How to Build Up Leg Muscles
Strong legs can lead to a longer life and help to prevent life-threatening injuries as you get older. Strengthening your legs by building up muscles will have many positive benefits on your health, such as protecting you from hip injuries. Performing regular muscle-building and strength-maintaining exercises with correct form will allow you more flexibility, balance and strength.
Instructions
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Squat to strengthen your thighs. Squats are the all-purpose leg exercise. You can perform squats using weights or without them. Spread your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart while your toes are facing straight forward. While keeping your back straight, lower your upper body as if sitting in a chair and then return to a standing position. Ensure that you don't allow your knees to move ahead of your toes during any part of the exercise.
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Lunge to get a leg up. Lunges help to work out your quadriceps, hamstrings and buttocks simultaneously. Lunges can be done by starting in a standing position. Make one large step forward until your leg in front is bent at a 90-degree angle, with the knee facing forward. Your other leg's knee should touch the ground (or come as close as you can to it) while keeping your upper thigh directly under your hip. Return to a standing position and step forward with the other leg next, repeating the same steps. Keep your back straight during the entire exercise.
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Raise your calves. Your calves are much like your abdominal muscles, as they need vigorous exercise to stimulate them because they are used in nearly every movement. Focusing on these muscles specifically is necessary to build muscle. Calf raises are the best exercise for this muscle. Using the edge of a step or a step box, place the front half of your feet (toe first) onto the box, allowing your heels to remain suspended and unsupported. Dip your heels below the level of the edge of the box or step as far as you can. Using your calf muscles, raise your heels as far above the level of the step or box until you are nearly on your toes.
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Learn helpful exercises in the weight room. If you prefer going to the gym, then you should do exercises there that would be most beneficial to your building muscle. Alternating between leg presses, leg curls, leg extensions, dead lifts, and seated heel raises will help you get the most out of your gym workout.
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Switch up your workout. You will need to allow your muscles to rest in order to repair and build muscle properly. This means you should not work out the same leg muscle groups daily. If you work all muscle groups at the same time, then allow two to three days between workouts for proper healing. You can perform light exercise on these days.
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Tips & Warnings
Consuming adequate amounts of protein is necessary for muscle repair, healing and maintenance. Ensure you get healthy sources of lean protein when trying to build up leg muscle.
Wearing back-supporting belts when lifting weights can help you to keep your back straight and avoid injury.
