These three leg exercises are all you need, according to a professional trainer, to develop lower-body strength.
Leg exercises are the cornerstone of any effective training program, but which techniques should you prioritize for the best results? An experienced personal trainer was enlisted to create a quick lower-body program and provide her best starting point advice.
The good thing is that you don't need much equipment to get started. All you need are the best adjustable dumbbells, a kettlebell, and then just roll out a yoga mat to give yourself adequate support and grip.
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Katie Martin, a strength training expert for the Sweat app, told Fit&Well there are three "must-do exercises" that should be included in each successful lower-body workout. She went on to explain why.
The three exercises are the Bulgarian split squat, single-leg Romanian deadlift, and the squat (including any modifications). These are all doable with a variety of equipment, whether you're using a barbell, kettlebell, adjustable dumbbells, or simply your bodyweight, at the gym or at home.
Martin advises performing 8–12 repetitions of each exercise for four sets, with a 60–second break in between each set, if you wish to create a program with these three exercises. Continue with the next exercise and continue until all four sets have been completed.
They are complex exercises, which means they will engage many muscle groups simultaneously and increase the effectiveness of your training. Additionally, a variety of unilateral and bilateral (single- and double-leg) workouts are included. You'll concentrate on any imbalances between your two legs in addition to your lower body.
This transfers into routine tasks like running, climbing stairs, and picking things up. The more common movement patterns we strengthen in the gym, the less likely it is that we will sustain an injury or tweak anything.
In order to do this, Martin advises that you "start nice and light with the weights and focus on perfecting your technique." By doing this, you'll lower your chance of injury and make sure each action targets the right muscles.
Concentrating on your lower body also has some distinct advantages, such as "increased lean muscle mass, decreased chance of injuries / day to day pain, improved posture, improved sleep, improved metabolic function, reduced stress, and improved weight regulation," according to Martin.