home
Bookmakers
An effective way to pump up your legs. How to pump up a man's legs at home How to pump up his legs at home

An effective way to pump up your legs. How to pump up a man's legs at home How to pump up his legs at home

18.08.2023

The legs are the most powerful muscle group. In this review, we will tell you how to pump up your legs quickly and what is better to pay attention to. We will try to analyze in detail the best exercises for the legs, technique, anatomy and others. helpful tips from famous professionals. In the article you can find leg training programs for beginners, amateurs and advanced athletes.

So, the legs are divided into three parts:

Quadriceps, it is located in front and helps to extend the leg at the knee.
The biceps femoris, it is located behind and helps to bend the leg.
The shins are also located behind the knees.

Here's what you should know. These three heads will be pumped and trained regularly. They are loved by powerlifters, weightlifters and bodybuilders. And now about each separately, in order to clarify the situation more clearly.

Quadriceps It is also called the quadriceps muscle. This group is located in front of the person. Now it has become clear that the quadriceps includes four muscle heads. That is why the legs are the largest muscle. The main function of the quadriceps is to extend the legs at the knee.

Biceps femoris- It is also called the biceps of the thigh. It is located behind just below the buttocks. Probably it has already become clear that it includes 2 heads. Its main function is to bend the legs at the knee joint.

To pump up the biceps of the thigh, you need to do deadlift and deadlift. Of course, bending the legs in the simulator as a utility room is ideal.

shins- located behind the knees. They are biceps:

calf muscle;
soleus muscle.

Few people know, but the calf muscles respond perfectly to the load when the legs are straightened at the knee joint.

That is why experts advise to train the lower leg while standing and sitting.

A few words about the big bodybuilding gurus on sports sites who think the legs are not that important a muscle. So they work, but it makes no sense to download them. Send such unique people immediately to the forest.

What will inflated legs give us?

First, competent leg training will help strengthen the lower body. Similarly, the upper body will also adapt and grow. Thus, you will create an athletic appearance real athlete.

Secondly, those who want to become visually larger should have huge legs, because this is the largest muscle group. But there is also a minus pumping up the legs. If you pay little attention to the top, then the legs will block the aesthetic appearance. There is also a risk of getting grass. Squats with a barbell provoke the destruction of cartilage tissue.

We will also touch on one myth a little bit, that squats with weight reduce a person’s height and interfere with growth in length. Do not listen to such narrow-minded specialists on sports Internet sites. Exercising your legs with heavy or even moderate weights does reduce your height a little due to the pressure on your vertebrae, but this is only temporary. Recent studies have proven that squats do not interfere with human growth. An example is the famous weightlifters who have been involved in weightlifting since childhood.

We advise you to train your legs. This is what you must do. Of course, the approach should be with the utmost care so as not to injure the spine, knees or back. Therefore, we recommend finding a quality trainer to set you up with equipment and control your workouts.

The legs must be trained evenly so that there are no lagging heads at the end.

The most effective leg exercises:

Classic barbell squats;
Front squats with a barbell on the chest;
Leg extension sitting in the machine;
Deadlift;
Deadlift;
Rises on socks while standing on the machine;
Rises on socks while sitting.

The barbell back squat is a basic leg exercise. It will help to work out not only the legs, but the whole body. During execution, many muscles are involved. No exercise is so effective for gaining muscle mass. True, squats are not very good for the knees. Poor warm-up, technique and other poor quality things can cause knee pain. Keep in mind that you need to warm up before any workout for at least 10 minutes.

Then just start training the legs. First, it follows how well you can warm up with the neck. Squat with bar for 2 sets of 20 reps. Then put 10 kg. You will get 40 kg or 70. It all depends on what your strength indicators are in working weight. Then add more weights to make a total of 80 kg. Perform 8-10 repetitions. Then you can begin to perform working 2-4 approaches. Please note that these figures are only an intermediate guideline. Skipping a warm-up is a high risk of injury. Even with a weight of 30 kg, you can get injured, so be careful.

The main questions that beginners and amateurs ask for leg training are:

Where to put the barbell on your shoulders?
How deep should you squat?
What should be the position of the feet?
How wide should the arms be?
How to breathe properly while squatting?

The bar must be placed directly on trapezius muscles. This is to keep you from falling. Look slightly up. In no case should the gaze be directed downwards or you will be carried away. This approach will help you stabilize your body as you move.

You need to squat in parallel. You, a non-competing athlete, need to show a squat below parallel so as to minimize the risk of injury. Parallels are enough.

Feet should be shoulder width apart. Again, this is not powerlifting, where people take exorbitant weights and put their legs too wide. Toes should be turned 45 degrees.

