Tag: leg
3 Best Beginner Leg Workouts: Turn Your Chicken Legs Into Tree Trunks
Leg workouts are the most skipped workouts in a resistance training routine. It’s almost as if most lifters think that leg workouts are optional. So many lifters have such polarizing views about leg workouts because they had a shaky start with lower-body training.
Many beginners try to do too much too soon in their leg workouts; it gives them suboptimal results and increases their risk of injury. One of the most common mistakes a beginner lifter can make is to incorporate advanced exercisers, such as the Bulgarian split squat and the Jefferson squat, in their training regimen. Although these exercises look dope and can help induce hypertrophy, these lifts are best left to advanced trainers.
Starting the leg workouts on the right foot will set you on the correct trajectory toward your fitness goals. An effective beginner leg workout will help you drill the basic movements and make you look forward to your lower body workouts every week.
In this article, we go over the three best beginner leg workouts to unlock new strength and muscle gains. We also cover the advantages of performing leg workouts as a beginner and the tips to get the best bang for your buck.
Best Beginner Leg Workouts
This article contains three beginner-friendly workouts that will help you build bigger wheels.
But why three and not one, you ask?
A complete beginner should always begin with a bodyweight workout and stick to it for four to eight weeks. The first workout in this article will be a bodyweight workout to help you master the basic movements. The third workout introduces additional resistance to the mix.
What about the second workout? That’s a surprise!
The first workout will help you develop the necessary muscle mobility and strength to perform the exercises using weights with a full range of movement.
Although the bodyweight beginner leg workout might sound boring, it is a must for newbie lifters as it will help you build the necessary bone, tendon, ligament, and muscle strength to support weights for the more advanced workouts.
Bodyweight Beginner Leg Workout
Beginners must begin their lower body training journey with compound (multi-joint) exercises as it helps ignite strength and muscle gains while improving overall functionality, which boosts their physical performance in everyday tasks.
Here is how to perform each exercise with the correct form:
Air Squat
The squat is the king of leg exercises and should be a part of each lower-body training session. It helps develop strength and muscle mass, improve balance and mobility, and build a solid core. There are enough squat variations to keep your workouts interesting.
Steps:
Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
Turn your toes outward slightly for a more comfortable ankle position.
Hold your hands in front of your chest throughout the exercise.
Push your hips back and down to lower yourself into a deep squat.
Pause at the bottom.
Explode back to the starting position while driving through your heels.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Maintain the natural curvature of your spine throughout the movement. Avoid bending forward, as it will strain your lower back.
Check out our complete air squat guide here!
Step-Up
The step-up is a lunge variation. It is a potent booty builder and will help improve your mobility as it involves moving through a more extensive range of motion than the conventional lunge.
Steps:
Stand tall, facing an elevated platform, such as a flat bench or a plyo box. The height of the box should be at least 20 inches.
Lift your right foot off the floor and plant it on the elevated platform.
Drive through the right foot to lift your left leg off the floor. Place your left foot beside your right foot.
Return to the starting position.
Start with your left foot for the next rep.
Alternate between sides for the recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Avoid using your rear leg to push yourself off the floor. Further, keep an upright torso throughout the exercise.
Check out our complete step-up guide here!
Lateral Lunge
The lateral lunge is one of the most overlooked lower body movements. It is excellent for improving your hip mobility. The lateral lunge will boost your performance in leg exercises, especially those that require a wide stance, such as the sumo squat and deadlift.
Steps:
Stand erect with a hip-width stance.
Hold your hands in front of your chest.
Take a big step to your right while keeping your left foot planted on the floor.
Bend your right knee to lower yourself toward the floor. Your right thigh should at least be parallel to the floor at the bottom.
Forcefully push off from your foot to return to the starting position.
Repeat on the left side.
Alternate between sides for the recommended reps.
Pro Tip: As you gain more experience, you can achieve more depth by lifting the toes of the planted foot off the floor.
Check out our complete lateral lunge guide here!
Glute Bridge
This exercise targets your glutes and hamstrings. The glute bridge might look inconsequential but will leave you with a muscle-ripping pump.
Steps:
Lie on the floor on your back. Your arms should be at your sides.
Bend your knees and plant your feet flat on the floor.
Lift your hips toward the ceiling. Your body, from knees to head, should be in a straight line at the top.
Pause and contract your glutes at the top.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Place the soles of your feet together for a greater emphasis on the outside of your glutes.
Check out our complete glute bridge guide here!
Stability Ball Leg Curl
The stability ball leg curl will smoke your hamstrings. This exercise also requires decent core strength to perform correctly.
Steps:
Lie supine on the floor with your feet on top of an exercise ball.
When your legs are extended, your ankles should be on top of the ball. This will be your starting position.
Raise your hips off the floor, keeping your weight on your shoulder blades and feet.
Bend your knees to bring the ball as close to your butt as possible.
Pause and contract your hams at the top.
Return to the starting position.
Pro Tip: You could start with a heavy wall ball if doing this exercise using an exercise ball feels too difficult.
Standing Calf Raise
Calves are often overlooked in a bodyweight training regimen. However, this is no ordinary training program.
Steps:
Place your toes on the edge of an elevated object, such as an aerobic step.
Place your hands on a wall for stability.
Lower your heels as close to the floor as possible.
