Greetings, my dear roaches and fitonyashechki!

We will remember this Friday day for the fact that we will finish the cycle of pumping notes and today we will learn how to pump up our legs?

After reading you will learn all the anatomical features and secret tricks in pumping the lower body, in the second part we will deal with the analysis of the best leg exercises and drawing up an appropriate training program.

So, I dare not delay any longer, let's start broadcasting.

How to pump up your legs? The theoretical side of the issue.

Believe it or not, this is the last two-part note on rolling theory and practice. Yes, you and I are great fellows, for we have mastered all the muscle units of the upper - shoulders, arms, chest, back, abs, and we have only the low part left. By the way, if you are still not in one eye, i.e. are not aware of our previous efforts, then you are welcome to familiarize yourself with these masterpieces of writing :), click on the links and shake your head, here are some of them],. We go further.

Who shakes his legs in a row? Our best squad! Judging by our provincial hall, from the male part it is darkness to the people, in numerical terms we can say so - "one, two and missed!" :). As for the young ladies, the situation here is almost universal, because having a “cool ass” is the dream of any fitness girl. So it turns out that the ladies are a lot, and the men are empty. Although for the purity of the experiment, it must be said that the young ladies only dream of tightened buttocks, everything that does not belong to the Popenhagen, for the most part, does not bother them. But this worries our brother, because we want to see not only the uniform buns, but also the “finished bottom” in general, i.e. the entire muscle mass of the legs. I will say even more (the main thing is that our pale-faced brother should not read these lines :)) we like the general rear view, i.e. so that all volumes “play” and correspond to the parameters of the girl, and not just her “wife”.

In general, we love to show off (more often wordlessly) your soulmate and show off in public, they say, look "which one I grabbed myself ..." and, more often than not, they grab a complete image, that is, when a girl is everywhere proportionally developed. Therefore, ladies, do not stick only on the buttocks, but improve the entire bottom and carry out complex work.

As for the male audience, we don't even bother about legs, but why, because there are pants, long shorts that you can put on and no one sees how things are going down there. And it is, in 95% cases, it is deplorable :(, that is, you will not look without tears. Of course, you can understand us, you want female attention, and it reaches the bottom only when the relationship has already started spinning and is close, so to speak, the “contact moment.” the same gaze of the ladies does not fall below the press and therefore it became to us that there was something wrong with our legs.

On the other hand, when you hear the question: "how to gain muscle mass?" The first thing that comes to mind is the legs, because they make up 50% from the entire muscle mass of a person and if you need to become larger, then do what is least developed, but can potentially give the greatest weight gain. That's just further we will deal with the issues of "making legs" and learn how to make "thighs, like Masha's!", Well, or at worst, "Zhenya, like Katya's" :).

Note:

For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.

Leg anatomy and muscle atlas

The muscle mass of the legs consists of the muscles of the anterior part and the posterior surface, as for a more unitary division, it is customary to distinguish the following basic muscle units:

• quadriceps (quadriceps femoris);
• hip biceps (main muscle of the back of the legs);
• buttocks (large / medium / small);
• leading / abducting - adductors / abductors;
• calf muscles (calf and soleus).

In the picture version, the complete muscle atlas of the legs is (clickable).

Let's go over each muscle unit in more detail.

I. Front surface of the legs

The main mass of the front thigh is represented by the quadriceps muscle, quadriceps.

# 1. Quadriceps

Consists of:

• rectus femoris muscle;
• lateral broad muscle;
• broad medial muscle;
• intermediate broad muscle.

All of these muscles work together to extend the knee.

It originates at the ilium and runs along its entire length to the knee itself, crossing it and connecting to the hamstring. This muscle is unique in terms of its geography, because of all 4 only it goes through the whole thigh.

№ 1.2 Lateral muscle of the thigh (vastus lateralis)

It begins at the top of the thighbone, attaches to the hamstring, and is responsible for the representative appearance of the outer thigh, and it also serves as a shock absorber.

No. 1.3 Medial thigh muscle (vastus medialis)

It begins at the top of the thighbone, bending around the thigh along its entire length, and attaches to the patellar ligament. She is responsible for the teardrop-shaped component of the inner thigh.

№ 1.4 Intermediate muscle of the thigh (vastus intermedius)

Lies deep in the middle of the thigh (under the rectus muscle), begins at the femur and attaches to the patellar ligament.

All four muscles of the quadriceps are “inserted” into the tibia of the lower leg and perform two important functions - knee extension and hip flexion.

In a collapsible form, the muscles of the thigh represent the following picture.

II. Back of the legs

The back of the legs is represented by three main muscles:

• hamstring (long / short head);
• semitendinosus;
• semi-membranous.

All three muscles are responsible for knee flexion, i.e. bring the heel to the buttocks. Let's consider all units separately.

№ 2.1 Hip biceps (biceps femoris)

Hamstring (a.k.a. hamstrings) Is one muscle with two heads. Long, originates from the ischial tuberosity and attaches to the fibula, short - starts from the femur and attaches to the fibula.

№ 2.2 Semimembranosus muscle (semimembranosus)

A broad, flat, deep muscle that begins at the ischial tuberosity, runs through the entire thigh and joins the tibia and other adjacent bones. It is located more on the outer (medial) side of the mid-thigh.

№ 2.3 Semitendinosus muscle (semimembranosus)

It passes from the ischial tuberosity through the entire thigh and joins the tibia.

The main function of the muscles is knee flexion, internal / external rotation of the knee, and hip extension.

In a collapsible form, the muscles of the back of the thigh represent the following picture.

The next muscle group in line is ...

III. Buttocks

Undoubtedly, the most popular female rocking part of the legs, however, they are important not only as a beautiful lure for the opposite sex, but also for maintaining the spinal column in an upright position.

The buttocks are represented by three main muscles:

• large;
• medium;
• small.

All three muscles are responsible for hip extension / extension and hip abduction. Let's consider all units separately.

№ 3.1 Big gluteus (gluteus maximus)

The largest muscle in the entire body in general and the anatomy of the legs in particular. It makes the most significant contribution to the exponential (bulge) of the buttocks. Begins at the sacrum and lumbar fascia (connective tissue in the lower back), goes down and comes into contact with the thickened part of the wide fascia of the thigh, also the gluteus maximus extends onto the outer part of the thigh.

№ 3.2 Gluteus medius (gluteus medius)

Often forgotten by training, the gluteus maximus muscle, due to its "invisibility". The gluteus medius is the most important stabilizer of the thigh and runs along the top of the buttocks. (in the area of \u200b\u200bthe iliac crest) and going down, it touches the outer part of the thigh.

№ 3.3 Small gluteal (gluteus minimus)

The deepest and smallest is the gluteus minimus, which starts on the outer thigh (very top) and attaches to it.

In a collapsible form, the muscles of the buttocks are the following picture.

The next muscle group in line is ...

IV. Adductors

The adductor muscles are usually trained only by girls in order to pump up the inner side of the thigh. They are a group of 5 muscles:

• comb;
• short leading;
• long leading;
• large leading;
• thin.

... originating from the groin-pubic region and attaching to the inner thigh.

The adductors receive little stress when performing standard exercises and therefore require special study. The muscles are laminar-fan and play an important role in stabilization. Strong adductors help stabilize while performing one-way movements and also give stability when squatting.

Let's consider all units separately.

No. 4.1 Comb (pectineus)

Placed from top to bottom, crosses the leg and attaches to the upper thigh.

No. 4.2 Short adductor (adductor brevis)

It is located from top to bottom, crosses the thigh and is attached below the comb.

No. 4.3 Long adductor (adductor longus)

It comes down from the groin and is attached below the short adductor.

No. 4.4 Large adductor (adductor magnus)

The largest of the adductors, which extends from the groin and is attached not only to the upper thigh but also slightly lower on the inner mid-thigh.

No. 4.5 Gracilis muscle (gracilis)

It is a long, thin muscle that radiates from the groin, runs the entire length of the thigh, and attaches to the inside of the tibia.

The hip adductor muscles perform the following functions:

• hip adduction;
• external rotation;
• hip extension;
• hip flexion.

In a collapsible form, adductors represent such a picture.

The next muscle group in line is ...

V. Calf muscles

The most hardy and “hard-to-break” leg muscles are represented by two:

• gastrocnemius;
• soleus.

The main functions of the muscles include plantar flexion of the ankle joint, inversion and flexion of the knee.

Let's consider all units separately.

No. 5.1 Calf muscle (gastrocnemius)

Unique because it runs along the entire length of the popliteal region, biceps (has two heads lateral and medial) the muscle that attaches to the Achilles tendon.

No. 5.2 Soleus muscle (soleus)

Deep muscle, geographically located under the calf. It originates from the tibia and fibula and attaches to the Achilles tendon.

In a collapsible form, the muscles of the lower leg represent such a picture.

We have considered all the most significant large groups of leg muscles, but there is still a bunch of "little things" to which we have assigned a special category called ...

Vi. Other leg muscles

The "little things" include:

• abductors (abductor muscles) - located on the outer thigh. It is a muscle group that includes: gluteus maximus / middle / minor and fascia lata tensor. The main purpose of the abductor group is leg abduction;
• hip flexors - thin, comb, tailor, rectus femoris;
• iliopsoas muscle. The main muscle group associated with the hip flexors includes the iliac and psoas major / minor muscles.

A composite atlas of other leg muscles is.

Let's summarize the anatomical conclusion by considering the combined picture of the muscles of the anterior and posterior surfaces of the legs.

Skeletal anatomy

In addition to muscle units, it is important to understand the meaning of bones and joints and the role they play in performing various movements. Understanding this will allow you to select the optimal exercises and engage the target muscles in the work.

The most important skeletal units are:

# 1. Pelvic bones

They are located on both sides of our body and, like a bowl, shape our muscles and hold them together. The pelvis is the link between the top and bottom and performs two main movements - forward movement of the body (leaning in front of you) and offset back. Following the pelvic bones, the large femur runs downward, followed by the tibia. Next to the tibia is the same small one. All these bones only make up 10% weight from the human body.

# 2. Thigh bones

The hip joint is where your thigh bones attach to the socket of the pelvis through ligaments. This universal joint gives you freedom of movement, so you can bend, extend, retract, bring in and rotate (in / out) your legs.

Number 3. Knee-joint

The knee is a condylar joint, which means it performs rotational functions in addition to flexion and extension. The knee areas and the joints themselves are the "Achilles" heel when training the legs, ie. they are not designed for frequent loading power work without proper preparation.

No. 4. Ankles

The ankles have two main functions - plantar flexion (lifting toes up) and back flexion of the foot, in which the toes are pulled up towards the face.

Skeletal anatomy presents such a picture.

The next in line is ...

Muscle functions in practice

It is important not only to know how the leg muscles are arranged, it is important to know their functions using the example of real movements, i.e. How muscles, bones, and joints work together in resistance training in the gym. The main functions of the legs are:

# 1. Quadriceps

It is a collection of 4 -x muscles and is responsible for knee extension. An important technical muscle is the straight, which runs down the entire length of the thigh. Its main function is hip flexion. (for example, approaching an elevation or running).

# 2. Muscles of the back of the thigh

They have two basic functions:

• hip extension (tilt the body forward and load the hip, for example, with the Romanian deadlift);
• flexion of the knee.

Number 3. Buttocks

The buttocks are brought into action during exercises that load the hips. The deadlift works on the gluteus maximus muscle, while the split squat (e.g. bulgarian lunges) load the middle and small glutes. They help stabilize the hips and control their position.

No. 4. Adductors

The adductor muscles are responsible for stability and control of movements and their greatest work is manifested in one-way movements, such as lunges or entering the bench. An important role in lunge-type movements is played by the adductor major muscle, which is involved in flexion and adduction of the hip - when lowering down, it stretches, while lifting it contracts.

No. 5. Calf muscles.

The calf muscles are more stressed in standing exercises (standing calf raises), soleus - in a seated knee with a bent knee ().

The full range of movements performed by the leg muscles looks like this:

• hip abduction (abduction from the midline of the body) - leg breeding;
• hip adduction (reduction to the midline of the body) - squeezing the legs together;
• hip extension;
• hip flexion;
• internal / external rotation of the thigh;
• internal / external rotation of the knee;
• knee extension;
• flexion of the knee;
• transverse thigh adduction - moving the body to the midline lying horizontally with bent knees.

Actually, this was all the structural and anatomical information on the muscles of the legs, now we turn directly to the pumping-theoretical side of the issue.

How to pump up your legs? Swing theory.

This subchapter will provide information regarding the features of pumping the legs. So let's take a look at each of them.

# 1. Influence of genetics or legs are laid from youth

There is a theory that a certain type of physical activity at an early age of a child (puberty) affects the genetic type of muscle fibers. Thus, if you are young (from 7 years) and want to connect your life with bodybuilding in the future or just be massive, especially in the leg area, then you need to pay attention to sports such as:

• sprint - running for short distances;
• jumping;
• football;
• basketball;
• bicycle.

These are active (including playing) sports that are akin to multi-joint exercises in bodybuilding. As practice shows, people who preferred them in adolescence, after the completion of puberty, had legs with good growth potential. In these young athletes, the dominant muscle fibers in the legs became white (fast muscle fibers)... Subsequently engaged in bodybuilding, they have large leg volumes.

Conclusion: you can avoid match legs from childhood by choosing the right kind of sport.

# 2. Types of muscle fibers

When it comes to training your legs properly, understanding their fiber types is paramount. In this vein, it will be useful to have the following information:

• soleus and broad intermediate muscles of the quadriceps - have a higher proportion of slow fibers ( 75%, 47% ), in comparison with their synergists, gastrocnemius ( 50% ) and lateral wide ( 32% ) ;
• gluteal muscles have some (small up to 5-7% ) the predominance of slow muscle fibers;
• in the biceps of the thigh, fast fibers are somewhat dominant, although in people leading a sedentary "sedentary" lifestyle, the fibers of the hind thigh are intermediate in nature, and in some cases there is even some dominance of red fibers. This spread in the fibers is due to the high adaptive potential of the muscles of the posterior surface of the thigh;
• hamstrings have one of the highest proportions of super explosive fibers (type IIb) of order 20% , which is even more than triceps;
• front thigh - the percentage composition varies and it cannot be said that it is the same for all athletes, in general, the data are as follows: broad lateral - fast, rectus muscle - 65% fast fibers;
• adductors (leading) consist of 60% from slow-twitch fibers;
• other hip flexors have parity (50 on the 50% ) fiber ratio.

Takeaway: training your legs properly in terms of reps (adjusted for the dominant fiber type)should be like this.

Number 3. Features of women's training

The main task in women's leg training is to correct problem areas and local increase in volume, in particular the buttocks, without swinging the front thigh. The main correction zones are:

• inner thighs;
• area above / on the side of the knees (fat folds / a lot of excess skin);
• areas of the buttocks - dimples under the booty.

In addition, any young lady wants a rounded and voluminous buttocks without hip augmentation. All of these issues are addressed by fine-tuning the foot training.

In particular, in order to effectively solve the assigned tasks, ladies need to keep in mind that:

• classic squats are not the most effective exercise for increasing the buttocks. Most women have very responsive quads, and therefore squats mainly affect them, and the buttocks get on the residual principle. As a result, we have a significant increase in the hip and an insignificant increase in the buttocks;
• knee / knee / popliteal areas in women are much weaker than in men and therefore they should not get carried away with various types of sitting extension / lying flexion and even more so using large weights in them. Otherwise, the risk of getting a knee injury is great;
• in almost all leg exercises, the knee joint takes an active part. Constant work to increase the buttocks leads to its excessive load / overload, in addition, if the lady is overweight, then the risk of knees "flying out" increases significantly;
• loose and grainy inner thighs are a scourge for most women, but exercise exercises such as leg adduction / extension are not an effective independent tool for enhancing the insides of the thighs. It is best to include such exercises at the end of the workout after the exercises - abduction of the leg to the side on the block, plie squats with a dumbbell, Bulgarian lunges, split lunges;
• the process of removing the “bottom dimples” is the process of simultaneously working on all three muscles of the buttocks (large / medium / small);
• various lunges, dumbbell bench visits and sumo squats will help remove excess knee fat. With regard to excess skin, this is more a cosmetic than a training issue, although certain improvements can be achieved by “software”.

