Leg Exercises

I usually post about nutrition but today I'll tell you about working out.

I won't go into detail on technique.

Other people have detailed videos that are so great it would be a waste of time to try to compete.'

I'm just telling you what, why, and giving you an image.

Anyway...

Great Leg Workouts

Squats or Goblet Squats

Squats are usually regarded as the most important workout there is, and it's because it pretty much is.

If you have knee issues, than that's even more of a reason to do it. Increasing blood flow to your knees helps them heal. I've fixed many a bad knee via squats.

Incomplete form stresses the knees. Make sure you go all the way down with your butt below parallel to engage your stretch reflex and not stress the knees.

For those having issues doing squats, such as stability and tightness, you should start out with goblet squats until you've worked your way to enough stability to do it.

Romanian Deadlifts

Unless you're doing Low Bar Squats, most of your posterior chain will be built using the deadlifts.

Romanians isolate the glutes and hamstrings more than regular deadlifts.

Most people are quad dominant, especially people nowadays that sit all day and develop a weak posterior.

So you definitely need an exercise that strengthens those weak posterior chain muscles and this is it.

Again, if you want to learn form there's plenty of sources I'm just highlighting these workouts briefly.

Lunges

We all know about the lunges and it's a great exercise to add in addition to squats.

Do you know all the variations you can do to keep them fresh?

There's Backwards lunges, Walking Lunges, Barbell Lunges, Side Lunges, and even Stationary Lunges which is the same thing as a ...

Split Squat

Split Squats allow you to focus on one leg at a time and use lighter weight. 

There's the normal version.

And the Bulgarian version.

Calf Raises

Most calves are genetic but you can still build them.

They work all the time, much like forearms. All the walking and stari climbing you do is constant exercise for them. So they need extra stress. Meaning lots or sets, reps, weight, and frequency. Meaning many times a week.

You can do them standing, sitting, and even donkey...

Sitting focuses on the soleus more, standing focuses on the gastrocnemius more.

As you may have noticed I never mentioned leg press, leg extensions, leg curls, smith machine, etc.

I try to stay away from machines as much as possible.

I won't go into all the details but machines work off a fixed position and make you work around it.

Instead of having the weight work around you.

Not to mention missing out on all the stabalizing muscles.

These exercise hit many muscles at once, burn more calories, are actually functional, and don't put as much stress on joints.