Leg Strengthening Exercises

People generally are quite concerned with building up chest muscles and biceps, but quite often, the leg muscles go unnoticed. Your legs have the unusual responsibility of bearing your body’s weight. Therefore, it is imperative that you work on strengthening your leg muscles. Of course, you will not have the opposite sex standing in a line to admire your strong legs (contrary to having a great chest or biceps), but you can have the satisfaction of having strong legs. Work on five or ten minutes of warm ups before getting into the core exercises. The list below puts forth some time-tested and therapist- approved leg strengthening exercises. Keep each set of exercises short and intense, with 8 to 10 repetitions for each leg.

Exercises To Strengthen Legs

While On Your Hands And Knees

While positioned on your hands and knees, stretch out your leg behind you and then return it to the starting position.
Gently rock back and forth with your knees and hands firmly on the floor.
Slowly raise an arm and the opposite leg, and return to the position in which you started. Do the same with the opposite leg and arm.

While Sitting On A Chair

Straighten each knee while sitting on a chair.
Bend your knee upwards. With your knee bent, lift up your leg as much as you can and then slowly lower it.
Keep your heel on the floor and move your toes up and down, similar to how you would when you are tapping with your foot.
With your toes on the floor, lift each heel up and down.
Alternate between tapping your toes and lifting each heel.

While Lying On Your Side

While lying on your side, bend your lower leg and straighten the upper leg. Keeping the knee straight, lift the upper leg towards the roof and then lower it.
While lying on your side, bend your upper knee and place your foot on the floor. Keeping the knee straight, lift the upper leg towards the roof and then lower it.

While Lying On Your Stomach

Bend and straighten your knee while lying on your stomach.
Keeping your leg straight, lift your leg up towards the roof and lower it slowly.

While Lying On Your Back

Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. While lying in this position, lift your bottom up and down.
With your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, put your arms across your chest. Lift your head and shoulders off the mat and curl up. Return to the position that you started with.
Straighten one leg as you bend the other. Keep your knee straight and lift your leg up and down.
Straighten one leg as you bend the other so that your foot is flat on the floor. Lift and lower your bottom as much as possible.
Keep your foot flat on the mat and bend your leg. Lift your bottom up and down with your other leg straightened and held 6 inches off the floor.
Bend both legs with your feet flat on the floor. With one leg in place, move your other leg to the side. Bring it back to the center.
Lie flat on your back with both legs stretched out straight. With your knees straight and your toes pointing upwards, slide your legs to the side and bring it back to the center.
Lie flat on your back with both legs stretched out straight. With your knees straight, lift your legs straight up. Spread your legs to form a “V”. With your legs still up, bring your feet together, out your knees together and then return back to the position in which you started.
While lying on your back, lift your leg, bending it at the knee and the hip. Bring your knee as much as possible towards your chest and then return back to the starting position.

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