selection of effective leg exercises at home, which will help you burn fat and forget about problem areas.

To practice, you will need minimal equipment and some free time, while most exercises are suitable for any level of training. These exercises will help you strengthen the muscles in your legs and buttocks. The article also provides a rough exercise plan that you can adapt to fit your needs.

Rules for doing leg exercises

If you want to lose weight in legs, then a set of exercises at home should include: cardio exercises to burn fat, dumbbell exercises to tone the body, weightless exercises for lean long muscles. If you want to increase muscle, then it is enough to perform only dumbbell strength exercises with heavy dumbbells.
Do a set of leg exercises 2 times a week for 30-60 minutes. For weight loss in your legs, be sure to combine cardio and muscle tone exercises. If you are not overweight and you just need to tighten your hips and buttocks, then you can skip cardio.
You will be able to lose weight in the legs only by observing when the body receives less food than it is able to spend on energy. Therefore, you cannot do without dietary restrictions if you want to achieve the desired results. Also for weight loss see the article about.
If you have a problem with joints and varicose veins, then avoid jumping, lunges and squats. If some exercises give you discomfort, then it is best to exclude them from the workout.
If you don't have dumbbells, you can train without them or use plastic bottles filled with water or sand instead of dumbbells. But for a comfortable workout, of course, it is better to purchase dumbbells.
The most effective supplementary equipment for the muscles of the legs and buttocks is. You can also use leg weights or elastic bands to make exercise more difficult.
When doing squats and lunges, make sure that your knees do not go beyond your socks, your back remains straight, your lower back does not bend or arch.
Be sure to do a short 5-minute warm-up before doing leg exercises, and stretch your muscles after exercise.
Remember that the body is losing weight as a whole, and not in separate problem areas. But you can give your body an extra boost to burn fat in the zone you want by doing interval cardio and then doing a series of exercises on the target zone.
For harder leg exercises, use pulsating principle of exercise. It is relevant both for lunges, squats, and various swings and leg lifts:

Cardio exercise for slimming legs

Cardio leg exercises can help you burn more calories, increase circulation to problem areas, and shed fat from your thighs. Set aside cardio for about 15-20 minutes of your total 45 minutes. The presented cardio exercises for the legs at home are arranged in ascending difficulty level.

Thanks for the gifs for the article, thanks to the youtube channels: mfit, nourishmovelove, Live Fit Girl, Jessica Valant Pilates, Linda Wooldridge, FitnessType, Puzzle Fit LLC, Christina Carlyle.

9. Toe squats (legs together)

13. Alternating rise on toes

15. Walking lunges forward

Exercises for feet on the floor

Floor leg exercises are not only very effective in getting rid of problem areas, but also safe for those with joint problems and varicose veins. Such exercises are more gentle and suitable even for beginners.

Repeat the exercises 15-25 times, you can use weights for the legs and the pulsating version of the exercises to increase the load.

11. Raising your legs on all fours

If you are especially concerned about breeches or inner thighs, then check out these articles:

Ready-made leg exercise plan for beginners and advanced

We offer you several ready-made sets of leg exercises at home, which you can use for training or adapt to your capabilities. Training involves 4 rounds: cardio exercises, dumbbell leg exercises, weightless leg exercises, floor leg exercises.

Between laps and rounds 30-60 seconds rest. There is no rest between exercises. (cardio only) , but you can make stops on demand for 10-15 seconds.

Exercise plan for beginners: option 1

Round 1(3 circles): Wide Squat Jump, Plank Jump with Legs, Front Back Kick, Plyometric Side Lunge
Round 2(2 circles): Dumbbell Squat, Forward Lunge, Deadlift, Side Lunge
Round 3(2 circles): Toe Squat (Legs Together), Bulgarian Lunge, Side Leg Raise, Pulsating Plie Toe Squat
Round 4(1 circle): Kneeling sideways leg raise (we perform each exercise 10-15 repetitions).

Exercise plan for beginners: option 2

Round 1(3 circles): Side Jumps, Jump Squat, Plank Jump, Plyometric Side Lunge (we perform each exercise for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds between exercises).
Round 2(2 circles): Dumbbell Sumo Squat, Fixed Lunge, Dumbbell Leg Raises, Back Lunges (we perform each exercise 10-15 repetitions).
Round 3(2 circles): Single Leg Deadlift, Chair Raise, Leg Raise Forward Alternate Toe Rise(we perform each exercise 10-20 repetitions).
Round 4(1 circle): Side leg raises, Lateral leg raises on all fours, Bridge leg raises, Leg swing, Scissors(we perform each exercise 10-15 repetitions).

Advanced exercise plan: option 1

Round 1(3 circles): 180 Degree Jumps, Side Jumps, Jump Squat, Lunge Jump (we perform each exercise for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds between exercises)
Round 2(2 circles): Calf Squat, Forward Lunge, Deadlift, Low Squat Back Lunge
Round 3(2 circles): Diagonal lunges, Legs backward, Walking lunges forward, Squats with the leg raised
Round 4(1 circle): Inner Thigh Leg Raise, Supine Leg Abduction, Belly Leg Raise, Fours Leg Raise, Back Circular Movement

Advanced exercise plan: option 2

Round 1(3 circles): Bouncing Sumo Squat, Forward Backward Kick, Wide Squat Jump, Star Jump (we perform each exercise for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds between exercises).
Round 2(2 circles): Dumbbell Squat, Back Lunge, Dumbbell Sumo Squat, Dumbbell Leg Raises (we perform each exercise 15-20 repetitions).
Round 3(2 circles): Lunges in a circle, Garland, Rise on a chair + abduction of the leg to the side, Pulsating plie squats on toes (we perform each exercise 15-25 repetitions).
Round 4(1 circle): Side Plank Leg Raise, Leg Raise Parallel to Floor, Leg Swing, Scissors, Prone Leg Raise (we perform each exercise 20-25 repetitions).

5 videos with home exercises for legs

4. Low impact workout for lean legs

5. Interval Leg Workout

Also, be sure to watch our video selections: