[Article] Bodybuilding Exercise:Legs, Hips and Glutes

Legs, Hips and Glutes

Strong, powerful legs give your body good symmetry, balancing the development of the upper body, and bring good performance in other sports.
Building a foundation of strength in the lower body is important in all sports that require running, jumping, lifting, kicking and pushing. Hip and leg extension play a major role in:

* Running - as seen in athletics, football and rugby.
* Jumping - as seen in volleyball and netball.
* Kicking - as seen in football and the martial arts.

Intense leg training not only helps build strong muscular thighs but also stimulates faster muscle growth in the upper body. In other words, the more intense the leg training, the greater the development of the chest, back, shoulders and arms. This is because intense leg training (with weights equivalent to 1 Rep Max) stimulates the release of anabolic hormones - namely testosterone and growth hormone - which in turn improve wholeÂ*body muscle growth.

Training legs with high intensity will also elevate your heart rate and this, together with the resulting muscle mass increase, will allow you to burn fat more efficiently.

Barbell Squat-Target Area - glutes, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Lower back, Adductors, Hip flexors. Legs, Hips and Glutes
Legs, Hips and Glutes

Strong, powerful legs give your body good symmetry, balancing the development of the upper body, and facilitating good performance in other sports.
Building a good foundation of strength in the lower body is important in all sports that require running, jumping, lifting, kicking and pushing. Hip and leg extension play a major role in:

* Running - as seen in athletics, football and rugby.
* Jumping - as seen in volleyball and netball.
* Kicking - as seen in football and the martial arts.

Intense leg training not only helps build strong muscular thighs but also stimulates faster muscle growth in the upper body. In other words, the more intense the leg training, the greater the development of the chest, back, shoulders and arms. This is because intense leg training (with weights equivalent to 1 Rep Max) stimulates the release of anabolic hormones - namely testosterone and growth hormone - which in turn improve wholeÂ*body muscle growth.

Training legs with high intensity will also elevate your heart rate and this, together with the resulting muscle mass increase, will allow you to burn fat more efficiently.

Exercises for your Legs, Hips and Glutes

Barbell Squat-Target Area - glutes, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Lower back, Adductors, Hip flexors.
Dead Lift-Target Area - glutes, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Hip flexors, Lower back, Adductors, Latissimus dorsi, Trapezius, Abdominals.
Leg Press-Target Area - glutes, Quadriceps, Hamstrings.
Leg Extention-Target Area - Quadriceps
Front Lunge (dumbbell or barbell)-Target Area - Quadriceps, Hamstrings, glutes
Reverse Lunge]-Target Area - glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps.
Lying Leg Curl-Target Area - Hamstrings,Also used Gastrocnemius
Straight-leg Dead Lift-Target Area - Hamstrigs, glutes, Lower Back
Standing Calf Raise-Target Area - Gastrocnemius, Soleus
One-leg Dumbbell Calf Raise-Target Area - Gastrocnemius, Soleus
Leg Press Machine Calf Press-Target Area - Gastrocnemius, Soleus

Trained legs today. I feel like I'm really stagnating with my legs. I haven't gone up in weight with squats for months. If anything I have decreased weight, improved technique and increased repetitions. I'm still not sure if that is an improvement though, or a move backwards.

The intensity is definitely there. Today after my set (four sets of 15-20) I almost threw up, and on a couple of occasions I struggled to maintain consciousness (everything was going grey).

A positive way of looking at this is that I am putting on weight in the upper body, which is increasing my squat weight *laugh*. I'm training legs twice a week.

Any thoughts?

Hey Snooks, where you been?

How about those leg ext/curls..............

What kind of weight are you pushing? Just curious.

You could try changing your rep range or using multiple rep ranges, for the later i mean do 3 leg days, have one day light the next medium the next heavy with high reps on light days going down to low on heavy etc then cycle.

Im not good with leg stuff as I have a stuffed knee so dont go hard with it. How knows tho that might help.

The Hulk said:

Hey Snooks, where you been?
How about those leg ext/curls..............

Click to expand...

I've had a mountain of Uni work, I've just come up for a breath of air. I've been doing leg extensions/curls on my crappy little machine. I need to update it, just have to convince the wife somehow ;-)

Kindred, I'm only doing 40-50 kg at my max (not including the bar, not 100% sure how much it weighs). At one stage I was up to 65-70 kg, but I wasn't getting full range of motion so I thought it was pointless. I could probably squat with you on my shoulders if I didn't do a full range of motion.

You can squat 150kg **** me your strong.

