Grab the bar with a narrow grip, which will flex the muscles of your upper back and provide a nice base. Step under the bar so it sits on your upper back. Instructions: Adjust the squat rack so the barbell sits at around the same height as your armpits. We highly recommend watching the video below to ensure you’re performing this leg exercise properly, and start with a lighter weight while you master the form. Form is everything with squats, as improper technique can place tons of stress on your knees and back. The barbell squat engages your glutes to extend your hips back into the squatting position, and your quads to extend your legs up into the standing position. The foundation of leg training, a fixture of any leg workout and a leg exercise that’s so often performed incorrectly, the barbell squat is one of the most popular compound lifts for your legs, and it’s a favorite among competitive powerlifters and bodybuilders alike. We’ll take a more general approach and list exercises that will help you strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and glutes. If you’re not at that level, no need to worry. Serious bodybuilders are known to target these individual components of each muscle group, using different angles and leg exercises to ensure every inch of their legs is getting trained properly. We can also include your glutes, a group of three muscles - the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus - which make up your butt. The individual muscles are the gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris. Calves: Below the knee on the back side of your legs, the calf muscles are crucial with ankle and feet mobility.If your a sports fan, you know these are delicate muscles that are particularly susceptible to pulls and strains for high intensity athletes. Hamstrings: The biceps femoris, semimembranosus and semitendinosus all make up your hamstrings on the back of the thigh, aiding with hip and knee movement.Quadriceps: Located on the from of the thigh, four different muscles make up the quadriceps - the vast laterals, vast medalist, vast intermedium and rectus femorios - and activate the straightening of your leg.Your leg muscles generally fall into three main groups. But it’s important to know the different muscles of your legs, along with their basic functions, so you can target and train them accordingly. Seeing as your legs comprise literally half your body, there are a lot of individual muscles, so we won’t get too granular in this anatomy lesson. We’ve got you covered with leg exercises you can knock out both at the gym and at home, along with a few products that should help boost your leg workouts no matter where you decide to tackle leg day. On a week you’re feeling sluggish, opting for chest or back in lieu of legs starts to look pretty appealing.īut don’t give in. Training legs engages the whole body in a way that fires up your heart rate and burns calories. That infamous phrase is also low-key a warning to prioritize leg day based on its difficulty alone. So no, you should not be skipping leg day. And of course, your legs are responsible for achieving simple everyday activities like walking and climbing stairs, too. Movements like overhead presses and lateral shoulder raises hugely benefit from stronger legs. Your legs create a strong base, which supports your core and upper body workouts as well.

We all want a gorgeous rooftop patio, but does the impression of luxury really matter if the whole building is propped up by toothpicks? And aside from the aesthetic component, your legs are a crucial foundation for your entire body. It’s a phrase kicked around so often in fitness circles - on social media, gym walls and even major health websites - that it’s practically the first amendment of strength training. Why? Because if you only focus on a chiseled upper body, with toned abs, massive pecs and bulging arms, odds are you’ll end up looking a bit too top-heavy. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SPY.com may receive an affiliate commission.ĭo not skip leg day.

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