Posts tagged lower body

Standard Legs Workout

Standard Legs Workout	Strong legs are essential for speed and explosiveness. Use this workout to strengthen your legs and build yourself into a balanced athlete.
Equipment Needed	A squat rack, barbell, and calf machine.
Exercises	Exercise Information and Tips	Rep Information
Olympic Squat	Warm up your legs using a relatively low weight Olympic Squat.	Complete 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, 6 reps each, with a 1-2 minutes rest in between each set.
Sumo Dead Lift	We next move to Sumo Dead Lifts. Use a heavy weight load and the low reps described.	Complete 6 set of reps 6, with 1-2 minutes rest each set
Machine Calf Raise	This is where you work on explosion. Use a medium weight load.	Complete 3 sets of reps 14 with 1-2 minutes rest in between each set.
Walking Lunges	Finish up with some walking lunges. Pay special attention to your form.	Complete 4 sets of 25 per leg. Rest three minutes in between sets.

Walking Lunge	This deceivingly difficult exercise both stretches and strengthens your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Description	Stand in place. Reach your right forward and your left leg back as you lower your body into the lunge position. Keep your back straight and your eyes looking ahead as you lower until your right leg is at a 45 degree angle, and your left leg is stretched and slightly bent. Explode upward as you reach your left leg in front of your right and complete the exercise once again but reversed in terms of your legs. Alternate Weighted Version: Perform the exercise in the exact same manner while holding appropriate weighted dumbbells at your sides.
Things to Keep in Mind	Form is essential to successfully completing a lunge. Make sure to lower far enough and always keep your back straight. If done correctly you should feel a good stretch in your quads.
Visual Aids	Correct Walking Lunge Form
Muscles Works	Hamstrings (Back of upper leg), Quadriceps (Front of upper leg), and Gluteals (Butt).

Sumo Dead Lift	This simple leg lift can help build strong and powerful legs. Stronger legs give you more explosion and faster movements.
Description	Approach the bar with feet slightly wider than shoulder width and toes pointed outward. Squat down and grip the bar at shoulder width with thumbs pointing towards each other. (Inside of legs, which are wider that shoulder width) Keep your arms straight and lift the bar to waste level, making sure the legs do the work rather than the back. Slowly lower the weight to its original position.
Things to Keep in Mind	Wear a belt and lift with your legs, not back. Keeping your back straight helps insure this. Keep your eyes ahead and chin up. This also insures that you lift properly with your legs.
Visual Aids	Proper Sumo Dead Lift Form
	Trapezius, Quadriceps, Pectineus, Adductor longus, Gracilis, Adductor magnus, and Gluteus maximus.