How to Build Leg Muscle
Legs are composed of the largest muscle group in the entire body. Sitting at a desk all day can leave them cramped and uncomfortable, while fatty foods can leave them flubbery. Stand up, stretch your legs and take these tips to the gym for sexy calves and strong thighs.
Instructions
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Go for a long walk. The best way to begin building leg muscle is to walk briskly for more than 30 minutes every day. Keep a quick, steady pace. Incorporate walking into your day--for example, try walking around your neighborhood after dinner or early in the morning. Leave the car at home if you need milk at the convenience store.
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Start running or playing soccer. Both long-distance running and soccer matches are great for building leg muscle. You run anywhere between 6 and 13 miles during a soccer game, which is a great workout for the legs. The same is true of running. Run for longer than 30 minutes for the best results.
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Take a cycling or spin class. Stationary bicycles will make you feel the burn in your legs. A vigorous hour-long routine several times a week (preferably with an instructor) will work your quads, calves and hamstrings. As an added bonus, cycling makes your gluts (butt muscles) stronger, too.
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Find time to do standing calf raises. This exercise can be done anywhere. Find a step or uneven surface, or use a stepping block at the gym. Stand on the higher surface with just your tiptoes and balls of your feet touching the bottom; the rest of your feet should be hanging off. Use a wall for balance. Move the balls of your feet up and down in a steady motion.
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Curl and extend. The leg curl machine and leg extension machine at the gym are both necessary for building well-rounded leg muscle. The curls work your calves, while the extensions are good for your quads.
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Lunge. Lunges work every leg muscle when done properly. This is a difficult exercise to do correctly, so ask for help at a gym or search for proper visual demonstrations online. Always keep your knee at a 90-degree angle in a lunge. There is a serious risk of knee injury if you push your knee beyond your toes.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are in good shape and have been working out for awhile, deadlifts are great for the hamstrings. Always use a spotter when deadlifting, and never deadlift more than once a week.
We have high expectations for our legs. As a result, they become injured more easily. Space out leg exercises so your muscles have time to recover. Stretch often and ice sore muscles hourly for 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