Despite the fact that the muscle groups are the same for everyone, the male and female legs have the following structural-visual differences.

No. 4. Different exercises and work angles

Legs are a large muscle group and so that 50% muscle volume have been harmoniously developed, they need to be trained with the full degree of responsibility for each muscle group. In other words, ladies should not stick only on the buttocks and biceps of the thigh, and men should allocate for their training 1-2 once a week.

An important point of the training is:

• experimenting with different stances (narrower / wider, higher / lower on the platform);
• the study of all the heads of the muscle group. For example, by changing the position of the feet, when doing socks while standing, you can shift the focus to both the medial and lateral heads;
• different types of shells (dumbbells / barbell / weights) and types of anchor points (step platforms, benches, etc.) give different muscle sensations and force even the smallest muscles to work.

This versatile workout allows the athlete to "squeeze the volume" out of each muscle unit and fully develop the lower body.

U-ff-f, well, I seem to have given out everything ..., now you have the theory of creating large legs :), there is little to do, practice, but this is already a play of a completely different article.

Afterword

Today we answered the question - how to pump up your legs?

So far, they answered only in theory, but there is a lot of it, but it is boring, but not all the carnival for the cat, sometimes you have to force it. The next article will be extremely practical and there we will learn many practical tricks for pumping legs and, of course, we will analyze specific programs. On this I consider our note complete, see you soon!

PS. how do you train your legs, inject?

PPS.

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

Site Master and Fitness Trainer | more \u003e\u003e

Rod. 1984 Has been training since 1999. Has been training since 2007 .. CCM in powerlifting. Champion of Russia and South of Russia according to AWPC. Champion of the Krasnodar Region according to IPF. 1 category in weightlifting. 2-time winner of the Krasnodar Territory Championship in m / a. Author of over 700 articles on fitness and amateur athleticism. Author and co-author of 5 books.

Place in : out of competition ()
Date: 2012-01-07 Views: 47 924 Rating: 5.0 By legs, I mean the muscles of the thigh and lower leg. And although leg workout is almost always inextricably linked with buttock workout, I wrote about the buttocks. So, let's get started: how to pump up your legs? The most important exercise is this. I think you all know this exercise well, so I want to talk about its variations. and. I do not recommend doing such squats for those who came to the gym for the first time, and for those who have not yet mastered the technique of classic squats. In addition, this option requires good flexibility in the hip joints. But its plus is that it allows you to better work out the inner thigh. Squats with incomplete extension of the legs. Very hard exercise. Even small weights instantly load your hips to the limit. After all, if you do not get up to the end, then the front surface of the thigh is deprived of the opportunity to rest and is always in tension. Doing this exercise after a basic leg exercise can help boost your hips. ... Due to the fact that there is almost no back inclination, more load falls on the front surface of the thigh, in particular, on the quadriceps muscle. ... They are performed both without weight (for a start), and with a barbell on the shoulders. The technique should be such that if you look from the side, then at the bottom point, the angles should be as in a normal squat. The leg set aside is always straight. And in this way you roll from foot to foot. This exercise works great on the back of the thigh. can be safely considered a basic exercise for leg muscles among simulators. The principle of leg muscles is akin to barbell squats, with one significant difference. There is no back load here. Therefore, this exercise is especially useful for those who cannot squat with a barbell due to various injuries and diseases of the spine. ... This exercise, like the squat, puts stress on your back. But a little less due to the fact that there is a backrest in the back. The further you put your feet forward, the more load will fall on the front of the thigh. Now a few words about the shin. All lower leg exercises can be divided into two categories. This is standing (or) and sitting (or). In the standing version, it is the calf muscle (biceps muscle of the lower leg) that will work for you. In the sitting version, it is mainly the soleus muscle, which is located under the gastrocnemius. Hence the conclusion that if you want to pump up the lower leg, then you need to perform the exercises both sitting and standing. Let's say one workout is sitting, the other is standing. Moreover, the muscles of the lower leg are very hardy muscles, and in order to make them grow, it is necessary to perform many sets of 20-30 lifts per set. There are many more exercises for the muscles of the legs (especially on simulators). In this article, I focused on the main ones. Now I want to say a few words about how to combine all this in training. A standard program for a comprehensive leg workout will be discussed. Legs can be swung 2 times a week. It is better to start training on your legs with squats. This can be either the classic version or the various variations given above. Then you can shake your legs. After that, you can do a couple of exercises on simulators for any surface of the thigh (at your discretion). You can end the workout with an exercise on the lower leg. If the first workout was on Monday, then the next one on your feet can be done on Friday. Squats in the GACK simulator and side rolls are enough. Shin - optional. Thus, Monday is the main workout. And on Friday - additional. Alternatively, you can use different supersets for the same muscle. Let's say first - one set of squats with a barbell, then immediately -. Rolls to the side, then immediately -. And so on. And so 3 - 4 approaches. But this option is for the more experienced. However, this method can provide a powerful impetus for muscle growth. That's all for today. Subscribe to new articles, and good luck!

