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Leg exercises
Many people ignore leg exercises when they are working out, yet they do so at their own peril. Leg exercises are essential for complete development, and also provide the underlying power for all manner of sports, including those that primarily seem to use the arms, such as swimming or tennis.
Even for those looking to lose fat, leg exercises have an essential role to play. An exercise such as squats uses the muscles of your butt and upper thighs, the two largest muscles in your body. The effect on your metabolism of exercising these muscles is profound, boosting your metabolic rate and helping you to burn more calories 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you are looking to work these muscles, you have a vast range of options, using either machines or free weights. Both will get the job done, though free weights are more effective overall because they force your peripheral muscles to work, making the movements much more like those you utilise in your everyday life.
Principal options include:
Machine:
- Calf raise
- Leg Press
- Leg Extensions
- Hamstring curls (standing, seated, lying)
- Abductor and Adductor machine
Free weights:
- Squats
- Lunges
- Step ups
- Calf raises
- Dead lifts
Choose a combination that includes something for the front thighs, hamstrings and calves, and you'll soon have some powerful pins to get you through everything life can throw at you.
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