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For some strange reasons, leg training is often overlooked by gym goers, especially men. The reasons for this aren’t clear. Maybe it’s because people think they look good enough? Because we usually wear pants so better focus on the chest and arms? Who knows for sure, but here we will discuss why that’s a bad idea and what YOU should do about it.


Why is it not worth skipping leg exercises?


If you want to reduce body fat, do not skip leg day in your training plan - they are huge muscles that need a large portion of calories to work, so if you want to lose weight, they’re a key area to start training. Instead of tormenting your stomach for hours to reveal the six-pack beneath the layer of fat, start… exercising your legs.

Strong legs are the basis of healthy, everyday movement and function. Maintaining an upright position while standing, but also moving, sitting down, squatting - all these activities are performed by the muscles of the thighs and buttocks. If we do not pay attention to them during training, we will suffer painfully during hiking or biking trips, skiing, swimming and virtually any sports activity.

Muscle strength is important, but also their versatility, i.e., readiness to take on any movement challenge - sudden jump, short run, maintaining a stable position on unstable ground, is key to their functionality.


Thigh muscles, that is ...


Quadriceps muscle - located in the front, consisting of four muscles, a powerful and extremely strong muscle responsible for the movement of straightening the leg at the knee and bending in the hip joint. It acts as a knee stabilizer while walking, running, and jumping.

Hamstrings - a strong, long muscle consisting of two separate parts running down the back of the thigh. Responsible for straightening the hip joint, bending and supination (twisting) in the knee joint. It is also an extremely important pelvic stabilizer.

Adductor muscles - consist of several smaller muscles, their task is to keep the pelvis in a state of equilibrium and adduction in the hip joint, i.e. movement also they are used for bringing the legs closer together.

Sartorius muscle - the longest muscle in the human body, it is responsible for bending the hip and knee joints.

Together these are the most important muscle groups in the thighs. In combination with the minor muscles and the group of gluteal muscles, they are a powerful machine with an extremely important task - maintaining position, explosive power and movement dynamics.


The best exercises for your thigh muscles


Isolated exercises


Leg extensions in a sitting position

An exercise that is well known to gym regulars and allows the quadriceps muscles to get tired. Isolated movement with considerable weight is one of the most important advantages here with a strong ‘burning’ feeling often felt during the exercise.


Lying Leg Curl

This is an exercise that activates the hamstrings and gluteal muscles. Sometimes with the appropriate setting of the machine, it can be performed with one leg in a standing position. This is a great option if you can as it isolates the movement more strongly.


Multi-joint exercises


Squat

A foundational exercise key to any serious leg training. Activating the muscles of the legs and buttocks, as well as deep stabilisation muscles. Demanding in terms of strength and technique it is important before we throw a heavy weight bar on our shoulders, that we must be sure that we perform this exercise flawlessly - steadily and in a deep seat at the bottom. This is one of the so-called model movements, i.e. those that do not cause problems in childhood and are performed naturally, and unfortunately are forgotten in adulthood. It's worth remembering that the squat has many variations. If you are bored of the basic version, try the Bulgarian squat or the overhead squat. It just gives you yet another challenge.


Lunges

They also require precision in their execution because they put a lot of stress on the knee joint. They can be performed alternately, or in a version with additional deepening. Also, for a slightly more interesting, but equally difficult method, as a walk, if you have the space. You should start with lunges without any additional weight. Your own bodyweight is enough. Only after making sure that the technique is flawless, should you be adding weight.

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