I'm still hating doing legs, although not as much.

Squats make me want to vomit as well, and I'm only squatting with 60kgs on my shoulders. My knees make sounds like Velcro!

Dead lifts kick arse! I enjoy them. Again I'm only dead lifting 60kgs as that's all I have to work with. (I'm planning to buy another 40kgs in a couple of weeks.) My BUTT is shaping up nicely! ;-) I do both dead lifts and stiff legged dead lifts on different days.

I'm also doing weighted step-ups on my bench. I hold a dumbbell in each hand and do single legged step ups. A set of 20 reps on my left leg, then without break I do another 20 on my right. I then take a 60sec break and do it again. Total of 4 sets per leg. I'm puffing like a train and begging for mercy by the end.

Lunges aren't too bad either, but hurt my knees. Jogging for the last 16 odd years has done its damage!

I've also been doing back extensions. I put all my weights, plus my spare bench on the end of the bench and lock my legs into the leg extension doovey-lacky. (Bottom pads behind my heels and upper pads above my knees.) Its making my lower back, butt and hams HURT in such a good way. LOL

I'm doing ham curls which have been causing cramps on the last 2 workouts.

Quad extensions give me a massive pump just above my knees.... which pushes down on my knee caps and feels just plain WEIRD and uncomfortable.

The things we do, eh?

Thanks for the input.

I am of the opinion that knees really shouldn't hurt with squats. If you squat properly then there shouldn't be that much pressure going through your knees. Have you seen a youtube video on how to properly squat? It is as if you were sitting down on the seat, pushing your bum out heaps. If your knees are still whingeing, have you tried strapping them?

The mantra I keep repeating to myself is that squats built bodies, and the more pain I feel while doing the squat, the better I will feel afterwards (got to love those natural opioid's).

I just looked over the book - Super Squats, again the other day, and also been reading some other stuff.
And it reconfirmed that squats are the number 1 exercise and most impotant for bulding total body mass.
It's easy to forget this over time, as there are so many other possible and fancy exercises available to get distracted by.
But in the end, the simple squat will strengthen and add more mass to your body than any other exercise.

Also missing my most hated (but most loved) exercise the glute ham raise (GHR). This will work wonders on anyones squat!

Don't forget Barbell Lunges

If my gym doesn't have the high frame for putting the barbells on to do squats, will using the smith machine be a suitable alternative? Or using dumbells on my shoulders for squats. I always have trouble with squats, thats my no. 1 priority for improvement this year.. I been blaming it on my bad back for not giving it a shot but no more excuses!

Jungman said:

If my gym doesn't have the high frame for putting the barbells on to do squats, will using the smith machine be a suitable alternative? Or using dumbells on my shoulders for squats. I always have trouble with squats, thats my no. 1 priority for improvement this year.. I been blaming it on my bad back for not giving it a shot but no more excuses!

Click to expand...

Change gyms.

Jungman said:

If my gym doesn't have the high frame for putting the barbells on to do squats, will using the smith machine be a suitable alternative? Or using dumbells on my shoulders for squats. I always have trouble with squats, thats my no. 1 priority for improvement this year.. I been blaming it on my bad back for not giving it a shot but no more excuses!

Click to expand...

Dude... i got a broken back several years ago...

Compression wedge fracture in my T2 T3.....

Subsequently I can't high bar squat... Currently I aim very able to low bar squat... will wait and see how it goes as the weight goes up... Aiming for a 180kg squat by the end of year...

You tube rippetoe squat.... Explains a great deal on how to squat....

NOTE: that there are several techinques followed on here with respects to the squat... All depends on what suits you....

Good luck!!!

Jungman said:

If my gym doesn't have the high frame for putting the barbells on to do squats, will using the smith machine be a suitable alternative? Or using dumbells on my shoulders for squats. I always have trouble with squats, thats my no. 1 priority for improvement this year.. I been blaming it on my bad back for not giving it a shot but no more excuses!

Click to expand...

Also to answer your question....

NO... Dont use the smith machine!!! Go to another gym as per B20.....

The smith machine will ruin your squat form.... Actuall dont use the smith machine for anything apart from chinups....

Cheers....

Cheers

There are different exercises for Legs, Hips and glutes. Some of them which are really good are:
Barbell Squat
Dead Lift
Leg Press
Leg Extention
Front Lunge (dumbbell or barbell)
Reverse Lunge
Lying Leg Curl
Straight-leg Dead Lift
Standing Calf Raise
One-leg Dumbbell Calf Raise
Leg Press Machine Calf Press
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