Squats
This is the most popular exercise to develop the upper leg. It works the thighs, the hamstrings and the glutes. The drawback to the squat is that the main development occurs in the early part of the rise and that it never truly works the highly important vastus medialis muscle.
How to do:
- Get in a comfortable upright stance with your feet shoulder width apart. Your toes should be either pointed straight ahead or slightly outward, never inward or knee strain will result).
- Focus your vision straight ahead. Do not tilt your head backwards or raise your eyes in your head as this will disrupt your balance.
- Place the barbell squarely on your traps and shoulders (not the neck) and grip the bar comfortably with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Keeping your heels planted firmly on the floor, inhale and move your butt back and downward. Do not start by bending the knees.
- Continue downward, by bending the knees, but be careful not to allow your knees to move forward. This will save you stress on your knees.
- When the thighs reach parallel, begin exhaling and return to the starting position. There should be no sideways movement, especially in the knee or hip area.
- Squatting deeper than parallel to the floor will not damage your knees as many lifters believe. Knee damage is a result of raising your heels off the floor, not by lowering your butt to the floor. Be aware, however, the deeper you squat the more you call your hamstrings into play.
Front Squat
This is the most popular exercise to develop the upper leg. It works the thighs, the hamstrings and the glutes. The drawback to the squat is that the main development occurs in the early part of the rise and that it never truly works the highly important vastus medialis muscle.
How to do:
- Get in a comfortable upright stance with your feet shoulder width apart. Your toes should be either pointed straight ahead or slightly outward, never inward or knee strain will result).
- Focus your vision straight ahead. Do not tilt your head backwards or raise your eyes in your head as this will disrupt your balance.
- Place the barbell high in the chest, resting on the shoulders (not the neck) and grip the bar comfortably with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Be careful to keep your elbows high, or cross your forearms to balance the weight.
- Keeping your heels planted firmly on the floor, inhale and move your butt back and downward. Do not start by bending the knees.
- Continue downward, by bending the knees, but be careful not to allow your knees to move forward. This will save you stress on your knees.
- When the thighs reach parallel, begin exhaling and return to the starting position. There should be no sideways movement, especially in the knee or hip area.
- Squatting deeper than parallel to the floor will not damage your knees as many lifters believe. Knee damage is a result of raising your heels off the floor, not by lowering your butt to the floor. Be aware, however, the deeper you squat the more you call your hamstrings into play.
Machine Squat
his is the basic squat movement aided by use of any one of a number of weight training machines. This exercise may be completed standing upright or at an angle, similar to the popular hack squat movement.
How to do:
- Get in a comfortable upright stance with your feet shoulder width apart. Your toes should be either pointed straight ahead or slightly outward, never inward or knee strain will result).
- Focus your vision straight ahead. Do not tilt your head backwards or raise your eyes in your head as this will disrupt your balance.
- Place the weight high in the chest, resting on the shoulders (not the neck) and grip comfortably with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Be careful to keep your elbows high, or cross your forearms to balance the weight.
- Keeping your heels planted firmly on the floor, inhale and move your butt back and downward. Do not start by bending the knees.
- Continue downward, by bending the knees, but be careful not to allow your knees to move forward. This will save you stress on your knees.
- When the thighs reach parallel, begin exhaling and return to the starting position. There should be no sideways movement, especially in the knee or hip area.
- Squatting deeper than parallel to the floor will not damage your knees as many lifters believe. Knee damage is a result of raising your heels off the floor, not by lowering your butt to the floor. Be aware, however, the deeper you squat the more you call your hamstrings into play.
Strength Shoe Squat
Strength Shoe Squat: This is a squat performed in raised toe platform strength shoes. This exercise should be done using lower weight, with a slightly faster movement. It should never be attempted by anyone without high gym experience.
How to do:
- Get in a comfortable upright stance with your feet shoulder width apart. Your toes should be either pointed straight ahead or slightly outward, never inward or knee strain will result).
- Focus your vision straight ahead. Do not tilt your head backwards or raise your eyes in your head as this will disrupt your balance.
- Place the weight high in the chest, resting on the shoulders (not the neck) and grip comfortably with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Be careful to keep your elbows high, or cross your forearms to balance the weight.
- Keeping your heels planted firmly on the floor, inhale and move your butt back and downward. Do not start by bending the knees.
- Continue downward, by bending the knees, but be careful not to allow your knees to move forward. This will save you stress on your knees.
- When the thighs reach parallel, begin exhaling and return to the starting position. There should be no sideways movement, especially in the knee or hip area.
- Squatting deeper than parallel to the floor will not damage your knees as many lifters believe. Knee damage is a result of raising your heels off the floor, not by lowering your butt to the floor. Be aware, however, the deeper you squat the more you call your hamstrings into play.
Leg Extension
This is a good warm up exercise for the quads.
How to do:
- Sit on the seat of a leg extension machine with the foot pad firmly placed on the inner part of your ankle. Make sure your knee is flexed at a 90 degree angle. If your leg is forced too far beyond this, knee damage can result early in the movement.
- Extend and straighten your lower leg.
- This is the only leg exercise that you can lock your knees out without risking damage. After reaching the end of the motion, pause a moment and slowly return the weight to a point near the starting position.
- Pointing your toes toward each other at a 20 degree angle works the inner Quad area while pointing your toes outward works the outer Quad area.
Single Leg Extension
This is a good warm up exercise for the quads.
How to do:
- Sit on the seat of a leg extension machine with the foot pad firmly placed on the inner part of your ankle. Make sure your knee is flexed at a 90 degree angle. If your leg is forced too far beyond this, knee damage can result early in the movement.
