Having a variety of workouts to choose from ensures you never get bored and it also keeps your body progressing. The legs consist of several large muscles capable of enduring a tough workout. The hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes and calves are the muscles of the legs. If you train your legs hard enough, one day of training will do. If you train your legs more than once per week, allow muscles to rest 48 hours between workouts.
Fitness Machine Routine
Begin your workout with the leg press to get the leg muscles warm. Use light weight and high repetitions for the first set, heavier weight and lower repetitions for the second and third sets. Progress from the leg press machine to leg extensions to target the quadriceps at the front of the thigh. Follow up with leg curls for the hamstrings and finish the workout with calf raises. Perform eight to 10 repetitions to improve strength, 12 to 15 repetitions to improve muscular endurance.
Free Weight Routine
Use dumbbells to perform this workout routine. Begin the routine with squats to target the quadriceps and glutes. Follow up with stiff legged deadlifts to strengthen the lower back, glutes and hamstrings. With or without free weights in your hands, perform stepups for the quadriceps and glutes and to get a small cardiovascular workout. End with one leg toe raises to strengthen the calves. Hold a dumbbell in one hand to perform this exercise. Perform eight to 10 repetitions to build strength and 12 to 15 repetitions to build endurance. Perform three sets of each exercise.
Outdoor Workout
A track or large open space in your neighborhood is ideal for this workout. After warming up with a light jog or fast walk, perform walking lunges. Locate a park bench or large step and perform stepups for the glutes and quadriceps. Place your heels up onto a step or bench and perform bridges for your glutes and hamstrings. End the workout by running up and down stairs for five minutes. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise and rotate through each exercise three times.
High Intensity Workout
Perform this exercise routine with a stopwatch and see how long it takes you to complete it. Perform the exercises without the use of weights. Warm up for three to five minutes. Perform 12 jump squats. Next, complete 12 alternating lunges to the front followed by 12 alternating lunges to the back. End with 12 side lunges, performing 12 repetitions on each leg. Repeat each exercise two more times. Each time you complete this workout try to lower your time until you can complete it in under five minutes.
References
- "Strength Training Anatomy 2nd edition"; Frederic Delavier; 2006.
- ShapeFit: Leg Toning Exercises
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