Expert opinion

Obukhov Sergey - CCM in bench press, folk bench press, deadlift and author of the site silaichest.rf

I agree with the author's article, but I would like to share my personal experience and observations. Working as a coach, I tested this not only on myself, but also on the students. We train our legs hard, but once every 2 weeks. Legs are the largest muscle group and it takes a very long time for it to recover and even more so to supercompensate. While the process of myofibril repair takes a long time, other processes, such as glycogen replenishment, have long been over. Therefore, in week 1 we train heavily legs in a small repetition range of 6-8, and next week we do light leg training with 50% of the working weight for 10 repetitions. This way we will catch supercompensation across the board. Periodization is a very powerful thing and you cannot constantly plow into failure, otherwise you will quickly get overtrained. During the first year of training according to this scheme, my students reached 100 kg of working weight.

By the way, you can order yourself

Is the first thing to do in the gym. If you weren't too lazy and read the article on how to build muscle, then you should already know that the first step is to pump large muscle groups. And the winner in this category is the legs, yes, the legs are the largest muscle group in the human body. Even the back cannot be compared to the legs. Moreover, in addition to the total muscle mass, the legs are larger, all other muscle groups, affect the strength indicators.

Leg workout should definitely be divided into several stages: mass and strength training, and leg shape training. The first stage is squats with a bar, yes, just one single exercise that affects the mass and strength of the legs. Not that the rest of the exercises do not allow you to pump up your legs, there are other important basic exercises for pumping this muscle group, but they all pale against the background of squats with a barbell. But this exercise pumps both mass and strength at the same time.

For correcting lagging muscle groups, drawing muscles, etc. all other exercises exist. If you specialize in pumping your legs, then you can pump all muscle qualities. To do this, you need to allocate one leg workout. On the other hand, you should not overdo it, otherwise, instead of pumping up your legs, you will drive yourself into overtraining. So, leg training is divided into two stages.

Pump up legs: mass and strength

Barbell squats, as mentioned above, pump both. There are several squat patterns: in the range of up to 5 reps, in the range of 6 to 12 reps, and 3 sets of 20 reps, the so-called super squats.

You can build up the weight of your legs using any of these schemes. But the power indicators will differ among themselves. If your goal is to maximize one rep and not just build your legs, then of course you should be doing barbell squats in the 5 rep range. Super Squats will help build endurance and boost testosterone release, which will give a wild anabolic leap in the workout of other muscle groups. The range of 6 to 12 repetitions is a classic scheme with which you can develop all the muscle qualities of the legs.

When an athlete tries to pump up his legs by squatting in the 5 repetition range, he uses the famous 5 through 5. The scheme assumes an increase in the weight on the bar in each working set in such a way that you can complete the penultimate set by 4 reps, and the last by 3, with Therefore, each training session, the weight on the apparatus should increase by at least 0.5 kg.

The Super Squat is a fan exercise. There is no best way to pump up your legs, but prepare yourself for dizziness. The pattern is very simple, you warm up and do 3 sets of 20 reps. Rest between sets for 2-3 minutes. You should do the last set to the end, but the last 2 reps with the help of a partner. After that you pack your bag and go home, for today the workout is over.

The 6 to 12 rep range is a pattern that suits everyone and should start with your leg workout. You must pick up such a weight that in the first approach you would do 10-12 reps, and in the last 6-8. This scheme, like scheme 5 through 5, is quite suitable for including formative exercises in training.

Pump up legs: relief

It is possible and necessary to pump up your legs with squats, but you must take into account that you will only pump the strongest muscles. In this case, the biceps of the hip will practically not be involved. If you have genetically weak calf muscles, then you will not pump them either. You will be able to build the mass of the muscles of the quadriceps, the shape of which will also have to be corrected with shaping exercises.

In this case, we are not talking about isolation exercises, although you can use them too. But the base is the base, so if you want to build mass, then swing your legs with basic exercises. This is the muscle group that there is no point in pumping in isolation. It was already noted above that this is the largest and strongest muscle group, so other muscle groups cannot steal the load from it. You can only build your legs with basic exercises.

As for the tips that are suitable for everyone in order to pump up their legs, then this advice will be combined with squats, or singled out as a separate workout, the following exercises: lunges with dumbbells or a barbell, Romanian deadlift and the "donkey" exercise. Lunges pump the quadriceps, so they need to be done immediately after squats to "finish off" the quadriceps. Then you should do an exercise to pump the hamstrings, because the hamstrings are a large muscle that requires energy to pump. And at the end, pump the calves, for which it is best to use the "donkey" exercise, because it pumps both bundles of the calf muscles.

Summing up, we can say that pumping up your legs is not at all difficult! In order to build up the total muscle mass of the legs, it is necessary to do squats with a barbell, to give the legs an elegant shape, it is necessary to do basic exercises that emphasize the load on different parts of the leg muscles. Well, to give your legs the perfect shape and hone them, like Michelangelo David, it is necessary to include isolation exercises in the training program.

