More Leg Muscle = More Fat Burn
Want to know why personal trainers are always pushing leg workouts to hard?
First off, we recognize how important your lower body muscle groups are to your overall fitness. Whether it’s getting rid of back pain or improving your endurance when taking the stairs, leg workouts can be the fix.
Second, your legs contain some of the largest muscles in your body, and that means they can make a bigger impact on your fat-burning potential. The more muscle tissue you have, the higher your resting metabolism, so even when you’re not moving you’ll be burning more calories and fat.
In other words, leg workouts get you more bang for your buck and we can all use a few extra bucks these days right?!
My 30-Minute Maximum Gains Leg Workout
This workout consists of 6 moves in just 30 minutes. I consider it a power leg workout for its intensity, but it’s appropriate for both beginners and more advanced lifters.
For all of these moves, you want to aim for a weight that maximizes your reps at about 8 per set. That means you should be running low on steam at about the 7th or 8th rep.
Ready to build strength and burn some serious fat?
Start with a 5 minutes warm-up of either jump rope or sprinting in place (tuck your knees up and don’t move forward). Then knock out these exercises…
3 sets of deadlifts with barbell
Make sure you keep your back straight for this one, and bend at the waist as you lift and lower. Deadlifts are great for the biggest muscles in your legs, plus your core and lower back.
To view this exercise, click here.
2 sets of lateral lunges
If you want to target your hips as well as your hamstrings, throw a lateral lunge into the mix. Make sure you do the same number of reps on each side (1 set per side).
To view this exercise, click here.
3 sets of standing calf press
Pick up that barbell again, but drop the weight a bit and rest it against your upper back and shoulders. Slowly and in controlled movements, use your calf muscles to raise yourself towards the ceiling, balancing on the balls of your feet.
To view this exercise, click here.
3 sets of dumbbell squats
No leg workout is complete without a few squats. Make sure your form is right before knocking out this one: Keep your back straight, bend at your knees, and lower yourself as close to the floor as possible without letting your knees move past your toes.
To view this exercise, click here.
2 sets of seated hamstring curls
I like to make use of machines for certain moves, and this is one of them. Make sure the weight isn’t so high that you have to engage your whole body. You want to make sure you’re really targeting your leg muscles, and your hamstrings specifically.
To view this exercise, click here.
3 sets of knee tucks on bench
Round out this killer routine with a few knee tucks on a workout bench or step. These are great for your upper leg muscles and glutes, and will also really work your core muscles.
To view this exercise, click here.
Make sure you finish off with post-workout shake to refuel your muscles. Take a look at my recommendations for Post Workout Recovery Supplements so you get the most out of the hard work you put into your workouts.
Any questions, feedback or concerns about this leg workout please leave me a comment below…
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Thank you for visiting! Weight Loss and Training is a health blog which features all the best weight loss tips that I have learned over my 20 years of training. My background includes a degree in Kinesiology from the world renown Simon Fraser University, certification in nutritional sciences from UBC, and Personal Trainer Specialist certification from Can Fit Pro.
