Lower Body Exercise Tips
Read these 14 Lower Body Exercise Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Muscle Building tips and hundreds of other topics.
Lunging Properly Part II
When lunging don't bring the trailing knee all the way to the floor; this will help keep the tension on the muscles throughout the movement.
What works the soleus muscle?
The soleus muscle is more directly isolated by performing seated calf raises and the gastrocnemius is worked by performing calf raises with the legs extended (standing, leg press, donkeys). Make sure to do both types of exercises for fully developed calves.
Advanced Quadriceps Exercise
For advanced training, do front squats to target the quadriceps more intensely. You will have to use much less weight on this movement than on a traditional squat.
Targeting Areas of Quadriceps
Vary the angle of the toe on leg extensions to hit different areas of the quadriceps. You can point the toe, turn the toe in, turn the toe out or keep the toe straight with the foot flexed.
Muscle Gain in Legs
If your legs seem to be more muscular after a while on a walking or running program, you have probably lost some fat tissue from your legs, making the muscle more apparent. This is generally a good thing, but if you feel your legs are too muscular, you can try doing some other types of exercise. For instance, try alternating biking, skating, rowing, or aerobics with your walking. You will still get the cardiovascular benefit and burn calories, but vary the way your leg muscles are used.
Leg Curl Variations
On lying leg curls changing the way the toes are pointed will target different areas of the hamstring and calf muscles. You can turn the toes out, turn the toes in, or keep the toes pointing straight down.
Muscle Gain in Legs
If your legs seem to be more muscular after a while on a walking or running program, you have probably lost some fat tissue from your legs, making the muscle more apparent. This is generally a good thing, but if you feel your legs are too muscular, you can try doing some other types of exercise. For instance, try alternating biking, skating, rowing, or aerobics with your walking. You will still get the cardiovascular benefit and burn calories, but vary the way your leg muscles are used.
Getting Full Range of Motion for Calves
When doing standing calf raises do them with your toes on an elevated surface (such as a step, platform or board) so your calves are worked through a complete range of motion. This will aid in optimal development as your heels go below your toes.
Building Up Thighs with an Elliptical
The elliptical machine is a cardiovascular exercise device. As such, it will not build up muscle much. It will have more effect on muscular endurance, but chiefly it will burn calories and improve cardio fitness.
Calf training
The calves consist of two primary muscles: the gastrocnemius (the outer calf muscle) and the soleus (inner calf muscle). To work on the outer calf muscle keep the knees straight, as in standing calf raises. To work the inner calf muscle, keep the knees bent, as in seated calf raises. The outer calf muscle responds better to lower repetitions and more weight, while the inner calf muscle responds better to higher repetitions and less weight.
Variety of Lunge Movements
Doing forward, side and reverse lunges will hit the quadriceps muscle at all different angles, therefore encouraging full development and separation in the muscle.
Targeting Different Parts of Calf
Vary foot positioning on calf exercises to work the different heads of the calf muscle. You can turn the toe in, turn the toe out, or keep the toe pointed straight ahead.
Lunge Variation
Try doing side lunges as a variation of the typical forward lunge, to hit the quadriceps muscle at a different angle.
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