Leg exercises in the gym for girls: creating a training program for legs and buttocks for women

This article will talk about building a training program for the development of quadriceps, hamstrings and buttocks.

In today's world, there is nothing more difficult to develop than the muscle group of the lower extremities. Women are constantly looking for new methods and principles of training to make their legs slender and their buttocks round and dense.

But the truth is that training legs is not that complicated if you know what to do and are motivated enough to do it.

Strong buttocks, wide, firm and dense thighs, toned calves are a manifestation of feminine strength and beauty. The legs are one of the largest and most complex parts of the entire body. They can be divided into two main muscle groups – the quadriceps (quadriceps) and the hamstrings (hamstrings).

But the article would not be complete if I did not include the principles of training the gluteal muscles. A complete ensemble of muscle groups of the lower part of an attractive female figure.

Quadriceps.

The quadriceps femoris muscle (quadriceps) consists of four separate muscles.

Rectus femoris muscle
Vastus lateralis (external) muscle
Vastus medialis (internal) muscle
Vastus intermedius muscle

The quadriceps muscles are involved in extension of the knee joint. The rectus femoris muscle, together with the iliopsoas muscle, lifts the thigh towards the chest.

Biceps femoris.

The biceps femoris consists of four muscle groups.

Long head of the biceps muscle
Short head of the biceps muscle
Semitendinosus muscle.
Semitransverse muscle (semimembranosus).

The function of the femoral biceps is to flex the leg at the knee joint, help the gluteus maximus muscle in straightening the body, rotate the lower leg when the knee is bent, and outwardly rotate the lower leg.

Buttocks.

The buttocks are formed by three main muscles:

The gluteus maximus is the largest and most prominent of the gluteal muscles.
The gluteus medius is a small muscle that sits laterally on top of the gluteus maximus.
The gluteus minimus is a small muscle located laterally under the gluteus maximus and is therefore not visible at all.

The glutes support the hamstrings when you need to increase your speed. When you walk slowly, they hardly work. But when you speed up and start running, your buttocks are actively involved in the work.

The gluteal muscles help the quadriceps to extend and rotate the thigh outward, and together with the muscles of the back of the thighs, they extend the torso from a tilted position.

Luckily for you ladies, you are naturally stronger in your legs than any other part of your body. In fact, you are proportionately stronger in the legs than men in relation to the rest of the muscle groups. Therefore, “lagging leg muscles” is not even an excuse!

Multi-joint exercises.

Squats.

Execution options: barbell, dumbbells, Smith machine, Hackenschmidt machine
Type of execution: split squats, wide stance, shoulder width apart, narrow stance, front squats.

Leg press.

Execution options: incline press, horizontal press, Smith machine.
Foot width: wide foot position, shoulder-width apart, narrow foot position, single leg press.
Placing your feet on the platform: top of the cart, middle part of the cart.

Lunges.

Execution options: dumbbells, barbell, Smith machine.
Type of execution: walking, reverse lunges, curtsies, Bulgarian lunges, side lunges.

The most popular and effective exercises for legs and buttocks in the gym

Squats are the head of everything!

Squats are a basic exercise for women that simultaneously engages the muscles of the legs and buttocks, promotes flexibility, and also forces some of the muscles of the back and lower back to work. Before you lift the barbell, learn your squat technique. Try doing them without weights or with a bar. Don't take on heavy weights right away, load yourself up gradually. It is better for girls to increase not the number of discs, but the number of approaches or repetitions. Even with light weights you can achieve success in pumping your gluteal muscles.

Stand straight with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
Pay attention to your socks, it is best to point them away from each other.
Take a barbell (or bar) and press it from behind to your shoulders with your hands.
The back should remain straight during squats, the head should always look forward (or slightly up).
Start squatting without bringing your knees beyond your toes.
Slowly move your pelvis back, watch your breathing: down - inhale, up - exhale.

Optimal number of approaches: 3, repetitions: 15–16.

Correct squat technique for women

Deep squat with barbell

Deep Barbell SquatIf you don't have a spotter for your squats and you really want to lift weights, use a Smith machine. Thanks to the special design, the risk of injury is reduced to zero. The bar won't fall off your shoulders, and the discs won't fly off. Special restraints will ensure safe and high-quality training.

