Training the legs is one of the most challenging, difficult, painful and exhausting. This is why you'll see body builders reserve one day specifically to train their legs. It's a very demanding workout. When you feel the burn of lactic acid in your legs, it will become unbearable but that's what will develop your leg muscles. Your leg muscles need to be shocked. You need to train them intensely since it's a large muscle group. You need to feel the burn and a real pump such that you can barely walk after your body building leg routine workout. The most visible leg muscle is the quadriceps since it's at the front. The quadriceps short for quads are very impressive when fully developed and detailed. Ever seen a professional body builder quadriceps? This is what I called real quads. There are several exercises to work out your quadriceps muscle and they are as follows:

(1) Barbell Squats

Barbell squats are the king of leg exercises. If you want to pound on the mass, barbell squats are the way to go. Squats are one of the toughest leg exercises and they work many other muscles apart the quadriceps like the hamstrings or rear leg muscles, the glutes or buttock muscles and even the lower back. It's a powerful compound exercise. Just doing squats will make you exhausted and perspiring quite a lot. To perform a barbell squat, go to the squat rack and hold a barbell behind your head with your hands more than shoulder width. The barbell will be resting on your upper back and shoulders. Next, bend your knees and lower your body no more than 90 degrees slowly and raise your body again slowly. Your back should be straight at all time and face up. Repeat. Perform 4-5 sets of 8-10 repeats with a weight heavy enough. You can also use dumbbells if you want. You need to hold them above your head with your hands.

(2) Leg Extensions

Leg extensions are a powerful quadriceps builder which target the quads only. To perform the leg extensions, sit on the machine and place your legs and feet behind the extensions leg support. Next, push the support forward slowly till your legs are parallel to the floor. Then lower the support slowly back to its initial position. Repeat. Do 4-5 sets of 8-10 repeats. Adjust the rectangular weight bars as necessary or whatever weight is being used.

(3) Leg Presses

Leg presses are also a great quads builder and it also targets the hamstrings and the glutes. Usually done in a 45 degree declined position with your back resting practically floor level slightly inclined upward and foot resting on the leg press support. Bend your knees and let the support and weight puts pressure on your legs slowly. Next, push the support up slowly. Repeat for a total of 4-5 sets of 8-10 repetitions. Adjust the rectangular weight bars as necessary or whatever weight is being used.

(4) Barbell Lunges

Barbell lunges are practically the same as barbell squats but you do one leg at a time and you use the other leg as support. Keeping your body straight, bend your right knee forward no lower than 90 degrees such that your left knee will be automatically bent about 90 degrees and will be close to the floor. Return to the initial position. Do 4-5 sets of 8-10 repeats for the right leg, then proceed for the left leg. Or you can also alternate right and left instead of doing 4 consecutive sets for the right leg first then 4 consecutive sets for the left one after. When you alternate, your other leg will be resting in the meantime, so no need to wait during the rest time for the next set with the same leg since you can train the other leg.

The above leg exercises will blast your quadriceps and other leg muscles for optimum growth and coupled with proper nutrition and rest, you will gain muscle mass and definition in your legs guaranteed.

About the author

Jean Lam is the webmaster of Body Building Resource which provides articles on weight training, nutrition and fitness, body building book and DVDs.