Place your hands as you feel comfortable. Almost everyone fits a little shoulder width or a little wider. This way you will control the bar with the weight. You will feel comfortable doing the exercise.

Breathe – exhale during power movement. On the inhale, we begin to squat, and on the exhale, we get up.

Other subtleties and tips for squats:

If you strongly turn your socks to the sides, the greater the load on the gluteal muscles will be;
If the setting is too wide, the greater the load on the adductor muscles;
If the setting is narrow, the more the quadriceps are loaded.

So we figured out the squats with a barbell on the shoulders. Now you know how to pump up your legs with squats.

Front squat with a barbell on the chest

Very effective exercise for pumping the rectus and lateral muscles. Barbell chest squats help build powerful thighs and strengthen the lower back. Very jewelry share the load on the knee joints. It also minimizes the risk of injury. The exercise is technically easy. It builds body mass (muscles) well. Another advantage of the front squat is the burning of subcutaneous fat in the legs. It is advisable to wear knee pads or squat bandages on your knees.

Technique for performing squats with a barbell on the chest:

Place the barbell so that it is slightly below shoulder level.
Go under the bar, and cross your arms, and put under the projectile. A style like that of weightlifters is possible (see photo). Move away with two steps.
Feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned to the sides. The abdominal muscles should be tense.
The back is straight, the eyes look forward or slightly up. Slowly we begin to move down.
On the exhale we get up. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.

Never rush to squat quickly. Thus, not all muscle fibers will be involved. The weight must be chosen correctly or there is a chance of losing control of the technique.

After the classic squat comes a popular exercise - leg press. In part, this is also a basic exercise, but some refer to it as an isolated exercise. In the ranking, it is in 3rd place in terms of efficiency. Here you ideally load the quadriceps. It is suitable for those who have the load in squats goes to the buttocks. In this case, we recommend thinking about the leg press.

Leg workout programs

For newbies. Classic squats with a barbell on the shoulders of the neck 20 kg 2 sets of 20 reps, 2 working sets of 30-40 kg for 8-10 reps, 2 isolation exercises.

For intermediate level. Warm-up, sit-ups and 3 working sets. From isolation exercises, leg press 2 sets of 12 reps, frontal 2 sets of 5 reps, and calf exercises 2 to 20.

Average level. Warm-up, barbell squats, 4 working sets, leg press 2 sets of 15, leg extension in the simulator 4 to 15, standing and sitting calves 2 to 20.

Advanced level. Barbell squats, 5 working sets of 8 reps. Leg press 3 sets of 12 reps with heavy weight. Leg extension sitting 4 to 15. Calves in the simulator standing 4 to 20. Calves in the simulator sitting 4 to 20

It is enough to swing your legs once a week. There is no point in training anymore. If you swing your legs more than once a week, then they will not have time to recover. Even if you use anabolic steroids.

Liked? Tell your friends.

The legs are the largest muscle group in the human body and it is not surprising that their development requires a serious approach! Learn how to build leg muscles! Best Exercises, workouts and recommendations!

If you have never wondered “how to pump up your legs”, then you are the wrong bodybuilder. And here's why: firstly, during training, you can’t constantly pump only and, top part the body becomes pumped, while the bottom lacks strength and muscle mass. An imbalance occurs in the figure, which is fundamentally wrong for. Secondly, even if you have been training for a long time, from time to time you should stop yourself and refine your leg pumping technique, look for new exercises, build new workouts to prevent muscle adaptation. Even girls should think about this issue, because leg workouts are the most exhausting and energy-intensive, which means they are great for weight loss training.

In addition, the fair sex should strive to pump up beautiful legs, because a pair of slender graceful legs is the dream of any girl and the delight of every man! Therefore, if you are the right bodybuilder or fitness girl, if you want to get a relief or build muscle mass, there is only one answer - swing your legs!

Training for experienced athletes

* - The service is in beta testing

All you can think about is how to build beautiful legs with impressive muscles? Agree, skinny legs don't impress anyone! powerful leg muscles

The general plan of any visitor to the gym should be the development of a program that will develop the entire muscle mass in a balanced way. This means that regular and alternating workouts are necessary for each muscle group. And for optimal results, each muscle group must work together with each other.

Whether you're looking to gain mass or want to add strength and boost your metabolism, you should definitely be doing exercises that will help you build your legs.

