What Is the Lower Body?
The lower body mainly comprises the parts of the body like thighs, abs, butts and calves. The basic idea to get one started with lower body workout is that it will make an individual more potent, faster and healthier, thereby strengthening the entire body. Therefore, focus and get going with these for weight loss besides the regular cardio exercises to see better and fast results in the body. And combining with other adjoining practices like pranayam is seen to provide a more comprehensive health benefit rather than performing only the lower body workout.
What are the Lower Body Workouts?
A lower body workout is the physical exercise that helps in toning and strengthening the abs, butt and thighs with effective lower body weight loss. It is beneficial to get rid of all the excessive fat from these targeted areas through specific exercises. A lower body workout can either be done in a gym with the aid of weights, strength training and types of machinery or at home with minimal equipment to shape the glutes, thighs and calves. Strengthening and concentrating on the lower body muscles is the key to increasing the performance in all sports activities, to make all the movements more accessible and lose weight.
How Effectively can we do a Lower Body Workout at Home?
The legs are the body's wheels that help an individual to carry out all through the day and stay strong with a full range of motion. One can do most of these exercises at home with no special equipment or minimal ones like weights and stability ball. According to research, a lower body workout has to be done at least three to five times a week by doing a combination of strength and conditioning exercises. It is recommended not to do the same type of lower body exercise back-to-back every day. One must do a lower body workout with breaks in between to recover and rebuild the sore muscle fibres.
Who can do Lower Body Workout?
Anyone with a fit body and no health complications can efficiently perform these workouts. As all these exercises are not strenuous with proper stretching, it is highly recommended for almost all the population.
Who Should avoid Lower Body Workouts?
People with spine injuries and lower backaches should not practice any lower body workout. Others who have recovered from surgeries and other severe complications like strained joints or arthritis should also refrain from it.
List of Best Lower Body Workouts
All the lower body exercise has to be done in proper form to maximize the outcome and see good results. They are mainly suitable for burning fat, building cardiovascular and muscle endurance, thereby toning and increasing strength. The most frequently done lower body workout is:
Glute Bridge
This is a lower body workout to feel a burn in the hamstrings. It is done by lying flat on the ground on a yoga mat with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor. The hips have to be wide apart, and the arms extended up towards the ceiling placed on top of your chest. By squeezing the glutes, the hips are pressed up off the floor and paused for a moment. Then the hips are brought back down and repeat. One must do these lower body bodyweight exercises with care to avoid lifting the hips too high and arching the low back. And by taking this lower body workout to the next level, lift the toes off the floor and press the heel hard. This should be done for 3 sets with each set having 10 reps.
Hamstring Curl
This lower body workout at home is a high-intensity variation of the famous glute bridges done by not dropping the hips on the floor. This increases control and embraces more burning of fat in the targeted areas. This lower body exercise is done by lying flat on the ground with a yoga mat's help. The knees are bent and the feet on gliders with the hips apart. The arms are placed on the sides of the body with the palms pressing the ground. The glutes are then squeezed with the hip raised off the mat. Further, without dropping the hips, the feet are entirely put forward by straightening and extending the legs. The heels must be pressing the gliders, and the feet should be sliding back to the starting position. This should be done by starting off with 5 reps and then slowly increased with practice.
Squat
This lower body exercise is done with weight in proper form to keep up the torso upright and engage the core entirely. This lower body workout is done by standing with the feet wide apart as the hips and holding the dumbbell in both the hands with the elbow pointing down. Then by pressing the feet firmly on the floor, one should make the squatting position by pushing the butt back downwards. In this lower body exercise, one must not cave the knees inwards. Furthermore, one must not lift both heels and toes. The performer must lift the chest and press the heels on the floor to stand up again. This lower body exercise is also known as goblet squats. This must be done at least for 2 sets with 10 counts in each.
Lunge
The lunge is an efficient lower body workout at home where the quads and glutes are worked out. This type of lunge is done by standing with the feet together by holding the dumbbells in the hands. A big step is then taken to the right side and lower down to a lunge position by hinging forward. The chest has to be lifted, and then one must firmly plant the feet on the floor. The toes must be facing straight and then by pushing off the right foot. One should go back to the starting position simultaneously placing the left foot on the floor. This lower body exercise has to be repeated to alternate sides and is known as a lateral lunge. This must be done on both sides for 10 counts and 2 sets on each side.
Deadlifts
This lower body workout is a compound exercise that works with two major muscles that are the legs and the core. This is done by standing with the feet wide apart correlating with the hip distance. A dumbbell is held on each hand and by engaging the core, back, and glute, one should hinge forward to lower the weights down to the legs. This exercise is done until the torso is parallel to the ground. The slight bend experienced by the knees and the pull on the back of the shoulders is quite an ordinary action. By straightening the legs, one should stand back up to the starting position and repeat. This should be essentially done for 10 counts for beginners and then can be increased slowly.
