Squats
1. Place a barbell at the back of your neck. Grasp it firmly with your hands roughly shoulder width apart
2. With the bar resting across your Trapezius muscle, squat down in a controlled manner until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Do not bounce! Always keep your head up and your back straight!
3. Slowly raise to starting position. The knees should still be slightly bent when beginning the next rep.
Note: Performing this exercise takes a lot of energy. However, it is very important to maintain perfect form throughout the entire movement. Poor form with this exercise will most likely result in injury.
Muscles Targeted: This compound exercise primarily works the thighs, but also the glutes (buttocks) and, to a lesser extent, the hamstrings and calves, as well as the lower back and the abs.
2. With the bar resting across your Trapezius muscle, squat down in a controlled manner until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Do not bounce! Always keep your head up and your back straight!
3. Slowly raise to starting position. The knees should still be slightly bent when beginning the next rep.
Note: Performing this exercise takes a lot of energy. However, it is very important to maintain perfect form throughout the entire movement. Poor form with this exercise will most likely result in injury.
Muscles Targeted: This compound exercise primarily works the thighs, but also the glutes (buttocks) and, to a lesser extent, the hamstrings and calves, as well as the lower back and the abs.
Leg presses
1. Sit down on a leg press machine and press your back firmly against the back rest.
2. Slowly bend your legs, allowing your knees to move towards your chest.
3. Extend your legs until they are almost straight. (Always keep your knees slightly bend.)
Muscles Targeted: The leg press is a compound exercise that also involves the glutes and, to a lesser extent, the hamstrings and the calves.
Lunges
1. Pick up a pair of dumbbells and stand up straight with the dumbbells in your hands.
2. Lunge one leg forward in a stepping motion until your thigh is parallel with the floor. The knee of the other leg is now almost touching the ground.
3. Return to standing position by completing the stepping motion.
4. Repeat movement with the other leg.
This exercise can be a little tricky to perform because the movement is a little awkward. Use light dumbbells for the first couple of sessions in order to get a feel for this exercise. Concentrate on using your front thighs to push your body weight up and not your back. Keep your back straight at all times, do not swing your arms and never allow you knee to hit the floor as you are coming down.
Muscles Targeted: A compound exercise, which will help strengthen and develop the front thighs, glutes (butt), hips, and calves.
2. Lunge one leg forward in a stepping motion until your thigh is parallel with the floor. The knee of the other leg is now almost touching the ground.
3. Return to standing position by completing the stepping motion.
4. Repeat movement with the other leg.
This exercise can be a little tricky to perform because the movement is a little awkward. Use light dumbbells for the first couple of sessions in order to get a feel for this exercise. Concentrate on using your front thighs to push your body weight up and not your back. Keep your back straight at all times, do not swing your arms and never allow you knee to hit the floor as you are coming down.
Muscles Targeted: A compound exercise, which will help strengthen and develop the front thighs, glutes (butt), hips, and calves.
Leg extensions
1. Sit on the leg extension machine. Place your feet under the extension pads and press your back against the back rest.
2. Slowly raise the weight by extending both legs upwards to an almost straight position.
3. In a controlled manner, bend your legs back to the starting position.
Muscles Targeted: The leg extension is an isolation exercise for the quadriceps.
Leg curls
1. Lying face down on a leg curl machine, place your feet under the pad and hold on to the handles.
2. Curl your legs upwards in a controlled fashion. Keep your hips pressed against the padding.
3. Slowly extend your legs back out.
Muscles Targeted: This is an isolation exercise for the hamstrings.
Seated calf raises
1. Sit down on calf raise machine. Place your feet on the platform and your knees under the pads.
2. Slowly drop your heels as far down as you can.
3. Raise your heels back up in a controlled fashion.
Muscles Targeted: The seated calf raise is a great exercise for developing the upper part of the calf. A very simple exercise to do but you will need a seated calf machine to get the most from this exercise.
