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Figure Competitor Heather Jones Shows Hard Work PaysAfter years of research and personal training, I have concludedthat a majority of clients voluntarily like to omit leg day, or at least admitit is their most dreaded day of training. Why is that? Leg day is the hardestbody part to work.
Legs are typically considered the most taxing workout by many for good reason. The "leg" workout actually consists of the three largestmuscles of the body - gluteus, hamstrings and quadriceps. Since those are thelargest muscles, the heart has to work hard pumping the oxygenated bloodenabling the legs to perform. The body expends more energy on leg day than anyother day of training.
Incontrast, leg day is my favorite day of training. I have changed my legtraining routines from general conditioning, to muscle building, to maintenancephase. I do not lift "heavy" by most standards, especially now that I am morein a maintenance phase.
Typically my routine consists of high reps and mediumweight with an extra emphasis on glutes and hamstrings. My genetic makeupallows my quads to develop easily. Therefore, when working the quads I keep theweights lighter and repetitions higher. I like to train legs twice a week, justto keep the muscle in condition. I use one day as an overall leg day glutes,hams, quads, and calves. The second day is a bonus day for booty and hams. Thisis also the day I add plyometric exercises.
In the course of my career Ihave had so many women that ask me, "What is the single best leg exercise?" I givethe obvious and truthful answer, "the lunge". It is the one best exercise thathits all parts of the leg, giving the leg and booty great shape and definition.It uses several secondary muscles for balance like the core of the body andcalves. The lunge is a safe, complete, all-in-one exercise. This exercise canbe practiced in the gym, hotel, neighborhood, track, back yard, or living room.There are many variations of the lunge, which allows room for variety. It canbe performed for repetitions, time, with or without weights, traveling or inplace, with a plyometric jump for height or distance.
Duringfitness contest prep I use the lunge in these three ways. I consistentlyperform sets with weights, a plyometric jump, and for time. Since I typicallyhave leg training days on Tuesday and Friday, I concentrate the first trainingday with weights and the second day more for repetitions and plyometrics. Iperform three variations of a lunge with 15-20 pound weights in each hand. Theweights can be balanced on top of the shoulders, or what I prefer, down by myhips. The later concentrates more work on the glutes.
I typically do lungeswith weights moving forward and alternating legs. Secondly, with my right footI step onto a platform about 18-24 inches, into a deep lunge, then I lift andextend the right leg straight to a horizontal position (concentrating onsqueezing the quad) and returning to the start position with both feettogether. I repeat this exercise on the same leg for 10-20 repetitions thenrepeat on the other side. Lastly, I begin stepping forward with the right leg,return to center and with the right leg stepping backward. This should be donecontinuously from front to back on the same leg for 10-15 repetitions.
Sincethe fitness routine round is two minutes of high intensity strength moves andjumps, I make sure to practice plyometric lunge jumps. During plyometrictraining, I rest for about 60-120 seconds in between sets. My heart rate,remains slightly above normal. The first exercise is a basic lunge jump forheight. I keep my hands on my hips, so the work is entirely on the legs. Istart with a right lunge then spring up as high and quick as I can, switchinglegs in the air, landing with the left foot in front and immediately repeatingfor 10-30 repetitions on each leg.
The second lunge jump variation I perform istraveling forward is a bent knee lift in between. This is similar to the lungejump for height, but is more difficult because it uses the hip flexors also.The knees are lifted upwards and together, while the legs are parallel to thefloor. I execute this exercise moving forward about 10-12 lunges and then arest. Again these are done for both height and distance. The third jumpinglunge is performed sideways. I begin with both feet together, step out to theright with the foot remaining parallel, spring off the right leg and replacethat foot with the left leg moving out to the left side. These should be donefor quickness and height. The less arm movement, the more emphasis is placed onthe legs.
Last, but certainly not least, I use the traveling lunge as a timed exercise. I gradually increase my time to30 minutes during a session. About eight weeks out from contest I begin lungestwice a week starting with fifteen minutes each session the first week. Eachweek I add five minutes to the time until I reach 30 minutes. Since my weighttraining is done during the mornings, I practice the lunges for time in theevening before my last cardio session. This is done continuouslyone lunge after another. I start at one end of the gym - lunge to the otherend, turn around and return to the start position and repeat. (It is ok to dothis at a track too for different scenery.)
Forlack of boredom's sake during the traveling lunge, I have several variationsthat I use. I add a rear leg lift as I begin to ascend from the lunge. There isa slight knee bend and a 45-degree lift of the leg while the knee is turned outto the side. During this movement I concentrate on squeezing my glutes. I makesure to keep my hips facing forward. Sometimes with this movement they have atendency to open out to the side. The next variation is a lunge then standingal the way up into a single leg calf raise while lifting the opposite knee,tucking the hips under, and squeezing the glute. Yes, this one takes aconsiderable amount of balance. But it incorporates several other muscle groups.
Althoughthe lunge is the single best leg exercise for shaping and complimenting thelegs, I also have to do several basic exercises for the quads and hamstrings. Itypically like to vary the foot position to work the different muscle groups.Below are my typical two days of leg training.
Tuesday:Legextension @50 3X15 HamstringCurl @50 3X20Lungeswith 15lb dumbbells 3x12 each leg1-LegLeg Press @50 3X20Stifflegs with dumbbell @15 3X15Lungeon Step @15 3X10 each legSeatedCalves @45 2X30Standingsingle leg calf raise on step 3X50Friday:SeatedCurls @ 70 3X20Stiffleg barbell wide leg position @50 3X20Lungejumps for Height 3X15 each legButtblaster @60 3X30Sidelunge jumps 3X20 each side1leg flat curls @40 3X15Travelinglunge jumps, lifted knees 3X10Conclusion
Legday doesn't have to be the dreaded day. Begin by incorporating a few variationsof lunges and watch the transformation. Yes, it does take more energy, but thereward of great legs and glutes is worth it, right?
About the Author
Laura Mak Laura Mak is a fitness and health expert at MuscleMagFitness.com where sheregularly writes about hot topics in the areas of health, fitness and figure competitions, nutrition, and yoga. Laura is a highly sought after personal trainer, and also owns MakAttackFitness, a successful online company offering health and fitness eBooks, fitness equipment, apparel and offers customized personal training services.
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