Are you looking for tips on how to get the most from your leg day workout? Leg day is the most intimidating of all workouts. It’s hard, it’s tiring, and it can be painful. But it’s also essential! Strong legs will help you stay injury-free throughout your workouts.
Three Things that Will Improve a Leg Day Workout
Legs make everyday activities like walking and running easier. In addition, most of your blood, hormones, and other vital functions are promoted by your legs. With that in mind, here’s a guide to having an effective leg day workout.
Start with Cardio
Before you start any weight-bearing exercises, warm up with some cardio. This could be like jogging on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike for 10 minutes. This will help warm your leg muscles and get your heart rate up so that you’re ready for more intense exercises.
Also, the legs are the largest muscle group in the body and require the most energy to grow and produce power. Thus, when performing leg day workouts, you will quickly be winded if you are not in shape. This is natural as the body needs oxygen to create energy once it runs out of ATP-CTP and glycogen energy sources.
Improving your cardio will ensure that your body can supply your legs with oxygen and blood as your workout requires more energy. Unfortunately, most people skip a leg day workout because of endurance, not power or strength.
Choose the Right Leg Day Workout
When it comes to leg day workouts, there are plenty of exercises you can choose from. Squats and lunges are great for strengthening the quads and glutes; calf raises work out the calves; and deadlifts target the hamstrings and glutes. Choose a few exercises you enjoy and target different muscle groups to work out effectively.
As a general rule, select 4 – 6 exercises. Make sure that two are compound exercises like squats or deadlifts. The remaining two to four can be isolated leg exercises such as leg extensions and curls. The number of exercises you choose will depend on how your body responds to your leg day workout. For example, some people grow legs quickly and only need squats and deadlifts. In contrast, others are difficult gainers and need six exercises or more to develop the legs.
Try 3 – 6 sets of each exercise with 8 – 12 reps and 1 – 2 minutes of rest. Once again, like the exercises, your volume will depend on how your body responds to your leg day workout. Therefore, use a measuring tape to see how your legs respond to your training and act accordingly.
It is important to remember no one can create a workout that meets everyone’s needs. That would be like making a shoe size that fits every foot on the planet. Work and plan hard, and you will see results. Don’t take shortcuts or try magic pills. They don’t work.
Finally, choose a workout program, such as pre-exhaustion, post-exhaustion, 5×5, or German volume training. Your workout must speak to your personality, training style, and where you are on your fitness journey.
Incorporate Supersets
Supersets involve alternating between two different exercises without taking a break between sets. For example, you could do ten squats followed by ten calf raises (without resting). This helps keep your heart rate up while giving your muscles enough time to recover between sets. Not only does this make your workout more efficient, but it also makes it more interesting!
Another form of training you could try to improve your leg day workout is drop sets. This is where you work the leg muscles to exhaustion and then drop the weight or reps so you can do additional sets. Supersets and drop sets are for intermediate to advanced fitness enthusiasts. If you are starting, try a 5 x 5 workout for 4 to 6 weeks.
Finally, remember that fitness is a journey. You will not build your legs in a day, week, or month. Therefore be prepared to incorporate progressive overload and a periodization plan for your leg day workout. Listen to your body, and don’t overdo it. Start slowly and build into your training once your body is ready to work. Use your workout to signal your body what you want it to do, and then listen to your body by tracking your results. By working out to send signals and track results to hear, you will ensure that you and your body are on the same page.
Conclusion on a Leg Day Workout
Leg day can be intimidating – but with these tips in mind, you’ll be able to create an effective leg day workout that works for you! Start with light cardio to warm up; choose a few exercises that target different muscle groups, and incorporate supersets into your routine to make your workout more efficient and exciting. With some dedication and hard work, you’ll soon find yourself feeling more vital than ever before!
Finally, think of the benefits of a leg day workout. Some of the best benefits are a more muscular body, improved sexual performance, increased positive emotions, better sleep at night, increased levels of hormones such as testosterone, and more energy during the day.
If you love bodybuilding, share this article on Facebook or Twitter so that others can learn more about building muscle.
