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Leg Muscles
In this lesson you will learn about anatomy and function
of your leg muscles.
Of course the legs consist of many more muscles.
The ones explained here are just the most
relevant ones for weight lifters,
martial artists and gymnasts.
Find exercises and information about other muscles at weight
training main.
Description: Leg Muscles
- Front Side - Quadriceps Femoris or Quadriceps
or simply Quads
The quardiceps are the extender muscles on the front side of your thigh.
Its main function is to extend the knee.
- Vastus Lateralis
The Vastus Lateralis is the largest and strongest part of the quadriceps.
It´s located on the outside of the thigh.
- Vastus Medialis
The Vastus Medialis is the innermost quadriceps muscle.
To work your Vastus Medials properly, you should always go through
the full range of motion when you
do leg exercises.
- Rectus Femoris
The Rectus Femoris is the muscle between Vastus Medialis and Vastus
Lateralis.
Its function is to help extend the knee, but the rectus femoris
also acts as a hip flexor.
Hip flexor => When you lift the knee in front of your stomach.
- Sartorius
The Sartorius is the long, thin muscle, that goes from the outside
of the hip to the inside of the knee.
It is the longest muscle in your body and its function is to
assist in knee and hip flexion and hip rotation.
- Back Side - Hamstrings
or simply Hams
The Hamstrings are the muscles on the back side of the upper leg and its function
is to bend the leg.
( Semitendinosus Muscle and Biceps Femoris )
- Biceps Femoris & Semitendinosus Muscle
Those two muscles bend the leg at the knee.
When lift your leg straight in front of you, it´s in particular
those two muscles being stretched.
- Gluteus Muscles - or simply Glutes
Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus
The Gluteus muscles are the butt muscles and they are used to stand
up from a very low squatting position or
to move the leg backwards. ( butterfly kick ) The Gluteus Maximus
is the uppermost and biggest gluteus muscle.
- Lower Legs - Calves
- Gastrocnemius
The Gastrocnemius is the powerful superficial muscle on the back
side of the lower leg
and has 2 heads.
Extends the ankle. ( most effective from half bended to fully extended
)
- Soleus
The flat muscle underneath the Gastrocnemius.
Extends the ankle. ( most effective from flexed to half
bended position )
- Calcaneal
Calcaneal = Achilles Tendon
The word Calcaneal comes from Calcaneus, which is the heel bone
( in latin ) .
Carries the force from the calf muscles to the heel bone when you
extend your ankle or jump on the balls of your feet.
The Achilles Tendon is the strongest tendon in the human body.
- Tibialis
Anterior
The thin muscle on the outside of the shin.
Bends the ankle ( when you pull your toes up )
Trainer advice: Leg Muscles
- The best exercise for overall strength
is the squat.
Squats not only work your legs. The squat is the heaviest exercise
of all and encourages more testosterone production
than any other movement. And this again leads to stronger
arm, chest and back muscles.
- Weak legs can be the cause of knee problems.
- Do the heaviest leg exercise first. You can
warm up with leg
extensions or another exercise, but the first exercise
where you go to failure should be the squat or
a leg press variation.
- For strength I recommend 5 sets of 5 repetitions.
For volume do 3 or 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
And for endurance do 15 to 30 repetitions.
- The more you train your legs, the more you
should stretch them.
Even if you don`t care about flexibility,
you should stretch your leg muscles 12 to 15 seconds between sets
and exercises.
For more information on leg stretches and stretching routines to
increase flexibility, please visit stretching
main.
Exercises: Leg Muscles
Related Topics: Leg Muscles
Videos & Pictures: Leg Muscles
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