How to Get Bigger and Stronger Legs
Leg muscles can be tough to build up, because they're already so strong from daily use. To get bigger leg muscles you have to take your training to the next level and push your legs like never before. Using the right training techniques and eating plenty of protein will pay off in the end. Genetics do play a role in how big your leg muscles will ultimately become, but anyone can benefit from the right exercise routine
FOCUS ON FUNCTIONAL EXERCISES FOR YOUR HEAVY SETS
Skip the heavy leg extensions and leg curls, our bodies weren’t designed to flex and extend our knees while in hip flexion (seated position). Doing heavy weights on these machine-based exercises can cause both structural issues such as patellar tendonitis as well as muscular imbalances, either of which will set you back weeks from your goals. Instead, get your heavy work done with functional movements like the squat Opens a New Window. and deadlift Opens a New Window. . These two exercises should be the cornerstone of any leg routine Opens a New Window. Focus on correct technique on these exercises and your legs will start to change before your eyes
DON’T FORGET STABILIZERS
Most guys we see at the gym neglect the smaller stabilizing muscles in the hips that prevent injury and ensure correct movement and stability of the hips and pelvis. Without these muscles working correctly, all other movements become less effective and potentially more dangerous. Work the abductors (outer thigh) and adductors (inner thigh) as part of your warm-up prior to squatting and deadlifting
USE ISOLATION MOVEMENTS PURELY FOR TONING PURPOSES
Those leg extension and curl machines? This is where they can be properly enlisted. Use light-moderate resistance and work high repetitions on these isolation machines in order to perfect definition on the quads and hamstrings. Be sure to set up your machines correctly (the knee joint should directly line up with the axis of the machine Opens a New Window. ) in order to prevent injuries to the knees
What Is The Most Effective Mass Building Leg Workout That You Have Tried
The most effective mass building leg workout that I have tried was one that I tried when I was a beginner. Granted, much of the gains could be attributed to me being a beginner but nonetheless it was an impressive workout
It consisted of Full Back Squats, Split Squats, and Snatch-Grip Deadlifts. I performed it once per week and my thighs grew about 2.5 inches in two months! I didn't need to train calves because I was doing a lot of Plyometrics and sprinting at the time. This is what the workout looked like
Full Squats: 5 Sets x 5 Reps @ 80%
Split Squats: 3 Sets x 6 Reps @ 75%
Snatch Grip Deadlifts: 5 Sets x 5 Reps @ 80%
Diet
Even the most effective mass building leg workout will do nothing for leg development if your diet is not up to par. In order to grow, you must have a caloric surplus, that is, you must consume more calories than you expend
As a general rule of thumb, eating 500 more calories than you expend will help you gain approximately 1 lb of bodyweight per week. If those calories are mostly clean, i.e. not junk food, and you lift weights regularly and lead an active lifestyle, then almost all of that weight gain will be muscle
Protein
One of the keys to building muscle is eating at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight
Very good protein sources include
Chicken
Lean steak
Lean beef
Pork
Cottage cheese
Milk
Carbs
Another key to building muscle is having a sufficient amount of carbohydrates for energy and for growth. Complex carbs such as rice, pasta, whole wheat bread, muesli, granola, and oatmeal should be ingested for maximum effect
Healthy Fat
The often forgotten variable to a balanced diet is healthy fat. Many people eat greasy foods such as hamburgers. However, they should concentrate on eating enough flax seed oil, fish oils, and nuts such as almonds
Supplements
Additionally, fish oil supplements can be taken so that you make sure that you are eating enough healthy fat. If you want to build muscle, a good investment would be a multivitamin to ensure that you are getting all the nutrients and vitamins you need
Many people would be surprised how well a multivitamin can assist in muscle growth. Other valuable supplements are your basic protein powder and possibly creatine. However, supplements won't help you at all if your diet and your training are not at a high level
Basically, if you hit a plateau, eat about 250-500 calories of healthy foods more per day and you will be amazed at what it can do for recovery and growth
