Thursday Legs Gym Workout

1. Set up a  barbell on a rack  at just below shoulder level.
2. Step under the bar placing the back of your shoulders under it. Do not rest the bar on your neck.
3. Grip the the bar using an overhand grip with your elbows bent to90 degrees or slightly more. Less of an angle means your hands are too close together which can cause instability of balance.
4. Lift the barbell clear of the rack by  pushing with your legs, while straightening your torso.
5. Step away from the rack.
6. Step forward with your right leg and squat down through your hips. Keep your back straight  and be careful to maintain your balance. Inhale as you lower yourself.
7. Continue lowering your body until your left knee is nearly touching the floor.
8. Return to the start position b pushing through your heel,exhaling as you do so.
9. Complete all the repetitions for one leg before switching.

This exercise requires a great deal of balance. If you suffer from balance problems, it is best either avoid it, or just use your own body weight while holding on to a steady object. Never perform any exercise with a barbell on your back if you suffer from balance problems. For safety, this exercise is best performed inside a squat rack.

1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Keep your shoulders back. And your back straight.
3. Take a long stride forward with your right leg. Your right foot should be in a position, that when you bend your right knee, your upper and lower leg form a 90 degree angle.
4. Slowly bend both your knees, to lower your hips until your left (rear) knee is just above the floor. Hold for a count of one.
5. Return to the start position by slowly straightening your legs and raising your body back to a standing position.
6.  Complete all the repetitions for one set full set, then switch legs, or you can alternate between legs for each rep.

Do not let your knee travel past your toes in the down position as this can cause instability and injury.

1. Sit down on a leg press machine and place your legs on the platform directly in front of you at shoulder width.
2. Lower the safety bars holding the weighted platform  and press the platform all the way up until your legs are fully extended in front of you bot do NOT lock your knees. Your torso and legs should be at a 90degree angle to each other. This is the start position.
3. Inhaling, slowly lower the platform until your upper and lower legs form a 90-degree angle. Pause for a count of one,
4. Return to the starting position by pushing through the heels of your feet, engaging your quadriceps. Exhale as you do so.
5. Repeat.
6. After completing the desired number of repetitions, make sure you lock the safety pins of the machine before alighting.

Always check to make sure that when you re-rack the weight the platform is securely locked.

1. Set up the barbell on the squat rack so that it is at the same height as your upper chest.
2. Position your body under the bar, with knees bent so that the bar is resting high on the back of your shoulders.
3. Grip the bar with your hands comfortably wider than your shoulders.
4. Slowly straighten your legs to push upwards, lifting the barbell from the rack and take one step forward.
5. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart.
6. Bend your knees forward and allow your hips to bend back as if sitting down,
7. Continue this movement down until your thighs are parallel to the floor or slightly more, making sure your knees are pointing in the same direction as your feet.
8. Hold for a count of one.
9. Push up through your heels while straightening your hips and knees, until you are standing in the start position.
10. Make any adjustments necessary to your stance and grip before continuing on the next repetition.

Do not rest the bar on your neck. Keep your head facing forward at all times. Keep your back straight throughout the entire movement.

1. Begin by positioning a barbell at or just below shoulder level in the squat rack. Behind the squat rack, place a tall wooden box or chair. Place yourself underneath the barbell. Make sure the bar is across your upper traps and NOT on your neck.
2. Place your feet outside of shoulder-width with your toes pointed slightly out. Brace your core and keep your chest up.
3. Bend at the knees as you drive your hips back. Lower yourself slowly until your butt touches the box. Pause then drive your hips forward to return to the starting position.

1. With your feet shoulder-width apart, stand with dumbbells as your sides with your palms facing each other.
2. Keeping your back straight and facing forward, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
3. Pause for one second.
4. Pushing up from your heels, raise back up to starting position and repeat.

• Standing sideways with your left side facing the weight stack of a pulley machine, attach an ankle cuff to the right ankle.
• Hold the machine for balance if you need to and slowly lift your right leg up to the right side.
• Pause and slowly return your right leg to starting position.
• Repeat the movement.