Smith squats are aimed primarily at working the large, medium and small muscles that form the buttocks and increase their volume. The technique is similar to regular squats with a barbell. However, this simulator limits the maneuverability of movements in one plane. But this is not a minus, because in this case there is no need to be distracted by extraneous factors (for example, you do not need to focus on maintaining balance).

Stand in the Smith machine with the attached bar resting on your shoulders.
Place your feet wider than shoulder width.
Grab the bar (barbell) with both hands.
Start your squats with your back straight, pushing your pelvis back.
Don't lower your head, try to look forward (up).

Number of approaches and repetitions: 3 x 15.

Smith machine

Squat technique

Leg press using a platform for girls

The goal is to train the muscles of the anterior thigh. The main load here falls on the quadriceps. The exercise is performed using a special platform (the weight is adjusted by discs). To begin, take a reclining position.

Lean your back on the backrest, press your pelvis against the seat.
Place your legs above you with emphasis on the platform.
Possible foot positions: wide, narrow, above and below the platform (we recommend using a wide stance to start with).
The knees in a bent position should not wag to the sides. Try to keep them parallel to your feet.
Remove the platform from the lock by moving the lever (usually located on the right under the seat).
Grab the special handles with both hands (they are located on both sides of the pelvis).
Slowly lower the platform towards you, pressing your hips towards your chest.
Then straighten your legs (but not all the way), pushing the platform up.
Do not lift your shoulders from the back of the machine.
Work only your leg muscles.

Number of approaches and repetitions: 3 x 12.

Leg press (video)

Platform trainer

Exercise machine with a platformVarious options for placing your legs on a platform depend on which part of the muscles you want to work. Standing shoulder-width apart (toes out to the sides) activates all thigh muscles at the same time. A wide stance trains the quadriceps and adductors. A narrow stance forces the abductor muscles to work. To emphasize your butt, place your feet above the middle of the platform. If you want to focus only on your quadriceps, place your feet below the middle of the platform.

Foot placement in the bench press

Different leg positions use different muscles

Leg information

If you know how to strengthen the back and front muscles of the thighs, but have no idea what to do with the inner part, then use a leg abduction machine. The exercise is aimed at working the adductor muscles. Before you begin, adjust the weight on the machine and sit in it so that the soft rectangular bolsters are on the inside of your knees.

In the starting position, your legs should be relaxed and apart.
Bring your legs together, squeezing your thighs.
Hold the tension for a few seconds.
Hold the special handles with your hands or place them on your belt.
Slowly spread your legs, reducing the force on the rollers.
Try to keep your entire body, except your hips, static.

Repeat the exercise 12–15 times in three approaches.

Leg trainer

Correct technique

Calf raises (training the calf muscles)

To pump up your calf, soleus, and plantaris muscles, use calf raise machines. There are two variations of performing the exercise: from a sitting position and from a standing position. Both options are aimed at creating beautiful, thickened calves, increasing the volume of the lower leg, and preventing injuries and varicose veins.

Option 1. From a sitting position.

Sit in the exercise machine, with your feet resting on the stand below.
Place your knees statically under the bolsters.
Use your hands to grab the handles in front of you.
Straighten your back and begin to lift your feet onto your toes.

The set weight will resist displacement and put pressure on the calves from above.

Calf raises

Exercise option

Exercise option Option 2. From a standing position.

Stand on the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Place weighted rollers on your shoulders.
Bend your elbows and grab the handles with your palms.
Rise up onto your toes, pushing the rollers up with your shoulders.
Slowly lower yourself down, supporting your entire foot.

Standing calf raises

Correct technique

Correct technique: In both cases, number of approaches: 4, repetitions: 15–17.

Leg Curl

We include the back of the thigh in the work: biceps and semimembranosus muscles. The exercise not only warms up the thighs, but also increases their volume, improves strength, and allows you to get rid of excess fat in the lower legs. For this exercise, use a horizontal machine. Don't forget to adjust the weight before starting.

