Strengthen Your Legs | Human Resources (2024)

Walking and running are great ways to build leg strength. However, over time, your legs become accustomed to the motion and eventually can hit a plateau. This could also limit your performance. Here are some tips to increase your leg strength, which could lead to longer and more productive sessions.

Change it up — If you find yourself constantly running or walking at the same track or trail, find a new place and give it a try. Go to a place with hills, since they are a great way to build leg strength and add some extra intensity to your session.

Cross Training — Cross training is an excellent way not only to enhance your walk or run, but your overall fitness as well. Combining running and walking with strength training and other forms of aerobic exercise like swimming, elliptical training and cycling can add variety to your workout and can greatly improve your performance. Sports like soccer and basketball are great for improving leg power as well.

Resistance Training — Resistance training with free weights or weight machines is a great way to improve leg strength and add an extra kick to the latter stages of your run and walk. Some good leg strengthening exercises include:

  1. Squats — Squatting is one of the best resistance workouts you can do. This exercise works almost all of the muscles in the lower body and is a great way to build leg strength. This is a must-have in your program if you decide to begin resistance training. While squatting, be sure to keep you feet flat and push up through your heels. Keep your back flat and your torso upright and look straight ahead.
  2. Lunges — Lunges are a great way to enhance strength and stability in your legs since you are forced to balance all of your body weight on one leg for a short period of time. Be sure not to let your knee come over your toes while lunging and keep your torso erect while looking ahead.
  3. Leg Curls — This exercise works the back part of the legs, the hamstring muscle group. This is especially pertinent for runners since most runners have very strong quadricep muscles (the ones on the front part of the leg) and have weak hamstring muscles. Curl your legs as far up as they can go, and slowly let the weight back down, but don't let the weight stack touch and lose all the resistance. Strengthening the hamstrings will restore a balance to the leg musculature and aide in preventing running injuries.
Strengthen Your Legs | Human Resources (2024)

FAQs

Strengthen Your Legs | Human Resources? ›

Leg workouts engage the major muscle groups of your body, which helps to improve overall athletic performance and support healthy movement patterns in your daily life. A strong lower body will also help to prevent injury and manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes.

What helps your legs get stronger? ›

These steps will properly prepare your body for the workout and help you burn more calories.
  • Incline treadmill.
  • Lunge and reach.
  • Lateral lunge.
  • Kettlebell deadlift.
  • Seated leg extensions.
  • Seated leg curls.
  • Downward-facing dog.
  • Standing quad stretch.

What happens when you strengthen your legs? ›

Leg workouts engage the major muscle groups of your body, which helps to improve overall athletic performance and support healthy movement patterns in your daily life. A strong lower body will also help to prevent injury and manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes.

How can a 70 year old strengthen their legs? ›

Top 10 Leg Exercise for Seniors
  1. Seated Leg Extensions. Seated leg extensions are perfect for beginners and can be done anywhere. ...
  2. Ankle Circles. Ankle circles improve flexibility and circulation, reducing the risk of injuries and falls. ...
  3. Chair Squats. ...
  4. Standing Knee Lifts. ...
  5. Calf Raises. ...
  6. Side Leg Raises. ...
  7. Toe Taps. ...
  8. Leg Curls.
Jan 9, 2024

How to strengthen legs and balance? ›

Try one fingertip or no hands as your balance improves.
  1. Hamstring Curls. Stand with feet slightly apart. ...
  2. Small Squats. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. ...
  3. Back Leg Raise. Stand with feet slightly apart. ...
  4. Side Leg Raise. Stand with feet together. ...
  5. Toe Stand. ...
  6. Flamingo. ...
  7. Walking the Line. ...
  8. Wall Push-Up.

How can I fix my weak legs? ›

How Can I Improve My Leg Strength?
  1. Aerobic exercises like walking, stationary cycling, and water aerobics are great low-impact ways to improve your blood flow and muscle strength.
  2. Heel raises.
  3. Calf stretches.
  4. Hamstring stretches.
  5. Tandem balance exercises.

