Since designer Mary Quant introduced the miniskirt in the 1960s, legs have remained a focal point. Today, sculpted legs rank among the most common requests from personal fitness clients. Many women aspire to confidently sport short skirts, shorts, form-fitting trousers, and boots. If you’re among them, these gym leg exercises are tailored for you.
Celebrities like Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston attribute their enviable figures to dedicated leg muscle training. However, gym leg workouts alone may not suffice; it’s advisable to reassess your diet and incorporate cardio into your fitness regimen. With the right approach, visible results are imminent, and gym exercises targeting the legs and buttocks can pave the way to achieving your dream physique.
Leg workout for girls: where to start?
Firstly, establish your goal. Many women aim to avoid excessive muscle growth. To achieve this, steer clear of heavy weights—less is more in this case. Effective leg exercises in the gym can be performed without the need for a heavy barbell.
Prior to engaging in leg exercises at the gym, it’s wise to consult a phlebologist, especially if you exhibit symptoms of venous insufficiency such as swelling, pain, a sense of fullness, or visible veins beneath the skin. Following a consultation, adjustments to your exercise routine may be necessary.
Combatting sagging skin on the legs is facilitated by proper nutrition and hydration. Starving oneself should be avoided at all costs, as should overly restrictive diets. Physical activity demands ample energy, and during leg muscle exercises at the gym, the body depletes potassium and magnesium. Consequently, stringent dietary limitations can lead to fatigue, injuries, and deficiencies in vital nutrients. Refer to guidelines on how to balance your diet when regularly attending the gym.
Prior to leg workouts, ensure a thorough warm-up: spend 10-15 minutes running on the treadmill or performing a series of simple, weight-free exercises.
A set of exercises for the leg muscles
Classic squat
One of the most popular and effective exercises for the legs and buttocks in the gym.
- Take a bar with a weight that suits you.
- Put your legs wide, turn your feet and knees outward at a slight angle.
- Put the bar on the back of your shoulders.
- During the squat, pull your buttocks back, feeling how the back of your thighs is pumping.
- Maintain a noticeable bend in the lower back.
- Squat so that at the lowest point your hips are parallel to the floor.
In the future, consider gradually adding weight to the barbell, but exercise caution not to overdo it. As mentioned earlier, excessive weight can lead to overly muscular legs. This gym leg exercise remains effective with minimal weight; however, ensure you maintain proper form by avoiding lowering your head and rounding your back during execution.
Lunges with dumbbells
- Take small dumbbells.
- Put one leg back, the other in front of you.
- Lift the heel of your hind leg off the floor.
- Bend your front leg, trying to maintain the center of gravity between the two legs.
- Direct the movement strictly vertically, and the knee of the front leg should go beyond the toe.
This gym leg exercise is equally suitable for men and girls. You can do it at home. If you don’t have dumbbells at hand, then take ordinary water bottles in your hands.
Leg press
To perform this exercise, you will need a special press machine. Watch the video above to properly perform the basic leg exercise in the gym.
- Place your feet on the top of the platform along the edges of the platform.
- Then bend your legs and pull them up to your chest.
- Point your knees slightly to the sides.
- At first, it will be enough to do a press without weights.
In subsequent sessions, you may progressively introduce additional weight. However, avoid pursuing heavy weights unless you specifically aim to significantly increase muscle mass. To maintain supple hips, simply adhere to a consistent regimen of gym leg exercises with minimal resistance.
Common errors during this exercise in the gym include lifting your heels off the platform and allowing your knees to come together. Ensure to avoid these mistakes at all costs.
Leg abductions with weight
The leg abduction exercise in the gym should definitely be included in your program: it perfectly trains the muscles of the back of the thigh, which in girls are often not as strong as we would like. Follow our instructions.
- Use the lower block.
- Hook the handle of the block with your foot and pull your leg back.
- Perform the exercise slowly, without sudden jerks, feeling the tension of the gluteal muscles.
- Repeat 3 sets of 15 times from each leg. While one leg is working, the other is resting.
Running
Running serves as an excellent leg training method as it aids in fat burning and highlights muscle definition by reducing body fat. It provides valuable cardiovascular exercise, promoting overall cardiovascular health. Incorporating treadmill workouts into your routine serves as an effective warm-up. For weight loss goals, consider adding a 10-minute run post-gym leg slimming exercises to enhance calorie burning.
Bringing the legs together and spreading them apart
Using specialized equipment to bring the legs together and apart targets the elimination of thigh “bulges” and tones the inner thigh muscles, areas often of concern for many women. Weight loss exercises in the gym typically involve a progressive increase in resistance to effectively target these areas.
- Sit on the machine, place your legs in the places designated for them.
- Keep your back straight, grab the handles with your hands.
- Now bring your legs together or spread them all the way apart. At the same time, muscle tension should be felt.
- If the exercise is too easy for you, increase the weight.
Glute bridge with barbell
One of the most effective gym leg exercises aims to firm the hips and strengthen the buttocks. Focus on smooth movements, avoiding relying on momentum. Maintain tension in the muscles of the back of the thigh throughout the lowering phase to maximize effectiveness.
- Take a barbell, sit next to the bench and put the bar on your feet.
- Leaning on your back on the bench, bend your knees, put your feet on the floor.
- Place the barbell on your pelvic line and lift your pelvis.
- Distribute your weight evenly between your back and legs.
- Tightening your gluteal muscles, press your pelvis up so that your body stretches into a straight line.
- Then return to the starting position.
Deadlift
Another classic exercise in the gym for leg training. It works out the entire back surface of the body at once.
- Stand in front of the bar so that the bar is above the laces of the sneakers.
- Place your feet shoulder-width apart, slightly spreading your toes apart.
- Pulling your pelvis back, bend over with a straight back and grab the barbell.
- Straighten up with the barbell in your hands, driving it as close to your legs as possible.
- Lower the barbell to the floor and repeat the exercise.
How to do leg exercises correctly
Incorrectly performing leg exercises in the gym can lead to injuries, lack of results, or undesired outcomes such as overly bulky muscles. Therefore, it’s crucial to maintain proper technique and not hesitate to seek guidance from a coach if unsure about anything.
Prior to strength exercises, ensure a thorough warm-up to prepare the muscles. Equally important is stretching post-leg and buttock exercises in the gym to aid recovery.
Consistency is key in training, gradually progressing in difficulty over time. While immediate results may be tempting, avoid rushing the process. Regular training yields the best outcomes, avoiding the soreness that follows a sudden intense workout.
Most women desire toned yet supple muscles without excessive bulk. Fortunately, achieving a heavily muscular physique is challenging without high levels of testosterone and intense weightlifting. Focus on moderate training for the quadriceps and calf muscles, avoiding excessively heavy weights.
If weight loss is your goal, there’s good news! “Training large or multiple muscle groups increases your heart rate, combining strength and cardiovascular movements,” says personal trainer Christina Ernest. “This stimulates metabolism, accelerating weight loss.” Regular exercise increases energy expenditure even at rest, facilitating weight loss efforts.
