Exercises for the legs

Leg exercises are a system of effective exercises that will allow you to" create " powerful and strong legs for men, and slim and toned legs for girls.

Thighs arelarge, massive and strong muscles. Due to the fact that exercise is very energy-intensive, many novice bodybuilders neglect them. The result - you can see in the summer, when dozens of "pumped up" young people with a beautiful torso, walk along the beach in trousers or long shorts, embarrassed by the thinness of their legs.

If you want to be the owner of beautiful, muscular thighs and do not want to be shy to wear short shorts in the summer, then you need to do leg exercises!

Structure of leg muscles:

1. Squats with a barbell on the shoulders

Squats with a barbell on the shoulders - this is the most effective of the exercises for the legs. The exercise loads the quadriceps of the thigh, glutes, all adductors, muscles that straighten the spine, abs, and sciatic-tibial muscles. Squats are an excellent exercise for achieving bulging buttocks.

Exercises squats with a barbell on the shoulders are performed in a standing position. The bar is placed on a special stand. Take the neck, placing your hands on the width that is comfortable for your body type. Sit under the neck, placing it on the trapezius muscles slightly above the back of the deltas, and pull your elbows back:

- take a deep breath to create pressure inside the chest to avoid bending the torso forward and slightly arch your back, tighten the abdominal muscles, look straight ahead and, shifting the pelvis forward, lift the neck from the rack;
- take one or two steps back from the rack and put your feet shoulder-width apart, pointing your socks forward or slightly spreading them to the sides;
- slowly bend your knees and sit down, fixing the position of your back while moving, so as not to get injured;
- when the hips reach a horizontal position, straighten the legs and straighten the torso to return to the starting position;
- at the end of the movement to make an exhalation.

2. Squats with a barbell on his chest

Squats with a barbell on the chest - an effective exercise that is often used by weightlifters in training, because it exactly corresponds to the work of the thigh muscles during the push and at the end of the snatch.

The exercise is performed in a standing position. Feet shoulder width apart. Hold the bar with a grip on top, placing the bar on the upper part of the chest and the front parts of the deltoid muscles. Arch your back. Belly pull in:
- take a deep breath, creating pressure inside the chest, preventing the torso from leaning forward, and, bending the hips to a horizontal position, return to the starting position;
- at the end of the movement to make an exhalation.

To prevent the bar from sliding forward, it is very important to push your chest forward and raise your elbows as high as possible.

The front-facing barbell pulls the torso forward, so the back should always be kept straight. To facilitate the movement, you can stand on the stand with your heels.
This technique during squats localizes more load on the quadriceps than in classic squats.

3. Wide squats

Wide squats-a feature of this exercise, are very widely spaced legs with toes spread apart. This additionally involves working the inner thigh muscles.

At the same time use:

- quadriceps;
- all adductors (long, large, short, combed and thin);
- gluteal;
- sciatic-tibial;
- press;
- all Sacro-lumbar muscles.

4. Squats with dumbbells

Squats with dumbbells - not a bad exercise, a worthy replacement for squats with a barbell.

Exercise squats with dumbbells is performed in the position-standing straight. Legs apart. Take a dumbbell in each hand; straighten your arms along your torso:
- take a breath, looking straight ahead, slightly arching your back sit down, bending your hips at the knees;
- after the hips reach a horizontal position, straighten the legs, returning to the starting position;
- to make the exhalation at the end of the movement.

5. Incline leg press

Incline leg press - this exercise can be performed by athletes who suffer from back pain and therefore cannot do squats. Be sure to press your buttocks against the back of the simulator.

Lying on the simulator. The back (especially the lumbar region and sacrum) is pressed against the back, the legs are placed on a special platform (footrest) and slightly spaced:
- take a breath, unlock the frame of the simulator and bend your legs so that your knees are as low as possible to your chest, then return to the starting position;
- at the end of the movement to make an exhalation.

If you put your feet at the very bottom of the platform, the quadriceps muscle of the thigh will be primarily loaded. Conversely, if you put your feet on the top of the stand, the load is transferred to the muscles of the buttocks and sciatico-tibial muscles (back of the thigh).

6. Extension legs

This is an excellent exercise, best suited for an isolated load on the quadriceps. It is usually recommended for beginners. It is useful to apply before performing technically more complex exercises.

The leg extension exercise is performed in a sitting position on the simulator. Take hold of the handles or the edges of the seat to steady the body. Bend your knees and place your ankles under the rollers:
- take a breath and straighten your legs to a horizontal position. Then, lowering the rollers, slowly return to the starting position;
- at the end of the movement to make an exhalation.

7. Bending of feet lying

Flexion of the legs lying down-the exercise is performed in the prone position face down on the bench of the simulator. Put your hands on the handles. Legs straighten and put under the rollers of the simulator: