The most effective and useful set of exercises for legs with a barbell

How to pump up your legs?

Let's start with the fact that this is a large muscle group. When we train it, our small and stabilizing muscles are actively involved in the work. And also, by working the leg muscles, you strengthen your ligaments. Conventionally, they can be divided into 4 groups:

Anterior thigh.
Posterior thigh.
Gluteal muscles.
Calf muscles.

To fully work out the leg muscles, it is necessary to pump up each of these parts. However, you need to start with a basic exercise that includes all these groups - barbell squats . Perform 3-4 sets of 8-10 repetitions , and move on to more detailed work on each muscle. For this purpose, we will need to perform isolation exercises.

So, to work out the front surface of the thigh you need to do:

Extension.
Leg press.

To pump up your hamstrings, you need to do the following exercises:

Leg curls in the simulator.
Deadlift.
Bend the body forward, with a barbell on the back.

Here the analogy is with the muscles of the arms. Quadriceps is a pushing muscle , so to work it you need to perform extension movements. The biceps femoris is a pulling muscle , and to work it you need to perform flexion movements.

To work out the buttocks, you need to perform exercises that involve stretching these muscles:

Squats with wide legs up to parallel level.
Lunges with dumbbells or barbell.

To pump up the calf muscles, you need to perform various variations of calf raises:

In the gym.
With a barbell.
On one leg with dumbbells.

After squats, it is enough to perform one exercise for each muscle. We will talk about the principles of constructing a training complex in the following sections.

Leg press (Basic exercise)

The leg press is also a very serious exercise in leg training.
The authors of the resource classified it as basic due to its similar properties compared to the classic squat with a barbell. Naturally, if possible, it is advisable to give preference to the squat, but there are different situations (for example, injuries) that force you to consider replacing the squat with the leg press. In any case, we consider the leg press to be a very good exercise that has a targeted effect on the development of the thigh muscles. Correct execution of the exercise:

The leg press is performed in a specialized leg press machine. On the simulator, you need to adjust the angle of the back of the simulator chair, as well as the angle of the stand for resting your feet. Then set the required load weight and begin execution.
After the necessary adjustment of the simulator and the load weight, it is necessary to take a position in the chair in such a way that the pelvis fits tightly to the back, and the buttock muscles fit tightly to the seat of the chair. The legs should be placed 15-20 degrees outward from parallel. We place the toes of the feet identically. Now remove the clamps and keep the weight on your outstretched legs.
The mechanics of the exercise involve lowering and lifting weights. The legs must be bent until a right angle (90 degrees) is formed between the calf muscle and the back of the thigh. The lower position (when the legs are bent) is well illustrated by the image above.
When performing the exercise, the emphasis should be on correct technique and constant weight control. It is also necessary to control the position of the pelvis and gluteal muscles in relation to the back and seat of the chair.

The exercise consists of 2-3 warm-up approaches and 3 working approaches. Warm-up approaches are done with light weights in the simulator. The working weight gradually approaches the weight in the working approach, preparing the muscles and joints for maximum loads. Number of repetitions in warm-up and working approaches: 8-10.

For a visual representation of how to perform the exercise correctly, watch the video below:

Leg exercises. Leg press.

Squats

This is a basic movement. Without doing it, there is no point in training your legs. If you do all the other exercises, you will slightly improve the shape of your hips. But you won't achieve the volumes you want. To do this, you need to work with heavy weights so that you can do no more than 8-10 repetitions . If you feel like you can do more reps, then it's time to increase your weight.

So, the execution technique:

Position yourself under the barbell.
It should rest on your trapezius muscles, and your grip should be as wide as a bench press.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
Slowly squat down until it is parallel to the floor.
At the bottom point, hold for 2-3 seconds. Don't sit for too long, as you risk injuring your back.
Stand up with a powerful movement.
At the top point, tighten your quadriceps to the maximum and hold for 5-10 seconds.
You need to set yourself up for the next rep.
After performing the required number of times, install the barbell on the racks.

Each repetition in this exercise is an event. The last 2-3 squats should be very difficult for you. You should feel like you won't be able to complete the set. You need to overcome this feeling, and then you will be rewarded in the form of powerful thighs and buttocks. An indicator that you are doing everything right is shed rivers of sweat and extreme fatigue.

It is important when performing this exercise not to lift your heels off the floor and not to bring your knees together . It would seem that this is such a small thing, and it helps some athletes perform squats. However, the correct technique will help you much more. Moreover, it will save you from the risk of injury.

Beginners should only do squats when training their legs. After six months of training, you can begin to gradually introduce isolation exercises into your training program, which we will talk about in the following sections.

In addition to the classic version, there are others:

Deep.
In Smith's car.
With a barbell on your chest.

The deep squat is designed to work out the hips in more detail. This is achieved due to the large amplitude of movement. It should be understood that you need to take less weight than in the classic version of squats - about one and a half times. This is necessary to relieve your lower back from unnecessary stress.

Smith machine squats are great for people who have back or knee problems. When squatting in a Smith machine, your body moves in a trajectory that minimizes stress on your joints. This helps you work your leg muscles without the risk of injury.

The front squat can only be performed by experienced athletes who have experience in shoulder exercises with a weight of more than 80 kilograms.
This version of squats actively involves the lower back and stabilizing muscles. The main load falls on the quadriceps.

How to achieve the desired result?

To get results, you need to create a training plan for yourself, evenly distributing different types of loads across all muscle groups. Otherwise, one area of the legs may become significantly larger than another. Once you have made a schedule, you must stick to it. Only systematic visits to the gym will help you achieve your goal.
A workout should always begin with a good warm-up and end with a gradual unloading and cool-down. All complexes must be performed correctly, in compliance with safety regulations. When exercising on machines and with heavy weights, you need to follow all the instructions of the trainer and not overdo it.
To make achieving your goal even easier, you need to constantly motivate yourself. All training should be done with a positive attitude. When the first results appear, you should not relax, skip or quit classes.
Between workouts, especially strength training, there should be rest. This time is needed for the working muscles to recover from the received load and rest before a new workout. The optimal break time is 1–2 days. You also need to rest for a couple of minutes between approaches, but this time should not be delayed too much.

Leg exercises are primarily weight training. It is important to choose the right complex for yourself, depending on your build, gender and physical fitness. With proper exercise, without overloading or damaging the muscles.

Alexandrova Anastasia

Nutrition and healthy lifestyle specialist and author of myfitnesblog.com. For many years, she has successfully helped women and men lose weight and maintain a beautiful figure.

Exercises for quadriceps femoris

Of course, this muscle works actively in squats. However, as Arnold Schwarzenegger said, muscles need to be surprised. After the first six months of training have passed, in which you only squatted, there will be nothing surprising for the leg muscles in such training. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce additional exercises to work the hamstrings.

The leg press is a very effective movement. It is an alternative to classic squats. The difference is that the body is switched off. Movement is carried out only due to the work of the knee joint. This exercise doesn't take as much strength as squats, but it does a great job of pumping up the front of the thigh.

In the leg press, work is carried out with large weights. The average athlete can lift 200 kilograms in this exercise, and there is nothing supernatural about it. It is performed in a special simulator.

The advantage of the leg press is that you can choose different positions of the legs in this exercise, and thereby involve different muscle fibers in the work. And also at the top point you can work your toes and pump up your calf muscles.

If you have problems with the lower back and knee joints, then it is better not to do this exercise. And in squats you need to take a small weight. In this case, for a more detailed study of the quadriceps, leg extensions in the simulator are ideal for you. This is a very good exercise that will not take much of your strength, but will perfectly emphasize the shape of your hips.

Leg extension in the simulator

The machine leg extension is an isolation exercise for developing the quadriceps muscle.
A good exercise for finally finishing off the front of the thigh after heavy basic exercises. Correct execution of the exercise:

Before starting the exercise, you need to set the load weight you need on the simulator and adjust the support to a comfortable length. The support should rest against the ankle. You can adjust the position in the exercise chair to your liking.
The mechanics of performing the exercise consist of extension/bending of the legs. An iteration of the cycle consists of raising the support, fixing it, lowering the support.
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The exercise consists of one warm-up approach and 3 working sets. The load in the warm-up approach is 60-70% of the weight of the working approach. Number of repetitions in warm-up and working approaches: 8-12.

For a visual representation of how to perform the exercise correctly, watch the video below:

Leg extension in the simulator

Hamstring exercises

Working your hamstrings shouldn't take much effort. After all, all the exercises are elementary.

