5 Simple Exercises To Strengthen Your Legs

Find out here which are the 5 best exercises to tone and strengthen your legs while improving your posture. 

To build muscle your legs, you obviously need to exercise. While most people’s attention is on the upper body, the legs deserve the same, if not more, attention. Having well-toned legs allows you to walk longer without getting tired and without pain (without stiffness).

Before starting your leg workout routine, you should realize the effort and consistency that this workout entails. It’s not about losing fat, it’s about building muscle.

To achieve good results, discipline and a diet rich in protein are the two main keys : they are the perfect combination. Consistency will allow you to gradually increase your physical resistance threshold.

Find out here why strengthening your leg muscles through a workout routine is important. Keep in mind that the legs give the body strength and stability. Practice the following exercises to maximize performance, and you will be proud of the results.

1. Squats

Doing squats with weights is a great exercise to strengthen your leg muscles. This exercise is ideal for quickly increasing muscle volume and gaining strength. With this exercise, you will work the following areas: the quadriceps, thighs, quadriceps femoris muscle, adductors, calves, and back.

Work gradually: gradually increase the weight. Otherwise, you risk hurting your back or your joints.

To obtain good results, it is advisable to first learn how to do the exercise properly.

• The distance between the feet should correspond to the distance between the two shoulders.
• You have to contract the abdomen.
• You should bend down and lean back very slightly.
• Don’t arch your back.

2. The bicycle to strengthen the legs

Professional cycling is one of the toughest sports around, and professional cyclists all have strong muscles. That’s why riding a bike, whatever the variant, is a perfect method for toning and building muscles.

In addition, with the bike, you are not only working the lower part of the body. You also strengthen the lumbar, pectorals and shoulders, and thus prevent bone damage and arthritis. The other benefits of cycling are as follows:

• improved blood circulation
• decrease in bad cholesterol levels
• reinforced heart

3. Scissor jumps

Scissoring is a very simple exercise that involves  jumping with your legs together, then once in the air, opening your legs while clapping your hands over your head.   

If you want to increase your power, resistance and aerobic capacity, you can use ankle braces with weights. As always, it is essential to work gradually: start with light weights, then increase the weight gradually.

4. A special calf exercise

To have well-defined calves, we recommend that you practice the exercise below.

• Take dumbbells with a weight that is suitable for you.
• Spread your legs. The distance between the feet should correspond to the distance between the two shoulders.
• Lift your heels and then stand on your tiptoes for 25 seconds.

Do 4 sets of 10 repetitions, then gradually increase the weight of the dumbbells. Moderate calf pain indicates that you are exercising correctly.

5. Knee bends to strengthen the legs

This is a mandatory exercise if you want to strengthen your hips and build muscle in your legs. Although the exercise sounds easy, in reality it is not. Indeed, it requires a lot of energy, and if it is not done correctly, you risk suffering from damage to the joints.

This exercise works several muscle groups at the same time. However, it is important to practice several variations of the exercise, in order to work different parts of the body and get real results.

Some general recommendations to consider

• The first thing before you exercise is to warm up the muscles that you are going to be working. This warm-up should not last less than ten minutes.
• Stretching before and after each session is essential for muscles to increase in size .
• You need to increase the intensity of the exercise gradually. Don’t go beyond your capabilities. Otherwise, you may suffer serious damage.
• Whatever you do, do it right. Take your time, don’t try to get immediate results. Also check with your sports coach and, above all, be consistent.