Lie on your stomach, put your legs under the bolsters.
Hold the handles with your hands (they are located on both sides of your head).
Slowly bend your knees.
The shin should rise as high as possible.
Then lower your legs to the starting position.
Do the exercise smoothly, without jerking.

Leg curl machine

Correct technique

Correct technique of execution Number of approaches and repetitions: 3 x 12 times.

Leg extension

This exercise helps develop the muscles in the front of the thigh. During extension, the literal and medial muscles are activated. As a result: the hips take on a beautiful, toned shape, become elastic and sculpted. Possible variations:

No. 1 Extension of both legs.

Sit comfortably in the exercise machine, put your feet under the bolsters.
Grab the seat with your hands or place them on your belt.
Start to straighten your legs: pull your toes up.
Raise the rollers with emphasis on the front of the shin.
Then slowly lower them, relaxing your thigh muscles.

Leg extension machine

Correct technique

Correct technique No. 2 Extension of one leg.

To complicate the exercise and increase the load, lift the rollers first with one leg and then with the other. The technique of execution remains the same: from a sitting position, with a straight back and emphasis on the front of the shin.

Sets and reps: 3 x 15.

Single leg extension

Double load

Hack machine: squats with a fixed back.

To take the stress off your back during squats and force only the muscles of your buttocks and legs to work, use a hack machine. You don't need a backup here. The machine reduces the percentage of injuries when performing squats alone, since it has a special safety design. In addition, when performing squats in a hack machine, you can increase the working weights several times, which means you can increase your own strength and properly load your muscles.

Approaches and repetitions: 3 x 15. Exercise not only develops and strengthens muscles, it helps to lose weight in the hips and buttocks, which is important in creating an athletic figure.

Position yourself in the machine at an angle: focus on the inclined back.
Rest your shoulders against the rectangular rollers and hold the handles with your hands.
As with classic squats, place your feet wider than your shoulders.
Start to lower yourself: the machine will press on your shoulders from above, like a heavy barbell.
Straighten up and squat again.
To relieve stress on the knee joint, do not straighten your legs all the way.
Do not lift your pelvis from the back of the car.

Hack machine

Correct technique

Correct technique If you are not a beginner and work with very heavy weights, use an athletic belt to protect your internal organs.

Forward bends for women or Good Morning!

This exercise is performed with a barbell (bar) from a standing position. It engages the gluteal muscles, hamstrings and back muscles. Such bends are performed at the end of the entire workout to generally strengthen muscle groups. The technique is simple, but requires special care. Follow these guidelines to avoid lower back injury:

Take a barbell (an empty bar is better for beginners) and place it on your shoulders.
Bend your legs slightly, place your feet slightly wider than your shoulders.
As you inhale, begin to slowly lean forward with your body.
IMPORTANT! Maintain a slight arch in your lower back throughout the exercise.
Squeeze your glutes and back extensor muscles to return to the starting position.

Optimal number of approaches: 3 12–15 times.

Exercise "Good morning"

Active muscles and technique

Isolation exercises.

Quadriceps.

Leg extension in the simulator
Sissy squats

Biceps femoris.

Barbell and dumbbell rows on straight legs
Romanian barbell deadlift
Leg curls while lying in a machine or with dumbbells held between your legs, leg curls while standing in a machine.
Good morning

Buttocks.

Swing your leg while kneeling
Swing your leg from the lower block backwards while standing
Swing your leg from the lower block to the side while standing
Smith leg press while kneeling
Weighted gluteal bridge
Raising the pelvis while lying on your back on a bench
Leg raises in the simulator

Volume training program

If you manage to find time for a full workout during the week, you should follow a volume training program. That is, do more repetitions and approaches, this way you can increase endurance and build muscle mass.

The leg muscle exercise program for a girl includes:

Squats with weights 10 times, 6 approaches.
Deadlift with straight legs 10 reps, 6 sets.
Leg press 15 times in 4 sets.
Lunges with dumbbells 15 repetitions on each leg in 4 sets.
Sitting in the machine, raise your toes 15 times in 3 approaches.
Single leg machine press 15 repetitions on each leg for 3 sets.