Lift your heels as high as possible.
Pause and contract your calves at the top.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Pro Tip: Imagine getting on your toes like a ballerina at the top of the movement for optimal gastrocnemius muscle stimulation.
Check out our complete standing calf raise guide here!
Bodyweight HIIT Leg Workout For Beginners
Beginners can ramp up the intensity of the bodyweight leg workouts using the HIIT (high-intensity interval training) protocol. HIIT workouts involve short bursts of intense activity followed by periods of rest or lower-intensity exercise. Besides helping build muscle mass and strength, HIIT workouts can improve cardiovascular health, increase metabolic rate, and promote weight loss. Furthermore, since this type of workout takes less time to complete than conventional workouts, it is more suitable for people on a tight schedule. [1]
We’ll program the bodyweight beginner leg workout exercises into a HIIT format. Perform three rounds of the following circuit. Do each exercise for 45 seconds. You are allowed a 15-second rest after each exercise and a two-minute rest after finishing each round. This workout will take you 21.25 minutes to complete.
Weighted Beginner Leg Workout
The weighted beginner leg workout includes basic lower body exercises; these will help add size and strength to your wheels.
After doing the bodyweight leg workout for four to eight weeks, you can switch to the weighted beginner leg workout. It includes a balance of compound and isolation exercises to ignite new growth. Use a weight that allows you to reach muscle failure in the 8-12 rep range to boost muscle hypertrophy. Also, limit your rest duration between sets to 60-120 seconds to keep your training intensity high. [2]
Below is the form breakdown of each exercise:
Barbell Squat
The barbell back squat is a variation of the air squat and involves holding a bar across your shoulders while performing the lift.
Steps:
Stand erect with a hip-width stance with a barbell placed across your shoulders.
Keeping an upright torso, lower yourself into a squat by pushing your hips back and down.
Lower toward the floor until your thighs at least break parallel.
Explode back to the starting position.
Pro Tip: Keep your core and glutes braced throughout the exercise for better balance and stability.
Check out our complete barbell squat guide here!
Walking Lunge
The barbell walking lunge is more challenging than the forward or reverse lunge as it demands greater balance and core stabilizer engagement.
Steps:
Stand upright with a barbell placed across your shoulders.
Step forward with your right foot.
Lower until your left knee touches the floor and your right thigh is parallel to the floor.
Bring your left foot next to your right foot.
Alternate between sides for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Use a weight that you can handle comfortably. You can switch to dumbbells if you’re having difficulty maintaining your balance with a barbell.
Check out our complete walking lunge guide here!
Leg Press
The leg press is one of the most abused training equipment. Most lifters load more weights onto the machine than they can handle and end up moving the sled only a few inches. Ensure you follow a full range of motion for optimal muscle stimulation.
Steps:
Load an appropriate weight onto the leg press machine.
Take a seat on the machine while maintaining the natural curvature of your spine.
Plant your feet shoulder-width apart on the foot platform.
Unrack the sled and unhook the safety bars.
Slowly lower the sled until your thighs are a few inches away from your chest.
Extend your legs while driving through your whole foot.
Avoid locking out your knees at the top.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Use different foot positions to target your legs from different angles. A wider-than-shoulder-width stance targets your inner thighs, whereas a narrow foot placement targets your quad sweeps.
Check out our complete leg press guide here!
Leg Extension
The leg extension is a staple in most leg workouts. It is an isolation exercise that focuses on your quads.
Steps:
Sit on the leg extension machine and place your ankles behind the foot pad.
While keeping your hips glued to the seat, extend your knees so your legs are in a straight line.
Pause and contract your quads at the top.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: Train to failure on this exercise to achieve a quad-ripping pump.
Check out our complete leg extension guide here!
Leg Curl
Similar to how the machine preacher curl targets the biceps, the leg curl targets and strengthens the hamstrings.
Steps:
Lay face down on the machine.
The ankle pad should be just above the back of your ankles.
Squeeze your hamstrings and curl the weight. The pad should touch your hips at the top of the movement.
Pause and contract your hams at the top.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: Keep your toes pointed during this exercise for better hamstring isolation.
Check out our complete leg curl guide here!
Seated Calf Raise
While the standing calf raises stimulate the gastrocnemius muscle, the seated calf raise works the soleus muscle.
Steps:
Sit on the calf raise machine. Place your toes on the foot platform and the bottom of your quads under the thigh pads.
Unrack the machine and lower your heels as close to the floor as possible.
Raise your heels as high as possible.
Contract your calves at the top.
Pro Tip: Calves can be a stubborn muscle group to develop. Increase your training volume by doing more sets and reps if you have lagging lower legs.
Check out our complete seated calf raise guide here!
Benefits of Beginner Leg Workout
Here are the advantages of doing the beginner leg workout:
Builds Strength and Muscle Mass: These beginner leg workouts will help you pack on muscle mass and strength. It will also improve your overall physique symmetry and balance.
Helps Builds a Solid Foundation: Leg workouts can help build a solid foundation by increasing your overall strength, improving your posture, and boosting your athletic performance.
Improves Balance and Stability: Lower body exercises, especially unilateral movements like the lunge, can improve your balance and stability. It will also strengthen your stabilizer muscles.
