How To Build Massive Legs

Many who head to the gym spend time in the weight room and focus only on certain parts of their body. Men seem to have this problem far more than women do. Men want to have large biceps and chests. They want to have a huge upper body, and they work on their torso exclusively. This causes an imbalance in the body though, and before long, the guy with the huge pectorals notices that he has chicken legs! Visit nearly any gym in the nation and you will see some of these specimens in action.

Banish the Chicken Legs

If you are a weight lifter and finally see an imbalance in your own body, you’re likely to want to correct it as quickly as possible. The good news is that you are probably already eating correctly. You would have to be to build a large upper body. You simply need to focus on the legs to start growing those muscles. Basic, muscle-building exercises should be the core of the leg workout.

Squats

The squat is one of the best options for building large leg muscles. Those who haven't done many squats need to be careful that they don’t pile on too much weight on their first attempt. Just because someone might be able to bench 300 pounds doesn't mean they can squat that much. Neglected leg muscles need to go through the same process of getting stronger as the other muscles do.
To do a squat, you are going to need a squat rack or a smith machine. Start with less weight than you think you should have. Step into the rack and place the squat bar along the top of your shoulders and your upper back. Take the bar off the rack and squat downward until your knees are at about a 90-degree angle. Some recommend a deeper squat, but when first starting out, it is better to go slow and easy.
Add weight on your consecutive sets, but don't go too heavy on your first leg workout. However, on each subsequent workout, you are going to want to add some weight, even if it is only 5 pounds.

Leg Press

The leg press is another staple of the mass building leg workout. Different types of press machines are available, but they offer the same basic benefits. You will be able to shift the position of your feet to work different areas of the leg. You go deeper with less fear because you have the safety mechanisms on the machine. In addition, most people find it easier to use more weight when they are on the leg press than when they are on the squat machine.

Sculpting the Legs

Building the legs takes time, just as it did to build the upper body. Even though the legs aren't one of the "ego" muscles like the chest or biceps, they are important if one hopes to have a balanced physique. Once your legs begin getting bigger, you can start to sculpt them with the leg press machine, the leg curl and lunges.