1. Lie on your right side on top of a yoga mat or other soft surface.
2. Brace your core and make sure your body is in a straight line. Keep your right hand on the ground and your left hand on your hip.
3. Slowly lift the left leg into the air, keeping it straight during the exercise.
4. Slowly lower your left leg. Complete the set then repeat with the other leg.

1. Place a resistance band around your knees
2. Lay sidewise on an exercise mat with your knees, together, pointing forwards and bent at a 90 degree angle.
3. Keeping your feet in a fixed position, lift your upper knee about 8 – 10 inches away from your lower knee.
4. Hold this extended position for 1 second before slowly lowering your knee back to its starting position.

Do not perform if you have had recent knee injuries.

1. Begin by placing a loaded barbell behind you. Place two 25 lb plates under the back of your feet. Tighten your core and straighten your lower back.
2. Slowly squat down, getting a good grip on the barbell behind you. Check to make sure your posture is still perfect and balanced.
3. Stand up while holding the barbell behind. Use your heels to drive yourself back up. Do not straighten your knees at the top.
4. Slowly lower yourself back down, driving your hips behind you. Repeat the movement.

1. Set up the barbell on the squat rack so that it is at the same height as your upper chest.
2. Position your body under the bar, with knees bent so that the bar is resting high on the back of your shoulders.
3. Grip the bar with your hands comfortably wider than your shoulders.
4. Slowly straighten your legs to push upwards, lifting the barbell from the rack and take one step forward.
5. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart.
6. Bend your knees forward and allow your hips to bend back as if sitting down,
7. Continue this movement down until your thighs are parallel to the floor or slightly more, making sure your knees are pointing in the same direction as your feet.
8. Hold for a count of one.
9. Push up through your heels while straightening your hips and knees, until you are standing in the start position.
10. Make any adjustments necessary to your stance and grip before continuing on the next repetition.

Do not rest the bar on your neck. Keep your head facing forward at all times. Keep your back straight throughout the entire movement.

1. With your feet shoulder-width apart, stand with dumbbells as your sides with your palms facing each other.
2. Keeping your back straight and facing forward, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
3. Pause for one second.
4. Pushing up from your heels, raise back up to starting position and repeat.

1. Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
2. Bring your hands to your shoulders, keeping the handles of the band behind your shoulders. Brace your core and keep your chest up.
3. Bend first at the knees then at the hips. Be sure to keep the chest up and abdominals tight. There should be no arch in your back.
4. Pause when your thighs are parallel with the floor, then slowly return to the starting position, feeling the tension from the band in your quadriceps.

• With your feet shoulder-width apart, bend down from the knees, driving the hips back and keep your back flat.
• Grab a barbell with an overhand grip that is shoulder width apart.
• Push off the floor while simultaneously lifting the barbell upward, keeping it close to your body.
• Explosively, pull the barbell up and push it above your head as you allow your hips to dip back towards the ground.
• Stand up to finish the movement.

1. Stand over a dumbbell with your feet placed slightly wider than hip width apart either side of the dumbbell.
2. Squat down and take a firm grip of the dumbbell; ensure that your shoulders are positioned upright, keeping your back straight and eyes straight ahead.
3. Explosively lift the dumbbell by extending your hips from the squatting position and allow the dumbbell to travel along upward and close to your body.
4. As the dumbbell reaches your hip level, shrug your lifting shoulder and pull the dumbbell upwards keeping the same line of trajectory if viewed from the side.
5. Bending your working elbow and allowing the dumbbell to extend overhead, slightly squat your body below so that your position is semi-squatted with your working arm fully extended above your head.
6. Maintaining a solid grip on the now overhead dumbbell, drive your feet into the floor and rise upwards from the semi-squatting position to complete the lift.

This exercise is a complicated explosive lift. If attempting for the first time, start with a light dumbbell for form practice. Ideally, do so with a qualified trainer present.

1. Place a kettlebell between your feet.
2. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
3. Bend your knees and push your hips back,bending at the waist while keeping your back straight.
4. Grip the kettle bell with an overhand grip.
5. Keeping your neck and head straight, swing the kettlebell back between your legs.
6. Once the kettlebell is behind you, immediately reverse the direction and drive forward with your hips and knees, forcing the kettlebell upward.
7. When the kettlebell reaches shoulder level, rotate your hand and push straight up, using your momentum.
8. Use your body’s downward momentum to receive the weight as it comes back down.
9. Return to the start position.
10. Repeat until all the repetitions for one arm are completed, then switch.