Boosts Functionality: Most exercises in beginner leg workouts are compound movements that will improve your overall functionality and make you perform better in daily activities.
Burns More Calories: Leg workouts involve training half your body in a single workout, which results in greater calorie burning than training other smaller muscle groups.
Develops a Strong Mindset: Leg workouts demand more grit and determination than any other muscle group. Going hard and heavy in leg workouts will help you develop a killer mindset.
Tips To Consider During a Beginner Leg Workout
Use the following tips to make the most of your lower body training sessions:
Warm-Up: Spending 5-10 minutes warming up will improve your mobility and flexibility and lower your injury risk.
Cool Down: Stretching after a leg workout is an excellent way to kickstart your recovery process.
Mobility: You must have decent overall mobility to perform leg workouts. Poor mobility will limit your range of motion and make achieving depth in exercises like the squat and leg press uncomfortable.
Progressive Overload: You must consistently challenge your muscles by increasing your training intensity and volume to ensure constant growth and limit the risk of hitting a plateau. Increase the weights, number of sets, reps, and exercises, or reduce the rest between sets to progressively overload your muscles. You could also use advanced training techniques like super sets and drop sets to achieve this feat.
Diet and Recovery: Whether you are training to build muscle mass or strength, you must follow a macro-focused diet and sleep for at least seven to eight hours each night to speed up your recovery and get the best bang for your buck.
Wrapping Up
The three beginner leg workouts detailed in this article are an excellent starting point for those looking to build strength and size in their lower bodies. These will also help boost your overall functionality, improve your balance and stability, burn more calories, and develop a killer mindset.
You must start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration of the workouts. Seek expert help to nail down your training form and limit your risk of injury. Finally, back up the beginner leg workouts with balanced diet and recovery programs to unlock stellar gains. Best of luck!
References
Ito S. High-intensity interval training for health benefits and care of cardiac diseases – The key to an efficient exercise protocol. World J Cardiol. 2019 Jul 26;11(7):171-188. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v11.i7.171. PMID: 31565193; PMCID: PMC6763680.
Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
7 Kettlebell Exercises For a Nice Butt
Kettlebell exercises can help build up many areas!
Kettlebells are all the rage these days. Many people consider kettlebell exercises to have better functional value than dumbbells, and for that reason, it is drawing a cult following. Heck, we even have kettlebells that look like chimps, orangutans, Bigfoot, and even Darth Vader.
While kettlebells provide the convenient size and portability of a dumbbell, they have a unique impact on your muscles. The spherical weight of a kettlebell can be anywhere between six to eight inches from your hands, which adds an unparalleled challenge for core stability and stabilizer muscles.
Kettlebell exercises usually involve several muscle groups at once, making them a potent compound lift-focused training tool. The versatile tool that they are, kettlebells can be used for a variety of exercises that improve both your strength and cardiovascular fitness.
Check Out: Best Kettlebells For Durability & Versatility (Updated 2021)
Origin of The Kettlebell
Before we get to the exercises which will transform your rear forever, let us talk about how the weird-looking training equipment came to be.
Kettlebells were developed by Russian strongmen in the 1700s.
Interestingly, in the 18th century, the girya (as the kettlebells are called in Russia) were primarily used to weight crops until some burly Russians started lifting them for building strength and endurance.
Russians and their awkward inventions, right?
The cannonball resembling training equipment began to be used for recreational and competition strength athletics in Russia and Europe in the late 19th century.
Trivia: The English term kettlebell has been in use since the early 20th century.
Kettlebells are usually made of iron or steel and are sometimes covered in colorful vinyl with a comfortable handle grip.
Must Read: The Most Effective Compound Exercises For All Levels of Experience
Benefits of Kettlebell Training
So, you are wondering why bother with the kettlebells and not just use dumbbells instead? Here are the benefits of using kettlebells in your workouts:
1. Helps Develop Explosive Hip Strength and Speed
You cannot go wrong with kettlebells if your goal is to build explosive hip strength. Don’t worry. We won’t ask you what you need the explosive hip strength for in the first place.
Kettlebell swings are one of the most common and effective kettlebell exercises. They are also efficient at training your glutes for strength and speed.
But why is hip strength so important, you ask?
Hip strength can help improve your overall stability and can prevent injuries. Also, hip strength and speed play an important role in many athletic movements, such as jumping, sprinting, and squatting.
Related: Fifteen Essential Lower Body Exercises To Add To Your Training
2. Improves Core Strength and Stability
Most kettlebell movements are a form of ballistic training. Ballistic training improves explosive power by maximizing acceleration and minimizing deceleration. These explosive lifts activate the abdominal muscles and require core contraction and coordinated breathing. This process results in an improvement in core strength.
On top of this, kettlebell exercises are multiplanar, meaning – you will be training your core from all directions. It helps with building overall core strength.
3. Increases Range of Motion
Most kettlebell exercises are compound movements that require you to move through multiple planes of motion. Explosive movements through these planes, over time, results in improved flexibility, mobility, and as a result – a better range of motion.
Related: Full Range Of Motion Vs Partials: Which Is The Way To Go?
4. A Total Body Conditioning Tool
Don’t let the little friendly-looking weight training equipment fool you. They can cause total body annihilating in no time. Maybe there is a reason why some brands make them in the Primal shape.
