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Light Leg Day Training Exercises
Some leg days are also known as 'puke' days because we tend to
work really hard and add weight in as much as we can, continually
striving to get stronger. Sometimes you need a nice change, an active
rest or just to back off in order to keep those results coming.
Try out this toning workout with light weights and high reps. It's
an overall light leg day of overload by overuse yet within safe
boundaries. Using the exercises located in the Shapefit exercise
library you can thin down your thighs without the strain of a heavy
leg day. This workout will tone and firm the entire lower body.
Rep ranges should be from 15-20 with 2 sets per exercise shown.
Try to work each exercise in the order show unless you have to wait
for equipment in which case you can skip and do the next one, coming
back to those you missed once the equipment is free.
30 seconds is your average rest time between sets and 1 minute
between exercises. This gives the workout a nice even flow which
keeps things moving yet allows enough rest.
First you burn out the quadriceps followed by inner and outer thigh,
hamstrings then calves.
By piling each leg area upon itself you enhance the burn and encourage
failure which dictates a lighter and lighter weight used until it
burns so much you use no weight at all. Sounds similar to the pre
exhaust or drop set plan but it is done by pounding each area with
back to back exercises for that muscle.
Lunges around the clock begin the workout so you will want to begin
with Barbell Lunges for your firs 2 sets. Next is dumbbell side
lunges. Go into some rear lunges then squats. Lastly you hit the
hack squats if you have this machine in your gym.
The next section is lying leg curls, seated leg curls, exercise
ball curls and one leg cable kickbacks. This will really target
your hamstrings and stretching will help avoid cramping as will
ample hydration with water.
Staying at the cables you now do your inner then outer thigh work.
Moving on to the inner and outer thigh machine after you finish
with your cable exercises.
To end your training you will hit the calves but make sure you
alternate inner and outer by doing a set with toes in and heels
out and your last set with toes out and heels in. This will enhance
the inner and outer calve muscles helping to keep your calve shape
symmetrical. Seated calve raises, barbell calve raises, single dumbbell
calve raises and finishing with hack machine calve raises.
To help alleviate the burn make sure you stretch each area worked
during your 1 minute rest between exercises. Angle the calves stretch
in order to hit the inner and outer areas.
Do not bounce during your stretch, hold them without movement because
these are meant to be static stretches and are safer.
I would do this workout during an active rest week but if you choose
to use it more often I would not do it more than twice per week
at most.
By
Linda Cusmano

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