There was a time when I felt that the only
way you can really work the legs to the point of soreness is by squatting with
heavy weights. I have experienced this too. Every leg workout used to make my
legs wobble for the next two days (I loved the feeling).
But having ditched the iron room for a
bodyweight only training routine, I now know that my earlier assumption was
absolutely wrong. Bodyweight exercises when done right can give amazing results,
even when it comes to developing mass and strength. It wouldn’t have been
possible for me to maintain my muscle tone with a 245 lbs body without weights.
Would it?
The first of my mass
gaining and strengthening exercises series is for the legs. The legs form the
foundation of your physique and therefore leg strengthening exercises should
form the cornerstone of your bodyweight workouts and also any other workouts. I
can never stop to criticize those to look like the typical Captain Upper bodies
with zilch development in their legs.
Bodyweight
workout routine for Mass – Legs and lower body
1. Squats – 3X30 (If you’ve been doing this exercise regularly for
4-6 weeks, add jump squats for the first 10 reps or more. When the length of
jump decreases, continue doing regular squats until you finish all 30 reps in a
set)
2. Close Squats – 3X15-20
3. Simple Bridge – 3X15 (this is one of the best hamstrings and lower back
bodyweight exercises that doesn’t depend on any equipment and when done
properly can help build strength and muscles in your lower back. It is also one
of the most effective bodyweight exercises for hamstrings. If this becomes too
simple, try doing this with your feet elevated to knee height)
4. Lying Leg raises – 3X15-20 (Don’t stop when the legs are
perpendicular to the floor. Continue to lift raise your legs until your feet
are as close to your head as possible. It’s absolutely alright if the hips
leave the floor and the back has to round a bit)
If you’re a beginner and
are going to work up the ladder, then make sure you do the squat properly for
4-6 weeks and then incorporate the jump squats into your routine. The jump
squats fall under the category of plyometric exercises and are used to develop explosive
strength, enhance the working of your nervous system. The plyometric exercises
helps build the fast twitch muscle fibres which are larger than the slow twitch
muscle fibres much like the heavy weight training sessions in the gym. This
means that plyometric training can help boost muscle growth.
