You can squat using just your body weight or add additional weights. You can hold free weights in either hand at your side, or use a barbell with extra weight added. If you are using a barbell, hold the bar across your shoulders and keep your back straight.
Your back knee should drop down towards the ground while your front knee should bend until it is almost a 90 degree angle. Keep your front knee aligned above your ankle as you drop down. Do an equal number of repetitions on both legs. If you want to increase the resistance of this exercise, then you can hold a dumbbell in each hand. You can also hold a barbell and rest it across the backs of your shoulders for even more of a challenge.
Then, hinge forward from your hips while keeping your abs tight, and slowly lower your arms so that the bar is midway down your calf. While you lower the bar make sure that your back remains straight. Once the bar reaches the mid-calf range pull the bar back up to the rest position using your hips and legs.
This exercise will strengthen your calves and will lead to muscle growth. You can perform calf raises using just your body weight, or you can hold free weights for a more intense workout or double the resistance by doing single leg calf raises (standing on one foot instead of both feet) for an even more intense workout.
Then, try lifting one leg to the side while the other one remains planted. Repeat with both legs. Alternatively, you could bend your legs slightly into a squat position and then take small side-steps in one direction. Repeat the exercise while moving in the opposite direction.
Place the ball between your knees and squeeze your thighs inward to compress the ball. Hold the squeeze for a few seconds, and then release, rest for a few seconds, and repeat as many times as you like. [5] X Research source
Do not complete leg exercises daily because this could lead to overexertion and injury. Always leave at least one rest day between leg workouts.
You can start with your cardio workout, and then begin strength training, or vice versa.
Calf raises Lunges Squats
Following your workout you should also stretch out your legs to reduce muscle tightness.
Be sure to have at least two complete rest days each week with no weight training.
Some good sources of protein include chicken, lean beef, pork, milk, or cottage cheese.
It is important that your calories come from healthy proteins, fibers, and complex carbohydrates. Avoid eating unhealthy foods such as fried food, refined sugars, and saturated fats.
