Make Magnificent Legs...

... with Just Four Exercises.

Three exercises for your legs, plus cardio to reduce fat.

No amount of muscle will show if it's hiding under fat.

All the exercise and muscle in the world will not show IF you eat more calories than you burn PERIOD, so go to the Weight Loss Diet Page. if you need to lose fat so you can see the muscle below.

Okay, so now you can see the muscles, how do they look? If they're shaped like twigs, weak as a kitten's or you just want to build them up more it's time to flex.

If you're overweight it may be good news for your muscle tone. Chances are that your muscles are pretty strong if you're heavy and do much walking, or better yet stair climbing. Now you just have to lose the fat to show off those magnificently muscled legs:-)

There are three main muscle groups in you legs (not counting the Butt ).

First is the quadriceps or thigh muscles. The "quads" move your lower leg from bent to straight. You use them in kicking, pushing, running, jumping and many other motions.

The quadriceps are the largest group and are usually very strong, so you need a lot of resistance, or a very challenging exercise to work them with 12 or less repetitions.

I recommend working ALL muscle groups in isolation when doing resistance exercise.

At the gym:

Use the leg extension machine to exercise ONE LEG at a time.

Start with your weakest side, and use the same weight and number of repetitions on your stronger side EVEN IF YOU COULD DO MORE. This allows you to balance the strength from one side to the other.

Move slowly and smoothly, if you can't lift the weight use less weight.

1) Adjust the machine so the back of your knee is supported.

2) Adjust the machine arm to fit just above your foot and ankle.

3) Adjust the machine so your lower back is pressed against the back of the seat.

4) Adjust the machine so your knee is bent at 90 degrees or more, but NEVER LESS when you are at the start position.

5) Slowly straighten ONLY your weakest leg. Start to finish (fully straight) should take 3 to 4 seconds.

6) Stop completely for one or two seconds at the top.

7) SLOOOWLY return to the start position over 3 or 4 seconds.

8) Do 12 OR FEWER repetitions.

9) Switch to you strong side and repeat.

Do ONLY ONE SET of 12 or less, the first repetition should be hard and a 13th should be IMPOSSIBLE.

If you can do 13 Repetitions increase the weight.

It's fine to do less than 12 reps even two or three reps, but never 13 or more.

At home:

1) Stand with your back against a wall.

2) Hold both ends of a resistance band in one hand and let the middle touch the floor.

3) Step on the middle with the foot of your weakest leg, then cross the two ends over the top of your foot and around your ankle.

4) Place the two ends under your other foot and step on them.

5) Stand up with good posture and your lower back and shoulders pressed against the wall.

6) Raise your knee of your weak leg up and and interlock your fingers together behind that knee.

7) Make sure your back is flat against the wall and you are standing completely upright.

8) Raise your foot up and out against the resistance band while supporting the back of that knee with your hands.

9) Take 3 or 4 seconds to slowly extend your leg straight, stop completely for 1 or 2 seconds, then lower it down to the starting position over 3 or 4 seconds.

10) Repeat step 9 for 12 or fewer repetitions, then switch legs and repeat.

To adjust the resistance you can shorten or lengthen the band by stepping on it closer or further from the ends.

If it's too hard you can tie a loop in one end, slip it onto your ankle, then twist the loop and pull it over your toes and under your foot.

Second are the hamstrings which you use to pull your heel toward your butt. They're also used in running and winding up for kicking a ball, and lots more.

At the gym:

Use a hamstring curl machine, but do only one leg at a time.

There's several types including a sitting, lying and standing version.

Make sure to adjust the machine so the pivot point of the machine is at the same place as your knee.

Make sure the arm length is the same as you lower leg.

Make sure to move ONLY your lower leg during the exercise, and perform it slowly.

OR a better and harder exercise which fits your body perfectly is an "iron boot" standing hamstring curl.

In the old days of body building there was a bodybuilding accessory called iron boots which they'd strap onto their feet to do leg exercises.

I do them at my gym because they work BETTER than using the machine, which never quite fits my body.

1) Fold a strap at least 4 feet(120 cm)long (I use a Judo belt) in half and set it on the floor.

2) Select a dumbbell (between 1 and 15 Kg) and set it on the floor straddling the middle loop.

3) Step on the handle so there's a weight on each side of your foot.

4) Loop the middle of the strap over your toes and up near your ankle.

5) Grab the two ends that go under the dumbbell handle and bring them over and across the top of your foot at your ankle.

6) Loop them around the back of your lower leg, and back to the front, then tie a firm knot.

7) Face a corner, exercise machine or doorway for support.

8) Press the front of your hip, thigh, and knee against the the support.

9) Hold onto the support.

10) With the front of your hip and knee pressed against it, slowly pull your ankle toward your butt.

11) Take 3 to 4 seconds to pull your ankle up as far as you can, then stop completely for 1 or 2 seconds before slowly returning to the start position over 3 to 4 seconds.

12) Repeat step 11 for 12 or fewer repetitions, then switch legs and repeat.

At home:

1) Hold both ends of a resistance band in one hand and let the middle touch the floor.

2) Step on the middle with the foot of your weakest leg, then cross the two ends over the top of your foot, around your ankle cross at the back,then bring them together at the front.

3) Face the wall at a corner or doorway.

4) Step on the free ends of the resistance band with the other foot and support yourself by holding onto the wall.

5) With the front of your hip and knee pressed against the wall slowly pull your ankle toward your butt.

6) Take 3 to 4 seconds to pull it up as far as you can, then stop completely for 1 or 2 seconds before slowly returning to the start position over 3 to 4 seconds.

7) Repeat step 6 for 12 or fewer repetitions, then switch legs and repeat.

To adjust the resistance you can shorten or lengthen the band by stepping on it closer or further from the ends.

Third, the calves which you use to stand on your tip toes by pointing them away from your body. They're used for peeking over people in front of you at a concert, raising your heels off the ground, and at the very end of a vertical jump to give extra height, and other stuff too;-)

At the gym:

You usually have a lot of options but the the standing dumbbell single calf raise is the best.

1) Grab a dumbbell in your hand on the same side as your weakest calf.

2) Find a support you can hold onto for balance, and a short step about 3" (8 cm) high.

3) With your free hand hold onto the support and step onto the step with the opposite foot.

4) Only your toes and the ball of your foot should be on the step allowing your heel to have a good range of motion.

5) Slowly lower your heel as close to the floor as possible. If you can touch the floor while the ball of your foot is still on the step, get a higher one.

6) Slowly raise your heel from the bottom to standing on the ball of your foot and flexing your calf fully over 3 or 4 seconds, hold for 1 or 2 seconds, then lower for 3 to 4 seconds.

7) Do 12 or fewer repetitions per side.

At Home:

Do the exact same exercise as described above except you use one or more resistance bands under the step or the ball of your foot while wearing shoes.

Finally do some cardio three times a week for 30 minutes using high intensity intervals to stay lean. My favorite by far is the elliptical trainer.

At home you can get an amazing cardio workout by skipping using high intensity intervals (I'll cover high intensity interval training soon, and post the link here) three times a week for 30 minute each time.

Rest the day before and after each workout so you can put your full effort into every workout.