Kettlebells are great at all the four aspects of fitness – strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance training. No matter how packed your schedule, you can always fit a 20-minute kettlebell routine into your day. The best part? You do not need to hit the gym to complete a kettlebell circuit, you could do it from the comfort of your living room or your garage.
Next Read: At Home Workouts With A Single Kettlebell
5. Facilitates Fat Torching Workouts
Kettlebell training circuits are nothing less than fat-burning fests. According to a study, swinging a kettlebell burns as many as 20 calories per minute. For people too lazy to do the math, that’s 400 calories for a 20-minute workout.
Better yet, kettlebell training often results in EPOC (express post-exercise oxygen consumption). Before you freak out – this is a good thing. It means that you would still be burning calories throughout the day after you are done with your kettlebell workout.
6. Improves Balance
Unlike while training with machines, you need to control your movement path while working with kettlebells. Since kettlebell movements have no predetermined movement paths, it requires your stabilizers to work extra hard, and over time results in their strengthening and improvement in overall body balance.
7. Develops a Stronger Posterior Chain and Improves Posture
Most kettlebell exercises are great for your posterior chain as they target your entire backside. Ballistic exercises like Kettlebell Swings help develop explosive strength in your glutes, hamstrings, lower and middle back, and traps.
Your newfound posterior chain strength will aid in jumping higher, running faster, and kicking harder. Not to mention, strong posterior muscles result in a better posture. Goodbye, slouching.
Must Read: Improve Hip Mobility to Boost Lower Body Power
8. Improves Muscles Imbalances
Since many of the kettlebell exercises involve unilateral movements, they help nail down muscle weakness and imbalances. While performing a kettlebell exercise, you might notice that your right side is weaker than the left on a specific lift.
With this information, you can re-design your training program to fix these discrepancies. If you have been training with barbells and machines for a long time, add kettlebell training to your regimen, and you will notice an improvement in muscle imbalances and symmetry.
Check Out: The Benefits Of Unilateral Training & Why It Matters
9. Enhances Muscle Coordination
Unlike the linear movement pattern of barbells and machines, the dynamic nature of kettlebell training forces you to focus on the movement and have a sharp mind-muscle connection. This leads to improved muscle coordination.
Read: 6 Ways To Improve Your Mind-Muscle Connection
10. Builds Lean Muscle Mass
Although kettlebell training alone does not build crazy muscle mass, it increases the amount of lean muscle tissue. If you are a fan of ripped physiques, kettlebell workouts can help you achieve the conditioning you are after.
Not only does kettlebell training help build lean muscle mass, but it also helps in staying agile, athletic and improves mobility, flexibility, and range of motion. What else could you ask for?
7 Kettlebell Exercises For a Pear Shaped Rear
Contrary to popular opinion, you do not need barbells and dumbbells to build shredded wheels. The cannonball with handles is quite a powerful tool when it comes to building strength, conditioning, and mobility. So, grab a kettlebell and start carving legs that Greek gods would approve.
1. Kettlebell Goblet Squat
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Goblet squat is one of the most versatile kettlebell leg-building exercises. Holding a kettlebell in front of your chest allows you to squat deep while minimizing the risk of an injury. Goblet squat also activates the highest number of muscle fibers in your glutes because you are holding the weight in the front and are hinging and leaning slightly forward.
Steps:
Stand upright with a shoulder-width stance, and your toes pointed slightly outwards.
Hold a heavy dumbbell (as per your strength level) in front of your chest. You could either hold the kettlebell upside down or hold the horns with both your hands.
Pull your elbows in towards your sides and maintain this position throughout the exercise.
While keeping your chest lifted, squat down as deep as you can comfortably.
The kettlebell and your arms should stay inside of your legs and close to your body at all times.
Return to the starting position explosively.
Pause and contract your glutes at the top of the movement.
Repeat for recommended repetitions.
Related: How to Perfect the Goblet Squat
2. Kettlebell Swing
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Kettlebell swings are a popular cannonball exercise. It is an incredibly effective exercise for building hip power and explosiveness. This high-intensity exercise will also help burn off excess body fat.
Steps:
Hold a kettlebell with both hands by the flat, top handle.
Stand with a slightly wider than shoulder-width stance and let the kettlebell hang between your legs.
At the starting position, keep your torso upright and brace your core.
Bend at your knees as you push your glutes back, and lower the kettlebell straight towards the floor.
Keep your arms straight and elbows locked out throughout the movement.
Thrust your hips forward explosively and raise the kettlebell until your arms are parallel to the floor.
Squeeze your glutes, core, and quads at the top of the movement.
Hinge forward at your hips and push your butt back again, letting the bell drop on its own as you do.
Keep a neutral spine throughout the exercise.
Repeat for reps.
3. Bulgarian Split-Squat with Kettlebell (in racked position)
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Kettlebell Bulgarian split-squat will set your glutes and hamstrings on fire. The racked position (in front of your chest) will help strengthen your core and stabilizers.
Steps:
Grab a kettlebell in your right hand and hold it in front of your chest.
Drape your left foot on a flat bench as you firmly plant the right on the floor.
Make sure your right foot is out far enough so that when you lower your hips, your knee stays directly over your ankle.
Bend your right knee and lower your body until your left knee is a few inches off the floor.
