FITAHOLIC

Complete Advanced Leg Workout

The muscles of the upper leg are the largest and most powerful muscles in your entire body. The major muscles that we are going to be working here are you quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves with some advanced techniques.

Pic - Front Squats - The purpose of this exercise is to develop the outside of the quadriceps. This exercise is best performed with a smith machine. Place the barbell at shoulder height. Now walk up to the barbell and place your arms up under the bar, while keeping your elbows high cross your arms over the bar and grasp it with your hands. Lift the bar up and seperate your feet to hip width apart and lower into a squat position. Raise up without locking out your knees and repeat.

Pic - Straight Leg Deadlifts - The purpose of this exercise is to work the hamstrings, lower back and glutes. With your feet hip width apart extend the barbell to the length of your arms. Now bend forward keeping your back straight and your head up. You should go all the way down to your shins while keeping the bar inches from your legs. Raise back up and repeat. Caution: keep your back from rounding, and keep your head up to maintain alignment.

Pic - Step Lunges - This exercise is mainly performed to develop the front of the thighs and glutes. Now hold a barbell across the back of your shoulders with your feet hip width apart. Now step out on a raised service and lower your weight bringing your knee within inches of the ground, make sure your foot that you brought forward is centered on the raised service. Now with the weight in your front heel raise back up and bring your back knee up above your waist and then lower back to the starting position. Stay with the same leg until your repetitions are complete and then alternate.

Pic - Inner Calf Raises - The major purpose of this exercise is to define the outer calves. Grab some dumbells and step up on something with an edge, I like using a step. Place your feet inwards as if they were an arrow pointing towards something. Now with your heels hanging off the step raise up on your toes keeping the dumbbells to your side. Then lower back down allowing your heels to go lower than normal position, this will work the full length of your calf muscle.

Pic - Outer Calf Raises - The major purpose of this exercise is to define the inner calves. Grab some dumbells and step up on something with an edge, I like using a step. Place your feet outwards as if they were an arrow pointing behind you. Now with your heels hanging off the step raise up on your toes keeping the dumbbells to your side. Then lower back down allowing your heels to go lower than normal position, this will work the full length of your calf muscle.

Pic - Normal Calf Raises - The major purpose of this exercise is to develop the mass of the calves. Grab some dumbells and step up on something with an edge, I like using a step. Place your feet normal width apart with your toes pointing forward. Now with your heels hanging off the step raise up on your toes keeping the dumbbells to your side. Then lower back down allowing your heels to go lower than normal position, this will work the full length of your calf muscle.

Check back periodically for added exercises.

Change Your Lifestyle, Change Your Life
Your Trainer