A machine designed for leg extensions rarely sits idle in gyms, but the attitude towards this exercise among sports fans is ambiguous. It is one of the most popular among girls, while many “advanced” gym goers consider such training a waste of time. It is worth understanding what the essence of the exercise is and how effective it is.
- Seated leg raiser
- What muscles work during leg raises?
- Technique for performing leg raises in the simulator
- Classic version of the exercise pek dek
- Video: basic leg raise technique in the simulator
- How to diversify your technique
- Video: how you can modify the leg raise technique in the simulator
- Important nuances, secrets and effectiveness of the exercise
- How to increase the effectiveness of an exercise: technical nuances
- Effective or useless?
- How to replace leg raises in the simulator
- Leg abduction on a block
- Swing your leg while lying on your side
Seated leg raiser
A similar device is available in most gyms. The design of many of these simulators allows you to perform not only abduction, but also adduction of the hip.
The classic version of the simulator looks like this. The design consists of a seat with a back and two restraints, between which the legs bent at the knees are placed. The limiters are connected using cables with weights. The workload is varied using all-metal load blocks. There are handles on the sides of the device that allow you to securely fix the body.
The angle of the backrest can be fixed or can be changed.
A rack with cargo blocks can be located either behind the back or in front of the seat. The second option creates additional convenience when changing weights and allows you to make the workout more variable (you can hold on to the rack rather than the handrails). In some modifications, such a stand has a side position.
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What muscles work during leg raises?
Let's look at what muscles work during leg lifts. The leg raise in the simulator is an isolating exercise that largely involves the muscles of the outer thigh and gluteus medius. The gluteus minimus and gluteus maximus receive little load.
The quadratus dorsi and abdominal muscles act as stabilizers.
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Naturfit
My legs are not that beautiful, I just know what to do with them. Marlene Dietrich
Today's post is dedicated to my most beautiful friend who refuses to wear shorts. Her legs, you see, are flabby. I don’t know why she got it, but it will pass :)
So, we already have legs from ears. All that remains is to make them look stunning.
Not the mind-blowing one from which they run in fear, their heels sparkling, but the one from which they go crazy and strew the path along which you walk with rose petals, wash them with champagne and buy new shoes for them. But let's return from our romantic dreams to unromantic practice.
The beauty of your feet comes from liters of sweat and weeks of pain. Our goal is to strengthen muscles, remove excess fat and create seductive contours in any conditions, even at home. Our goal is not to build muscles. Therefore, we will leave barbells, weights and dumbbells aside. Until you master the technique and feel that all the exercises are easy for you, you can get by with your own weight.
We will do - squats, lunges, stepping, calf raises, leg raises, leg presses and pelvic lifts. The pelvis is the butt. Pelvic lifts, which are done in the bathroom, develop other muscle groups.
Leg exercises.
Squats. Basic option. Feet are shoulder-width apart, feet parallel to each other. From this position we slowly squat, moving our butt back! Not your knees forward, but your butt back. The knee should not extend beyond the line of the toes. To avoid knee injuries, squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. The back is straight and inclined. Don't lift your feet off the floor! The gaze is directed upward. So: we got into the starting position, sit down smoothly, moving our butt back, slightly tilt our straight back forward, and quickly return to the starting position. Ideally, do 50 squats. But if you manage to do at least 25, that’s already good, strive to increase the number of repetitions each time. Only 1 approach.
The squat primarily works the quadriceps femoris (the front of the thigh), with the gluteal muscles and hamstrings working to a lesser extent. The wider the legs are, the more the gluteal and adductor (inner lateral) leg muscles are involved in the work. If you transfer your weight to your heels (while your entire foot still remains on the floor), the load on your buttocks increases.
A variant of the squat in which the inner thigh is maximally involved in the work - plie squats . In the starting position, the legs stand wider than the shoulders, the toes of the feet are turned outward. Squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. We do the same 1 approach - 50 times.
This is a rather complex exercise, but it can also be complicated :) When the exercise is already done quite easily, add calf raises to it. We stood in the starting position, slowly squatted down, returned to the starting position, rose on our toes (at the same time tensed our legs and butt, felt the calf muscles tense), returned to the starting position.
Lunges. This shaping exercise, which uses all muscle groups in the legs, is indispensable for creating a beautiful leg contour. Starting position – legs together, back straight. We take a step forward and bend the knees of both legs. The knee of the front leg does not extend further than the toe. Support for the entire foot. The knee of the back leg is lowered to the floor, resting on the toe. The back is straight without bending. Keep your head straight, gaze directed forward. We return to the starting position, take a step with the other foot. 1 approach - 50-100 times (25-50 for each leg).
For variety, lunges can be replaced with lunge squats.