Return to the starting position explosively and squeeze the life out of your right hamstring and glute.
Complete the recommended reps on the right side before switching sides.
4. Overhead Kettlebell Lunge
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This is probably the hardest exercise on the list. Overhead lunge forces your glutes and hamstrings to work on full throttle to stabilize the lunge. It also requires good shoulder and traps strength and stability.
Steps:
Grab a kettlebell in one hand and press it overhead. Keep your arm straight and elbow locked out throughout the exercise. Your overhead arm should be perpendicular to the floor for the entire duration of the lift.
Drop into a reverse-lunge by extending the leg opposite to the arm holding the weight.
Bend your rear knee and lower your body until your knee is a few inches off the floor.
Push with your rear foot and return to the starting position explosively.
Complete the recommended reps on one leg before switching sides.
5. Single-Arm Racked Curtsy Lunge
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You probably have seen the curtsy lunges on Instagram. Confused? These are a #FitGirl favorite, and hey, we are not complaining. Curtsy lunges are a god-send for glute development.
Steps:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your left hand on your left hip.
Hold a kettlebell in your right hand in the racked position at your shoulder. Let the cannonball rest on your shoulder for the duration of the exercise.
Step your left foot diagonally behind you and lower your left knee until it almost touches the floor.
Your right knee should bend to about 90-degrees at the bottom of the movement.
Drive through your right heel to return to the starting position.
Pause and squeeze the life out of your glutes and hams at the top of the movement.
Do all your reps on one leg before switching sides.
6. Single-Leg Kettlebell Deadlift
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Single-leg kettlebell deadlift is an incredibly effective kettlebell exercise for isolating your glutes.
Steps:
Hold a kettlebell in your right hand, and lift your left foot slightly off the ground.
While keeping your back and head neutral, lean forward by hinging at your hips.
Raise your left leg off the floor slowly while keeping it in line with your body.
Lower the kettlebell until it almost touches the floor.
Keep your left shoulder blade pulled down your back.
Slowly return to the starting position, and contract your glutes. Make the most of the move by keeping your rear foot off the floor as you go through the reps.
Repeat for recommended repetitions before switching sides.
7. Kettlebell Squat and Clean
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There is some learning curve to this exercise. Make sure you are not going too easy on yourself by using lighters kettlebells. Use a weight that puts a strain on your glutes from the first rep.
Steps:
Stand with an upright torso and your feet placed shoulder-width apart.
Bend at your knees and push your hips back to lower yourself and grab a kettlebell with both hands by the top of the handle.
Drive through your heels to stand up as you pull the weight up to your chest.
During the upward movement, quickly swap your hands from the handles to the cannonball.
Lower into a squat, shifting your weight into your heels and pushing your hips back as you bend your knees.
Drive your body up explosively and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
Reverse the movement by switching your hands back to the kettlebell handle and lowering the weight back down to the floor, bending your knees and pushing your hips back to keep your spine straight.
Repeat for recommended repetitions.
Conclusion
You could perform all these exercises in a single leg workout or use some of them in separate routines to make the most of your glute training. After you see the results, kettlebells will become an indispensable part of your leg training regimen.
Which is your favorite kettlebell exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Kai Greene Leg Workout For Massive Wheels
Kai Greene Leg Workout Routine
Kai Greene is one of the most widely recognized bodybuilders of our time. His mind-blowing physique, inspirational words, incredible artwork, trademark hairdo (and infamous grapefruit video) have earned him fans all over the world.
Kai Greene Stats
Full Name: Kai Greene
Weight
Height
Year Of Birth
317 lbs.
5’8’’
1975
Arms
Chest
Thights
22″
58″
33″
Kai Greene made his Mr. Olympia debut in 2009 and competed in the world’s most prestigious bodybuilding contest until 2014. Kai Greene’s Mr. Olympia track record:
2009 – 4th place
2010 – 7th place
2011 – 3rd place
2012 – 2nd place
2013 – 2nd place
2014 – 2nd place
Related: Is Kai Greene Challenging Phil Heath In Recent Tweet?
For four years in a row (2011-14), Kai Greene came close (but not close enough) to conquering the throne. Some fans consider Greene a part of the “uncrowned Mr. Olympia” club accompanying bodybuilding legends like Flex Wheeler, Kevin Levrone, and Shaun Ray.
The Predator’s legs are one of the biggest reasons behind his success on stage. Greene’s vastus medialus (quad teardrop) striations are unmatched, hams in perfect symmetry with quads, and his calves have a life of their own.
But before we dive into Kai Greene’s leg workout, let’s get to know him a little better. Shall we?
Also Read: TOP 6 UNCROWNED BODYBUILDERS OF ALL TIME
The Kai Greene Story
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Greene had a tough childhood. After being orphaned at 6-years-old, he spent most of his youth in foster homes.
Throughout his younger years, Kai struggled to find a place in the community. The ensuing feeling of being an outcast turned Greene into a trouble child. His regular misconducts put him at risk of being kicked out from both his school and foster home.
Finding The Anchor
Weight training came as Kai Greene’s saving grace. Greene started training at the age of 13 and used the gym as an escape from all his problems.
Kai’s 7th grade English teacher realized his bodybuilding potential and started encouraging him to compete in teen bodybuilding shows. This little push was all Kai needed to turn his life around.
