The inauspicious leg day: the training day that makes the hearts tremble, invent excuses, inflate the breasts.
Inflate the breasts because: "I don't want to squat ... I almost do another bench press session."
At least, that's how it works in the gym.
Index
Leg training
In fact, training your legs requires a good dose of pain resistance... especially if your intention is to enhance them, or to hypertrophy. And to grow, i leg muscles - especially quads and glutes - need a lot, a lot of stimulation.
Beyond the classic squats in all sauces (the root cause of hatred towards the leg day), there is an exercise that helps to grow the leg muscles: are the lunges - lunges.
I benefits of a healthy lunge diet? Here they are:
- they are perfect for developing force of the legs, and to increase their volume…
- ... and the same goes for the buttocks (equals more explosive strength)
- They allow you to work on endurance
- They are an excellent movement even for beginners
- If done correctly, they do not add load on the knees (unlike the squat)
- They are a one-sided movement, and as such it allows you to improve flexibility and balance
- For the same reason, if you do them with load (barbell on your back, or dumbbells or kettlebell in your hand) you can reduce the asymmetries that the squat often causes
- It is a multi-joint exercise. Ergo: burns calories
The lunge base: how to do it
- Standing position, feet wide too. The core must be contracted.
- Take a good step forward with your right leg. The weight must be moved forward, so that the heel is the first to support.
- Lower your body until your thigh is parallel to the floor, and the vertical shin. It is not a problem if the knee goes beyond the toes you moved… but not too much. The other knee touches the floor.
- Push with the heel to start the ascent movement.
- Repeat with the other leg.
- This is a rep.
Classical mistakes in the execution of the lunge
- Don't lose your balance! There is no need to bring your moving foot in line with the other: the result is a "rope walk" that can throw you off balance. Here because it's better to keep your distance-too between your feet.
- Hey hey! The heel of the leg that made the step it must not rise when you lunge! If it happens, it means that you are taking a step too short.
- Do not bend the body forward on the hips. It puts unnecessary load on your knees, especially if you are doing barbell exercises. Solution: core always contracted, and navel pulled towards the spine.
Ready for your first lunge?
The lunge base can be done in two ways: on the spot, alternating the legs (I don't recommend you do all the reps with the same leg), or walking.
Once you are master of the lunge, you can tackle its variants:
- Lunge with load (we have already mentioned it)
- Reverse lung: unlike the lunge base, the step is taken backwards. Heel's worth, though.
- Lunge side: the step is taken towards the side (the feet always point forward). The hips push back, while the weight is carried on the heel of the leg that made the step. You can hold your arms in front of you to keep your balance.
- Split lunge jump. Like the basic lunge, with the difference that the step is done explosively, and the legs are exchanged in midair. Use your arms to simulate the movement of the run, and gain momentum.
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