The deadlift is a basic exercise, which means it involves the whole body. However, our goal is to work the hamstrings. This means that we will take a light weight so that other muscles do not prevent us from properly loading the hamstrings. This exercise should not be performed by beginners, as it requires high flexibility in the lower back and legs.

Bends forward with a barbell pump up not only the hamstrings, but also the lumbar muscles. This option is more suitable for beginners, because it is an alternative to deadlift, only less dangerous.

The hamstrings, like other pulling muscles, love intense training. The main indicator that you are doing everything right is a burning sensation in your muscles. Leg curls in the simulator will help you achieve this . Take such a weight that you can perform 10-12 repetitions per set. As you complete the last 2-3 repetitions, you will feel a pleasant burning sensation in your muscles. You may feel a strange ticklish sensation. This is exactly what you need.

Exercises for the buttocks

To pump up the buttocks, we need to stretch them to the maximum at the lowest point. Squats with dumbbells and wide stance will help achieve this . This exercise is ideal for girls, because they only need small weights to stay in shape. So, the execution technique:

Legs are spread wide. You have a dumbbell in your hands.
Squat down to parallel level with the floor.
Hold at the bottom for 2-3 seconds to feel the stretch in your gluteal muscles.
With a powerful movement, stand up and tighten your buttocks.
You don’t need to stay at the top point for more than 1 second.

When performing this exercise, it is important to remember to arch in the lower back.

For men and women who find it easy to do sumo squats, lunges with dumbbells or a barbell . The bottom line is that at the bottom point, the leg laid back is stretched to its maximum, and the second leg is in contraction. Thus, lunges help you achieve maximum development of your buttocks.

It is important to understand that in the exercises suggested to you for the buttocks, it is necessary to use adequate weight. If you use too much weight, it will reduce the effectiveness of your workout and may injure you.

Exercises for girls

Girls are generally weaker than men by nature. Their workouts are not aimed at increasing muscle mass, but focus on maintaining muscle tone and maintaining a slim, toned body.

An additional goal for women may be to acquire relief in certain parts of the body. Therefore, their exercises are simpler. When performing leg complexes, a smaller load is applied, and the number of repetitions is slightly reduced.

Squats

This is a classic and most popular leg exercise among girls. Its popularity is due to the fact that during execution, not only the lower limbs are involved, but also the gluteal muscles, which are so important for the female half of humanity.

Starting position – feet slightly wider than shoulders, toes pointed slightly to the sides. The movement begins with moving the pelvis back and only after that the knees bend and the body lowers.
The back remains straight at all times, without arching in the lower back. The gaze is directed straight ahead, and the body leans slightly forward.
The lowering is performed until the thighs are parallel to the floor. The knees should not go beyond the line of the toes, and the heels should not come off the floor.
The wider your feet are, the greater the load will be. Sumo squats are performed to work the inner thigh. To do this, the legs are placed as wide as possible, and the toes are spread even further.
To increase the load, you can add external weights as dumbbells. They are held in front of them between their knees with straight arms pointing down perpendicular to the floor. The number of any squats is 3 sets of 10 times.

Lunges with dumbbells

Lunges for girls are performed with dumbbells weighing 1–2 kilograms. Starting position – feet shoulder-width apart, arms straight along the body.
The back is straight all the time, the gaze is directed forward. The foot step is performed in front of you so that the knee can be bent to a right angle.
The second leg should not touch the floor with its knee. The lift is performed with maximum tension in the quadriceps.
Back lunges will give more load. And the inner thigh is used by oblique backward lunges. It is important to maintain balance and not fall on your side.
Exercises can be alternated every week. First perform simple ones, then oblique ones. For lunges you need 15 repetitions, 2 sets.

Romanian deadlift

When performing the Romanian deadlift, the knees always remain positioned on the same axis, without moving forward. To lift the barbell, the pelvis is pulled back and the buttocks are raised.

Starting position – feet under the bar, shoulder-width apart, hands holding the bar, back straight.
The shoulder blades are directed towards each other, the legs are slightly bent at the knees, and the pelvis is brought forward at the highest point of the lift.
In order to lower the load, the pelvis is retracted in the opposite direction, the back bends and thereby the buttocks go back.
The barbell is raised by the quadriceps to the height of the mid-thigh. The number of approaches is 2, each with 10 repetitions.

Gluteal bridge

This leg exercise, performed using your own body weight, is also called pelvic lifts. When performing it, the back of the thigh and gluteal muscles work.