The legs, in particular the muscles of the upper thighs, are the largest muscle groups in the entire body. Regardless of your goals, they are the source of strength. That is why exercises for pumping up the muscles of the legs should be included in any workout. In many strength exercises you work the muscles of the shoulders, chest and arms, but keep in mind that the legs are a source of strength and energy in any load. Strong legs will allow you to:

Lift heavier weights
Create a foundation for the growth of other muscle groups
form a powerful source of lean muscle mass, which will speed up the metabolism

Anatomical features of pumping up the muscles of the legs

Legs are one of the largest and most complex parts of the body. The study of their anatomy can best be broken down into two main groups: the quadriceps and the hamstrings. Although the buttocks are not considered part of the legs, the article would not be complete without them!

Quadriceps femoris

The best exercises to build legs

Do you want to know how to pump up your legs? Despite the fact that the legs are involved in the work of almost all strength exercises, you should not rely only on this passive inclusion. Unlike targeted training, such a load is ineffective for leg muscles. As with any other muscle group, use the multi-component and complex to comprehensively affect the legs. The proposed 5 exercises for the development of quadriceps guarantee a full study of not only the quadriceps muscles, but the entire leg. You will see how the tone of the body as a whole will increase, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the size of your pumped up legs.

Sprint

You don't have to run marathons, you can run almost anywhere there is enough space. The great advantage of sprints is that it is both aerobic and anaerobic. Not only the legs will work, but also the cardiovascular system, training yours.

Although such training is quite simple, it has its own rules. Avoid running on a hard surface, choose a softer option where you have to make an effort - forest, grass, paths.

When you run, use your arms and raise your knees high so that your legs really work, then the quadriceps will be fully involved. You will get the maximum return and inflated leg muscles. If you want to change your pace but don't have enough space (especially in the city), try running up the stairs.

Barbell Bench Steps

One of better ways body workouts are functional exercises. They mimic the movements you use in your daily life. One of the best quadriceps exercises. It is very similar to lunges and at the same time imitates movements to stabilize the body.

Place a barbell (or dumbbells, but this will greatly reduce the load) on your shoulders, as in squats, and step onto a small box or bench. Make sure you hold your weight as you step up. To lift the body, load the working leg. Pull your back leg forward and raise your knee as high as you can. Step the same foot back down, while the front leg remains in tension.

Forward lunges with a barbell

This exercise is similar to the previous one - stepping onto the bench, and is also extremely effective for pumping up the legs. It is not necessary to work with a barbell, you can do lunges with dumbbells in your hands or just with own weight, it's a matter of taste and the desired intensity.

Your goal is to perform a set of regular lunges with a barbell on your shoulders or with dumbbells in your hands. In the lunge position, one foot is in front, her knee does not go beyond her toes. The knees of both legs are bent at a right angle. The correct option is that the thighs are parallel to the floor, the knee of the back leg does not touch the floor.

Barbell Squat

The squat is considered the king of leg exercises and is often at the center of a workout for building strong and beautiful legs. Barbell squats activate all muscle groups. This basic exercise requires complete stabilization of the body, making it one of the most difficult to perform. The extra weight puts a lot of strain on the muscles, leading to growth and strength. The weighted squat requires strong shoulders, as it rests either on the shoulders below the neck or on the upper chest.

To find out what other exercises will help you pump up the quadriceps, go to the website page.

We swing our legs

Basic set

Extended set

Basic set

Extended set

Dymatize | Dymatize BCAA 2200 ?

4 tablets between meals.

The essential branched chain amino acids in Dymatize BCAA provide muscle cells with essential building blocks. The use of this supplement will help not only maintain and increase muscle tissue in the body, but also optimize the passage of a number of other metabolic processes.

Dymatize | L-carnitine xtreme ?

1-2 capsules daily, preferably with meals.

The fat burner of the world famous manufacturer Dymatize L-carnitine xtreme 60ct is a unique product, its main purpose is to dispose of subcutaneous fat as quickly as possible.

Dymatize | ISO 100?

If necessary, you can add one serving before bedtime.

Dymatize Iso 100 728g - a protein mixture from the American manufacturer Dymatize, it contains 90% milk protein and whey isolate, delivers slow and fast proteins to the athlete's body.

TwinLab | Men's Ultra Multi Daily ?

1 capsule.

Designed specifically for men, Twinlab Men's Ultra Multi Daily vitamin and mineral complex contains the necessary set of nutrients and special matrices to improve prostate function, as well as antioxidants and tonic components.

Universal Nutrition | Ultra Whey Pro

1-2 measuring spoons are mixed with 200-250 grams of water or any other liquid.

Universal Nutrition | Amino 2250 ?

In the modern world, legs for a woman are a real challenge. Women are constantly looking for tips and advice on how to grow leg muscles, how to reduce them, how to give a beautiful shape to the buttocks, etc. In truth, building beautiful legs is not at all difficult if you are well informed and motivated.

