Leg workouts are a great way to tone and strengthen your legs, especially the muscles on the front of your thighs, or quadriceps. They are also a great way to increase your heart rate and get your blood pumping, making them an important part of any exercise routine.
There are many different leg machines to choose from, and each offers a slightly different way of completing the exercises. For example, a leg press machine is an ideal option for squats. It decreases your ROM around your hip joint while increasing the load on your quads, helping you get a complete, full-body squat.
Some leg presses also come with adjustable back support to help you maintain proper form and alignment. This feature is especially helpful for those who are experiencing low back pain or have back injuries, as it helps ensure that your body remains in the correct position.
The Body Solid LVLP Leverage Horizontal Leg Press is one of our favorite horizontal leg presses for its durable construction and comfortable features, such as the fully-adjustable back support. This machine also has a large pivoting footplate and self-aligning seat carriage, so it can be used by people of different heights without any issues.
A good knee flexion angle is critical for using the leg press safely and effectively, as it prevents your hamstrings from being overworked. If your knees bend too far, it can compress your sacroiliac joints, which may result in pain and even injury.
Another popular leg exercise is the hack squat, which is easier on your shoulders and back while providing the controlled resistance of a machine. The exercise also lets you experiment with various foot positions for targeting different muscle groups, which is a great way to build your overall leg strength.
Unlike a normal squat, the hack squat doesn’t require any barbell gripping; you simply place your feet on the machine and perform the exercise. This makes the exercise easier for people who can’t externally rotate their shoulders to grip a barbell during squats, and it’s more effective at working your legs than a traditional squat.
You can also use this leg exercise to strengthen your inner hamstrings, which are often weaker than the outer thigh muscles. This exercise is best done with light weights to avoid straining your hamstrings.
There are a number of other leg workouts that you can do at home or in the gym, including squats, lunges, and deadlifts. These exercises are great for building your legs up and can be incorporated into most workout programs as well as a standalone routine.
In addition to these leg workouts, you can also do a few other exercises that will increase your overall strength and endurance. These exercises include lunges, squats, and pushups. They are all easy to do, and they can be done in a variety of ways. These simple workouts are a great option for introducing new exercisers to the gym.
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