Lower Body Exercises for Beginners

We all have to start somewhere. This article describes lifting exercises that are suitable for beginners with a focus on developing lower body muscles.


Keywords :
lower body exercises, beginners, strength training


The lower body contains some of your largest muscles, capable of supporting significant weights. Beginners should resist the temptation to do heavy squats. To begin, you should focus on building muscle safely using machines that isolate muscle groups. The squat is a great compound exercise that works many lower body muscles, but you need to learn it properly after spending three months strengthening the individual muscles that will be used later.

The muscles of the lower body can be divided into five groups:

1. Quadriceps – this is the large muscle group made up of four muscles located at the front of the thigh. These are the main muscles used when performing exercises such as squats, leg press, lunges and leg extension.

2. Hamstrings – these are the main muscles located at the back of the thigh. These are the main muscles used during leg curls.

3. The glutes - these are the muscles that make up the buttocks.

4. Hip flexors – these are the small muscles at the front of the pelvis that allow you to lift your legs forward.

5. Calves – these are the two muscles located in the lower leg.

For beginners, these muscles should be exercised as follows:

1. Leg press - 1 set of 10-15 repetitions. This is a useful exercise for the quads, but it also works the hamstrings and glutes to a lesser extent.

2. Leg extension - 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions. This is a useful exercise for adding definition to the quads.

3. Hamstring Curl – 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This exercise helps isolate the hamstrings.

4. Standing Calf Raises – 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This exercise works the gastrocnemius muscle.

5. Seated Calf Extension – 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This exercise works the soleus muscle under the gastrocnemius muscle.

As with all exercises, you need to be careful to program specific body parts. To get started, you should integrate your lower body exercises into a program similar to the one suggested below:

Day 1: Biceps, back, abdominals

Day 2: Hamstrings, shoulders, abs

Day 3: Quadriceps, forearms, calves

Day 4: Triceps, Pectorals, Abdominals

For the first two weeks, do just one set, then add one set each week up to a maximum of three. After three months, you will be ready to move on to more intensive, intermediate-level exercises.