- Extend and straighten your lower leg.
- This is the only leg exercise that you can lock your knees out without risking damage. After reaching the end of the motion, pause a moment and slowly return the weight to a point near the starting position.
- Pointing your toes toward each other at a 20 degree angle works the inner Quad area while pointing your toes outward works the outer Quad area.
Leg Press
This is another very popular exercise to develop the upper leg. It works the Quadriceps (thighs), the Hamstrings (back of leg) and the Gluteus Maximus (butt). This exercise is normally performed on a machine where the legs press against a weighted platform.
How to do:
- Place your feet flat on the platform, shoulder width apart with your toes pointed slightly out.
- Lower the platform until your knees are at a 90-degree angle.
- Press platform outward until your legs are nearly straight. Do not lock your knees or bounce the weight at the top or the bottom of the movement.
- A wide stance will work the outer Quad while a narrow stance will work the inner Quad.
Lunges
Lunges are an excellent exercise to stretch and develop the Quadriceps, the Hamstrings and the Glutes as well as the muscles of the hips.
How to do:
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Take a 2-3 foot step forward. Once the stepping foot is planted, the upper body and the front knee should not move forward during the lowering and raising of the body.
- Keeping the upper body vertical, dip your lower body straight down until back knee comes close to the ground.
- Hold the tension in the front of your leg, then raise your body straight up and return to starting position.
- You may do repeated repetitions on a single leg before switching or alternate legs.
Barbell Lunges
Lunges are an excellent exercise to stretch and develop the Quadriceps, the Hamstrings and the Glutes as well as the muscles of the hips.
How to do:
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart. Place a barbell across your shoulders.
- Take a 2-3 foot step forward. Once the stepping foot is planted, the upper body and the front knee should not move forward during the lowering and raising of the body.
- Keeping the upper body vertical, dip your lower body straight down until back knee comes close to the ground.
- Hold the tension in the front of your leg, then raise your body straight up and return to starting position.
- You may do repeated repetitions on a single leg before switching or alternate legs.
Dumbbell Lunges
Lunges are an excellent exercise to stretch and develop the Quadriceps, the Hamstrings and the Glutes as well as the muscles of the hips.
How to do:
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands.
- Take a 2-3 foot step forward. Once the stepping foot is planted, the upper body and the front knee should not move forward during the lowering and raising of the body.
- Keeping the upper body vertical, dip your lower body straight down until back knee comes close to the ground.
- Hold the tension in the front of your leg, then raise your body straight up and return to starting position.
- You may do repeated repetitions on a single leg before switching or alternate legs.
Platform Lunges
Lunges are an excellent exercise to stretch and develop the Quadriceps, the Hamstrings and the Glutes as well as the muscles of the hips.
How to do:
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands.
- Take a 2-3 foot step forward onto a 6"-1' platform. Once the stepping foot is planted, the upper body and the front knee should not move forward during the lowering and raising of the body.
- Keeping the upper body vertical, dip your lower body straight down until back knee comes close to the ground.
- Hold the tension in the front of your leg, then raise your body straight up and return to starting position.
- You may do repeated repetitions on a single leg before switching or alternate legs.
Side Lunges
Lunges are an excellent exercise to stretch and develop the Quadriceps, the Hamstrings and the Glutes as well as the muscles of the hips.
How to do:
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Step to the side while stretching your groin muscle. Once the stepping foot is planted, the upper body and the side knee should not move forward during the lowering and raising of the body.
- Keeping the upper body vertical, dip your lower body straight down until straight knee comes close to the ground.
- Hold the tension in the side leg, then raise your body straight up and return to starting position.
- You may do repeated repetitions on a single leg before switching or alternate legs.
Strength Shoe Lunges
This is a common lunge completed while wearing raised toe platform strength shoes.
How to do:
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Take a 2-3 foot step forward. Once the stepping foot is planted, the upper body and the front knee should not move forward during the lowering and raising of the body.
- Keeping the upper body vertical, dip your lower body straight down until back knee comes close to the ground.
- Hold the tension in the front of your leg, then raise your body straight up and return to starting position.
- You may do repeated repetitions on a single leg before switching or alternate legs.
Hip Adduction
This exercise strengthens the muscles of the thighs, especially the inner thigh muscle.
How to do:
- Sit or lie in a Hip Adduction Machine. Position your legs apart, but not to wide or you might injure yourself at the beginning of the movement.
- Inhale, hold your breath and pull your legs together until the pads touch each other.
- Exhale and return your legs to the starting position keeping the weight under control at all times.
Low Pulley Adduction
This exercise strengthens the muscles of the outer, upper leg.
How to do:
- Using a low pulley, start the movement with your leg away from the support leg.
- Move downward to meet the support leg.
- Keep your toes pointed in line with your legs, not outwward.
- Passing the midline does not omprove the movement.
Hip Abduction
This exercise strengthens the muscles of the outer, upper leg.
How to do:
- Sit or lie in a Hip Abduction Machine. Position your legs together for the beginning of the movement.
- Inhale, hold your breath and pull your legs apart until they cannot go wider.
- Exhale and return your legs to the starting position keeping the weight under control at all times.
Low Pulley Abduction
This exercise strengthens the muscles of the outer, upper leg.
How to do:
- Stand sideways to a low pulley, begin with your legs together.
- Keeping the exercising leg straight pull the cable away from the body.
- Keep your toes pointed in line with your legs, not outwward.