Synergetic exercises.

By incorporating these exercises into your other workouts, you can get extra stimulation from your leg muscles.

Classic deadlift (back)
Raising the barbell from the floor and pressing overhead (shoulders)
You can also work on your leg muscles by doing cardio, sprinting, running up stairs, or cycling.

Multi-joint exercises are great because they activate the entire muscle mass of the legs. By bending your hips and extending your knees in one full movement, you can lift much more weight and also save time in the gym.

Multilevel exercises also burn more calories, require more intensity, and are much more effective than isolation exercises. Make compound movements a staple of your leg workout and add isolation for extra polish.

Choose 2-3 compound movements and 2 isolation movements - one each for the hamstrings and quadriceps - so you can work your legs with enough intensity to stimulate muscle growth and increase strength.

Breakfast

Egg white (raw, fresh)

3 pcs.

14.4 Kcal
3.3 proteins, g
0.1 fat, g
0.2 carbohydrates, g

Cereals

1/3 mug

68 Kcal
2.4 proteins, g
1.4 fat, g
11.7 carbohydrates, g

Breakfast

82.4 Kcal
5.7 proteins, g
1.5 fat, g
11.9 carbohydrates, g

Sets and reps.

The leg muscles respond well to high-repetition work. I recommend doing your heaviest sets in the 8-12 rep range for 3-4 working sets. Don't forget to also do 2-3 warm-up sets for each muscle group.

Start your workout with 20-25 repetitions and work according to the straight pyramid principle, gradually increasing the weight of the apparatus and decreasing the number of repetitions with each new approach.

Of course, everyone knows that changing the order of reps is a good way to shock the muscles, so for some exercises, especially isolation exercises, feel free to raise the rep range to 30, and for multi-joint exercises (especially squats), lowering the rep range to 4 is the best way to increase strength leg muscle indicators.

Bodymaster.ru recommends Fitness Trainers:

Don't forget that the muscles of the chest and back need the same load as the buttocks or legs. Therefore, you need to select a comprehensive exercise program for the whole body. For an example, check out the following basic workout.

The duration of an ideal workout for girls should be at least an hour. It is this load that will allow you to work out all muscle groups of the body and do the required number of repetitions. Under no circumstances should you distribute workouts for different muscle groups by day of the week.

These are the main points that influence the preparation of a fitness training program for girls. Use them in your practice, it will help you achieve more significant results.

Frequency, duration and intensity of training.

Unless your legs are a weak (lagging) part of your body, train them only once a week. If it's a lagging body part, you still shouldn't train it more than once a week. Why?

Legs are the largest muscle mass in our body; training them is considered very intense in relation to other muscle groups and takes quite a lot of time to work them out in one workout. Therefore, their recovery takes longer, up to a week.

If you bomb your legs at maximum intensity twice a week, you won't give them enough time to recover from the previous workout and will end up overtraining your muscles and causing constant pain.

But, if you suddenly feel that your legs are rested after two or three days after training, and you are ready for the second round of the week, then know that you are not training with enough intensity!

Many athletes split their leg workouts into two sessions, working the quads on one day and the hamstrings on the other.

This concept also has its place, but the fact is that you cannot work one of these muscle groups in isolation with complex multi-joint movements without involving another muscle group in the work. And if you follow this type of program, you will get a leg workout twice a week.

There are certain ways to perform exercises to prioritize one muscle group over another. This is a great idea if one of the leg muscles is “lagging”; However, if you overdo it, then, as I said, you risk overtraining, developing permanent muscle pain, which in turn can lead to unpleasant consequences.

In terms of intensity, you should train fairly hard, combining strength, multi-joint exercises with isolation movements.

If after the training you want to do a couple more exercises on the machines as a “polish” (for example, abducting, spreading legs), then you did the main training poorly!

Muscle tone - what is it?!

So many women use this word and honestly don't really know what it means! In fitness and bodybuilding there are two main goals: gaining muscle mass and burning fat (working for relief)

You either want to do one or the other, or both. You cannot “tone” any part of your body. So decide what goal you want to achieve and center your training around it.

