140 likes | 155 Views
Here at AQF Sports, we swear by deadlifts and squats to build lower body strength. These two trainings activate every inch of muscles in your lower body while stabilizing your spine. But these two exercises might not be enough if your strength training goal is to achieve maximum athletic performance and tone leg muscles. You might need to throw in cable leg exercises in your workout routine. Originally Published at: https://blog.aqfsports.com/cable-leg-exercises/<br><br>
E N D
15 Days Lower Body Challenge! 13+ Cable Leg Exercises For Stallone-Style Leg Muscles Here at AQF Sports, we swear by deadlifts and squats to build lower body strength. These two trainings activate every inch of muscles in your lower body while stabilizing your spine. But these two exercises might not be enough if your strength training goal is to achieve maximum athletic performance and tone leg muscles. You might need to throw in cable leg exercises in your workout routine.
Who Should Sign Up for This Lower Body Cable Exercises Challenge? Now, you might be wondering how the lower body cable exercises challenge is better than your traditional machine workouts? Here are a few things you can expect from this workout challenge: Leg Muscle Activation: Cable squats, lunges, and deadlifts activate the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and calves more effectively than traditional free weight exercises. [1] You can specifically target these muscle groups and maximize their activation for increased strength by following this lower body leg challenge. Leg Muscle Growth: Cable exercises increase workout resistance. Studies report that cable exercises activate lower extremities muscles. As a result, blood flow to lower meg muscle fibers increases and they grow in size.[2]
Beginner Cable Machine Exercises Cable Squats: • Face away from the cable machine, Stand on your feet shoulder-width apart • Get close to the cable machine handle and hold it with both hands • Bend your knees and lower your hips down into a squat position • Keep your chest up, back straight, and put all your weight on your heels. • Push back up through your heels and return to the starting position. Repeat. Primary muscles: Quadriceps Secondary muscles: Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves
Cable Lunges: • Attach one end of ankle straps to the cable machine and the other with your ankles • Hold the cable machine handles to maintain body balance as you extend your feet • Extend the cable with your leg and step one foot backward into a lunge position • Lower knee toward the floor and keep your front knee bent a 90-degree angle. • Push up from your front heel to return to the starting position. • Repeat with other leg Primary muscles: Quadriceps Secondary muscles: Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves Cable Standing Hip Abductions: • Secure the ankle strap around your ankles • Attach the free end of ankle strap to the cable machine and stand sideways • While standing, lift the leg out to the side against the resistance and hold. • Slowly bring your leg back to the starting position. Primary muscles: Glutes (Gluteus Medius) Secondary muscles: Quadriceps, Calves
Cable Standing Hip Adductions: • Secure the ankle strap around your ankle. • Attach the free end of the ankle strap to the cable machine and stand sideways. • Keep standing and pull the leg up your body toward the midline against the resistance. • Hold and release Slowly returning to the starting position. Primary muscles: Adductor Muscles (Inner Thigh) Secondary muscles: Quadriceps, Calves
Intermediate Cable Machine Exercises Cable Goblet Squats: • Set the cable pulley at a low position. Stand on your feet, face away from the machine. • Hold the cable with both hands and bring your chest closer to the machine • Bend your knees and Lower your hips into a squat position. • Keep your chest up, back straight, and put all body weight on your heels. • Push into the ground through your heels and return to the starting position. • Repeat with other leg Primary muscles: Quadriceps Secondary muscles: Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves
Cable Romanian Deadlifts: Set the cable pulley at a low position and stand facing the machine. Hold the cable handle with both hands in front of your thighs Bend forward at the hips and keep your knees slightly bent. Lower the cable handle toward the floor and stretch your hamstrings. Squeeze your glutes and move your hips forward as you stand up Primary muscles: Hamstrings Secondary muscles: Glutes, Lower Back, Calves
Cable Glute Kickbacks: Attach an ankle strap to the cable machine and face the machine Keep your hands on the frame for support. Secure the ankle strap around your ankle. Kick one leg backward, keep it straight and squeeze your glutes. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. Primary muscles: Glutes (Gluteus Maximus) Secondary muscles: Hamstrings, Calves
Advanced Cable Machine Exercises Cable Sumo Squats: Set the cable pulley at a low position and stand on your feet facing the machine Place your feet wider than shoulder-width and turn your toes out Bring your chest close to the cable machine and hold with both hands Bend your knees and lower your hips into a squat position by bending your knees Bring your knees at your toe level Keep your chest up, back straight, and put all the weight on your heels. Push into the ground through your heels and return to the starting position. Primary muscles: Quadriceps, Glutes Secondary muscles: Hamstrings, Calves
Cable Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts: Set the cable pulley at a low position and stand facing the machine. Hold the cable handle in one hand and balance on the opposite leg. Slightly bend at your standing leg and flex forward at the hips Lower the cable handle toward the floor and stretch your hamstrings. Squeeze your glutes to drive your hips forward and stand up Switch legs and Complete the desired number of repetitions Primary muscles: Hamstrings, Glutes Secondary muscles: Lower Back, Calves Read More: Romanian Deadlifts: How to, Benefits, Tips, and Variations
Let’s Try to Understand Your Leg Anatomy Your leg comprises upon several primary muscles (directly activated during cable leg exercises) and secondary muscles (activated as a result of movement in primary muscles). Quadriceps: Quadriceps are a group of four muscles (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius) located on the front of your thigh. The muscles work together to extend (extension) and bend the knee joint (flexion). Quads are primarily responsible for straightening legs during squats, lunges, and leg extensions. When you push into the ground through your heels and rise from a squat or lunge position, you are essentially engaging your Quads.
Calves: The calves consist of two primary muscles: the gastrocnemius (larger calf muscle) and the soleus (which lies under the gastrocnemius). These muscles are engaged in plantar flexion (heel movements) for pointing the toes downward. Calves are engaged to propel the heels upward during calf raises and cable leg heel exercises. In Short: Squats activate the quadriceps, hamstrings muscles which work together to lower your body and push it back up. Deadlifts activate the hamstrings and glutes and these muscles extend the hips while your lower back stabilizes your posture. Calf raises primarily target the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to increase calf size and strength Cable Machine Exercises work all these muscles – your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. So, they are a complete lower body workout.
Get Your Leg Up with Cable Machine Exercises! Make your leg day more challenging and rewarding with 15 days lower body workout challenge focusing on cable leg exercises. Cable leg workout activates all primary muscle groups and secondary muscle groups in your leg to stimulate muscle growth, build muscle strength and endurance, and gives you a more athletic and agile appearance. The key to progressive gains is progressive overloading. So, the next time you visit your neighborhood gym or home gym, don’t forget to train your legs. Remember, skipping leg day did good to none! Related Reads: Strength Training Program for Men and Women 11 Weighted Squats Variations You Need Rest Pause Sets Training: Benefits, Variations and Techniques
Thanks! Contact us: Your Company 123 Your Street Your City, ST 12345 no_reply@example.com www.example.com