If a pretty pair of legs isn't a sign of a fitness freak, then we don't know what is! A nice round ass, narrow hips and a firm, beautiful biceps thigh are a symbol of female strength and beauty. In this article, we'll cover all the secrets of leg training so you can finally have the legs you've always dreamed of!

The legs are one of the largest and most complex parts of the body. They are best broken down into two main groups - quads and hamstrings. And of course, the article would not be complete without a story about the buttocks! So we will also tell you about them.

Quadriceps

The quadriceps are made up of four muscles. The rectus femoris muscle is the most protruding, it is located on the front surface of the thigh. Lateral broad muscle thigh occupies the entire anterolateral surface of the thigh.

Both of these muscles occupy almost the entire vertical surface of the thighs. The vastus lateralis muscle of the thigh originates from the medial lip of the rough line of the thigh and, heading down, passes into the wide tendon, thus occupying almost three-quarters of the length of the thigh. The last quarter of the thigh is invisible - this is the intermediate wide muscle of the thigh. The quadriceps muscles extend all the way to the knee joint and flex the hip joint.

hamstrings

The biceps femoris (biceps femoris) also consists of four muscles. It has two heads - long and short. The long head starts from the ischial tuberosity with a small flat tendon, the short head - from the lateral lip of the rough line along the lower half of the thigh.

The biceps femoris is responsible for flexion and rotation of the lower leg and, together with the gluteus maximus muscle, produces extension of the torso.

Buttocks

The buttocks are made up of three parts - the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. The gluteus maximus muscle is the largest of all and occupies the bulk of the rear view. The gluteus medius is located under the gluteus maximus, and the gluteus minimus is the deepest of the three.

The buttocks are responsible for abducting the hips, as well as rotation, abduction, and adduction of the hips.

Leg Training Basics

Fortunately for women, their legs are stronger than the rest of the body. In fact, women's legs are even stronger than men's, compared to other parts of the body. So women simply have no excuse for skipping leg day!

Complex movements

Squats

Squats in the simulator

Feet stance: close, normal, wide.
Leg position: parallel, heels inward.

leg press

Variations: vertical, horizontal, 45 degrees, one-sided.
Feet stance: close, normal, wide.
Leg position: parallel, heels inward.

Lunges

Variations: in the Smith machine, one-sided
Feet stance: close, normal, wide.
Leg position: parallel, heels inward.

Isolation exercises

Quadriceps

Flattening the legs

Squats

Variations: with a bodybar, in a Smith machine, one-sided.
Feet stance: close, normal, wide.
Leg position: parallel, heels inward.

Biceps femoris

Deadlift on straight legs

Variations: Romanian

Grip options: reverse, neutral.

leg extension

Variations: lying, sitting, standing.

Equipment: ropes, without equipment.

Breeding hips

Variations: standing, sitting

Flattening the hips

Variations: standing, sitting

Equipment: cables, without equipment, in the simulator.

Forward bend with barbell on shoulders

Buttocks

Glute Bridge
leg extension
Reverse hyperextension
Standing extension

By combining these exercises in your program, you give additional stimulation to the leg muscles.

Synergistic exercises

Traditional deadlift
floor press

You can also train your legs with cardio exercises. Sprints, bleachers/stairs, and cycling work best.

DEVELOPING YOUR OWN TRAINING PROGRAM

Compound exercises are great because they work all three muscle groups in your legs. By stretching your hips and spreading your knees in the same exercise, you can lift more weight later and save time. Multi-joint exercises burn more calories, require more intensity, and are much more effective than isolation exercises. Make compound exercises the core of your leg workout and complement them with isolation exercises to shape your muscles.

Choose 2-3 compound exercises and 2 isolation exercises - one for the hamstrings and one for the quads - to make sure you are working all the leg muscles with enough resistance and intensity to stimulate growth in strength and size.

REPS AND SETS

The muscles of the legs respond better to a scheme with a large number of repetitions. We recommend that you do difficult sets with 8-12 reps. Do 2-3 warm-up sets and 3-4 work sets. Start with 20-25 repetitions and reduce them to a minimum.

Of course, everyone knows how good all kinds of changes affect the body, so you can sometimes do real crazy sets of 50 reps. And if you take a very large weight for, then you can do 2-4 repetitions. There is nothing better for strength growth than this!

WHAT MUSCLES ADDITIONALLY TRAIN WITH THE LEGS?

Many trainees routinely add calf exercises to their routine. We do it ourselves. This works great if neither legs nor calves are your weak point. If they are, try training your calves on a different day, such as with your shoulders, or train them twice a week.

FREQUENCY, DURATION AND INTENSITY

If the legs are not your weak point, then it is enough to train them once a week. If they are weak, it is necessary to train more often. Why? Legs are such a large part of the body that they need a very long time to recover from heavy and. If you torture them with great intensity twice a week, you will overtrain them. If you feel that after two or three days your legs have time to rest and you are able to train them twice a week, then you are training with insufficient intensity!

Many people break their leg workout into two parts: quads on one day and hamstrings on another. The idea, in principle, is not bad, but in fact, you will not be able to isolate one of these muscles with complex exercises without affecting the second muscle.

There are ways to train one muscle group without affecting the other. It's fine if one of these muscle groups is weaker than the other, but you are much more likely to hurt yourself in this way than help, because you risk overtraining.

There is an example by which you can train your legs twice a week. If you are already at peak shape, or if your legs are more muscular and larger in proportion than your upper body, it makes more sense to train your legs twice a week at a high intensity, but in a high rep, light weight, circuit program.

If you don't train hard enough, if you don't leave the gym like a waddling old lady, you've trained poorly!

Achieving special goals

TONE

In fitness, there are two main goals - to increase muscle mass or reduce the amount of subcutaneous fat. You can achieve either one or both goals at the same time. You cannot give "tone" to one part of the body. So identify your problem area and focus the training on it.

If you have "large" legs - that is, larger in proportion than the upper body - first determine whether this size is from muscle or from fat. The riddle will not be difficult. If it's because of the muscles, you will definitely not have cellulite, and there will be a gap between the thighs.

Your hamstring should be round and full. In other words, the legs can be big, but at the same time they must remain taut and keep their shape. If the size appeared due to fat, the legs will be shapeless, weak and cellulite.

In this case, it should be noted that a rare woman can find legs absolutely without cellulite on the pope and the back of the legs. Even athletes with 11% body fat have it. How many women do you know who maintain that percentage of body fat all year round? The list will be short. Try to ignore this when defining your weak spots. Pay more attention to muscle volume than body fat.

Only if you have too muscular legs, then you should not use heavy weights for the legs. In all other cases - and most of them - you need to keep using as much weight as possible until you reach your goals.

SAFE WEIGHT GAINING

If your goal is to add size to your legs, then you need to do squats with free weights. No, not in Smith's car. No, don't press your legs. You need to do heavy back squats. Start with just a bodybar until you've trained enough that you can do squats with your eyes closed.

SQUATS

Squat heavy every week during your leg workouts and squat extra when you train other parts of your body. Combine squats with other compound exercises like leg presses, lunges, and machine squats.

Begin the exercise with your legs wider than shoulder-width apart, chest forward, shoulders back, tucking in your lower back, knees slightly bent.

Enter the movement with a strong back lean, pushing your buttocks as if you were sitting in a chair. The chest is always forward during the movement, at the bottom of the exercise, when your hips are in a parallel position, pause.

Rise up with a strong, uniform effort. Keep in mind all the time that you have to get stronger, that you don't need to compromise, that you are not going to deceive yourself. Only take on more weight when you are already perfectly performing the heaviest of the previous sets.

WORKOUT AT HOME

If you want to train at home, give yourself a real squat torture! Seriously, without a barbell or torture, there's not much you can do at home. You can lunge or squat indefinitely with little or no weight and get little or no effect as a result.

The choice here is small. You can train your legs at home, but at the very least you need heavy dumbbells. Do lunges, deadlifts, and sumo squats with them.

EXERCISE VARIABILITY

Keeping exercise variation is not difficult at all. There are many different compound exercises and different variations of isolation exercises. Follow a different order of exercises each workout. This will help you hit the muscles from different angles at different times.

SYMMETRY

Symmetrical development of leg muscles is vital for good physical form even if you're not performing. You want a firm, round butt, a nice curve in your quads, and a calf protruding above your ankles. From the side, your quads and hamstrings should be evenly developed, round and perfect.

In relation to the upper body, the shoulders should be wider than the hips.

For better development of the muscles of the legs, choose the setting of the legs shoulder-width apart, the thumbs should be turned outward. To work the outer part of the quadriceps, place your feet closer and your thumbs slightly inward. Finally, to work the inner thigh, place your feet wide and point your thumbs outward at a wide angle.

INSULATION

If you want to isolate one leg muscle group in relation to another, you can do this by changing the position of the legs or the weight. For the general development of quadriceps, place your feet close to each other, turn your thumbs slightly outward. Concentrate on the sensation in the muscles during the exercise, squeeze them at the top of the exercise. You can place weight plates under your heels during the exercise to further hit the quads.