If you have "big" legs - and when I say big, I mean bigger in comparison to your upper body. First, determine whether size depends on the amount of subcutaneous fat or the amount of muscle gained. This is not so difficult to determine. If it's muscle size, you should have good outer development in your hips, the lower quadriceps (teardrop muscle) should be visible, and there shouldn't be a lot of subcutaneous fat on your legs.

The muscles of the back of the thighs should look round and tight. In other words, your legs may be big, but they should still be very tight. If the legs do not have enough muscle support, they will appear loose and flabby. The optimal amount of subcutaneous fat should be kept at least 11%.

How many average women do you know who maintain such a low body fat percentage all year round? The list will be insignificant. Try to look past this when identifying your weak parts of the body. Pay attention to muscle development, not fat reserves. Everything else will depend on your current nutrition plan.

Nutrition

A nutrition plan is an important part of a training program for girls.

During the third or fourth week of the menstrual cycle, a woman’s body is especially prone to fat accumulation, at this time it is necessary to carefully monitor the amount of simple and complex carbohydrates consumed.

Sample menu for a training day

If you are determined to take the path of fitness, health and beauty, try to honestly follow the recommendations: exercise regularly, get enough sleep and eat right.

Gaining muscle mass.

If your goal is to add size to your legs, you must perform heavy, deep barbell squats!

Not Smith machine squats, not leg presses, but free weight squats in a power rack. This is the basis for building beautiful, muscular legs.

Perfect the technique of this exercise until you can squat with your eyes closed. Practice, but a Smith machine is perfect for this, and a good trainer who will teach you safe movement techniques.

Perform heavy squats every week, supplement them with multi-joint exercises such as leg presses, lunges, and hack squats.

Again, make sure your technique is perfect. Begin the movement with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, chest up, shoulders back, abs and lower back tight, and knees slightly bent.

As you inhale, slowly begin to squat, keeping your back straight. Move your pelvis back as if you want to sit in a chair. Try to shift your center of gravity to your heels and midfoot.

Don't lean forward. When your thighs are parallel to the floor or slightly lower, pause for a second.

As you exhale, begin to stand up, pushing the weight up. Look ahead or slightly up. Remember, even though you are squatting with a fairly heavy weight, do not violate the movement technique, do not let the weight on the bar crush you and tip you forward or force you to round your back. The weight of the projectile should be increased taking into account the same conditions - strict adherence to technique.

Symmetry.

Good leg symmetry is very important for competitive women and is still very important for amateurs. You should have firm, round buttocks, good splayed quads and hamstrings, with firm calves tapering to the ankles.

From the side, your quads and hamstrings should look equal, and both muscle groups should be full and round.

In relation to your upper body, your shoulders should be wider than your hips.

To generally work out the leg muscles, choose a position with your feet shoulder-width apart. To emphasize the outer quadriceps, place your legs close together with your feet pointing forward. Finally, to shift the load to your inner thighs, choose a wider stance (wider than your shoulders), with your feet turned out to the sides at a 45-degree angle.

Evening snack

Chicken breast without skin

120 grams

135.6 Kcal
28.4 proteins, g
2.3 fat, g
0.5 carbohydrates, g

Red potatoes

100g

84 Kcal
2.3 proteins, g
0.2 fat, g
19.1 carbohydrates, g

Evening snack

219.6 Kcal
30.7 proteins, g
2.5 fat, g
19.6 carbohydrates, g

Insulation.

For general quadriceps work, focus on the feeling that it is the quadriceps muscle that is doing all the work throughout the entire range of motion.

Remember to adhere to strict technique for performing the exercise. Make sure that when doing leg extensions on the machine, your hamstring is firmly attached to the bench and your knee is not hanging over the seat.

You can also influence how much stress is placed on the desired muscle during isolation movements. To stimulate your quadriceps, be sure to fully straighten your knees when doing leg extensions.

At the top of the amplitude, you can hold the peak contraction for as long as you can. This technique in an isolation movement will give you an incredible pump!

To target the hamstrings in isolation during leg curls, maintain strict form and don't let your hips lift off the bench to help lift the weight.