The exercise can be performed continuously, using the downward momentum to swing the kettlebell backwards. However for maximum benefit, it is better to follow the outline described.

1. Lie face down on a leg curl machine and lock your heels under the foot pad. Make sure your legs are fully extended and the foot pads are resting on the back of your ankles.
2. If the machine is equipped with handles, grip them. If not, grip the front of the pad you are lying on.
3. Remaining flat on the bench, with no arching of your spine, curl your legs up in a smooth arcing motion by bending your knees until your hamstrings are fully contracted. Hold for a count of one.
4. Slowly lower your legs to the starting position in a smooth arcing motion.
5. Repeat

Don't use so much weight for this exercise that you need to swing or jerk the weight up. Doing so can cause injury to your lower back and / or hamstrings. Start with a lower weight until your strength increases.

1. Adjust the seated leg curl machine to position the footpad just above your heels.
2. Sit upright and engage your abs as you position your legs in front of you.
3. Begin to curly your legs back slowly towards you and flex your calf muscles as you do so.
4. Return to the starting position by extending the legs in front of you again.

Tip: Try not to swing the weight or execute the movement too quickly.

1. Adjust the seated leg curl machine to position the footpad just above your heels.
2. Sit upright and engage your abs as you position your legs in front of you.
3. Begin to curly your legs back slowly towards you and flex your calf muscles as you do so.
4. Return to the starting position by extending the legs in front of you again.

Tip: Try not to swing the weight or execute the movement too quickly.

1. Lie face down on a leg curl machine and lock your heels under the foot pad. Make sure your legs are fully extended and the foot pads are resting on the back of your ankles.
2. If the machine is equipped with handles, grip them. If not, grip the front of the pad you are lying on.
3. Remaining flat on the bench, with no arching of your spine, curl your legs up in a smooth arcing motion by bending your knees until your hamstrings are fully contracted. Hold for a count of one.
4. Slowly lower your legs to the starting position in a smooth arcing motion.
5. Repeat

Don't use so much weight for this exercise that you need to swing or jerk the weight up. Doing so can cause injury to your lower back and / or hamstrings. Start with a lower weight until your strength increases.

1. Begin with a light weight and stand facing the machine. Position one leg for the lift by hooking it under the weight pad.
2. Make sure the pads are in a comfortable position around your ankle in order to involve the heel in the movement. Don’t position the pads too high on the calf.
3. Grab hold of the support handles.
4. Flex your knee and lift the pad upwards as far as you can towards your buttocks as you exhale.
5. Lower the leg to the starting position.

1. Lie on the ground with a TRX Suspension Strap at your feet. Lift both your feet into the strap, making sure they are secure. Tighten your core and place your hands at your sides.
2. Drive your hips up while maintaining a straight line with your body. Curl your feet in, moving them towards your butt. Maintain balance with your hands on the ground.
3. Once your feet reach your butt, slowly extend your feet back to the starting position. Do not allow your hips to drop. Contract the core during the entire movement.

1. Sit on a leg extension machine and place your  legs under the pad with your feet pointed forward. The pad should rest on your shins just above your feet and you will need to adjust it to suit.
2. Grip the hand bars (if fitted) firmly. This is the start position.
3. Using  only your quadriceps, fully extend your legs exhaling as you do so. Hold for a count of one.
4. Return to the start position in a smooth movement as you inhale,.
5. The angle at your knee should not go past 90-degrees.
6. Repeat.

This exercise can be performed one leg at a time.

1. Lie on an exercise mat with your knees bent so that your feet are flat on the floor.
2. Raise one leg off the floor and bend your knee up towards your chest. Yhis is the start position.
3. Perform the exercise by pushing down through your other heel and pushing your hips up, raising your glutes off the mat. Continue until your hips are in a straight line with your torso. Hold for a count of one.
4. Return to the start position by lowering your hip to the floor.
5. Complete all the repetitions for one set before changing legs.