Make sure you keep the position precise and your knees don't move back and forth - this is bad for your knee joints. To get more impact on the biceps during complex exercises, concentrate on transferring weight to the heels. Visualize the kind of hamstrings you want to have and squeeze them at the moment of peak concentration.

You can influence how much tension is directed to the desired muscle with isolation exercises. To stimulate the quads during leg extensions, fully straighten your knees at the top of the exercise. You can even stay at this point for as long as you can. This is a good isolation exercise that makes the muscles burn. For general muscle development, keep your thumbs exactly perpendicular to the floor. To work on the inner thigh, point your thumbs a little inward.

PRIORITIES

If your legs are your weak point, train them on the first day of your split to train them with full motivation and at the highest level of energy. Focus on counting each rep, on the form you dream of, on muscle contraction, on high intensity - this will ensure that you get the most out of your workout.

We highly recommend that you do strength exercises(squats, ) with low reps, and traditional compound and isolation exercises with high reps. This way you get the best of both worlds: stimulating maximum strength in some exercises and high intensity for size and shape in others.

TRAIN HARD

Once again, we emphasize: it is very important to train hard. Although many of the training girls know about it, they still reach a plateau where they can no longer lift heavy weights, no matter how hard they try. Y

This problem can be worked around. The key to success is a large number of approaches with very large weights.

Let's take squats for example. The first three sets should be more than just warm-ups, they give you the opportunity to go deeper, increase the amplitude, because they will be done with less weight than you are capable of. As you increase the weight and decrease the reps, you will notice that the amplitude decreases (this is natural, but you should always try to achieve parallels with the floor).

Then you get to the final set and if you try to increase the weight, you can only do half the reps you were going to do. It can be frustrating, but we need it. If you don't want to sacrifice weight for form, it's important not to drop weight in favor of your desired rep range. Who cares if you did all 6 reps if you did them with the same weight as in the last three months? It is much better to increase the weight from 5 to 8 kg and sacrifice two reps.

LEG EXTENSION

1 set 15 reps
1 set 12 reps
1 set 10 reps
1 set 8 reps

LEG BACK IN THE SIMULATOR

1 set 12 reps
1 set 10 reps
1 set 8 reps
1 set 6 reps

Select weights according to the pyramid principle. Each set should be very heavy, with the last two sets reaching total failure. Rest time between sets is 1-1.5 minutes.

More interesting

Some people think that it is impossible to train legs at home. This is not entirely true. To increase muscle mass, you will have to enroll in Gym, as only there is the necessary equipment. However, you can strengthen your muscles and bring them into tone at home. Enough own weight and desire to train. How to pump up your legs at home and what is needed for this? More on this later.

Leg exercises: how to pump up your legs

To get rid of thin legs, figure out what functions specific muscles perform. Otherwise, competently planning a workout and observing the technique of exercises will not work.

There are over 36 leg muscles. Depending on the functions, four groups are distinguished:

The gluteus abducts the thigh to the side and rotates outward.
The quadriceps (quadriceps femoris) extends the leg at the knee joint.
The biceps femoris rotates the thigh outward and flexes the leg.
The calf muscles flex the foot and lower leg.

Important: training any muscle is to complicate the performance of tasks.

Knowing the functions of muscle groups, we will analyze leg exercises that are suitable for home workouts:

Squats

This is the king of leg exercises. Among the dozens of variations of this movement for home training, only three are distinguished: a squat with a wide and narrow setting of the legs, as well as squats on one leg.

The wide setting of the legs emphasizes the load on the front of the thigh and pelvic muscles. With narrowly set feet, the work will shift to the quadriceps. Squatting on one leg (exercise "Pistol") "pierces" quadra to the maximum.

It's easy to learn how to squat properly. Imagine that you are sitting on a low stool. The main thing is the naturalness of the movement. Keep your head straight, bend your back at the waist, turn your feet slightly outward. Make sure that the knees “look” towards the feet and do not go beyond the line of socks.

How to pump up the legs of a man? Squat on one leg. This exercise is not for beginners. We recommend practicing it after 2-3 months of training. Stand along the open door, grab the edge with one hand, lift your leg in front of you and fix it. Squat until the thigh of the second leg is parallel to the floor, then return to the starting position.

Lunges

A classic exercise for working out quadriceps. Also, in some variants of the movement, the load is shifted to the buttocks. In the fitness room, lunges are performed with a barbell, dumbbells, or a Smith machine. Since there is often no equipment at home, you will have to train without it.

