How to build legs

Many bodybuilders often “forget” about working out the muscles of their legs, preferring to devote time and energy to training other muscle groups. This is one of the most common mistakes not only among beginners but also among long-time athletes. A powerful and developed body, thick arms, broad shoulders – and all this rests on thin legs – in the summer this picture looks just ridiculous. And for joint health, this is not very useful: increasing body weight will put more pressure on the legs, and if they do not strengthen, be prepared for quick fatigue – and this is at least.

How to build legs

A bit of anatomy

Let us single out the main groups around which a training program is being built:

1. The quadriceps femoris (quadriceps) – located in the front, represents 4 heads of different lengths and sizes. Responsible for leg extension.
2. The biceps femoris (thigh biceps) – is located behind, and, accordingly, consists of 2 heads. Responsible for bending the legs.
3. The gluteal muscles are large, medium, and small. Participate in the rotation, abduction, and reduction of the hips.
4. Shin muscles – consist of the calf (largest), soleus, and tibial muscles. Responsible for bending the ankle joint in all directions.

“Base”

Training for each athlete who practices bodybuilding must necessarily include basic exercises – movements that involve more than one joint. We list the “base”, which includes the muscles of the legs:

1. Squats (in all variations: with a barbell, in Smith’s simulator, with dumbbells; with different positions of the legs). All muscles of the legs are involved.
2. Lunges. All muscles of the legs are involved (lower leg – to a lesser extent).
3. Leg press in the simulator. Involves the buttocks and thigh muscles, the shin is loaded very weakly.
4. Deadlift (classic, sumo, on straight legs). Being one of the main and most effective exercises, it is primarily used for working out the back. However, during its implementation, the leg muscles – buttocks, thighs, and partially – the lower leg are also qualitatively loaded.
5. Rises on socks (standing, sitting). As an insulating exercise, lifting on toes is the only and most effective movement that allows you to accentuate the leg muscles.

If you are interested in how to build your legs most efficiently and quickly, these exercises will be enough to stimulate fast and high-quality muscle growth.

Isolating exercises

In addition to the “base”, which includes several joints and muscle groups, it is necessary to pay attention to each of them separately. The accentuated load is required for quadriceps and biceps – as the largest and bulk muscles. The following exercises are used to study them:

1. Leg extension in the simulator. Accentuated effects on quadriceps.
2. Leg curl in the simulator. Accentuated affects biceps.

How to build legs at home

Any person in life can have a stage when there is simply not enough time (or financial capacity) to visit the gym. If you do not want to lose shape and want to learn how to build legs at home – you can perform the following exercises:

1. Squats
2. Hopping/pacing on a chair (sofa, bed).
3. Rises on socks while standing (can be performed both standing on the floor and resting socks on a small elevation).
4. Jumping rope.
5. Run.
6. Cycling.
7. Lunges.

Naturally, such training will bring much less benefit than the occupation in the gym. It will not allow you to get bulk and massive muscles, but it is suitable for strengthening ligaments, tendons, and maintaining muscle fibers in good shape.

You can increase the effectiveness of home workouts if you have a barbell or dumbbells at least light at home.