Sports-And-Fitness

Leg muscle training

The leg muscles

Since leg muscle training means movement via the hip joint and knee joint as well as the ankle, the number of muscles involved is correspondingly high. The hip joint enables people to move their thighs in all dimensions, and training of the leg muscles must therefore be very extensive. Well-developed leg muscles also relieve the ligaments of the lower extremities.

Definition of muscle building

This form of strength training is about targeted muscle building with various objectives.
The reasons may be purely aesthetic, but at the same time therapeutic effects can be used that can be achieved through improved muscles. Chronic complaints can be completely eliminated by building muscle.

Areas of application

Adequate leg muscle training is used in both health and fitness, as well as in professional bodybuilding.

However, the objectives of the individual areas of application are different. While bodybuilding is purely about aesthetics and muscle building, leg muscle training is used in health sports to maintain mobility. The muscle building is only of secondary importance here.

In game sports, leg muscle training is usually used to improve the acceleration of movement in individual areas. A good jumping ability is particularly important in basketball and handball. In various athletic disciplines, the leg muscles are trained through maximum strength training in order to achieve optimal acceleration of the body.

Exercises

Leg press

The leg press is a conventional and safe way to train the leg muscles. Since the athlete is firmly fixed in a device, the coordination requirements are very low. Since several muscles are trained at the same time by just one exercise, the leg press is particularly used in health sports and in the field of fitness. Most advanced bodybuilders prefer the squats.

For more detailed information on this exercise, visit our topic Leg press

Calf lifter

The calf lifter is a targeted exercise to train the calf muscles in isolation. Since the amount of work involved is very high, the calf lifter is mostly only used in bodybuilding and professional fitness sports.

For more detailed information on this exercise, visit our topic Calf lifter

Leg extension

The leg extension is performed while sitting and trains the front thigh muscles. Footballers in particular incorporate this exercise into their training plan to increase the acceleration of the lower legs when shooting.

For more detailed information on this exercise, visit our topic Leg extension

Adductor machine

With the adductor machine, the thighs are moved inwards against a weight. Especially female studio visitors train this muscle group on the adductor machine.

For more detailed information on this exercise, visit our topic Adductor machine

Abductor machine

The abduction in the hip joint is caused by a contraction of the buttocks. The abductor machine is therefore increasingly used to train the buttocks.

For more detailed information on this exercise, visit our topic Abductor machine

Hamstrings

The hamstring is the antagonist of the leg extension and should therefore be trained in the same way as the leg extension. In reality, however, this is usually not the case. As a result, the hamstrings often tend to wither and cramps when they are exerted.

For more detailed information on this exercise, visit our topic Hamstrings

For more helpful exercises that strengthen leg muscles and other areas of the body, see: Exercises against cellulite

Leg muscle training with machine

Training the leg muscles is a core element of the weekly training plan for many athletes. Machines that work with weights are very suitable for training muscle growth, strength endurance and maximum strength. You train the muscles in isolation and stabilize the training through the solid frame. This allows the target muscles to perform better, the joints are protected and the risk of injury is reduced.

Examples of these devices are the leg press, the leg curls and leg extensions, the adductor and abductor machine, and the calf extension machine. These exercises are also popular for beginners in fitness because the risk of injury is low and the execution of the exercise is simple.

Another category of leg exercises on the device are the exercises on the cable pull (see also: Butterfly on the cable pull). The level of difficulty is already significantly higher here. In addition to overcoming the weight, the athlete now has to take over a large part of the stability, since the movement is no longer guided by a machine frame, but the athlete has to stabilize the movement.

The exercises abduction and adduction can be performed just as effectively and easily on the cable. Above all, mobility and coordination are trained to a higher degree compared to machines.

Leg curls and leg extensions can also be performed on the cable. These exercises involve balance to a great extent. Unsafe athletes can use a hold on the device to secure them.

More exercises can be found at: Leg muscle training exercises

Leg muscle training without equipment

For athletes who don't always have time to go to the gym, it is advisable to do leg exercises at home. As a rule, you don't need any tools.

A simple basic exercise is the squat. From a hip-width stand, the arms are stretched out in front of the chest and the buttocks are tilted backwards (similar to a “duck butt”). At the same time you crouch down and try to keep your knees above your ankles as much as possible. The entire sole rests on the ground the entire time and the main weight rests on the heels.

Lunge steps are another exercise for the leg muscles. A big step forward is made from a hip-width stand. Now move the pelvis towards the floor until the knee of the extended leg almost touches the floor. Now it goes back to the starting position and the other leg takes a big step forward. In addition to strengthening the muscles, balance also plays an important role here.

Another exercise is hip extension on the floor. For this you need the softest possible surface. The starting position is the quadruped stand, with the wrists just below the shoulders and the knees just below the hip joints. Now alternately stretch your left and right leg backwards (as an extension of your back) so that your back and leg form a line.

Read more about this under: Weight training without equipment - tips for at home

Leg muscle training without knee strain

The knee joint is a very important joint for the legs, through which many movements of the human body are possible. In the vast majority of leg exercises, the knee is more or less stressed. Leg exercises that can be done without knee strain are not that easy to find. One leg exercise that does not cause any problems for the knee is the side leg raise. The starting position is lying on your side on a fitness or yoga mat. The leg on top is now spread up and slowly brought down again against gravity. Since the legs are straight, the knee does not experience any stress here. Another exercise is the pelvic lift. The starting position is lying on your back, with your arms on the floor at your sides. The feet are up and now the pelvis and lower back are lifted off the floor and moved upwards until a bridge is created from the shoulders to the knees. Since there is a maximum joint angle of 9 °, the load on the knee is very low. Climbing stairs is also a good leg workout. However, you should make sure that the angle in the knee joint is not smaller than 90 °. The levels should therefore be normal, and the athlete should only take one level at a time.