What are Different Types of Leg Workouts?

There are several types of leg workouts depending on which part of the leg a person is hoping to target. The leg is made up of muscles that include the hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, glutes, hip flexors, adductors, and abductors. A good leg workout targets most, if not all, of these muscle groups.

The leg has some of the strongest and most important muscles in the human body. It can be important to keep them fit. The key to all leg workouts is to use good form and not to overwork the muscles.

Exercises will vary depending on what the goal of the workout is. Whether a person is looking to increase muscle size, to tone the muscles, or for aerobic fitness, a varied workout routine can be important, as this will make sure that the muscles continuously have new challenges and it can help keep routines from becoming boring. Aerobic leg workouts are good for toning, but strength training will help to build muscles.

The lunge is one of the best leg workouts, as it targets most of the major muscles in the leg and helps to quickly shape them. Lunging requires use of lower leg muscles to stabilize the body and upper leg muscles to lift the body up again. The lunge can be performed with weights to create more resistance and a better workout.

Squats are another great leg workout because they also target most major muscles groups in the leg. Squats can be done with light or heavy weights. It is often best that a professional demonstrates how to do a squat properly to help reduce the risk of injury from the exercise.

Lateral raises are a great leg workout for the inner and outer thighs. These are usually performed by placing weight on the left foot with the right foot pointed behind the body. This exercise is often easier if it is done while holding onto a chair for balance. The right leg is then slowly raised and lowered out to the side. After a set of repetitions, the position can be switched to exercise the other leg.

Climbing stairs is also a great leg workout. This is something simple that can be done during the day. Running or walking up and down a flight of stairs a couple of times is a great workout for the legs.

A wall sit is also one of the best leg workouts. It will help build endurance, and all that is needed is an empty wall space. Leaning back against the wall, a person lowers his or her buttocks until the legs are parallel with the floor. A person then crosses the arms, holding the position for as long as they can.

These are just some examples of the different leg workouts as person can use. Running, cycling, swimming, dance class, and many other forms of exercise can help tone the entire body while giving legs a good workout. Most all leg exercises can be combined to benefit overall health.