What food is good for leg muscle? ›

So here are a few other foods, that can help you build lean muscle: Eggs, Salmon, Greek Yogurt, Shrimp, Lean Beef, Tuna, Turkey Breast, Cottage Cheese, Soybeans, Quinoa, Almonds, Peanuts, Tofu. If you want to, you can also use protein powder (maybe with lean milk) to fill some missing proteins/calories.

How do you rebuild strength in your legs? ›

Some good leg strengthening exercises include:
  1. Squats — Squatting is one of the best resistance workouts you can do. ...
  2. Lunges — Lunges are a great way to enhance strength and stability in your legs since you are forced to balance all of your body weight on one leg for a short period of time.

How to get strong legs fast at home? ›

10 Home leg Workouts to add to your Exercise Regime
  1. Squat. A good old squat is the go-to stretch to really get those thighs and glutes working hard. ...
  2. Lunge. Ever tied your shoelace? ...
  3. Single-Leg Calf Raises. ...
  4. Pistol Squats. ...
  5. Squat Jumps. ...
  6. High Knee toe Taps. ...
  7. Wall Sits. ...
  8. Leg Raises.

Is walking good for weak legs? ›

Strengthen Muscles

Walking tones your leg and abdominal muscles – and even arm muscles if you pump them as you walk. This increases your range of motion, shifting the pressure and weight from your joints to your muscles.

Does riding a stationary bike strengthen your legs? ›

Riding a stationary bike can help build strength in your legs and lower body, especially if you use a higher resistance. The pedaling action can help strengthen your calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps. Additionally, it can work the muscles in your core, back, and glutes.

What causes weak legs in old age? ›

Some older adults develop leg weakness because of toxic neuropathy, which refers to nerve damage caused by exposure to toxic substances. This may be an issue for seniors who worked around insecticides or similar chemicals during their working years. Excess alcohol consumption can have a similar effect.

What is the single best balance exercise for seniors? ›

8 best balance exercises for seniors
  1. Single-leg stance. Standing on one leg is a great way to test your stability and measure your progress after you start balance training. ...
  2. Tree pose. ...
  3. Heel-toe raises. ...
  4. Heel-to-toe walking. ...
  5. Sit-to-stand. ...
  6. Dead bug. ...
  7. Side leg raises. ...
  8. Walking lunges.
Apr 20, 2023

How do you reverse weak legs? ›

You can recover from muscle atrophy by exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet. You may start seeing improvement after a few months, but it may take much longer for you to fully recover your strength.

Why are my legs wobbly and weak? ›

Weakness in legs: Why it happens and remedies. Weakness in the legs may happen for a variety of reasons. These can include DOMS, spinal problems, neuropathy, ALS, stroke, myasthenia gravis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Weakness in the legs may affect one leg or both and may come on suddenly or days or weeks.

What foods strengthen legs? ›

Some of the best foods for bulking up :
  • meats like sirloin steak, pork tenderloin, chicken breast, and tilapia.
  • dairy like cheese, yogurt, and low fat milk.
  • grains like oatmeal, quinoa, and whole-grain breads.
  • fruits like bananas, grapes, watermelon, and berries.
  • starchy vegetables like potatoes, lima beans, and cassava.
Aug 27, 2020

How can I increase my leg strength and speed? ›

Using single-leg accelerated or decelerated movements will have a direct effect on improving overall game speed, maneuverability, and an increase in functional strength.
  1. Jumping split squats.
  2. Lateral squats.
  3. Pistol squats.
  4. Weighted step-up movements.
  5. Reverse/Forward lunges.
  6. Bulgarian squats.
  7. Walking lunges.

How long does it take to get strong legs? ›

You're likely to see some results two to four weeks after starting a leg exercise program. This includes slightly better stamina and a little muscular definition. However, depending on your starting fitness level, it usually takes three to four months to really notice and tell improvements in leg strength and stamina.

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