. Initial position. One leg in front with support on the entire foot. The back leg rests on the toe. From this position we do a squat - just like in a lunge, we bend the front leg until the thigh is parallel to the floor, the knee of the back leg lowers to the floor, the back is straight. Let's look ahead. 25-50 times on one leg, then on the other. The exercise can be complicated :). Yes, I like to complicate things. To do this, we place the back leg on a high support - a chair, sofa, bed, bench... We squat on one leg, without lifting the other leg from the support.
Another option for variety is pacing . 3 sets of 20 times. Between approaches we rest for 1-2 minutes. We need a stool or chair or any other high, stable support. The step platform and stair step are not suitable. Feet together, back straight. Let's look ahead. We place our entire foot on the support, rise up, place the second leg, lower the first to the floor, and place the second. We take the next step with the other foot.
Another variation of this type of exercise is side lunges and side stepping . We also do 3 sets of 20 times. Between approaches we rest for 1-2 minutes. Lateral lunges work the inner and outer thighs, quadriceps, and gluteal muscles. Starting position – legs together, back straight. We take a wide step to the side and squat on the walking leg until the thigh is parallel to the floor, the knee does not go beyond the toe, we slightly tilt our back forward, our gaze is directed forward upward. The second leg remains in place during the lunge, the support is on the entire foot, the knee is not bent. We quickly return to the starting position. We go down slowly, we rise up quickly. The next step is in the other direction. To maximize the use of the gluteal muscles, we transfer the weight to the heels.
Side stepping is done in exactly the same way as regular stepping. In essence, we step over a support by stepping on it. The exercise uses all muscle groups in the legs.
The next type of exercise is swings and leg presses . Presses, of course, are conditional, because in essence we are not “pressing” anything. Starting position – get on all fours (support on your elbows and knees). The back is straight, without bending. Raise the leg bent at the knee (the angle is 90 degrees as usual) until the thigh is parallel to the floor, with the toe towards you. Push your foot up with your heel. You should feel the contraction of the hamstrings and gluteal muscles. We do 3 approaches with each leg 20 times.
Starting position – sit on the floor, leaning on your hands and feet, slightly lift your butt off the floor. Raise 1 leg up, toe towards you. “Press” the heel up, straining the gluteal muscles until the thigh of the supporting leg is parallel to the floor. 3 sets for each leg, 20 times.
Raising the pelvis. Develops hamstrings and gluteal muscles.
Starting position – lie down on the floor, bend your knees, place your feet parallel to each other, shoulder-width apart. Leaning on your feet, lift your pelvis up and squeeze your buttocks. We do 3 sets of 30 times. We complicate the exercise - everything is the same, only by raising the pelvis, we bring the knees together. The inner thigh is turned on. You can also increase the height of the support - put your feet not on the floor, but on a step, for example.
Lying leg extensions. Strengthens the adductor and abductor muscles of the thigh. Bonus - the rectus abdominis muscle is strengthened. We lie down on the floor, legs together, toes pointing towards ourselves, and lift our outstretched legs up. We spread our legs as far apart as possible and return to the starting position. Do the exercise at a moderate pace without jerking. 3 times 30 times. Particularly lazy people can do the same with bent legs. Starting position - lying on your back, legs bent at the knee at an angle of 90 degrees, calves parallel to the floor, toes pointing towards you.
There are many options for leg exercises. In my opinion, these exercises are the most effective, simple and understandable. The most important thing is not to be lazy. We need to perform a set of exercises as intensely as possible. Rest between exercises for 1-2 minutes.
Regarding the quantity. Someone will say - 50-100 squats is a lot, I can’t do that much. Of course, if you really can't do anything else, then don't go out of your way. But, as in any high-intensity training, mentality plays a big role. When I squat 100 times, at the 25th time I think, “No, I can’t do it anymore. Or can I? Maybe I don't want to? Yes, I don't want to. But I want beautiful legs more.” At the 50th and 70th times, the internal dialogue is repeated. Afterwards I just count the squats and don’t think about anything. And this happens with lunges and treadmills….
You can!
You are tired, it’s hard for you, but you can do as much as you need.
It will hurt!
True, not for long. If you have never accomplished such feats before, your muscles will ache terribly. On the second day it was especially strong. But, after the 2nd and 3rd training, you will jump and frolic like a deer in a wild forest. Nothing will hurt.
Let's summarize. 2 times per week. Classic squats – 1 set 50 times. Plie squats (or Plie with calf raises) – 1 set 50 times. Straight lunges – 1 set 100 times. Side stepping – 3 sets of 30 times on each leg. Leg swings – from a standing position on all fours and “press” from an “almost sitting” position 3 times, 30 times on each leg. Lying leg extensions. 3 times 30 times.
Rest between exercises and approaches for 1-2 minutes. You need to drink water. Small sips. Some exercises can be changed or added.
The training is quite intense. By doing it regularly, you can burn excess fat, strengthen muscles and create a toned silhouette. If you can’t do that many repetitions or approaches, start with at least 1 approach per exercise or reduce the number of repetitions by half, but strive to increase the load.
Yes, you shouldn’t forget about your diet 
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Technique for performing leg raises in the simulator
Before starting a lesson, you need to set the optimal weight on the machine. It should be selected in such a way that it is possible to do the required number of repetitions without violating the technique.
Classic version of the exercise pek dek
There are many options for performing the peck deck exercise (peck deck spread, reverse butterfly, etc.), let's consider the classic version of the leg spread in the simulator. Sit on the machine and press tightly against its back. Your hips should be between the side supports. The back is straight, the chest is straightened. Holding the handles, spread your legs slightly to the sides. This will be the starting position.
- After a deep breath, a powerful but smooth spread of the legs to the sides begins as far as physical fitness allows. It is accompanied by exhalation.
- At the end point of the movement, pause for 1-2 counts, contracting the muscles as much as possible.
- As you inhale, slowly and under control begin to close your legs, returning to the starting position. Mixing is done more slowly than breeding.
Perform 15–20 repetitions in 3–4 approaches.
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Video: basic leg raise technique in the simulator
How to diversify your technique
The disadvantage of this exercise is the rapid muscular adaptation to such a similar load. To avoid reducing the effectiveness of the training, it is recommended to diversify the load by regularly leaving your comfort zone.
When doing leg raises in the simulator, you can use the drop set technique. It consists of sequentially performing several approaches with weight loss, with minimal pauses between them (ideally, this is the time required to install a new weight).
- The set begins with a working weight. Make the required number of dilutions (the last time should be difficult).
- Next, reduce the load by approximately 25% and immediately continue the lesson.
- Having done the exercise the required number of times, again reduce the weight by a quarter. All actions are repeated.
This is what one approach of an exercise performed using the drop set method looks like. After a short rest, these actions are repeated 1-2 more times.
By spreading your legs in the simulator, you can shift the work emphasis by tilting your body forward and backward. In the first case, the load on the top of the gluteal muscles will increase, and when tilted back, the load on the gluteus medius and minimus will increase. If the design of the simulator allows, when bending forward, it is permissible to hold your hands not on the handrails, but on the stand of the device.
When varying the inclination of the body, it is important to fix it and not change it during movements. When bending forward, you should not round your back: it should remain straight.
If your physical fitness allows, you can perform fly-ups without sitting down and remaining in a half-squat. You need to hold onto the counter in front of you with your hands. Before moving on to this option, you should perfect the basic method.
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Video: how you can modify the leg raise technique in the simulator
Execution technique
Seated leg raises are performed on a special simulator. First of all, you need to set the weight. For men, the recommended weight on this machine is from 20 to 25 kg. For women - from 10 to 20 kg. Finding the right weight is not difficult at all. To start, set it to a medium value and try to do at least 10-15 repetitions. If you manage to complete the exercise and a strong burning sensation appears in your leg muscles, the weight is selected correctly.
- Take your starting position. Sit on the machine so that your thighs are between the side supports. Grasp the handles with your hands, straighten your chest and straighten your back. Now you can start spreading your legs in the simulator.
- As you inhale, tighten your abs and spread your legs as far apart as possible. Hold in the extreme position for a few seconds.
- Slowly return to the starting position and exhale. Your legs should move towards each other not under the pressure of the exercise pads, but slightly resisting it. That is, we do not completely relax the muscles and perform the movement completely under control.
Depending on your training, repeat the described movement 15-20 times. Rest for 30 seconds and do 1-2 more sets. You can alternate approaches with bringing your legs together in the simulator or other exercises.
If you want to not only build muscle, but also burn fat, supplement your leg exercises with moderate-intensity cardio. Always finish your session with stretching.
Important nuances, secrets and effectiveness of the exercise
Despite the widespread opinion about the uselessness of leg raises in the simulator, if a number of conditions are met, it will help diversify the training process and bring significant benefits.
How to increase the effectiveness of an exercise: technical nuances
Leg raises, despite the low level of complexity, have their own technical subtleties, knowledge of which will help make the exercise more effective.
- During execution, all work should be carried out only at the expense of the hip joint, and the knees and ankles should not be included in the movement.
- The legs are spread apart with a powerful movement, and brought together under control and slowly.
- At the point of maximum extension, you need to linger for a couple of seconds, focusing on the peak muscle contraction.
- You cannot use the force of inertia when jerking. The exercise is performed using the target muscles.
- There is no need to allow the legs to finally connect at the point of convergence: this relieves muscle stress. Tension in the legs should be maintained at all stages of the movement.
- There is no need to help yourself with your body: it remains motionless.
- To increase the load on the buttocks, the socks can be turned outward.
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Effective or useless?
Many coaches and experienced athletes consider this exercise ineffective. This point of view is argued by the fact that it is isolating, actively using only the gluteus medius muscle, which is small in size and therefore does not have a significant effect on strengthening the buttocks as a whole. In addition, such training is accompanied by insignificant energy consumption and will not be useful for fat burning.
However, we cannot unconditionally say that leg raises in the simulator are a useless exercise. It will be useful for beginners whose physical fitness makes it difficult to perform the basic complex. Breeding will help prepare the muscles for more serious work, tone them, and teach the body to cope with physical activity.
For girls, training the gluteal medius muscles, supplemented with other exercises for this area of the body, will help to form an attractive buttock shape.
Ladies with extensive training experience, as well as men, can use fly-ups for pre-fatigue when training the lower body. This method consists of working the target muscle using an isolation movement (in this case, flyes) with the goal of fatigue. This is followed by a quick transition, without a pause for rest, to a basic exercise (for example, squats, deadlifts).
Experienced superset athletes can supplement flyes with other lower body exercises (leg presses, lunges, squats, etc.) for best results.
Exercise on this simulator is included in fat-burning circuit training as a “unloading” exercise between more complex and energy-consuming movements.
Leg raises in the simulator work effectively if you perform them in a comprehensive workout, combining them with basic exercises for the lower body.
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Take the starting position - Sitting on the machine. Spread your legs wide.
- Take a breath. Cramped legs.
- Exhale.
- Take a short break during mixing. Slowly open your legs back up.
Bringing the legs while sitting in the simulator - execution.
This exercise perfectly develops the adductor muscles of the thigh. Performing leg adductions in the simulator allows you to use more weight than when adducting your legs while standing. The exercise machine also allows you to avoid injuries. The best practice is to gradually increase the working weight from a light one, even if you are an experienced athlete.
It is a common belief that adductor exercises are women's exercises. This opinion is incorrect, since even well-formed quadriceps and hamstrings do not look aesthetically pleasing if the adductor muscles are lagging behind. In addition, when performing this exercise, the amount of blood in the pelvic area increases, metabolism improves, which has a beneficial effect on men's health.
The exercise machine is considered a women's machine due to the fact that it perfectly copes with the goals of women's training. Namely, make your legs toned, but not big. Therefore, this exercise is more common in women's training than in men's. For most men, the goal of working out at the gym is to build muscle mass. Mass is best gained with basic exercises, which this is not. Seated leg raises in a machine are an isolated exercise for working the adductor muscles of the thigh. It turns out that if your goal is to gain muscle mass and shape, then this exercise makes sense to put at the end of your leg workout.
The seated leg abduction machine is designed in such a way that the likelihood of injury during the exercise is minimal, but you should still warm up well before starting to work on it. You need to stretch the inner thigh and warm up the muscles. A weak stretch may mean that you will feel pain when you extend your legs as far as possible. Also, poor stretching will reduce the amplitude. You need to spread your legs more slowly than bring them together; you cannot relax them and “throw them away.” All this is contraindicated for joints and tendons. At the beginning of the exercise, take a comfortable position in the machine. Throughout the entire exercise, do not lift your back from the back of the machine. When the position of the back changes, the angle of the pelvis also changes, which in turn changes the vector of the load on the legs. Always start with light weights. It is better to do an extra warm-up approach than to stretch your muscles. This is especially true for those who have not previously pumped the adductor muscles of the thigh. These muscles are not accustomed to loads, and during the first workout, even minimal weight can be enough for the exercise to make itself felt the next day.
Chapter:
- Leg muscles
Other back exercises:
- Leg press in the simulator
- Squats
- Leg extension in the simulator
- Squats with dumbbells
- Wide stance squats
- Front Squats
- Lying leg curls on a lying machine
- Standing leg curl on a machine
- Seated leg curls on a machine
- Standing leg adduction
- Standing calf raise
- Calf raise while standing on one leg
- Foot press on the machine
- Seated calf extension
- Seated shin extension with a knee on the knees
How to do it: 3-4 sets of 12-20 repetitions.
How to replace leg raises in the simulator
The situation when the necessary simulator is busy is very common. You shouldn’t change your training program because of this: you can work the outer thighs without it.
Leg abduction on a block
To take the starting position, position yourself with your left side to the pulley machine. Attach a cuff connected to the lower block fastening to the right leg. Holding the handles of the device, move away to a distance at which the cable is in a taut position.
- Taking a deep breath, as you exhale, with a powerful effort, move your leg to the side and up.
- At the top point, take a short pause, accompanied by an additional contraction of the target muscles.
- With a controlled movement, return to the starting position.
- After the required number of repetitions on the right leg, similar actions follow on the left.
Perform 12–15 repetitions on each leg in 3 sets.
When performing, you need to maintain a level body position and not use the force of inertia. It is important to select the weight in such a way that you can perform the movements technically competently.
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