Top Two Leg Workouts Sure to Get Your Legs Ready for Summer 

Spring is here and it is time to get those legs ready for some additional action.  If you want to get your legs in shape to show them off in your bikini or summer shorts, the workouts I outline will help.  Not only will you look good, but you will feel good.  You are sure to burn lots of calories and increase your strength – just in time.  I have found that legs are some of the most difficult muscles to train next to the back muscles, but with some proper technique and the right exercises, you will look good. 

Before I explain the exercises that will help, we need to cover the anatomy of the legs.  One of the most useful muscle groups in the body, the legs support parts of the rest of your body and help you to walk, run, ride a bike, ski, and many other fun activities.  There are several families of muscles including the major ones such as the quads (front upper thigh), gastrocs(calf muscles), the hammis (hamstrings), and the gluts (butt muscles).  Of course, there are several lesser-known muscles that provide secondary support including big-name muscles like vastus medialis and tibialis anterior. Your hammis are the main muscle that is used to bring your ankle all the way to your buttocks (Schuler and Mejia 16). While your quads extend your leg from a bent position (Schuler and Mejia 16).

Leg presses are a great exercise to develop your quadriceps, but they isolate the rectus femoris.  Like other exercises, switching your grip, hand, or body position, you will change the muscle(s) that you work (isolate). So, when I do leg presses, I start with my feet shoulder-width apart, feet parallel to each other.  I then move my feet shoulder width apart, with my feet facing outward.  I spread my legs apart and push the weighted press forward slowly until my legs are almost fully extended.  When I have reached a good stopping point, I slowly reduce the tension and return the weighted press to the starting position.  This exercise works all four groups of muscles (gluts, quads, hammis, and gastrocs).

Squats are a very common exercise that will produce results and help you show off the lower part of your body this spring.  Doing four sets of ten repetitions each is all it takes.  Just be careful.  Common failures associated with squats include poor form (leaning too far forward) and not dipping low enough during each repetition.  When I do squats, I stand with my legs shoulder-width apart.  I hold two weights at each side of my body and squat my legs.  I keep my back as straight as possible to maintain proper form and dip down approximately to a seated position.  I then lift back up to a standing position and repeat the exercise between eight and ten repetitions. 

So, if you want some great legs for this spring and summer, I highly recommend these exercises.