Eat a lot of protein. Protein is essential to building healthy muscles, so you need to be taking it in at every meal. You can eat lean beef, pork, poultry, fish, seafood and lamb, or if you’re a vegetarian, tofu, beans, and eggs. [3] X Research source Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and nuts are also essential. These should be the mainstay of your diet. [4] X Research source Avoid empty calories like processed sugars and flours, fast food, cakes, cookies, chips, and other snack foods that will make you feel run down instead of energized. [5] X Research source Try supplements. Some people find that they can accelerate the process of muscle growth by taking supplements like creatine, a powder that supplements the body with a naturally-occurring acid that builds muscle. Creatine is considered to be safe in doses of 5 grams per day. [6] X Research source
The ideal weight for the various exercises you are doing is 75% to 85% of your maximum 1 rep weight. Find the heaviest weight you can successfully complete 1 rep with, and then scale it back to 75%. [8] X Expert Source Melody Sayers, MS, RD, NASM-CPTRegistered Dietician & Personal Trainer Expert Interview. 6 May 2020.
For each exercise, lift as much weight as you can lift using the correct form for 10 reps. If you can lift the weight easily for 15 reps, it’s too light. If you can’t lift it more than a few times without needing to stop, it’s too heavy. Add more weight after a few weeks to keep up the intensity. Use explosive bursts of energy, rather than slowly going through the motions. Exercising explosively builds the muscle fibers of the legs. Be slow on the eccentric motion, then explosive on the contraction.
If you do a hard workout that includes squats, box jumps, and leg curls one week, switch to stiff-legged deadlifts, lying leg curls and lunges the next week. Adding weight is another way to keep from plateauing. Add more every two weeks or so.
Wearing boots over pants adds a little bulk to your legs. Try wearing knee-highs over a pair of jeans for a fashionable look.
Wearing boots over pants adds a little bulk to your legs. Try wearing knee-highs over a pair of jeans for a fashionable look.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and squat, lowering your bottom until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep your knees aligned right above your toes. Hold the position for 10 seconds. Push back up to starting position. Repeat 10-12 times for 3 sets.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and squat, lowering your bottom until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep your knees aligned right above your toes. Hold the position for 10 seconds. Push back up to starting position. Repeat 10-12 times for 3 sets.
Take a big step forward with one foot. As you step, drop your back knee toward the floor. Keep your torso perpendicular to the floor. Rise into starting position and lunge with your other foot.
Be sure the box you use is heavy enough that it won’t slide when you land on it. It’s not a good idea to use dumbbells when you do box jumps; you might need your hands to catch yourself if you trip.
Sit on the leg extension machine with your knees bent and your feet under the lower bar. Extend your leg, keeping a slight bend at your knee even at the peak of the motion, then lower it. Repeat 10 - 12 times for 3 sets.
Attach the cable to your ankle with the harness and grab the support bar with your hands. Bend your knee toward your behind as you lift, then straighten your knee again. Repeat 10-12 times for 3 sets, then switch to the other leg. 4
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and hinge forward at the hips. Bend the knees as much as you need to to pick up the weight, then straighten the legs until you have a slight bend at the knee. From there, tighten your abs and with a completely straight back, lift your torso back upright while contracting the muscles of your buttocks and the backs of your thighs. Grasp the barbell with your hands. Keeping your legs straight, lift the barbell to your thighs, then lower it back to the floor. Repeat for 3 sets of 10-12 reps.