Note: with two set dumbbells, you will work your legs better and be able to more effectively regulate the load. So try to get a couple.

At home, you can pump up your legs with classic alternating lunges. They are performed by walking around the room or in one place, pumping first one leg, and then the second.

Lunges are a technically difficult exercise, so it will take some time to master the technique. In the starting position, stand straight, your back is slightly arched in the lower back, the chest is a “wheel”. The position of the legs is slightly wider than the line of the hips, the feet are parallel to each other.

As you inhale, take a step forward and sit down. Maintain an upright body position throughout the movement. At the lowest point, the shin of the front leg should be at an angle of 90 degrees. Do not lean on the back knee, stop the movement when it is a couple of centimeters from the floor. Starting with the supporting leg, stand up and take a step back, taking the starting position. After that, repeat the exercise on the second leg.

Jumping out of a squat

The exercise is aimed at training explosive strength. Helps prepare a person for heavier movements. It works the front and back of the thigh, back, muscles of the lower leg and buttocks.

Perform jumps with your own weight or small dumbbells. Large additional weights in this movement are unacceptable, as there is a high probability of knee and back injuries. For the same reason, we do not recommend overweight people to practice jumping.

The starting position is the same as in squats. Slowly lower yourself to parallel with the floor. Look in front of you, keep your hands along the body. Hold at the bottom for three seconds, then jump up as hard as you can. Try to distribute the weight throughout the foot and do not bend your arms during the jump.

Rises on socks

An exercise for those who are interested in how to pump up calves. If you perform a standing movement, the calf muscles are loaded. Rises on socks while sitting pump the soleus group, which is located under the calf. To properly pump up the lower leg, you must perform both exercises.

Carefully: if you have never trained calves, you should not immediately set records. Post-workout pain in the arms, chest, back is still tolerable, but if you strain your lower leg, you will not be able to walk normally for 2-3 days. Gradually increase the load.

The calf raise is perhaps the easiest exercise in terms of technique. The main thing is to ensure high-quality muscle stretching. Stand on the edge of the hill so that the heels can move down, the feet are parallel. Lower yourself on your toes until you feel a stretch. After that, rise sharply on your toes and linger for a second. Then repeat the movement.

Keep your torso upright during the exercise. Do not bend your knees, do not linger at the bottom point and do not touch the floor with your heels.

To train the soleus muscle, sit on a hard surface and place your feet on the platform in the same way as when standing up. The hips should be at a 90 degree angle. Stretch your calf by dropping your heels down, then do a calf raise. Place extra weight on your knees if you find the movement easy.

How to control the load?

At some point, bodyweight training will become too easy. To keep progressing, increase the load. At home, where there are no additional weights, this can be done in several ways:

Perform more repetitions in one approach and increase the number of sets.
Reduce rest time between sets.
Practice supersets of 2-3 exercises (perform different types of movements one after the other, without rest in between).
Increase time under load by slowly exercising.

Combine these methods depending on the degree of preparation.

How to pump up legs at home for a girl?

Usually girls do not chase muscle mass, so it’s easier for them to pump up their legs at home. It is enough to exercise regularly and monitor nutrition. We talked about exercise technique. Now let's see how to combine them in a workout program.

leg workout program at home

Any workout starts with a warm-up. The better you warm up the joints and stretch the muscles, the less risk of injury. Remember school physical education lessons. Twist your arms, shoulders, pay special attention to warming up your knees and ankle joint. Stretch the front of your thigh.

After warming up, start training:

Deep squats with a wide stance. Put your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, turn your toes to the sides. Putting your hands on your shoulders, following the technique of the exercise, sit down below the parallel. Perform 12-25 reps in 3-4 sets.
Classic lunges - 12-20 reps per leg in 4-5 sets.
Rises on socks, standing and sitting - 5 sets in each exercise for 20-30 repetitions.
Jumping - 3 sets of 10-15 reps.

Rest 30 to 120 seconds between sets; between exercises - 2-3 minutes.

It is important to control your breathing. In all exercises, exhale with effort, and inhale at the bottom of the amplitude.

Without strong legs, it is impossible to succeed in any speed-strength sport. This is a foundation that cannot be ignored. Leg training at home will restore muscle tone, increase endurance and relief. If you want to increase strength, sports equipment is indispensable. Join the gym and keep improving. What is your favorite leg exercise?

Video: how to swing your legs

How to swing legs?

"Leg Day"

“Don’t skip leg day” is a phrase often said to beginners. And for good reason. After all, for sure everyone had to observe when, with a fairly developed torso and shoulder girdle a person has disproportionately thin legs. This, of course, is primarily about the biceps of the thigh and quadriceps. Skinny calves are not too striking, however, they can spoil the appearance to a large extent.

