The #1 Leg Workout To Build Up Your Muscle Mass

If your goal is to improve your leg muscles and strength, you've come to the right source. Eat This, Not That! spoke with Mike Bohl, MD, MPH, ALM—a member of our Medical Expert Board and a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach who has helped develop the Body Program at Ro, who breaks down the ultimate leg workout to build muscle mass. You're in for a real treat—and legs of steel!

When talking about strengthening your legs, there are several muscle groups to consider: your hamstrings, glutes, calves, and quadriceps. Dr. Bohl tells us, "A more complete leg workout may also include the hip abductors and adductors, but if your primary goal is building muscle mass, the first four muscle groups are the ones to really focus on."

As you age, building and maintaining leg strength is essential. Just think about it—you use your leg muscles for walking, exercising, lifting, and completing daily tasks. Dr. Bohl explains, "Maintaining leg strength, therefore, can help with maintaining mobility into older age and can reduce the risk of falls and injury."

Your time spent at the gym is extremely valuable, so we're here with four exercises that will give you an excellent leg workout to build muscle mass. Keep reading to learn all about it, and next up, don't miss 5 Best Exercises To Maintain Lower-Body Strength as You Age.

1. Leg Extensions

man doing leg extensions at the gym

Leg extensions will have you straightening your legs against resistance. "These work out the quadriceps, the muscles on the front of the thighs," Dr. Bohl says.

According to PureGym, make sure you're sitting with your back totally flat against the pad. Both knees should be bent to form 90-degree angles. Take hold of the bars on the side of the machine. Then, press your legs up against the resistance so they're totally extended. Remain in this position for a moment before squeezing your quads and bringing your legs back down to the start position.

2. Leg Flexion

For leg flexion, you will bend your knees against resistance. "The exercise works out the hamstrings, the muscles on the back of the thighs," Dr. Bohl points out.

If you're wondering about the difference between an extension and a flexion, a flexion decreases the angle that's formed between bones (ex. bending your leg), while an extension enlarges that angle and extends that joint, Samarpan Physiotherapy Clinic explains.

3. Leg Press

man using a leg press machine at the gym performing a leg workout to build muscle

For this exercise, you will push your legs away from your body. A selectorized machine will have you assuming a seated position and requires you to push your legs against a plate, pushing the plate away horizontally. "The exercise targets the quadriceps and hamstrings but is also a great workout for the muscles of the buttocks (the glutes)," Dr. Bohl explains.

4. Calf Raises

Calf raises can be performed on a machine or by simply using the edge of a step, Dr. Bohl says. Both include pointing your toes, then relaxing. Dr. Bohl recommends doing eight to 12 reps for a great calf muscle workout.

The post The #1 Leg Workout To Build Up Your Muscle Mass appeared first on Eat This Not That.

Eat This Not That

These 5 Grocery Items Are Cheaper Than Ever Right Now

The grocery industry has been facing major disruptions. The combined effects of the pandemic, climate change, and economic uncertainty over the past couple of years have culminated in a series of supply chain breakdowns. For the consumer, this means supply shortages , shipping delays , and temporary store closures are becoming more commonplace – and all of the added production cost to suppliers is driving up food prices . The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index report for January 2022 was released on Feb. 9, and it tells the story of cost trends for every spending category over the past year. Now the numbers are in, and since January 2021, "food at home" spending has increased 7.4%. Consumers should use this number as a benchmark, Phil Lempert, the consumer behavior analyst and founder behind Supermarket Guru , told Eat This, Not That! "Anything that's substantially less [than the 7.4% increase] is a deal," said Lempert. "When you

When Should I Take Creatine?

Creatine is probably the most well-researched supplement on the market today. Numerous studies have found positive adaptations in strength, power and muscle mass thanks to creatine supplementation—especially when it's combined with resistance training. Although the benefits of creatine are well-known to lifters, the best time to take it isn't common knowledge. Which leads us to some important questions: Does an optimal time for consuming creatine exist? If it does, should you take it before or after your workout? According to a new study published in the Journal of Exercise and Nutrition, the timing of creatine ingestion does indeed play a role in getting bigger and stronger. Creatine supplementation before resistance training increases muscular strength and lean muscle mass. Interestingly, taking creatine immediately after lifting weights results in greater muscle growth than taking it immediately before. However, in terms of strength gains, no difference betw

Reentry Anxiety Is Real - Why You May Experience It as Stay-at-Home Measures Ease

When the coronavirus stay-at-home orders began in March, most people's lives changed in immeasurable ways. At the time, we were bombarded with (admittedly, very helpful) advice on how to cope with anxiety , should we experience it during this time of social distancing and sheltering in place. But with restrictions slowly starting to ease in many parts of the world, there are many people who have seen an increase in anxiety all over again, this time about leaving their homes and reentering society. Posts about people's growing anxiety have been popping up around social media for the past couple of weeks, and it's given rise to the term "reentry anxiety." We wanted to find out exactly what reentry anxiety is, whether it's normal to be experiencing trepidation about leaving your stay-at-home orders, and how to cope if you are feeling anxious. What Is Reentry Anxiety? The short answer is that "post-lockdown anxiety is real," said Dr. Balu Pitchiah ,

Weight Loss Tricks

Search This Blog