{"id":6564,"date":"2021-04-01T08:41:49","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T08:41:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hussle.com\/blog\/?p=6564"},"modified":"2021-08-25T15:35:37","modified_gmt":"2021-08-25T15:35:37","slug":"building-lower-body-strength-the-10-best-exercises-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hussle.com\/blog\/building-lower-body-strength-the-10-best-exercises-to-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Building lower body strength: the 10 best exercises to do"},"content":{"rendered":"

 
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When you’re able to hit the gym, having access to those heavy weights makes lower body day<\/a> a lot easier. Loads of reps with light weight<\/a> doesn’t increase strength effectively, so having access to the barbells and big dumbbells is a must.<\/p>\n

Increasing your strength means increasing the amount of force you’re able to produce by contracting a muscle. By training for strength, a mixture of neuronal changes and muscle growth occurs, meaning that your body adapts to the exercise, and you’ll keep getting better at it.<\/p>\n

But there are loads of indirect ways strength improves your health and fitness<\/a> too. Conditioning the muscles reduces your risk of injury, improves your posture, increases your energy levels, enhances your endurance, and protects your bones and joints. Plenty of reasons to do it, then.<\/p>\n

To start building strong glutes and legs, a few fundamental exercises should be a part of your routine. Plus a few more which will help you progress each muscle group<\/a> effectively. Here are our top 10 favourites.<\/p>\n

 
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3 Tips for Strength Training<\/h4>\n

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To strength train<\/a> effectively, there are a couple of top tips that will help you see progress in this area a lot faster. Optimising your workout towards this goal means remembering a few key differences between strength training<\/a> and other exercise types.<\/p>\n

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1. Test your 1 rep max<\/h4>\n

Strength training is all about lifting heavy. Your overall aim is to increase the amount of weight you can lift<\/a> for each exercise. It’s essential to understand what the maximum weight you can lift is to do this properly. From this, you can always make sure you’re choosing the right weight and challenging yourself.<\/p>\n

Testing the amount of weight you can lift for 10 reps won’t help with strength training. Aim to test the amount of weight you can lift for 1-3 reps. Once you know this, you can calculate the amount you should be aiming for when working within the 3-5 rep range.<\/p>\n

 
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2. Work within a selected rep range<\/h4>\n

When strength training, the optimum number of reps to do is between 3-6. Select a number within this and perform it for 4-5 sets. The weight needs to be heavy enough so that this is a challenge.<\/p>\n

Aim not to do more than 8 reps within a set. The more reps you can achieve, the more likely you will be conditioning your muscular endurance more than your strength. Try to keep the rep numbers low and the weight high.<\/p>\n

 
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3. Recovery properly<\/h4>\n

Because of the heavy loads lifted, strength training demands recovery time\u2014both between your sets and between your sessions. Unlike HIIT or circuit training, you won’t be able to do as many exercises or workouts as often<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Your body makes changes and adaptations from strength training during times of rest. It’s a fundamental part of the process. Make sure to get enough so that you can keep progressing and performing at your best.<\/p>\n

 
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Front\/back squat<\/h4>\n

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Probably the most iconic gym exercise ever. And with good reason. Using a barbell to perform a squat is excellent for strengthening the glutes, quads, and hamstrings, but it also helps to engage and condition other muscles from all around the body<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you’re not ready to try with a barbell, the squat has loads of different variations that can be done with dumbbells. Hold one at your chest, two at your shoulders, or down by your sides. There are loads of options, earning it a place in everyone’s workout routine.<\/p>\n

 
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Deadlifts<\/h4>\n

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Another strength training staple, the deadlift is vital for increasing strength<\/a> in the posterior chain. The posterior chain includes all the muscles that run down the back of the body, including the back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.<\/p>\n

The deadlift can be an awkward move to get started with. The movement of sitting the hips back, keeping the back flat, and pushing the floor away takes a bit of practice. Once you’ve got it down, it will work wonders for your lower body strength<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You can start off with a pair of dumbbells but progressing to a barbell is better for ensuring equal loading across the body.<\/p>\n

 
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Bulgarian split squats<\/h4>\n

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Getting the technicals of this exercise right might take some time. It asks for quite a bit of balance. It’s a split squat progression, which involves placing the back foot on a raised surface. It focuses mainly on the quads and the glutes.<\/p>\n

Because you’re working one leg at a time, it’s not long until this move will start to feel like a challenge. You can hold a pair of dumbbells by your sides or a barbell across your shoulders, whichever you prefer.<\/p>\n

 
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