And, if in the autumn-winter period such a lag is not very noticeable, due to the wearing of trousers, then in the summer the picture is different. After all, it is powerful legs that distinguish a professional bodybuilder from an amateur who is more busy swinging his chest and biceps than the harmonious development of the whole body. And it is precisely because of the weak legs that many bodybuilders have not received the coveted titles.

But why is “leg day” so disliked by many athletes? Firstly, the fact is that the legs are just that area of the human body that is extremely reluctant to respond to stress. This is especially true for the gluteal and calf muscles. It would seem that no matter how much effort you put in, they still do not grow. This, of course, is not true. They are growing. Only much slower than, for example, the same biceps and chest.

Secondly, squats and deadlift are among the most energy-intensive and difficult exercises in bodybuilding. Squats can bring an athlete to a semi-conscious or even unconscious - in the literal sense of the word - a state. This is a darkening in the eyes, and an increase in pressure, and dizziness ... In a word, they are extremely difficult for the body.
Naturally, the beginner in every possible way begins to “dodge” from training the legs. And as a result, he gets the famous “chicken legs”.

Ways to stretch your legs

If you want to have truly developed legs, then it makes sense to adhere to the following rules.

For a beginner, the fundamental principles of training can be considered two:

doing squats with free weights. It is with the free, and not in Smith's car. After all, free weight squats affect literally all parts of the body, in fact, not only the legs. They increase overall muscle mass, which is important in the early years of training. In addition, they increase stress resistance and endurance. It is not without reason that squats are included in the list of the so-called "base";
deadlift . If squats are mainly for the development of the quadriceps and buttocks, then the deadlift “pierces” the hamstrings and gluteal muscles as well. The classic deadlift, just like squats, works on the development of the whole body, also strengthens almost all muscles and promotes muscle growth. Deadlift along with squats are included in basic exercises in bodybuilding.

Weider's principles

the principle of partial repetitions. It lies in the fact that at the very end of the approach, when the forces are already running out, several repetitions are performed with an incomplete amplitude. This may require the help of a partner;
drop set: after completing the exercise with the maximum weight, you need to reduce the working weight by about 20% and perform another approach. And then reduce by the same amount - and one more;
choose a weight at which only 2-3 repetitions are possible. Perform these two repetitions, rest for 20-30 seconds - and perform 2-3 more repetitions. Then again a short rest - and another 1-2 repetitions.

Preload principle

It lies in the fact that after a good warm-up, the weight is taken much higher than the normal worker. The maximum possible number of repetitions with it is performed, and in the future the weight is reduced to the usual worker. This will allow you to perform more repetitions later, since the body has already mobilized for huge weights.

The so-called low-bar squats train the legs very well. It is important to keep your back tilted at the lowest point of the movement, and keep your head straight. The squat should not be deep: it is enough to squat down to parallel to the floor.
The low position of the neck shifts the center of gravity, so that as a result, the back and lower back are largely excluded from work. But just the legs are loaded.
Romanian deadlift. The essence of the exercise is that the bar of the bar falls only to the middle of the lower leg. This reduces the load on the lower back and purposefully loads the biceps of the thigh.
Leg extension in the simulator. A familiar exercise for the development of the leg triceps. Some undividedly love him, while others, on the contrary, consider him something frivolous. It is possible that both sides make the mistake of keeping their feet parallel to each other. It would seem that this is a trifle. However, it significantly reduces the effectiveness of the exercise.
Feet should be kept apart in different directions if you want to draw the patella muscle (the so-called "drop"). And vice versa - reduced to each other - if you need to distribute the load on the outer part of the quadriceps.
Squats in the hack machine. An indispensable exercise if you want to pump the front of the thigh in isolation. In this case, the feet should be placed narrower, approximately shoulder-width apart or even narrower. However, with such squats, all other muscles are turned off. Therefore, the hack simulator should not be used by beginners who are important to get the total leg volume.
Wall squats. Legs are placed wide, socks look in different directions. Squats should be performed with a pancake at the chest, because, of course, with a barbell on your shoulders, you can’t snuggle tightly against the wall. The squat is not performed at full amplitude, but only to the position, as if the athlete sat on a chair. At the bottom point, you need to linger for a couple of seconds - and then push yourself up with a powerful jerk. At first, you can squat without weights at all, helping to straighten your knees with your hands.

If an athlete has a back injury, he can do squats with dumbbells for a while. At the same time, hands with dumbbells should be kept lowered and parallel to the body and carefully monitored so that there is no tilt of the body.