1. Lie on an exercise mat with your knees bent so that your feet are flat on the floor. Keep your back straight.
2. Place your hands out to your sides palms flat for stability.
3. Raise your glutes off the floor by extending your hips upward while pushing down through you heels.
4. Continue until your back, hips and thighs are in a straight line. Hold for a count of one.
5. Return to the start position by lowering your hips back to the floor.
6. Pause then repeat.

1. Set up two weight plates on the ground next to each other. Position a loaded barbell across your trap muscles. Step on to the weight plates with the balls of your feet.
2. With a tight core and flat back, raise yourself up with your feet only. Pause at the top of the raise.
3. Slowly lower yourself down but do not touch the ground. Raise yourself back up.
4. Repeat.

1. Place an exercise step or something similar on the floor in front of you. It should be two or three inches high.
2. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, place your toes and the balls of your feet on the step. Make sure the arches of your feet are not on the step and your heels are on the floor.
3. Raise your heels as high as possible by pushing through the balls of your feet and toes while extending your ankles. Hold for a count of one.
4. Return to the starting position by bending your ankles until you feel a stretch in your calves.
5. Repeat.

1. Sit down on a leg press machine and place your legs on the platform directly in front of you at shoulder width.
2. Lower the safety bars holding the weighted platform  and press the platform all the way up until your legs are fully extended in front of you bot do NOT lock your knees. Your torso and legs should be at a 90degree angle to each other. This is the start position.
3. Inhaling, slowly lower the platform until your upper and lower legs form a 90-degree angle. Pause for a count of one,
4. Return to the starting position by pushing through the heels of your feet, engaging your quadriceps. Exhale as you do so.
5. Repeat.
6. After completing the desired number of repetitions, make sure you lock the safety pins of the machine before alighting.

Always check to make sure that when you re-rack the weight the platform is securely locked.

1. Sitting on a calf raise machine, position your upper thighs under the top pad. The pad should be resting just above your knees.
2. Place the balls of your feet on the foot plate.
3. Keeping the balls of your feet in position, lower your heels as far as possible.
4. Slowly raise your heels as if standing on your toes. Continue as far as possible until you feel a stretch in your lower calves. Hold for a count of one.
5. Slowly lower your heels back to the starting position and repeat.

If the machine isn't equipped with foot plates, you can use barbell plates placed under the machine to increase your range of motion. Don't

1. Set up two weight plates on the ground next to each other. Position a loaded barbell across your trap muscles. Step on to the weight plates with the balls of your feet.
2. With a tight core and flat back, raise yourself up with your feet only. Pause at the top of the raise.
3. Slowly lower yourself down but do not touch the ground. Raise yourself back up.
4. Repeat.

1. Place a chair or wooden box in front of you. Brace your core and lower back.
2. Step up on the box with your left leg, swinging your arms as you do so.
3. Take your right knee and raise it in front of you, into the air.
4. Step down with your right leg. Repeat exercise with the other leg. Keeping alternating sides.

1. Stand straight – that’s the starting position. Step forward with your left leg and slowly lower your body until your front knee is bent at least 90 degrees, while your rear knee is just off the floor. Keep your torso upright the entire time. Look forward.
2. Pause, then push off your left foot off the floor and return to the starting position as quickly as you can.
3. On your next rep, step forward with your right leg. Continue to alternate back and forth—doing one rep with your left, then one rep with your right.

1. Standing with a braced core and flat back, bring your hands together at chest height. Position your feet to be at hip-width.
2. Beginning with the right foot, step backward and across your left foot. Simultaneously, bend the left knee and drop it towards the ground.
3. Stop when the front right knee is parallel with the ground. Push off the ground with your right foot and return to the starting position.

1. Secure a pair of suspension straps. Facing the straps, hold one handle in each handle.
2. Bringing your arms to your side, make sure the straps are tight.
3. Bend at the knees and slowly push your hips back while keeping your chest and head up. You core and lower back will remain tight.
4. Once your upper thighs are parallel with the floor, slowly return to the starting position, keeping the knees slightly bent. Repeat.

1. Place your feet at shoulder width apart while keeping your chest up and your abdominals braced.
2. Begin the movement by swinging your arms up towards your shoulders. At the same time, bend at the knees and drive your hips back like you’re sitting in a chair.
3. Once your upper thighs are parallel with the ground, pause, then drive your hips forward to return to the starting position.