It did not take Kai Greene too long to realize that he had great bodybuilding genetics. He was growing faster than others his age and was beating kids older than him at bodybuilding competitions.
Check Out: Decoding Genetics: Check If You Have Bodybuilding Genetics
The Predator Was Born
Over the next five years, Kai Greene competed in various unofficial teen bodybuilding shows. Since Greene was bigger and more jacked than other teenagers his age, he dominated every contest he entered.
By the time Mr. Getting It Done turned 19, he had earned his Pro card in a natural bodybuilding federation, the 1994 NGA American Nationals. The early and quick success made Kai realize that he could make it big in bodybuilding, and make it big, he did.
Kai Greene & His Haitus
Since 2014, Kai Greene fans have been complaining about his absence from the Olympia stage. But hardly do they know, this is not the first time Kai has taken a break from competing.
Kai’s first show as an IFBB Pro was the 1999 World Championships in Slovakia. Although Greene placed 4th, he was not satisfied with his performance.
Determined to work on his weaknesses and sculpt one of the greatest physiques of all time, Kai Greene went back to the drawing board and took four years away from the competitive circuit.
Related: Kai Greene Meets With Universal Execs During Olympia Week
Kai Greene Leg Workout
Because of his size and appearance, many people expect Kai Greene’s workouts to consist of lifting heavy, grunting, and cursing throughout the workout. But, the reality is different.
Kai Greene Workout Principles
It does not matter if Kai is training legs, arms, or back. He swears by the following training principles:
1. Form Is King
Let’s do an activity. It will be worth it, we promise.
Set a five-minute timer, log onto YouTube, and watch (at 2X speed) as many Kai Greene training videos as you can.
Now here is what you need to do – note down every time Kai compromises on his form in favor of lifting heavy. At the end of the five minutes, you will probably have – zero entries.
“The weight is a tool. Do you focus on the hammer or the nail? You better focus on the thing you’re trying to hit.”
2. Mind-Muscle Connection
If you see Kai Greene pose, you would know that he can move each fiber in his body at will. The control he has over his muscles is incredible. Kai’s movements are precise, contractions are hard, and each rep is harmonious with the next.
Bodybuilding is not about lifting as heavy as you can. To sculpt your dream body, you need to contract your muscles and visualize your goal physique with every rep to ensure maximum muscle fiber recruitment.
This technique was first made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger. If you do not feel a muscle pump by the end of an exercise, you would be better off dropping the weight (and your ego) and trying again.
Next Read: The Importance of Mind-Muscle Connection To See Huge Gains
3. Warm-Up
Kai Greene spends 15-20 minutes warming up before every workout. Benefits of warming up include:
Improves flexibility.
Enhances performance.
Less muscle tension and pain.
Improved range of motion.
Increased blood flow and oxygen.
Lower risk of injury.
Mr. Getting It Done believes that his relatively long warm-up routine gets him in the right mindset to train and improves his focus. According to him, he gets more alert, aware, and his neurological connections get sharper.
Related: Follow This Insane Pro Warm-Up Routine For Ultimate Gains
4. Volume is Key
The Predator uses a lot of sets and reps in his workouts. He does not leave the gym unless he has annihilated his muscles. You will be doing up to four sets of eight different exercises and completing 12-20 reps in each, so get ready for the Kai Greene leg workout.
5. Take Your Time
Take your focus off the clock and put it where it should be – on your lower body. You are not in a race against time here. Take as long as you need between sets. Do not begin the next set until you are properly rested.
Kai Greene Leg Training Routine
Kai Greene’s monster truck wheels are a result of years of hard work and consistency. His leg workouts include a combination of advanced training principles and a variety of exercises to train his lower body from different angles.
The Predator’s legs are one of his strengths, but it was not always this way. He has been training for over 20 years with a focus on sculpting the perfect pair of wheels. Greene is presently working on adding more detail to his upper legs and making them rounder.
1. Superset
Glute Kick-Back: 4 sets 20 reps
Hip Abductor: 4 sets 20 reps
Kai Greene trains in a specific order that addresses body parts from weakest to strongest. He believes that it helps him build better muscular symmetry.
Greene starts his leg workouts with glutes and then transitions to training his calves, then hams because, according to him, that is the order of needed improvement. He trains his quads in the end because they are superior to other parts of his legs.
2. Superset
Standing Calf Raise: 4 sets 20 reps
Seated Calf Raise: 4 sets 20 reps
There are no accessory muscles on Mr. Getting It Done’s training program. Kai performs four sets each of standing and seated calf raises. While the standing variation trains the gastrocnemius, seated calf raises are optimal for training the soleus muscle.
Kai Greene uses the standing calf raise machine for the first leg of the superset. If you do not have access to a standing calf raise machine at your gym, you could use a smith machine with an aerobic stepper or a leg press machine for the exercise.
While performing calf exercises, you need to make sure you are following a full range of motion. Your heels should only be a couple of inches away from the floor at the bottom of the movement. On the other hand, at the top of the movement, you should look like a ballerina on her toes.
Related: 10 Reasons Why You’ll Never Have Big Calves
3. Superset
Jefferson Squat: 4 sets 20 reps
Hip Adductor: 4 sets 20 reps
Kai Greene played a big role in bringing back the Jefferson squat.
