Thread: Beginner leg workout

Originally Posted by BillyPryor

I have been working out for the last few months but with limited equipment, i have no machines. I have various types of free weights, DB, BB EZ bar and so on. but no machines. i have been working upper body for the last few months, and i keep telling myself to start training lower body but am unsure what to do and where to start as a beginner to training the lower body. My legs are weak but im not looking to gain much bulky mass just tone and strengthen.

What exercises does anyone suggest, who routines would be also be appreciated.

If you're not looking for much bulk that's simple: don't eat enough food to gain weight. You only gain bulk from food.

Training a beginner is no different, really, from training for anyone: heavy compound lifts. If you don't have a cage, you can clean enough weight to do front squats, also you can use dumbbells to do a mock up of front squats (hold the dumbbells on their ends, on your delts, elbows forward).

You can do bulgarian split squats, deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, good mornings with whatever you can clean and press into position, back squats with whatever you can clean and press into position, stepups and walking lunges. You can also do jump squats if you're looking for some plyos, and of course pistol and sissy squats.

Originally Posted by BillyPryor

I have been working out for the last few months but with limited equipment, i have no machines. I have various types of free weights, DB, BB EZ bar and so on. but no machines. i have been working upper body for the last few months, and i keep telling myself to start training lower body but am unsure what to do and where to start as a beginner to training the lower body. My legs are weak but im not looking to gain much bulky mass just tone and strengthen.

What exercises does anyone suggest, who routines would be also be appreciated.

No machines for legs? That's horrible, you will definately not be able to train them then.

I'm only kidding. As a beginner, you really would not want to use machines to train legs anyways. Since you haven't trained legs before your best bet would be to throw in some traditional squats into your routine a couple of times a week. I would suggest starting with just the olympic bar for the first week and working on getting good form then slowly upping the weight. Incorporate 3-4 sets of squats (8-15reps/set) into your routine twice weekly and you will start to see great gains, not only in the legs but your whole body will benefit from these exercises. Once you have a few weeks of squatting under your belt, you can start incorporating deadlifts and perhaps some lunges into your workouts. You will probably find 4 sets of heavy squats quite taxing so make sure not to pile in these exercises into a busy workout day where you're doing countless other taxing exercises as well. Good luck!

I would start off with squats and deadlifts. I would devote two days a week to legs, one day squats, one day deads. If you have never done squats/deads before, then make sure you understand the correct form before beginning. I would start off with medium weight and do 3-5 sets at a fixed but high amount of repetitions. Once you feel comfortable with the exercises and have decent form, then start going heavier.

Keep in mind, the OP has no cage. He won't be able to squat more than he can clean.

The Squat Variation Thread

Originally Posted by Built

Keep in mind, the OP has no cage. He won't be able to squat more than he can clean.

Thanks, I should read more carefully.
In that case I would drop the squats and replace them with walking weighted lunges or bulgarian split squats.

Or do squats but with a much higher volume. I'm bracing myself to start doing this, myself.