How to Improve Leg Power
Your legs are home to some of the largest and most powerful muscles in the entire body. Some people think that just through going about their daily routine they can maximize the power in these extremities. This is unfortunately a fallacy, as a regular day does not provide your legs with a sufficient workout. In order to get the best from your legs, a targeted set of exercises is required.
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Things You'll Need
- Treadmill with incline feature
- Dumbbells
- Leg weights
- Long bar and assorted weights
Instructions
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Stretch fully before beginning your workout.
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Run at an incline using the treadmill. Many treadmills have a number of pre-programmed workouts that come with a range of incline settings. These runs will help to test all of the muscles in your legs. If you cannot gain access to a treadmill with such a function, try the great outdoors. Running up and down hills will give you the added benefit of taking in some of your local scenery. Over time, as your leg muscles get used to the exercise, add some weights to your legs.
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Hold some dumbbells and use the treadmill at a walking pace to work on your calves, hamstrings and quadriceps.
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Perform sets of squats with the long bar with a 30 second break in between. Five sets of squats should suffice, with 30 repetitions in the first set, decreasing to 15, 8 and 4 for the last two sets. The weight on the bar should be increased by a small amount each time.
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Stretch and warm down following your workout. Refueling your body with a protein shake or something similar about 20 minutes after exercising can help the body recover faster.
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Adjust your diet so it contains high amounts of carbohydrates and protein. As you are trying to increase power, your calorie intake also needs to be raised.
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Tips & Warnings
If you live or work in a tall building, try taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Remember to walk rather than run.
Little and often is the best way to train. Three sessions a week that are an hour long each are much better than one session that lasts for three hours.
Finding a training buddy to work with can make the whole process much more bearable. As well as providing extra motivation during sessions, knowing that someone is expecting to train with you will make you much more likely to do it.
If you suffer from any medical conditions, it is best to seek advice from a doctor before embarking on any kind of training program.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images