In the initial position, the athlete lies on his back. The legs are slightly narrower than the shoulders, bent at the knees and rest firmly on the surface of the floor.
The arms are placed straight along the body, palms facing down and tightly fitting.
To perform the lift, you need to inhale, squeeze your buttocks and tighten your hips. At the top point the body should form a straight line.
Upon reaching it, you need to fix the position, exhale and lower smoothly. No need to touch the floor.
The next ascent is performed immediately after lowering to the bottom point. This technique gives maximum load. You need to perform 15 times 3 approaches.

Leg abduction

The leg abduction or swing is performed from a standing position on your hands and knees or in an upright position. In this case, the position of the leg can also be different. On the floor, swings are most often done with the knee bent to a right angle.

To do this, you need to rest your hands and feet on the floor. The leg has 2 fulcrum points - the knee and the toe, and the hands - the palms.
The back is straight, does not arch at the shoulder blades and lower back. The neck remains straight, the gaze is directed to the floor.
One of the legs begins to move back and up and rises to the highest possible point.
You cannot increase the height by arching your lower back. The swing is performed quickly, but not abruptly.
After this, the leg does not throw itself, but falls to the floor without touching it.
Standing on the floor, straight leg swings are performed. To do this, you need to lean on the back of the chair, but do not put your weight on it. The body does not bend when swinging forward to increase height and does not hang on the chair.
The back remains straight. The leg is moved up and down without being placed on the floor. You need to perform 3 sets of 15 repetitions on each leg.

Deadlift with light weight

A deadlift is a deadlift with straight legs. It is performed in the same way as the complex for men.
Due to the female build, the weight taken is significantly less.
For beginners, you can train the technique by lifting an empty bar.
Over time, weight is added, but not much. The girl should simply feel the load, and not struggle to lift the barbell.
Perform 2 sets of 10 repetitions.

Entering the step

This is a very easy and dynamic exercise. To perform it you need a high step platform.
In the starting position, the athlete stands directly in front of the step, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on the belt.
One leg is placed on the platform with a straight foot. By tensioning the quadriceps, the limb straightens and pulls the whole body up along with it.
After this, the leg bends, returning the person to the starting position. The exercise is performed first on one leg, then on the other.
To increase the load, take dumbbells weighing from 2 kilograms into your hands.
The arms are straight and located along the body. 10–15 steps are performed in each of the three approaches.

Leg curls in a hip machine

The leg curl machine uses the back of the thigh, and for girls it is very important to keep it in good shape.
Exercises can be performed lying down, sitting or standing. Depends on what is more convenient.
You can alternate these machines in each workout. Girls need to be careful not to over-pump their legs.
Otherwise, greater muscle mass will appear, visually increasing the volume of the body. The optimal amount is 2 sets of 10 repetitions.

Exercises for the calf muscles

Everything here is extremely simple. To pump up your calf muscles, you need to stand on your toes. Dumbbells are not the best weights here, since you will be doing a lot of repetitions with them.

Try to perform this exercise better in a special simulator. They are in every gym. The main thing is to choose the right weight. The calf muscles work in a short amplitude, which means they need intense training. Therefore, try to choose a weight so that you can do about 20 repetitions per set.

Leg training program

Now we will bring to your attention a very effective training program for legs. We will not describe the program for beginners, since they only need classic squats. This program will be intended for athletes who have been training for more than six months:

Squats with a barbell on your shoulders - 3 sets of 8-10 reps.
Leg press - 3 times 12-15 times.
Leg curls in the simulator - 3 sets of 12-15 times.
Working out the calf muscles - 3 sets of 20-25 repetitions.

You need to train with this program once a week. Every 2 months you need to do a workout with light weights and a high number of repetitions . If such high-intensity training takes place in your training process, that’s very good. After all, they perfectly stimulate the growth of muscle mass in the legs and help awaken “dormant” muscle fibers.

How to train legs at home?

With training in the gym, everything is clear. But what about leg workouts at home? It’s worth saying right away that at home, without the necessary equipment, you are unlikely to be able to pump up big legs. In order for your muscles to grow, you need to progress in loads, and without a barbell and the same dumbbells, this is very problematic. But if your goal is not to pump up your lower body like some bodybuilder, but just want to tone your leg muscles, then training without additional weights is suitable for you. An example of such a training session is shown in the video below: