If you desire toned and defined legs, Barbell leg workouts are the best bet to give you precisely what you want. When we talk about barbell exercise, it is solely squats that come to the mind of many people. However, squats are not all there is. There are a variety of barbell exercises that can also give you substantial results.
Now, you are probably wondering why you need to use a barbell. You will need to use barbells because free weights are the best tools to use while building muscle mass and exercising the lower part of your body.
The moves may be challenging at the beginning but, it gets easier with consistent practice. Tiny steps every day prepares you for the bigger steps. An effective fitness journey requires guidance from a qualified mentor. Who better to look up to than Cody Allen, an entrepreneur and former collegiate athlete in the fitness space.
BENEFIT OF BARBEL EXERCISES
The barbell is the best tool to use when you are building strength. Although many other tools may come in handy for such exercises, the barbell stands out as the most appropriate when lifting for strength. This is basically because you will need to build tension in your muscles and, by extension, your nerves through the calculated movements.
The barbell allows a very wide range of movement. Thus, in using it, you need to start with lesser weight, and as you progress, you keep increasing the weight. You move to a heavier weight when you build tolerance for the one you were using.
BEST BARBEL LEG WORKOUTS FOR YOU
GOOD MORNINGS
This exercise enables you to work out your hamstrings and glutes. Good mornings help strengthen your lower back while improving the form and strength of your legs and hips. The equipment needed is a barbell between the sizes of 5 to 10 pounds.
Method:
- Stand with your feet apart and parallel.
- Place the barbell on your shoulders. You should begin with a lightweight if you are a beginner.
- Bend forward at your waist while pushing your buttocks back. Do this until your chest is almost at the same level as your waist, your knees a bit bent backward.
- Ensure your back is straight and not humped back.
- Gradually push your hips back to a standing position
- Repeat this process as many times as you can
- Ensure you do 12 to 15 reps
STIFF-LEGGED DEADLIFTS
This barbell leg workout exercises the hamstrings and glutes. You should use a heavyweight for 8 to 12 reps putting in a lot of effort in the last 2 repetitions if your aim is to build muscles. However, if you are looking to tone your legs, use a light or moderate weight for 12 to 2o repetitions.
Materials
- Barbells.
Method
- Stand with your feet apart just opposite each other
- Place the barbell in your lowered arm just above your knee
- Bend forward at your waist. ensure your back is flat while keeping your head at a level position
- Slowly raise yourself to a standing position, the barbell still in your arm in front of you
- Repeat this movement as many times as possible and stop only when your hamstrings are fully stretched.
STANDING CALF RAISE
This exercise is for the calves. The required materials are two barbell weights and a barbell lift for the shoulder. You should use a weight that is a bit challenging and will allow for 10 repetitions.
Method
- Place two barbell weights on the floor. You can improvise with a block if barbell weights are not readily available
- Place the barbell at shoulder level behind you.
- Place the tips of your feet on the barbell weight or the block if you are using a block.
- In this position, raise your heel up slowly so that you are almost standing on tiptoes.
- Lower them back to the floor
- Repeat this process as much as many times as you can
WALKING LUNGES
This exercise is used to work out the quads, the glutes, and the core. Use a lightweight for this workout. The required material is a barbell, although other kinds of weight can be used.
Method
- Stand with your feet apart, one in front and the other behind.
- Raise your arms with the barbell across your upper back
- Take your right legs forward and drop it like you are about kneeling down, with your knee barely touching the ground.
- Raise yourself back up gently
- Step forward again, this time, with your left foot.
- Repeat the process 10 to 12 times on each leg. Do 2 to 3 sets of this repetition.
FRONT BARBELL SQUAT
This workout drill is majorly for the calves, quads, hamstrings, and glutes. The weight use for the front barbell squat is usually lesser than the weights used for typical back squats. For beginners, you may want to pad up your shoulder a bit; this will provide a buffer for the weight on your shoulders.
Method
- Stand with your feet width apart with the barbell on the front of your shoulders with your arms in a flexed position to grip the barbell firmly. You can also use an underhand grip for the same purpose
- Squat with your knees properly lowered
- While your feet are still apart, slowly stand up. You should ensure that your knees do not knock together
- Repeat this process
BARBELL SQUAT
This barbell workout is used to work the quads, calves, hamstrings, and glutes. Perform 15 to 20 reps of this workout. You can add a small amount of weight each week as you make progress.
Method
- Stand straight with your arm holding a barbell behind your shoulder and your palms facing forward
- Squat with your knees properly lowered until your thighs are parallel to the floor
- Stand up straight again
- Do this process repeatedly
HIP THRUSTS
This is one of the most powerful barbell workouts, specifically for the glutes. Hip thrusts help put your backside in perfect form and, in the same vein, strengthen the hip tendons and the stabilizer muscles. It widens the hips. Beginners should be able to perform at least 3 sets of 12 repetitions. As they progress, they can add more weight and increase the reps to 20.
Method
- Rest your upper arm (not your neck) on a bench. Ensure there is nothing under your back, thighs, and glutes.
- Place your feet exactly under the knees with your neck in a neutral position
- Place the barbell above your waist using your back as a hinge
- Raise your hips forward with the barbell
- Ensure that your glutes are involved in this movement
- Raise your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor underneath you
Leg exercises are only a tiny part of the workout your body needs to be in shape. Visit thecodyallen.com to explore all the information you need to embark on a fitness journey that will progressively bring your closer to your body goals.