The legs and calves have several groupings of muscles you should be aware of before exercise so you know if you are feeling it in the right place when you work different body parts. The front of the thighs contains the quadriceps and the back includes the hamstring. The lower back of the legs consists of the two parts of the calf muscles: the gastrocnemius and soleus. Use different fitness equipment to work these muscles.
Stability Ball Leg and Calf Exercises
Use a stability ball placed between you and a wall while doing squats, lunges and calf raises. To perform squats, lean against the ball with your mid-back in contact, feet slightly forward and dumbbells held at your sides. Slowly lower and lift your body by bending your knees. For lunges, place your feet in a split stance and lower and lift your body. For either exercise, do not let your knees go past your toes.
Do calf raises with your chest pressed into the ball and your feet shoulder-width apart. Steadily raise your heels off the floor as high as possible, slowly lower yourself and repeat.
To add to squats and lunges, lift up onto your toes at the top of the movement to recruit your calf muscles.
Knee Extension
Knee extension takes place when your lower leg goes from a bent to straight position. To isolate your quads, perform seated leg extensions on a leg extension machine. Sit on the seat with your lower shins touching the padded lever arm. Push the arm up until your knees are just short of locking out and lower it back down. For a variation, perform these one leg at a time.
Leg Press
Leg presses work the quads and hamstrings at the same time, and the leg press machine also works as a calf-muscle builder. To do regular leg presses, sit on the seat with your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform. Slowly move the platform up and down by bending your knees. When you lower it, stop when your knees form a 90-degree angle and when you push it up, do not lock your knees.
To do calf raises, place the balls of your feet at the bottom of the platform with your heels hanging off. Press your toes into the platform to raise it and slowly lower it down by bending your ankles. Hold the top and bottom of the movement for a full second.
Inner and Outer Thigh Exercises
Inner and outer thigh exercises require the motions of adduction and abduction. To do adduction for the inner thighs, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Pinch a medicine ball between your thighs forcefully, slowly release the pressure and repeat. To do abduction for your outer thighs, stand with your legs close to each other and lift one leg out to your side as high as possible. Slowly lower it down, repeat for a set of reps and switch sides.
Resistance Band Calf Extensions
Resistance band calf extensions work your calves from a lying position with your legs elevated at an angle. Thread your feet through the handles, wrap the band around your upper back and push your toes forward. Slowly reverse the motion so your toes point back toward you and repeat.
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