Hello to all bodybuilding lovers! In today's installment, we will deal with. We will provide you with comprehensive information on this topic. After reading this article, your views on leg training will change dramatically. You will learn which exercises are effective and which are not, how to combine them correctly and create an ideal complex. You will also learn how even a not deep knowledge of anatomy will help you train your leg muscles as efficiently as possible and why leg training must be divided into two parts. In general, more to the point. Ready to learn how to pump up your legs? Let's start then.

It is not easy to pump up your legs to impressive volumes, but without well-trained legs it will not be possible to build everything else. What kind of legs you have depends on what kind of arms, back, chest, and indeed any muscle of the body you have. Therefore, leg training is a priority for every thinking bodybuilder.

The purpose of this article is to help iron sports fans figure out how to pump up their legs in the shortest possible time and with maximum efficiency, without the use of steroids and other chemicals. The key to success is knowing and understanding how the leg muscles work and which exercises respond best.

A bit boring anatomy

The big mistake is that many beginners, and not only, consider the quadriceps and hamstrings to be the same muscle and that doing squats alone will be enough to build strong and pumped legs. No, no, no and no again! This great misconception leads to the fact that people train their legs for months to no avail, get injured, and see the effect is minimal. Nature has endowed the hamstrings and quadriceps with completely different trophies, which means that the approach to their training should be fundamentally different.

Also, in addition to the hamstrings and quadriceps, there is a group of adductor muscles, which make up a whole third of the size of the thigh. Their lack of intentional training is another reason why most bodybuilders cannot boast of inflated legs. Let's now take a closer look at what the adductor muscles are. This is a group of six muscles, two of which are small and, accordingly, not so significant, and four more significant muscles that play a key role in the development of general leg muscles. So, the first two are the lateral locking muscle and the scallop, the other four are the large adductor, fine-fibered, as well as the long and short adductor muscles. You can see their anatomical location in the picture below.

The role of the adductor magnus is in adduction of the thigh, as well as in its extension, fine-fiber, as well as the long and short adductors - only take part in flexion of the knee joint and in adduction of the hip. Together, this muscle group works as a single well-coordinated ensemble. In general, probably enough anatomy, since all of the above is enough in order to understand the general principles of the leg muscles, and also to understand well what will be discussed next, namely, how to pump up the legs and do it as efficiently as possible!

Features of leg training

You need to swing your legs 2 times a week, using separate training for the quadriceps and hamstrings. This is due to the fact that these two muscle groups are large enough to train them together in one workout. Having worked the quadriceps well, you simply will not have the strength for the same high-quality training of the hamstrings and, accordingly, they will constantly lag behind. Therefore, in one workout we swing the quadriceps, and in the next workout, the hamstrings.... Take this as a rule! It should also be noted that there should be a gap of at least three days between these two workouts. Compliance with these rules will create a balance between the development of the quadriceps and hamstrings and protect you from all kinds of knee injuries.

We swing quads

Quadriceps workout in bodybuilding is considered the hardest. Indeed, in fact, we are pumping not one muscle, but four at once! Recall that the quadriceps consists of four muscles that converge into one tendon and perform the same function - extension of the knee joint. Accordingly, the working weight should be very significant, since four muscles share it among themselves at the same time.

The most effective workout for the quads consists of three basic exercises, which include 4-5 sets. These exercises include barbell squats, hack squats, and machine leg presses. The important point is that the order of the exercises must be changed to prevent the muscles from getting used to the stress. However, it should be remembered that the first exercise should go with free weight, that is, squats, and only then exercises in simulators. Thus, you will only have to alternate leg presses and hack squats.

It should also be understood that it is possible to work out the legs well only if they are filled with blood in advance. More blood in the muscle will make the overall blood flow much more powerful, which means that the blood pressure will dilate the capillaries and ensure good fuel delivery to the muscle tissue. The word "fuel" refers to the body's energy reserves in the form of glucose and creatine phosphates.

So how do you fill the target muscle with blood? It's simple, this is facilitated by performing an elementary warm-up. In this case, before training the quadriceps, they should be thoroughly kneaded by performing an exercise such as leg extension in the simulator. It will be enough to complete 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions, with such a weight that will not make you strain too much, but nevertheless work out the quads well. At the end of the workout, it is also worth doing 3 sets of extensions with the same number of repetitions. The essence of this technique is that the extensions pump fresh blood into the tired quadriceps and thereby wash out the so-called "waste" of muscle contraction. This will speed up muscle recovery, and therefore muscle growth.

So, a set of exercises for quadriceps:

• (warm-up) 3 x 12-20
• 4 x 12-20
• 4 x 12-20
• 4 x 12-20
• 3 x 12-20

Squats

Hack squats

Leg press

Leg extension in the simulator

How many sets to do in exercises? As mentioned above - 4-5, but nevertheless, it will be optimal to perform 4 approaches, no more. Reps in one approach should be at least 12, but no more than 20. Therefore, choose the appropriate weight with which you achieve muscle "failure" in this interval.

When doing the leg press, do not spread your knees! To maximize the emphasis on the quads, the knees should be in a position parallel to each other. The feet on the platform of the simulator should be close enough - at a distance of about 6-8 cm.

Rest for 10-15 minutes before doing the last exercise (leg extension). This is necessary in order to make it as high quality as possible. Indeed, due to the accumulated fatigue, it will be very difficult to perform leg extension after 2-3 minutes, and most likely, there will be no sense from this. We need the exact opposite! The greater effect will be if you do the extension with one leg, and not simultaneously with two. In doing so, carefully calibrate each rep and feel the load on the target muscle.

