The best exercises to build the lower body

Leg strength training is an important aspect of any training program. Strengthening your lower body muscles not only improves your physical performance, it also provides many health benefits. Leg exercises, such as squats, lunges and deadlifts, are key movements for building muscle mass and increasing thigh strength. But there are many others depending on your goals!

Glute exercises, such as hip extensions and deadlifts, are also effective in strengthening the posterior muscles. A comprehensive leg workout will include a range of strength exercises for the thighs and buttocks, as well as toning exercises to strengthen the leg muscles.

The benefits of leg training go beyond physical appearance and great shape, it also helps improve balance, movement, coordination and your comfort in performing everyday tasks like going up and down stairs and carrying heavy loads (your kids, the latest item from IKEA). Furniture), traveling by bike, or practicing hobbies such as dancing, football, etc. In this article, I present to you the best exercises to strengthen the lower body.

In the gym

Working out in the gym can offer many benefits for building leg muscles. Weight rooms typically contain a variety of equipment, such as squat racks, different types of leg presses, leg curls, and leg extensions, that can specifically target the leg muscles. Most gyms also often have dumbbells and barbells, which can be used to perform a variety of strength exercises. In addition, gyms generally provide sports trainers who can advise you and teach you how to strengthen your legs effectively. For my part, I present to you my favorite exercises (the best for me) to perform in the gym:

1. Squatting Squats are one of the most popular leg exercises. They target the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. There are different types of squats, such as barbell squats or sumo squats, to target different muscle groups.
2. Deadlift : The “deadlift” is a complete strength training exercise for the entire body, and in particular for the muscles of the posterior chain: the glutes and the hamstrings. There are also several versions of the deadlift, such as the straight-leg deadlift, the single-leg deadlift, and the sumo deadlift, to challenge specific muscle groups.
3. Thigh press : This machine allows you to exercise all the muscles of the lower body: quadriceps, hamstrings, buttocks and calves. You can adjust the workload by adding weights and target specific muscles by placing your feet differently on the platform. To learn more, I invite you to read Roman’s excellent articles in the bodybuilding exercises section of the site.
4. Artificial foot : This machine allows you to specifically exercise your thigh muscles. The advantage of this device is that it is very easy to set up and use. There are machines that allow you to work bilaterally and others unilaterally.
5. Leg curl : This machine allows you to target the hamstrings with complete safety. Leg curls are also available in either a bilateral or leg-to-leg version, in a sitting, standing or lying position. Here too, to learn more, I refer you to the site's exercise bank.

At home

Exercising at home is becoming more popular, and there are good reasons for this. First of all, it saves time. No longer commuting by car or public transport to the gym, you can now train at home at any time of the day. You are free to plan your workouts according to your schedule and availability, which is especially convenient for very active people.

Then there is the financial aspect. Registration and membership fees at gyms can be expensive, especially if you are a bodybuilding enthusiast.

In addition, training at home allows for some privacy. You can train in the comfort of your own home, without having to worry about what others might think about your performance or appearance. This can be especially helpful for people who feel uncomfortable in crowded gyms.

Now that we've covered the benefits of exercising at home, let's talk about the best exercises for building muscle in the lower body. There are many, here are my favorites:

1. Squatting :Hmm again! Yes, because in my opinion it is the best exercise for strengthening the buttocks and sculpting toned legs. You don't have to lift very heavy loads, so if you have a pair of adjustable dumbbells, you'll have plenty of room to build muscle. Goblet squat, Bulgarian squat with dumbbells, sumo squat with dumbbells or even front squat with dumbbells, you are spoiled for choice!
2. Slots : This exercise primarily targets the quadriceps, but also strengthens the hamstrings and glutes. It can be performed with or without weights, statically, walking, forwards or backwards! Here again the possibilities are many! Feel free to vary it to avoid monotony in your training sessions.
3. Bench climbs (or steps): An effective exercise to strengthen the muscles of the thighs, buttocks and abdomen. Bench raises can also be done with a box if you have one in your home gym, and can also be intensified using dumbbells.
4. The box jumps : A moderately high-intensity cardio-oriented exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. It is an effective exercise to burn calories and improve your overall fitness. It is important to maintain good posture during exercise, keep your back straight and your abdominal muscles tight.
5. Skipping rope : We no longer think about it with the countless possible exercises, but jumping rope is a very effective exercise to strengthen the legs and buttocks, while burning the maximum number of calories.

Training tips

Do you want to sculpt your body and focus on your legs and buttocks? For many people, especially women, strength training may seem intimidating, but it's actually a great way to improve your fitness and health. Here are some tips to help you get started.

• Do a proper warm-up before starting the exercise. This may include stretching and light cardio exercises to prepare you for physical exertion.
• Next, it's important to start slowly. If you throw yourself on heavy loads from the start, you risk injury. Start with light weights and gradually increase to avoid injury.
• It is also important to vary your exercises to work different muscle groups and avoid monotony. Work your quadriceps, hamstrings and calves for complete, balanced leg development.
• Technique is crucial when doing strength training. Make sure you have good posture during exercises to avoid injury. If you have any doubts, do not hesitate to ask for help from a personal trainer or watch training videos online to make sure you are doing the exercises correctly.
• Recovery is just as important as training. Make sure you get plenty of rest and recovery between workouts to avoid fatigue and injury.
• To build strength, focus on compound exercises (also called multi-joint exercises). Perform sets of no more than 6 repetitions with moderate to heavy loads.
• If your goal is to tone and tone your legs, choose sets of 10 to 20 repetitions with light to moderate loads.
• It is also important to do cardio exercises to improve your overall fitness. Activities such as walking, running, jumping, or cycling can help you burn calories and improve your endurance.

What to remember

Bodybuilding is a great way to feel good about your body and sculpt your legs and butt! It is important to start slowly and vary your exercises to avoid injuries and continue progressing. Remember to warm up well before starting your workout and get plenty of rest between sessions. Do not hesitate to ask your sports coach for help if you have doubts about this technique. Above all, listen to your body and enjoy your workout!