How do you build the primary muscles of the legs? Bones, muscles, and flesh make up the human body, but the muscles are what we will be talking about. Not just the muscles but also how to build them. You might ask, ‘why build the muscles in your legs?’ Well, at the end of this article, you will know why. Your legs do a lot more than you think they do; it is not just movement, even though that is the basic. The human legs act as support to the entire body.
But to get the best out of your legs, you need to know how to care for them. One of the right ways to care for them is to work on the muscles in the legs, and we would explain how to do so in this article. Keeping your legs in good form and shape depends on how you treat the muscles in the legs. When the muscles are weak and torn, your legs are unhealthy.
Primary leg muscles and what they do
Most of the muscles found in the legs are referred to as long muscles, and this is because they can stretch to a long distance. Whenever the legs contract or relax, the skeletal bones are moved, which creates a body movement. The small muscles assist the big muscles, help rotate joints, and carry out other fine-tuned actions.
Before knowing how to build the muscles in the legs and care for them, it is crucial that you first understand what muscles are in the legs and what they can do. Here is a list of muscles found in the legs and what functions they carry out.
Quadriceps
The quadriceps are a set of muscles, and they work as the extensors of the knee. They are responsible for the knee to move forward, and the muscles that make up the quadriceps are:
- Vastus lateralis
- Vastus medialis
- Vastus intermedius
- Rectus femoris
Hamstrings
Three muscles at the back of the thigh make up the hamstrings, affecting the hip and knee movement. These muscles are:
- Biceps femoris
- Semimembranosus
- Semitendinosus
Adductors
You can also call the adductors the ‘inner thigh muscles.’ Five muscles make up the adductors, and the thighs and other muscles are held together by the adductors. They also help to balance the movement of the body. The five muscles that make up the adductors are Adductor Magnus, Adductor Longus, Adductor Brevis, Obturator muscles, Gracilis.
How to build the primary muscles of the legs
Building the primary muscles of the legs is dependent on two things, which are:
The right exercise
Engaging in the proper exercise and training program can get you on track to building your primary leg muscles. You might want to watch your workload as it might deter and affect the building of your leg muscles negatively. Here is a list of exercises that can help build the primary muscles of the legs.
- Squats: Squats can help you build your quads, hamstrings, and inner thighs. They are also an effective way to tone your legs.
- Lunges: lunges are another productive exercise, and it helps to tone the legs. They also help to strengthen the gluteal muscles, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.
- Deadlifts: Deadlifts targets the glutes and hamstring more. They also help to strengthen the hamstrings, adductor Magnus, and soleus. It is advised you do this exercise once or twice a week when starting.
- Step-ups: Step-ups is a body resistance exercise, and it works the muscles in the leg and buttocks. The primary muscles can improve with this exercise.
Here is a workout program that you can start with, or you can incorporate leg exercises into a scientifically proven workout program:
Squat: 4 sets 10 reps
Deadlifts: 3 sets 8 reps
Lunges: 3 sets 8-12 reps
Step-ups: 3 sets 8 reps
The right diet
Eating the right food can help the muscles in your legs grow stronger and build better. Meals that are high in protein are beneficial when it comes to building muscles. Here is a list of food to eat when trying to build the primary muscles of the leg.
- Eggs: This is a source of quality protein, and as we know, protein can help repair muscles and bones in the body. Also, they contain vitamin B, which is also in energy production.
- Fruits and Vegetables: Consuming fruits and vegetables is an easy way of taking in vitamins. They also contain antioxidants.
- Fish: Tuna and Salmon are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can support muscle growth. Also, they provide essential vitamins that your leg muscles need.
- Seeds and nuts: Walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, pecans, and hazelnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids and are high in protein.
Extra tip: Drink enough water. Staying hydrated while on a workout program can help avoid muscle fatigue.
When building the leg’s primary muscles, you need to avoid foods that contain unhealthy fat and added sugar as it can deter your progress. You can contact a dietician to create a perfect meal plan for you.
Doing these two things can get your leg muscles stronger. The effects will become visible and would be of significant impact to your entire body.
Benefits of building the primary muscles of the legs
Back to the question, ‘why build the muscles in the legs?’ The legs go through a lot of stress to help us get by every day. From walking around the house to running down the road or even dancing, the legs play an important role. But what happens when you don’t take care of the legs? Like every other part of the body, when they are not taken care of, they wear off, grow weak; this can be very bad for the legs.
When you build your legs’, they get stronger, muscular, and bigger. Building the muscles in the legs can significantly impact the entire body through hormones and will pay off in the long run.