Named after circus strongman Charles Jefferson (1863-1911), the unique squat variation can help increase leg strength, size, core stability, and build power in multiple planes of movement.
How To Perform Jefferson Squat:
Stand over a barbell, facing one of the weighted ends with the bar between your legs. Your front foot should be facing forwards, and your rear foot rotated 90 degrees outwards.
Place your feet at a distance so that as you go down into your squat, your knees are directly above your ankles.
Squat down over the bar and grab it using a mixed grip with one hand behind you and one in front of you.
Drive down into the ground through your feet and stand tall, bringing the barbell straight up between your legs.
Return to the starting position with a slow and controlled motion.
Repeat for recommended reps.
4. Unilateral Standing Leg Curl: 4 sets 20 reps
Unilateral standing leg curl is an incredibly effective exercise to target your hams individually. It is especially beneficial for people whose hams are lagging their quads, glutes, and calves.
Standing leg curls can also limit the use of momentum and jerking motions. Keep your toes pointed throughout the exercise to ensure maximal hamstring muscle fiber recruitment.
5. Lying Leg Curl: 4 sets 20 reps
Kai Greene likes to think about his hams as piano wires throughout the entire range of motion. You do not want to be moving the weight primarily focusing on your shins or lower body. At the top of the movement, focus on squeezing your hams.
Lying leg curl can do for your hams what bicep curls do for your biceps. Perform the exercise with a slow and controlled movement, and you will feel every fiber of your hamstring working.
The Predator does not limit his workouts to a pre-defined number of sets. If he feels that he was not focused during the first couple of sets, he makes up for it by performing couple more sets of the exercise.
Remember – bodybuilding is not about going through the motions. Your goal should be muscle annihilation.
6. Barbell Stiff-Legged Deadlift: 4 sets failure
For the barbell stiff-legged deadlift, Kai Greene uses relatively lightweight. To put maximum tension on his hamstrings, he turns his toes in and points his heels outwards (forming an “A” with his feet) while performing the lift.
The Predator maintains a slight bend in his back throughout the exercise and uses his hamstrings and glutes to move the weight.
If you cannot perform the movement with a 2:1:2:1 rep tempo (two seconds on the way down, a second’s pause at the bottom, two seconds on the way up, and a second’s pause at the top), and have to jerk your body up and down to punch out the reps, you are probably going too heavy.
7. Squat: 5 sets 20 reps
No, this is not a typo. Kai Greene gets to the squat rack at the end of his leg workout. Since you will be fatigued at this point in your workout, you need to make sure you are not compromising on your form.
Mr. Getting It Done maintains total control for the entire set and length of each rep. Rather than dropping down and blasting up, Kai focuses on feeling every inch of the rep and tries to intensify the contraction on his legs.
8. Leg Press: 5 sets 20 reps
Unlike most lifters, Kai Greene does not like to go super heavy on the leg press machine. While fitness noobs focus on locking out their knees and squeezing their quads at the top of the movement, Greene tries to contract his legs throughout the entire rep.
If you can only move the weight a few inches while performing the leg press, it is a sign you have more weight on the machine than you can handle.
Wrapping Up
The next time you hear fitness gurus talking about why Kai Greene cannot make a comeback, remind yourself that the guy in question here has no qualms taking four years off if he believes he can bring a better package to the stage. Should you be doubting his commitment and ability? They don’t call him Mr. Getting It Done for nothing.
Who, according to you, has the best legs in the fitness industry? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Eight Best Bodyweight Exercises for Glutes
Glutes are made for bodyweight workouts. Sure, your rear end will benefit from long, heavy iron sessions of squatting and lunging that will produce a gluteus maximus worthy of its name.
But given the abuse our glutes take all day, it makes sense to perform bodyweight exercises for glutes, and not just during workouts. Most of us sit on our butts all day, which deactivates our glutes, tightening our hips and shortening our hamstrings, leading to all manner of muscular dysfunction, most notably back problems.
When we can activate our glutes, however, we can prevent this chain of pain and place our bodies back in proper alignment. One good way to start is by getting in the habit of activating (squeezing) your glutes, one cheek at a time, while standing in line or sitting in traffic. Get in the habit of squeezing your cheeks as you walk or climb stairs.
If you approach daily life as one big glute workout, you’ll be well on your way to muscular glutes and pain-free living.One study suggested that some of the most common exercises produce significant improvements in the glutes. With that in mind, here are eight of the best bodyweight exercises for legs.
Glute Squeeze
What it does: It activates the glutes.
How to do it: From a standing or sitting position, squeeze your left glute (butt cheek) and hold for two seconds. Release. Do a set of 10 on each side.
How many? Do these throughout the day and not just before a workout. Stand up once an hour at work and knock out a set of 10 on each side. Do them while sitting in traffic or while stuck in a meeting. Think of life as one continual glute workout.
Quadruped Rocking
What it does: This move is a combination of two familiar yoga poses: cow and child’s pose and provides a great stretch for the quads and hips.
How to do it: Get down on all fours and let the lower back sag. Push your hips back as far as you can, holding the lumbar arch. You should feel a stretch in and around the hips. Return to the starting position and repeat.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds rest between sets.
