Bodybuilding Workout for Beginners: Legs

Last month we introduced you true novice bodybuilders to the sport, with our video "Bodybuilding Workout for Beginners: Arms and Chest." In this, the second edition for those of you aspiring to build extra muscle mass, we focus on the bottom half of your body, the legs.

While both sexes participate in the sport of bodybuilding, it's the men that tend to spend the majority of their workouts focused primarily on the upper body, at the expense of their lower. The all-too-common end result? Big arms, big chest — little legs. Bodybuilding, however, is not simply about size but also symmetry. This means you want to create balance across your entire body, with no single muscle or muscle groups being too pronounced. Another thing to remember is that the bigger your upper body is, the smaller your lower body will look.

So, when it comes to bodybuilding, you need to pay attention to your entire body, not just your favorite muscle groups. You need to focus on all your muscle groups of both your upper and lower body to create a balanced, sculpted physique.

Here's a quick introduction (using BowFlex Selecttech Dumbbells) on how to start building bigger legs:

This bodybuilding workout for beginners will focus just on your legs. The three moves in this workout are:

1. Calf Raises
2. Squats
3. Stationary Lunges (both legs)

Do 10 reps of each move at a weight where the last few reps are challenging, but still allow you to keep proper form. Stick to 1 set of each move to start with. Once you start feeling like you are completing this workout without much challenge build in an additional set of each move. After you are doing two sets of each move and the workout is no longer a challenge, increase the weight you are lifting a little bit (2.5 to 5 lbs) to make sure you are always challenging the muscle. Remember to not go too heavy though so you can ensure you keep your form!

Do this workout twice a week, giving your muscles plenty of time to recover between workouts. This recovery is when your muscles are reconditioning to be ready for more lifting.

Want more quick workout ideas? Check out our Quick Workouts playlist on our YouTube channel.