TeamFLEX Newsletter

Weight Loss Spotlight

Firm Legs

Training legs is for many a firm task since it's such a large muscle group and requires a lot of energy. The workout of legs can be divided into two separate workouts or completed in one session.

If you choose to split legs into two workouts, the layout of your training sessions would probably look something like this:

Firm Legs Routine

Day 1: Quads
Day 2: Hamstrings, Glutes and Calves

When training your quads always start your leg workout, regardless on how heavy you are intending to go, with a couple of warm up sets on the leg extension machine. This exercise will warm up the quad muscle and the quadriceps attachment to the knee or the patella.

If this muscle is not warm enough when proceeding to squats and leg presses, you run a risk of injuring yourself when you start putting heavy weight on the muscle. After warming up the legs with leg extensions, continue on to squats to firm your quads and glutes. Work with light weights for firm and toning of the muscle and heavier weights if you are trying to build a little muscle for shape.

Perform the free squats for firm and toning and squat in a smith machine or with a barbell on your shoulders for muscle growth. Position your feet either parallel or pointed slightly out targets different angles of the quadriceps muscle. There is yet another version of squats that tones and firms your quadriceps muscle effectively.

Using a stability ball size 45-55 inches in diameter, place the ball against a wall and lean on the ball facing away from the wall, positioning the ball in the curve of your lower back. Keep your feet shoulder wide apart. When squatting down lean against the ball until you come down to a seated position as if you were sitting on a chair.

This is an excellent version of the basic squat well suited for anybody with a weak back or legs not strong enough for free squatting. Three to four sets of 15-20 repetitions is a good volume for this exercise.

From squats continue on to leg presses with light weights for tone and heavier weights if you have a hard time putting on muscles and need to overload to force the muscle to respond and grow.

However if you just try to tone and firm your legs the horizontal leg press verses the vertical leg press might be better for you. In the vertical leg press you position your body underneath the platform for your feet and push the weight straight up in the air above you. This is a more strenuous position for your legs then the seated or horizontal leg press.

The hamstring muscles get the best workout in the lying or seated leg curl machine. The seated leg curl is targeting the hamstring muscle a little bit higher up towards your gluteus muscle then the lying version.

There is also a standing single-leg curl machine that works the hamstring however this version requires a little strength for you to use it properly. The standing leg curl version is very hard on your lower back if you don't have the proper form and is therefore not recommended for a beginner.

The calf raises are an excellent exercise for you calf muscles. Whether you choose to perform them seated or standing up, doesn't matter, they are still great muscle building exercises. Keep your feet parallel on the machine and role slowly and evenly up on all toes until your feel a full contraction in your calf muscle. Keep your legs just slightly bent to support the knee. When rolling back down again on your toes, get a full stretch in the calf at the finishing position of the exercise.

Complete a full set of 15-20 repetitions and take a 30-60 seconds break in between sets. Stretch the calf muscle by standing with both feet on the edge of a box and let one heal come off the edge of the box, hold on to something for balance while pushing your heal down and off the box. Keep the other foot parallel but with a slightly bent leg not to hyper extend your knee joint.