When it comes to building muscle and mass in the legs, everyone knows that they need to do it but many people neglect it. The reason why is because there is very little knowledge about effect exercises and it is one of the hardest parts of the body to build for many people. Training legs is also a demanding process as you probably have to use them the rest of the day after a workout. So what are the best leg exercises to build muscle?
Probably the most well-known leg exercise is the lunge. In this exercise, you will usually hold a set of dumbbells on each arm. With your feet together, you will lunge forward with one leg while the other holds the position. Then you’ll go back to your starting position and lunge forward with the other leg while the leg you just used holds the position.
The best exercise out of all the leg exercises is probably the squat. This is the one exercise that will build the most the most mass out of all the leg exercises. It is also known to stimulate testosterone, improve your overall strength, and exercises the quads – one of the biggest muscles in your body.
To do a squat you should have a barbell on a squat rack and rest it across your shoulders, behind your head. When you have a good grip and balance of the bar, raise it up straight then proceed by bending your knees until your thighs are almost in line with the floor. Make sure that you move all the way up and hold for a few seconds before bending your knees for another rep.
Another exercise to build your legs is the leg press. You’ve probably seen it being used by many people in the gym. It is the machine in which you lie on your back and push up with your legs upwards the incline. Because there is back support available in this exercise, you should be able to press more than a regular squat. Simply lower the weight by bending your knees back then push it back up until the next repetition of the exercise.
While the mentioned exercises mostly focus on the quads, it’s important to develop your calves as well. A good exercise is the standing calf raise. You’ll find a machine in which you hold with a handle and your calf is isolate in a weight. To do a proper calf raise, you need to adjust your knee pads so they are snug. With your toes pointing forward, raise the weight as much as possible until you are on the tips of your toes. Hold this for a few seconds then release the weight slowly.
These four exercises I mentioned will help you build an overall balanced body and help your leg muscles grow. Remember, it’s important not to neglect your legs as it can stimulate hormones that help your overall growth.
