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Leg and calf workout routines

Tips for chest and upper body workouts

Toning and working out quadriceps, hamstrings, inner thighs, and butt require targeted workout exercises and strength training with the right fitness and weight training equipment. Following are simple routines targeting the legs and calf muscles and will allow you to tone and develop muscle mass in the leg and calf muscles. You will shape and tone your legs calves hamstrings, thighs and buttocks by only using these routines in an efficient manner. Adapt weight resistance and reps according to your fitness level and experience.

Calf and leg power squat Routine

To strengthen quadriceps, hamstrings, inner thighs, and butt, the following workout could be done. Stand with the heels at the same time toes and legs turned out from hips, holding a 5- to 8-pound dumbbell in each hand in front of shoulders, palms facing each other. Contract the abs and draw the tailbone toward the floor. Step wide out to the left and pile, toes out. Lower the hips as maximum as possible without arching the lower back. Straighten legs and, leading with left heel, drag left foot in to meet right. Repeat the same with other leg to complete one rep.

20 Rep Squat Routine for legs and calves

This squat workout should be done three days a week. After easy warming up exercises do one set of 20 reps using moderate weight. For each rep a couple of big mouthfuls of air should be taken. It would take 3-4 min to complete one set of 20 rep squat. While doing these squatting exercises, squat down until the back of the legs touches the calves. Because of the level of difficulty, squats also impel the body to release higher amounts anabolic hormones, like testosterone and growth hormone, thus resulting in total body muscle growth. When doing the 20 rep squats, weight lifting belt should not be worn.

After finishing the squats and pullovers do a circuit of chin-ups, dips, and decline bench sit ups with one-minute rest between each. Complete this circuit 3 times and the workout is done! Most people give less attention to calf workouts. However, that is incorrect because the calf muscles need targeted workouts exercises in order to develop and grow muscle mass. The followings are some of the important workouts for calf muscles.

Standing calf raise

This basic calf exercise works the gastrocnemius muscles. While doing this calf workout, the legs stay locked at the knees. It is preferred to use a standing calf raise machine for this workout. When machine not available, then it could be done by holding a dumbbell in one hand and balancing the body with the other. Stand with the toes on the block of a standing calf raise machine (put 30 kg weight for a normal person) and the heels hanging off the end of the platform. Hook the shoulders under the pads place the head between the shoulder pads and straighten the legs, lift the weight clear of the support. Do not hump, however, keep the body straight. Keeping the legs straight, lower the heels and the weight as close as possible toward the floor. Then rise up on the toes as maximum as possible until the calves are fully flexed. Hold the muscle contraction briefly, and then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

Seated calf raise exercise routine

The workouts are performed in a seated position with the legs bent. This workout will target the soleus muscles in the legs. This is one of the best ways to develop the soleus muscle. Sit on a seated calf raise machine and place the toes on the bottom cross piece, locking the knees under the pads so that the pads rest on the lower part of the quads. Now place the feet about shoulder width apart with the toes pointing forward. Then slowly lower the heels as maximum as possible towards the ground. Now press up on the toes until the calves are fully contracted. Bend hard at the top then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. In addition, repeat the same. Do not rock back and forth, however, instead keep the calves working with a steady controlled motion.

Calf press with a leg press machine

Sit in a leg press machine; keep the back pressed firmly into the padded seat just as if the people were doing a leg press. Now position the toes on the plate at lesser than shoulder width apart then press the weight rack up as if they were going to do a leg press. The exception being that when they press the weight all

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the way up lock the knees and slide the feet down so that only the balls of the feet are on the plate. When keeping the knees locked, slowly press the toes as high up as possible. Contract the calves, hold this position for a second then slowly reverse the direction to the starting position and repeat.

Calf muscle workouts could be done twice a week. Start workouts with 15 reps a day, then it could be raised up to 100 reps! The 100 reps might be done in three or four sets with a stretch of 10–15 sec between sets. By doing the above-mentioned workouts for about six weeks, the calves will develop bigger than they ever!

The desire to be fit would normally require a planned and structured fitness training programme. This is when you are looking for muscle toning muscle building, faster weight loss and cardiac resistance and endurance. These programs are available at a gym, through courses and programs done with professional trainers, by joining sports clubs and taking on sports activities on a regular and structured basis.