Weight Lifting Exercises to Build Muscle

Developing weight lifting exercises routines for building muscle is important. Indeed, before you embark on such exercises, you need to layout a course of training that will meet both your short term and long term needs for muscle building. 

Are you interested in weight lifting exercises in order to improve your physique. First of all, you need to consider how much time you will have available to engage in weight lifting exercises. You need to be realistic about your schedule. Many people overestimate the amount of time that they actually will have available to engage in weight lifting exercises. Hope springs eternal when a person starts an exercise program of any time. Therefore, you need to be realistic about the time you will have available for weight lifting exercises. By being realistic, you will be able to develop a program that will fit into your existing schedule.

In considering weight lifting exercises, you need to be honest about your own abilities. As with so many things in life, you do not want to bite off more than you can chew. If you overestimate your abilities, you will quickly grow frustrated with your weight lifting exercises. If you underestimate your abilities, you will not obtain the maximum possible benefit from weight lifting exercises.

On a related note, if you are new to weight lifting exercises, you might want to engage the services of a personal trainer in order to assist you in creating a solid weight lifting exercises program. In many instances, a trainer can be an invaluable partner when it comes to weight lifting exercises.

When considering weight lifting exercises, you will want to make certain that the weight lifting exercises are part of an overall health, fitness and diet program. In this regard, you will want to make certain that you are on a proper and balanced diet. Additionally, you need to understand that strength training alone is not sufficient to create a regimen for healthy living. You will also want to engage in stretching and aerobic exercise as well to ensure complete and comprehensive wellness, health and fitness.

Finally, before taking off on any weight lifting exercises, you will want to consult with your doctor. Your doctor can assist you in determining what types of weight lifting exercises are best suited to your current and ultimate needs as well as which weight lifting exercises are best suited to your current physical abilities.

The Best Leg Workout

With all of the possible exercises and exercise combinations—squats, lunges, calf raises, leg presses, step-ups—leg workout days can be killer. Because the legs are made up of such large muscles, and because so many lower body exercises are compound exercises, it is not difficult to work the legs hard. Your legs are big, so hit them hard with exercises that work each muscle thoroughly. The have also been some of the hardest workouts I have ever made it through.  If you’re interested in real weight lifting, then this article is for you. Perform the following leg workout for maximum results.

Warm Up: power walk or jog on a treadmill or elliptical machine for 5-10 minutes. Push it a bit at the end to really get your muscles warm and push your heart rate up.

Cable Squats

If you’re new to the cable/ weight stack apparatus, take a minute to find the right amount of counterbalance weight. If the machine is adjustable, move the pulleys and handle almost to the floor. During the squat, grip the handle or bar close to your chest, and allow the weight stack to counter balance as you flex your knees and push your hips back and down. Try to keep your weight evenly distributed between and over your feet as you squat down and back up.

A narrower leg stance will work the gluts more than a wider stance. Stand firmly with legs shoulder width apart. To really target your vastus medialis (inner quads muscle), do a set or two while squeezing a small, inflatable ball between your knees.

Try reverse lunges to really hit the hamstrings, leg by leg, while putting only minimal stress on your lower back.

Between barbell squats, calf raises, and plyometric lunges, and work with resistance bands, my legs felt like jelly as I left the gym.

Sidesteps with Resistance Band

If you do this one right, it should make your gluts and outer thighs burn. The emphasis on the medial and lateral quads muscles is what qualify these a part of my best leg workout. Step on the center, grasping a resistance band. Start with your feet about hip width apart. Slowly under control, begin your decent. Pick up your right foot (the band should come with it) and take as large a step as possible to the side. Follow with your left foot. For one set, take 10-15 steps to the right; then retrace your steps moving to the left. Try to keep your knees bent and move at a pace where you constantly feel resistance.

Plyometric Lunges

Any type of lunge is a great leg workout, as long as you focus on keeping your knee behind your foot and not letting your legs “wobble” back and forth. Plyometrics are included for their capacity to develop explosive power and general athleticism.  Granted, they aren’t up there with barbell back squats but they certainlly pack a punch. The idea is simple: start in a regular lunge. Jump up from the bottom and interchange your legs dynamically. Land in the opposite position to the one you started in, and lower yourself again into a squat. Concentrate on good form and upper body posture throughout the movement.

The best leg workout you’ve ever had should start off with a few sets of each of these exercises, for versatile, compound lower body movements. If you find yourself wanting more, try upping your squat weight, or using a band with more resistance for your side steps. Even if you won’t call it the best leg workout of your life, I’m betting that your legs will concede it’s a good one.