How to pump up your hamstrings?

Similar to the quads, the hamstring workout should begin with a few warm-up sets of an exercise such as the prone leg curl. We already know the goal - it is necessary to pre-fill the muscle with blood and increase blood flow. After warm-up sets, which should be 1-2, with a number of repetitions of 15-20, you can start performing the same exercise, but with more significant weights.

It is not difficult to choose your working weight, it should be such that you can achieve muscle "failure" in the interval of 5-8 repetitions. Why not 12-20, as is the case with quadriceps training? The thing is that due to the anatomical features, the hamstrings respond better to a small number of repetitions, but with a large working weight. The optimal number of sets is 3.

So, having finished with the lying leg curl, we move on to the next exercise - standing leg curls. To some, these two exercises may seem the same, but in reality they are not at all. In the first exercise, our main goal is to forcefully overcome the resistance of the burden, but when bending the legs while standing, we must isolate the load on the back of the thigh as much as possible. The combination of these exercises has an amazing effect. The mode of the second exercise is the same - 3 sets of 5-8 repetitions.

The order of the exercises should not be changed, since the nature of the hamstrings is such that they are well susceptible to stress and are hard to get used to. In addition, the need to perform first lying leg curls and then standing is not accidental and has a belaying character. The first exercise puts a fairly large load on the lower back and overloads it, while the second, on the contrary, has a relieving effect on the lower back.

The third exercise in the complex should be the deadlift on straight legs. She, in contrast to the bending of the legs, which affect mainly the middle and lower area of \u200b\u200bthe back of the thigh, actively "iron" the upper part. You can perform this exercise with a barbell, but in order to achieve the best effect, you should replace it with dumbbells. The fact is that the barbell will pull you forward and shift the load, and the dumbbells located along the line of the legs will provide maximum load on the target muscles. The number of approaches and reps remains the same - 3 sets of 5-8 reps.

A set of exercises for the hamstrings:

• (warm-up) 2 x 12-20
• 3 x 5-8
• 3 x 5-8
• 3 x 5-8

Lying Leg Curl

Standing leg curl

Row on straight legs

About training the adductor muscles

As mentioned above, a third of the thigh surface is occupied by the adductor muscles, and in order to fully pump up the legs, you must also pay attention to training this muscle group. Although, one way or another, they are still involved in the performance of all the above exercises, but once a month it is just necessary to perform those exercises that focus specifically on the development of the adductor muscles of the thigh.

So, lunges with a barbell on the shoulders. They train the gluteal muscles perfectly, but they have no less effect on the adductors. The main focus is on the adductor muscles large and short.

The second exercise for training the adductors is wide squats with a barbell. Their difference from the usual ones is that the distance between the feet is much greater.

A sumo-style deadlift is also great for this purpose. Again, the difference from the classic one is that your legs should be much wider. The adductor muscles of the thigh can also be trained in a special simulator called the “adductor simulator”. Despite the fact that it is considered purely female, it can be used by men as well, it perfectly works out the large adductor muscle and the fine-fibrous one.

A set of exercises for the adductor muscles:

• (warm-up) 3 x 10-15
• 4 x 12-20
• 4 x 12-20
• Adductor muscle trainer 4 x 12-20

Leg press

Wide squats

Barbell lunges

That's probably all. We have dealt with the topic of how to pump up legs in full. However, the material of the article is quite large and although it is written in a language that is quite understandable for understanding, nevertheless, many may have some misunderstandings and questions. It doesn't matter! Just ask them in the comments to this post and you will receive an exhaustive answer in the near future. Until then, see you again in the next issues. Bookmark our site and follow our updates. Until!

Olya Likhacheva

Beauty is like a precious stone: the simpler it is, the more precious :)

Slender, fit, strong legs are the dream of many people. Lean forms are a thing of the past - in the modern world, an athletic enduring body acquired by hard work is valued. This article will allow you to learn how to build your legs at home, how to correctly draw up a training program and what exercises to do to work out the muscles of the thighs, calves and lower legs.

How to swing your legs at home

Many guys and girls are wondering how to swing their legs at home. A balanced diet is half the battle on the way to lean, lean thighs and legs, because it helps to grow muscle and reduce the percentage of subcutaneous fat. The correct technique for doing leg exercises at home will protect you from injury and pain.

• eat right, eating a lot of protein, avoiding carbohydrates;
• do a warm-up before training;
• choose an exercise regimen and stick to it;
• choose the optimal load, duration, pace of training;
• work out muscle groups evenly, adhering to a certain sequence;
• over time, increase the load, the number of repetitions, approaches.

How to swing legs at home for a man

Pumped legs in men are an important part of a muscular figure. Agree, if a man pays attention to pumping only the upper body (abs, biceps, triceps, shoulders), and does not work out his calves, leaving them thin, he looks ridiculous. Strong shins are essential for men who have to stand or walk a lot at work. Those who sit a lot because of their work, do not move much, preferring cars to walking routes, they need to train their calves and hips to prevent joint diseases. Guys need to use weights - dumbbells or a barbell to pump up their shins.

How to pump up a girl's legs

To build her legs at home, a girl is recommended to practice at least three times a week. You will need a jump rope from the inventory, and exercises that will help pump up your hips, tighten your calves are squats, lunges, deadlifts. If you use extra weight during your workouts, training your legs at home will be just as effective as in the gym under the guidance of a trainer.

