Tips on Effective Leg Exercises

It’s always a good idea to exercise your complete body every other day, up to three times a week. The day of rest enables your body to recover from the previous workout session.

As well - alternate your daily workouts. One day perform upper body exercises, and the next day perform the lower body exercises.

It’s important to establish specific and realistic goals to start. Determine your long term goal and then set a series of short term goals that will help you achieve your long term goal.

For maximum results, follow a complete fitness program that includes healthy food and proper nutrition, aerobic exercise and strength training.

Example training methods

1. For muscle endurance and definition:
   This training method incorporates achieving and maintaining a high heart rate and helps burn away excess fatty tissue. It also adds muscle definition and muscular endurance to your entire body. Exercises are most commonly performed for 15 to 20 repetitions and 3 to 4 sets using a light to moderate weight. The rest period between sets should be about 30 seconds. These short rest intervals will help maintain an elevated heart rate and prevent the muscles from cooling down.
2. Strength:
   This type of training is the most popular of the three and is designed specifically for increasing strength throughout the muscle and the muscle-tendon junctions. This type of training is especially important for athletes. Normally, exercises are performed using moderate to heavy weight for 8 to 12 repetitions and 2 to 3 sets. The rest period between sets should be from 60 to 90 seconds. This allows a degree of muscle recovery before you hit them again.
3. Power and muscle mass:
   This is the method most often used by body-builders and is recommended only for intermediary and advanced lifters. The weights used are heavy – this shocks the muscles and stimulates a more rapid increase in muscle size. Usually exercises are performed for 2 to 6 repetitions and 3 to 4 sets using heavy weights. The rest period between sets should be 3 to 4 minutes. The prolonged rest periods allow ample time for recovery between sets.

A repetition is defined as one complete movement from the starting position, through the full range of motion, and back to the starting position. A set is defined as a series of continuous repetitions. Start your exercise program conservatively. Select a weight for each exercise that is easily performed for the full range of motion. Learn to feel your body’s responses and change your program and training method accordingly.

The following exercise example can be performed on most types of home gym systems:

Example 1: Leg Press - Quadriceps and Hamstrings

1. Insert the pin into weight stack at the desired resistance level.
2. Adjust the back pad to desired starting position.
3. Sit comfortably on the seat pad with your back flat against the back pad and your feet securely against the press plate.
4. Hold on to the handles at both side for balance and stability.
5. Using your leg muscles, slowly press the foot plate until your legs are extended. It’s important not to lock-out your knees.
6. Pause for a moment, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat this movement.
7. Exhale on exertion, inhale on return motion.

Example 2: Leg Extension - Quadriceps

1. Insert pin into the weight stack at the desired resistance level.
2. Sit comfortably on seat pad. Place knees over the top roller pads and hook your feet under the bottom leg pads.
3. Using quadriceps strength, extend your feet outward and upward until your legs are fully extended.
4. Pause for a moment, then slowly return your feet back along the same arc, to the starting position. Repeat this movement.
5. Exhale on exertion, inhale on return motion.

Example 3: Standing Leg Curl - Hamstrings and Leg biceps

1. Insert pin into the weight stack at the desired resistance level.
2. Stand facing machine and hook your left heel under the bottom leg pad with left knee positioned slightly below the top roller pad. Adjust the back pad and / or Press Arm and hold for stability during exercise movement.
3. Use Hamstring strength to pull and curl your left foot upward, bending your knee as much as possible.
4. Pause for a moment, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat movement.
5. Exhale on exertion, inhale on return motion.
6. Change sides and repeat with opposite leg.

A Home Gym is a piece of exercise equipment that is built so that the user can perform multiple and varying exercises on one machine in less time instead of having to use different, multiple exercise machines. The Home Gym comes in many different variations and offers different forms of resistance. For instance the Smith press Home Gym uses free weights, the Bowflex home Gym uses Power Rods or the traditional weight stack Home Gym.

For more information on Home Gyms, Multi Gyms and Home Gym Systems here.

Please note: Before starting on a new exercise plan, consult with you doctor to make sure that the exercises are suitable for you.