By: Alex Stewart

What is the true indication of a great physique? Is it large peaked biceps? Is it razor sharp abs? Is it bowling ball shoulders or a wide thick back? None of those are correct. The real answer is, symmetry. A "Symmetrical Physique" is one in which all body parts flow into each other. No one body part or side of the body is bigger than the other.

Wait, isn't this an article about "Building my legs, why are you talking about symmetry"? I'm getting there... the reason I brought up symmetry was too many beginners skip out on leg training (or just do a half @ss job of it) and build a horrible imbalance between the size of their upper and lower body. This completely throws off the symmetry of ones physique. There is nothing more ridiculous to see a guy in the gym with a well developed upper body with tooth pick legs.

Click To Enlarge.
There Is Nothing More Ridiculous To See A Guy In The Gym
With A Well Developed Upper Body With Tooth Pick Legs.

Today you are going to start down a new road, a road in which few make the journey and even fewer survive. The path will be clearly set out for you by the words in this article but the journey will be hard, harder than anything you have ever done before, but once you see the results you will continue this journey of leg training for life. Keep reading...

In the article below I will discuss the anatomy of the legs, its function, location in the body and some exercises for each area of the legs. Finally (and what you have been waiting for), I will include 5 of my favorite workout programs to help turn your tooth pick legs into massive tree trunk legs.

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Quads:

Rectus Femoris:
• Function: Extension and Flexion when hip is extended.
• Location: Inserts at the hip and travels down the middle portion of the upper leg and reinserts at the knee.
• Exercise: Barbell Full Squat

Vastus Laterallis: Quad Sweep

• Function: Extension when hip is flexed.
• Location: Inserts 2/3 up the femur on the outer portion of the Quad and reinserts at the knee.
• Exercises: Hack Squats

Vastus Mediallis: Tear Drop

• Function: Extension when hip is flexed.
• Location: Inserts 1/2 up the femur on the inner portion of the Quad and reinserts at the knee.
• Exercises: Leg Extensions

Hamstrings:

Semitendinosus:
• Function: Extends the hip joint and bends the knee.
• Location: Back middle portion of the thigh.
• Exercise: Barbell Lunges

Semimembranosus:

• Function: Extend the hip joint and bend knee and also some middle rotation.
• Location: Back middle side of the thigh.
• Exercise: Lying Leg Curl

Bicep Femoris: Long Head

• Function: Knee Flexion and Hip Extension.
• Location: Lower inner portion of the back of the thigh.
• Exercise: Seated Leg Curl

Bicep Femoris: Short Head

• Function: Knee Flexion and Hip Extension.
• Location: Upper Inner portion of the back of the thigh.
• Exercise: Seated Leg Curl

Calves:

Gastrocnemius:
• Function: Plantarflexion at the ankle.
• Location: Back portion of the lower leg. Diamond shaped muscle, in which people refer to as the calf.
• Exercise: Standing Calf Raises

Soleus:

• Function: Plantarflexion at the ankle.
• Location: Back part of the lower leg that runs below the knee to the heel.
• Exercise: Seated Calf Raise

Rep Ranges

As you can see from the anatomy info above, there are a lot of muscles that make up the legs. The legs are used daily for basic activities like walking, standing, going upstairs or just getting up from a chair. What does this mean to you as a trainer?

If you are looking to put size on your legs half @ss workouts will not do anything, your legs are used to working all day. Only dedication to intense hard work in the gym will break down the dense thick muscle fibers of the legs and their only choice will be to get bigger and stronger.

You need to force your legs to grow. Your legs will resist you. They will burn, shake and burn some more while you workout, but you need to push through and want more as this is the only way to make your legs grow.

The legs consist of many muscles so you will need to use a good amount of volume, many angles and different exercises to stimulate all the muscles of the legs. Our rep range will depend on the exercise. I like to use a lower rep range (4-6) with most of the compound exercises to help build strength and a solid foundation.

With the isolation exercises I like to use a moderate (8-12) to high rep range (15-20) as this helps with pumping up the muscle to deliver more nutrients and break up the fascia tissue for more growth.

Click To Enlarge.
With The Isolation Exercises I Like
To Use A Moderate To High Rep Range.

All exercises should be performed in perfect form because bad form or habits that you start now will follow you and will lead to lack of progress or worst off injury in the future. Many if not all the exercises will be new to you. So make sure that you use the Exercise Guide on Bodybuilding.com to help you with your form.

Now that you understand about what muscles make up your legs, their function, location, how to contract your back and the rep range needed to stimulate it, let's give you some workouts to help you build your legs.

Leg Building Workout Programs

Sample Workout 1:

• Barbell Full Squats: 4 Sets Of 4-6 Reps
• Dumbbell Lunge: 4 Sets Of 12 Reps Each Leg
• Leg Press: 3 Sets Of 12-15 Reps
• Lying Leg Curl: 3 Sets Of 12 Reps
• Leg Extensions: 3 Sets Of 20 Reps
• Standing Calf Raises: 4 Sets Of 12 Reps

Sample Workout 2:

• Barbell Deadlifts: 4 Sets Of 4-6 Reps
• Dumbbell Rear Lunges: 4 Sets Of 15 Reps
• Hack Squats: 3 Sets Of 8-12 Reps
• Seated Leg Curl: 3 Sets Of 8-12 Reps
• Leg Extensions: 3 Sets Of 15 Reps
• Seated Calf Raises: 4 Sets Of 20 Reps

Sample Workout 3:

• Leg Press: 4 Sets Of 4-6 Reps
• Romanian Deadlifts: 4 Sets Of 8 Reps
• Dumbbell Step Ups: 4 Sets Of 15 Reps Each Leg
• Leg Extensions: 3 Sets Of 12 Reps
• Thigh Abductor: 3 Sets Of 12 Reps
• Thigh Adductor: 3 Sets Of 12 Reps
• Standing Barbell Calf Raise: 4 Sets Of 12-15 Reps

Sample Workout 4:

• Front Barbell Squats: 4 Sets Of 8-12 Reps
• Barbell Lunges: 4 Sets Of 20 Reps Each Leg
• Leg Press: 3 Sets Of 15-20 Reps
• Lying Leg Curl: 3 Sets Of 15 Reps
• Leg Extensions: 3 Sets Of 10 Reps
• Seated Calf Raise: 4 Sets Of 20 Reps

Sample Workout 5:

• Hack Squat: 3 Sets Of 4-6 Reps
• Romanian Deadlifts: 3 Sets Of 8 Reps
• Dumbbell Lunges: 4 Sets Of 25 Reps Each Leg
• Leg Extensions: 3 Sets Of 20 Reps
• Seated Leg Curl: 3 Sets Of 15 Reps
• Calf Press On Leg Press Machine: 3 Sets Of 12 Reps

Conclusion

The workouts above are only as good as the work you put forth with them. If you continue down the path of half @ss workouts or no workouts at all for your legs, you will not see a difference.

Click To Enlarge.
The Workouts Above Are Only As Good As The Work You Put Forth With Them.

If you decide enough is enough and you want to have big thick tree trunk legs then get ready to work. You need to hit each and every set with all you have, using perfect form and rest as long as you need but nothing more. No workout day is going to be harder than leg day, period. Now eat up and get to the gym, you have legs to build.

Good Luck!

As always if you have any questions don't hesitate to drop me an email.

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Alex Stewart Alex is an ISSA certified personal trainer, an ISSA certified nutritionist, sales representative for Myogenix, and a writer here on Bodybuilding.com. He has been training himself since 2001. [ Check Out His BodySpace ]

stewbid@comcast.net

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