Our legs are a powerhouse of strength so you should put them
to work when lifting weights to gain mass. Women tend to be stronger in their
legs than their upper body and therefore leg exercises are a good starting
point for any training program.
The legs are made up of very big muscles so you need to hit
them with some nice heavy weights. Forget the “fewer reps rubbish you may have
read. To start with, learn the perfect technique (more about this below) first
for each exercise and then increase the weight slowly to the point where you
are doing heavy sets of about 5 or 6 reps. The thing about training the legs
with heavy weights is that it will release huge amounts of hormones into your
body which will lead to an increase in size of your whole body.
Which are the best leg exercises? When it comes to training
the legs for mass, women definitely cannot rely on machines, you must use free
weights. There are a few important leg exercises that must be included in any
training program for mass. Compound exercises like squats and lunges that work
lots of muscles at once are a must. Here are a few variations of these
exercises, including how to do each exercise with proper form:
Barbell Squats
Barbell squats is one of the best leg exercises for women!
It is the bread and butter for any leg workout and is a must for any women that
want to put on mass. It’s best to do it in the beginning of a workout because
it will drain off all your energy. Some beginners may have trouble with putting
the barbell on their back; the dumbbell squat is a good alternative.
To do the barbell squat – Place the bar firmly on your
traps, not your neck bone cause it will hurt. Support the bar with your palms
pushing upwards. Squat slowly, pushing your butt to the back and lean slightly
forward. Do not let the knees pass the toes and when your thighs are parallel
to the ground, squat back up. Keep your stomach tight the whole time!
Jumping Squats
The jumping squat is one of the best leg exercises on the
planet because it is such an intense exercise. It will challenge your whole
lower body as well as your back and abs.
To do the jumping squat – Crouch down in a squatted position
with your feet separated and hands where they feel comfortable. Keep most of
your body weight on the heels of your feet. Begin to sit down as though you
were sitting on a chair and allow gravity to take you all the way down to the
fully squatted position. You can pause for a bit when lowering down in the
squat to make it more intense. And then, spring into the air as high as you can
and land on your feet. Repeat this process. This is not a good exercise for
beginners, it’s really taxing on the body – you have been warned!
Dumbbell Lunges
Dumbbell lunges are great for the thighs and the glutes.
It’s another core exercise to add to any leg workout for mass.
To do the dumbbell lunge – Standing up, begin by holding a
dumbbell in each hand with your hands by your side and your legs below your
hips. With your left leg, take one step forward. Lower your body by bending the
back knee so it almost comes in contact with the ground. Pause for a brief
period and then return to the starting position. Repeat this with the right
leg.
When training the legs, remember you must use heavy weights
and do volume training. This means at least 3 to 4 sets. The number of reps
will vary for each leg exercise; some exercises are more demanding than others.
You also need rest between sets, at least 2 minutes between sets.
Leg exercises can be physically demanding, so if you need to
develop strength in your legs, you may want to start with light squats and
lunges. There are other leg exercises you can experiment with, but the
exercises discussed in this article should be the staple for you’re once a week
leg training routine because they are so effective.
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