Lower Body Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders
by Rick
Mitchell
zone3
The lower body contains some of your biggest muscles which are capable
of bearing significant weights. The temptation for beginners to go for
broke by performing heavy squats should be resisted. To begin with you
should concentrate on building the muscles safely by using machines that
isolate muscle groups. The squat is an excellent compound exercise that
trains numerous lower body muscles but it is one you should learn properly
after spending three months strengthening the individual muscles that will
be utilized later.
The muscles of the lower body can be divided
into five groups:
1. Quads - this is the big muscle group
consisting of four muscles at the front of the thigh. These are the
primary muscles used when performing exercises such as squats, leg press,
lunge and leg extension.
2. Hamstrings - these are the main muscles
at the back of the thigh. These are the primary muscles used when
performing leg curls.
3. Gluteals - these are the muscles that make
up the buttocks.
4. Hip flexors - these are the small muscles at
the front of the pelvis that allow you to raise your legs to the
front.
5. Calves - these are the two muscles found in the lower
leg.
For beginners these muscles should be exercised as
follows:
1. Leg press - 1 set of 10-15 reps. This is a useful
exercise for the quads but it also works the hamstrings and glutes to a
lesser degree.
2. Leg extension - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This is a
useful exercise for adding definition to the quads.
3. Hamstring
curl - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This exercise isolates the
hamstrings.
4. Standing calf raise - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This
exercise works the gastrocnemius muscle.
5. Seated calf raise - 3
sets of 10-15 reps. This exercise works the soleus muscle underneath the
gastrocnemius muscle.
As with all exercises you need to take care
in scheduling specific body parts. To begin with you should incorporate
your lower body exercises into a program similar to the one suggested
below:
Day 1: Biceps, Back, Abs
Day 2: Hamstrings,
Shoulders, Abs
Day 3: Quads, Forearms, Calves
Day 4:
Triceps, Chest, Abs
For the first couple of weeks complete one set
but then add one set each week to a maximum of three. At the end of three
months you will be ready to move on to more intensive intermediate level
exercises.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rick Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website
that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of
bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding
Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this
article.
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