How to pump up your ass and legs

All girls dream of perfect slender legs and pumped-up buttocks, as in a photo from magazines, therefore they are often interested in how to pump up their legs and butt quickly at home. The female body is prone to the accumulation of fatty deposits in the thigh area, therefore, in order to gain a beautiful figure, replacing fat with muscle mass, you will have to work hard. Proper nutrition should be combined with various squats, lunges, swings, jumps - these exercises will pump up the hips and buttocks in a complex.

Exercises for the legs at home

Don't have time to go to a sports club or gym? Not scary! If you are looking for a lean, hardy body, do leg exercises at home. Exercising correctly, regularly and intensively, you can achieve impressive results - improve the appearance of your shins, give a beautiful shape to your calves, and correct the volume of your thighs.

Warm up

A mandatory element of training is a warm-up before exercise, which accelerates the process of muscle growth, and also reduces the risk of injury. The main task of the warm-up is to warm up the muscles. For this, jumping, running in place, squats, stretching are suitable. It is important that the heart begins to actively drive blood through the body, preparing it for stress. Take 7 minutes to warm up.

Squats

A popular effective exercise known to everyone is squats that work out the medial muscle of the thighs. Often, girls and men are interested in how to squat correctly. It is important to adhere to the basic recommendations:

• fix the feet on the floor, turn the socks outward at an angle of 35 ° C;
• straighten your back, not arching, not stooping;
• tighten the press as much as possible, allowing the abdominal muscles to fix the spine;
• sitting down, bend the body at the knee and pelvic joints, pushing the back forward;
• focus on the heels, lingering for a couple of seconds;
• keep your knees above your feet, without taking them out;
• monitor your breathing, alternate inhalation and exhalation in time with the movements;
• when lifting, do not bring your knees inward.

The technique determines which muscles are used during the exercise. You can focus on the quadriceps (the quadriceps muscles of the front of the thighs), the adductors (the inner lateral part of the thighs). If you are exercising without additional weight, focus on muscle tension - squat until your shins and hips begin to "glow".

Lunges

An indispensable part of the workout is lunges for the legs and buttocks, allowing you to carefully work out the knee, hip, and ankle joints. To do your lunges correctly, follow these guidelines:

1. Become straight, back straight, arms along the body.
2. Place your feet exactly under the hips.
3. While inhaling, take a step forward from the right foot, keep the body straight, lower the body down, transferring the weight to the leg in front.
4. The right thigh is parallel to the floor, the left one is barely touching the floor.
5. Perform lifting from the heel in front, do not tilt the body. Feeling the back of the thigh, return back to the starting position.

Having mastered simple lunges, supplement them with raising the knee, jumping, twisting. To increase the load while performing lunges, use a step platform or small wooden bench - this will help to thoroughly pump the gluteus minimus and medius. If your house or entrance has a staircase, use it - lunges, stepping over a couple of steps.

Mahi

Various leg swings for the muscles of the thigh are allowed to pump up its back, inner, front, outer surfaces. By doing the swings regularly, you will tighten the muscles of the lower body, give the body elasticity and attractiveness. Try using weights to put more stress on your muscles. Follow the correct back swing technique:

1. Take up rest on your knees and elbows. The back is straight.
2. Straighten your working leg, rest your foot on your toes.
3. Lift your shin straight, stretch your heel up. Do not try to bend the lower back - the foot does not stretch at the expense of it.
4. Lower your foot, do 30 times, then repeat on another.

Dumbbell Exercises

By using dumbbells for the legs, you increase the load and act on the muscles with additional strength. The effect of training with dumbbells is much better than training without using weights. To pump up your lower body, use dumbbells while doing these exercises at home:

• wide squats "plie" - hold the dumbbell with both hands below, slowly lower into the squat, hold the position, stand up to the starting position, repeat;
• lunges - take a step forward, go down, holding dumbbells in hand;
• deadlift - slide two dumbbells along the front of the thighs, tilt the body, pulling the pelvis, then straighten the body with the effort of the buttocks;
• squat jumping - two dumbbells in your hands, lower into a squat, pushing off with your heels and jump.

Calf exercises

Beautiful calves are a testament to regular exercise, daily walking and excellent endurance. To pump up the calves of a girl's legs, you should perform the following exercises:

• "Pistol" (squats with an emphasis on one foot);
• squats with a load;
• jumping rope;
• walking up the stairs;
• lifting on a stand (socks rest, heels in the air);
• walking on toes;
• running in place.

How to build calf muscles

You can give the lower body a beautiful relief by performing exercises to strengthen the lower leg. Walking up the stairs, lunging with weights, lifting on your toes, running, squatting - all this will help to pump up the muscles of the lower leg. Use weights, weights, dumbbells to speed up the process of getting results at home, since the muscle tissue of the legs requires a long and thorough pumping.

Video: how to pump up legs at home

These videos will show you how to build your legs at home and find a beautiful toned body using your own weight and improvised weights. By practicing videos regularly, you will soon be able to enjoy pumped up legs and hips, and you will do it at home, without visiting fitness clubs or gyms. If training becomes easier for you over time, increase the weight of the weights.

Exercises for different groups of leg muscles

How to pump up legs at home for a girl

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