Talking about exercises, there are numerous benefits for men. They are higher testosterone, lower risk of high blood pressure, lower risk of diabetes, lower cholesterol, and reduced inflammation. Working out on the legs is a must-do since it is the biggest muscle group in your body. Here are 6 leg exercises for men you can do at home 3 times a week.
Simple Leg Exercises for Men to Improve Your Power at Home
1. Barbell Front Squat
Research has proven that one of the leg exercises for men, the front squat more emphasizes the quadriceps than the back squat. To perform a barbell front squat, you need a barbell or a dowel for beginners. You may start it with an unloaded barbell before adding weights. You should have a squat rack. This is because it can help you to do front squats.
First thing first, you should approach the rack with the bar at chest height. Place your fingertips wider than shoulder-width apart under the bar to use a clean grip. You can leave all or just place a few fingertips to continue. Then, you can push the heels of your elbows and hands upward until your upper arms are parallel to the ground. You can step back from the rack with the core tight and pull your shoulder blades down and back.
The next step, you can continue by doing squats. You may sit your hips back, bend your knees and push them out to lower. You may continue until your thighs are parallel to the floor. You should remain upright with a strong core throughout the movement. You can return to the standing position of this one of the leg exercises for men by imagining that you are pushing the ground away from your body and squeezing the glutes at the top.
2. Bulgarian Split Squat
One of the leg exercises for men, Bulgarian splits helps you to improve core strength and stability as well as prevent any muscle imbalances. To do a Bulgarian split squat, you need a bench, an ottoman, or any other similar sturdy structure around 17 inches and 18 inches in height. You should start it without weights and then add weight.
There are three steps to do Bulgarian splits. The first stage requires you to stand facing away from the bench you use. You place a foot on the bench which is behind you. Make sure that the knee of your standing position is not locked. The second stage is when you bend the knee and lower the standing leg down until the thigh is parallel to the floor. Next, you should power your quadriceps and glutes to return from the beginning position.
3. Hip Thrust
If you want to activate the gluteus maximus or butt muscles and biceps femoris or part of the hamstrings muscle group, hip thrust exercise is a good option for one of your leg exercises for men. This exercise is even better at activating the gluteus maximus and biceps femoris than barbell back squats.
Hip thrust exercise can be started by sitting on the ground with your back against the long edge of a bench. Place your feet flat on the floor and if you are using weights, you should place a barbell across the waist. The bench’s pad should be under your shoulder blades. Next, you can engage your core and push through your heels to lift the hips toward the ceiling.
After that, you should also keep your chin tucked to prevent any arching excessively on your back. You may continue it by squeezing your glutes and slowly lowering your butt back a few inches off the ground. Finally, you can perform hip thrusts in at least three sets of 8 and 10 repetitions. You may also take a rest for about a minute between the sets.
4. Leg Press
If you are the kind of person who does rather not lift large weights on the shoulders, leg presses exercises can be your best option. Using a leg press machine helps you to distribute the weight evenly without straining or even damaging your knees. You should perform it in 3 or 4 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions. You may also take a rest for a minute between the sets.
You should lie with the back flat first against the pad. Here, you should also place your feet shoulder-width apart on the weight platform. Next, you also need to bend your hips and knees while lowering the platform until reaching a 90-degree angle. Lastly, you can return to the beginning while making sure that the slight bend is on the left of the knee and your hip joints at all times.
5. Romanian Deadlift
Romanian Deadlift or RDL is a traditional lift to improve the strength of the posterior chain which are the erector spine, gluteus maximus, adductors, and hamstrings. RDL is best for you to do if you want to focus on the most physical work on the muscles rather than placing a certain load on the anterior portion of the knees. You can use a squat rack to place your barbell at a thigh-to-waist height.
One of the leg exercises for men which is the Romanian Deadlift can be started by standing with your feet hip-width apart. You may bend your knees slightly and grasp a barbell with your palms down with shoulder-width apart. You may also use a barbell in each hand. Then, you may lift your chest and pull the shoulder blades down.
The next step you can do is by lowering the barbell toward the floor while keeping your back straight. You may lower it until you feel the tension in the back of the thighs. You can return to the standing position by pushing both heels onto the floor and pressing your hips forward. While keeping a long back, you should pull back on the knees and maintain it with a slight bend.
With any type of leg exercise for men, you should start slowly and increase the volume of the exercise as you feel comfortable. You can also add weight to increase your power and strength. If you feel pain after trying one of those exercises, you should use an ice block and place it on the affected area or take NSAIDs like ibuprofen.
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