Glute Bridge
Why: It’s one of the best moves to improve the activation patterns of the glutes.
How: Lie face up on the floor with knees bent 90 degrees and feet on the floor. Squeeze your glutes and bridge your hips to the ceiling. Only your shoulders and hips remain on the ground. Hold for two seconds and then lower your hips toward the ground without touching. Repeat for a set of 10.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds rest between sets.
Inverted Hamstrings
What it does: This move forces you to fire (activate) your glutes. Practicing such movements becomes a habit while training and in everyday life.
How to do it: Balance on your right foot, keeping tummy tight,and shoulders back and down. Bend at the waist with both hands out to the sides and extend your left leg back as you fire the left glute. Your shoulder and heel should move together, forming a straight line. Return to starting position and switch legs, performing a set of 10 on each leg.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps per side.
What it does: Also known as a pistol squat, the single-leg squat challenges your balance and core stability, especially the glutes.
How to do it: Stand on one leg with that foot pointing straight ahead and the knee of the other leg slightly bent. Raise the non-supporting foot slightly off the floor. Lower to a squat, keeping the knee of your supporting leg centered over the foot.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds rest between sets.
Lateral Lunges
What it does: Lateral movement is important to sports and the motions of everyday life, but too often we ignore it in the gym. The lateral lunge hits the quads and glutes, along with the hamstrings.
How to do it: Step out to the right, keeping toes pointed straight ahead and feet flat. Squat down only your right leg, keeping the left leg straight. Squat as low as possible, keeping the left leg straight and holding for two seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat for a set of 10. Switch sides.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps (per side) with 30 seconds rest between sets.
Straight Leg Skipping
What it does: This move works your hamstrings and glutes while also challenging your coordination.
How to do it: From a standing position, lift one leg straight in front of you while you swing the opposite arm forward. Pull your heel down to the ground as the other arm and leg swing forward. Repeat for a set of 10.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps (per side) with 30 seconds rest between sets.
Squat Jumps
What it does: This move works the hips, knees, and ankles but the key is using your glutes to generate power.
How to do it: Stand with feet just outside the shoulders and hangs behind your head. Squat, keeping your knees behind your toes and squeezing your glutes. After holding this position for two seconds, jump vertically. Pull the toes to your shins in midair to prepare for landing. Land in the starting squat position, hold three seconds, and repeat for 10 reps. Be sure to land softly, with the hips back and down.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
Pete Williams is a NASM-CPT and the author or co-author of several fitness books, including Core Performance and Every Day is Game Day. His work has appeared in publications such as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, and USA Today.
6 Most Common Leg Press Mistakes Everyone Makes – Including You
Leg Press Mistakes You Need To Stop Making
For many people, their self-respect is directly proportional to the amount of weight they can lift. Gym bros try to outdo each other by competing against one another in the gym, and the leg press is usually at the center of the abuse.
Although the leg press is a fairly easy exercise, many people still manage to screw it up. Our goal with this article is not to shame anyone. We’re listing out the mistakes so that other people can learn from them and avoid injury.
Going Too Heavy
We propose a strict ego-test before anyone can get onto the leg press machine. We don’t mean it figuratively, we literally want someone to question the lifter about his PR on the squat and deadlift before he can put on more than four plates on the machine.
The ego-lifters move the sled a couple of inches every rep before calling it a set. If you’re not able to maintain a complete range of motion (thighs touching the torso), you’d be better of lowering the weights.
Using Arms
Most people spot themselves by pushing their legs with their hands. The self-spot is acceptable if you’re training for failure and need a little assistance towards the end of the set. But if you need to push through your arms from the first rep, you have some soul searching to do.
On the other hand, some people leave a lot of gains on the table by raising their arms in the air or crossing them over their chest. Holding onto the sidebars or the pads can help you in generating thoracic pressure and keeping your core tight.
Lower Back
Some people make the mistake of lifting off their lower back from the pad. After your legs, your lower back is the muscle that is put under the most stress while performing the leg press.
If you feel pain or stress in your lower back while performing the exercise, you need to fix your posture. You can try adjusting the angle of the pad if you don’t see relief after making sure your lower back is not elevated.
Feet Placement
It’s not uncommon to see people performing the exercise with a messed up feet placement. In a normal stance, your feet should be placed at a shoulder-width on the platform. Your toes should be pointing out slightly (11 and 1 o’clock).
If you’re targeting the inner sweep of the quads, your feet will be wider than shoulder-width and the toes will be pointing farther outwards. And while training the outer sweep, your toes will be placed parallel and next to each other.
Knee Movement
Performing the leg press correctly requires you to learn the proper technique. While lowering the sled, your knees shouldn’t fold-in. You need to push-out your knees as you bring them closer to your chest.
In an orthodox position, your legs should be at the sides of your torso at the bottom of the movement. You also need to make sure your heels don’t come off the platform as you lower it down.
Back Placed Flat Against The Pad
This can get a little confusing as we just told you that your lower back shouldn’t be elevated. Remember – while, your upper and lower back should be placed against the pad, your mid-back should be slightly elevated.
You should maintain a big-enough arch so that your hand could pass between the pad and your back. Placing your mid-back on the pad will put unnecessary tension on your back and you won’t be able to maintain a full range of motion.
Which is your favorite exercise?
Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.