Standing leg curls are more technically advantageous for working the hamstrings because they force you to hold your pelvis in place, placing more emphasis on your hamstrings.

Priority.

If your legs are a weaker part of your body, train them on the first day of your training split so you can work them with a higher energy level.

Focus on doing each set with perfect form, don't chase the weights, feel every movement and muscle contraction, and train intensely - so you can get the most out of your gym sessions.

Alternate your workouts every week. In the first, you perform strength exercises (squats, Romanian deadlifts) in the low rep range. In the second week - traditional multi-joint and isolation movements in a higher repetition range. This will give you the best of both worlds—stimulating maximum strength in one workout and high-intensity movements for hypertrophy and conditioning in the next.

Train hard enough.

Once again I want to emphasize how important it is to train hard enough. Many women who work with iron know this and naturally observe muscle growth.

The key to this is a large number of sets with increasingly heavier weights.

Let's take squats as an example. The first 3 sets are more than a warm-up; they allow you to go deep into the exercise, feel and prepare your muscles for heavier sets as the weight increases.

Then, as always, you will reach your final set, and if you try to increase the weight beyond your limit, you will only get half reps! So you count your strength. But it's also important not to lift lower weights to complete the set number of reps.

Who cares if you do all six reps with the same weight you've been using for the last 3 weeks?! It is much better to increase it by 5 kg, perform 4 repetitions and progress with this weight and try to bring the repetitions to 6. This stimulation activates the growth of your muscles.

If you decide to train your calf muscles in one workout, simply add two different exercises for this muscle group for a total of 5-6 sets. In addition, you can train the lower leg on a separate day with other muscle groups.

Workout No. 1 (Week - 1)

Warm up: 5-10 minutes of moderate cardio and full body dynamic stretching.

1. Squats

Set #1 – 20 reps.
Set #2 – 15 reps.
Set #3 – 10 reps.
Set #4 – 8 reps.
Set #5 – 6 reps.
Set #6 – 4 reps.

2. Romanian deadlift

Set #1 – 15 reps.
Set #2 – 12 reps.
Set #3 – 10 reps.
Set #4 – 8 reps.
Set #5 – 6 reps.
Set #6 – 4 reps.

Workout No. 2 (Week - 2)

Warm up: 5-10 minutes of moderate cardio and full body dynamic stretching.

1. Leg press

Set #1 – 20 reps.
Set #2 – 15 reps.
Set #3 – 10 reps.
Set #4 – 8 reps.
Set #5 – 6 reps.

2. Hack - squats

Set #1 – 15 reps.
Set #2 – 12 reps.
Set #3 – 10 reps.
Set #4 – 8 reps.

3. Leg extension in the simulator

Set #1 – 15 reps.
Set #2 – 12 reps.
Set #3 – 10 reps.
Set #4 – 8 reps.

4. Standing leg curls

Set #1 – 12 reps.
Set #2 – 10 reps.
Set #3 – 8 reps.
Set #4 – 6 reps.

The training is carried out according to the principle of a straight pyramid with a gradual increase in weight. The first 2 approaches are by default warm-up. The last 2 sets should be completed to failure.

Rest between sets is 1 - 1.5 minutes, between exercises 2-3 minutes.

LEGS|BACK|CHEST|SHOULDERS|ARMS|ABS, SHINS|

Strength training program

Over time, if you develop the necessary strength and endurance and continue to train as usual, muscle tissue will grow under the influence of stress, due to the low number of repetitions with a high load. If you increase the number of repetitions and load, muscle tissue will also continue to grow, but as a result of metabolic processes occurring in the body.

The program includes exercises:

Weighted squats 5 reps, 5 sets.
Leg press 5 times in 5 sets.
Squats with a barbell 5 times in 3 sets.
Leg curls on the machine 10 repetitions, 3 sets.
Leg raises on the machine 10 repetitions, 3 sets.

Most athletes note that after short training sessions with heavy weights, full training in a standard mode is much easier.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the mentioned exercises are designed for a physically fit girl. If you have not worked out in the gym for a long time or are in poor physical shape, the right decision would be to consult a trainer. This is necessary to correct the program.