What are the different Lower Body Workouts for Men?
Men can take any strenuous workouts as they are physically more efficient than most women by nature. Therefore, the best lower body workouts for men are:
Plank: These are the best lower body workouts for men in which one can do to strengthen the core, increase muscle definition and metabolism of the body. It is also widely done to reduce back pain. This lower body workout is done by placing the elbows directly under the shoulders with the legs extended and toes firmly planted on the floor. The abdominal muscles are squeezed with the belly button pressed towards the spine and maintaining a flat back. This position is held for a minute, and then as days go by increasing the stamina, one should increase the holding time.
Abdominal Crunch: These lower body workouts for men are the best exercise to tone the body's core muscles and improve the posture with increased mobility and flexibility. This is done by keeping the legs in an elevated position at right angles. This will help the body stabilize the muscles of the core. Then, placing the head down and the chip up with exhaling the upper abdominal muscles have to be contracted. One should do this by focusing on the inner core. The minimum counts one should do this is at least 2 sets of 10 crunches with a pause for 10 seconds.
What are the Lower Body Workouts for Women?
Lower body workout for women is different from men workouts as it has to be toned uniquely with the other body type. With this in mind, the major lower body exercises for women that can be effectively assigned for them are:
Duck Walks: This lower body workout is done by standing with the feet to the shoulder-width apart. The hands are then crossed in front of the chest. By sitting slowly with the hips back and down in half-squat position and lowering the right knee down to the ground, it is then done on the left side. This must be done for 3 sets of 5 counts.
Kickbacks: This lower body workout for women is done on all fours by keeping the abs tight and contracting the glutes. A slow kick is given back until the leg is straight and the glutes are squeezed for a second. Then it is slowly brought back down. This is repeated for some counts. This must be done on both sides with a minimum of 10 counts on either side.
Lateral Leg Raise: This lower body workout for women is done by lying on one side and resting the elbow on the ground just below the shoulder. Then by placing the other hand on the floor in front of the chest, one must set the leg corresponding to the side on the floor straight. The next step is to bend and place this leg over the other. By not moving any other part of the body the leg is slowly raised off the floor and paused for a second. It is then returned to the starting position and repeat. This should be done with 2 sets of 5 counts in each of it.
Curtsy Lunge: This lower body workout is done by keeping the feet apart to the width. By holding a dumbbell in each hand, this is done by taking a big step with one leg crossing it behind the other leg at the same time. The knees are bend and hips are lowered until the thigh is parallel to the floor. This will keep the torso upright and then by returning to the start, it is repeated to the other side. This must be done on either side for one set with 10 counts in it.
Ball Hip Thrust: This lower body workout at home for women makes use of a stability ball and is done by placing the arms behind the head, and the elbow wide with the upper back pressed onto the stability ball. The legs are bent with the feet flat on the floor. By leaning into the stability ball, the hips are lifted towards the ceiling. Then the thighs are placed parallel to the mat. By moving to the start, this exercise is repeated. This must be done for a minimum of 10 counts.
What are the Benefits of doing Lower Body Workouts?
Lower body exercises at home are the base to support walking, jumping, hiking, running and dancing. A focused workout on these areas will give a person the greatest assets by staying stable in all the movements and preventing sprains, fracture, and strains. The key advantages of performing a lower body workout are:
It improves the balance in a person and helps him perform all day-to-day activities efficiently with less effort. Thereby a best lower body workout reduces the risk of falling by providing an outstanding balance to the body.
Lower body exercise increases bone strength and is very much appreciated by people who have joint aches and other bone health problems.
Lower body strength exercises make a person understand how to increase stamina levels of the body.
Lower body strength exercises increase the confidence in a person by toning and bringing the lower body to a good shape.
These exercise to reduce lower body fat slow a person's physical weakness as the most significant muscles are located in the lower body.
The best lower body workout helps reduce hip and knee injuries and strengthens the affected regions and enhances recovering at a faster pace.
A lower workout reduces the pain levels faced by a body by maintaining strength efficiently.
Disadvantages of doing Lower Body Workouts
The major disadvantages are:
It tends to develop spinal injuries when done wrong without proper guidance.
The muscles become sore with sudden overload to it, and this might take days to resolve.
The injury caused may turn out to become permanent, thereby creating irreparable health issues.
Dos & Don’ts
The tips that have to be followed while practising all the best lower body exercises are:
The speed of performing a lower body workout has to be controlled. This will create a significant change in developing the muscles, and it is always advised to take things slowly to tone the targeted areas.
Proper breathing is another vital aspect to be looked into as the blood pressure will rise if one holds the breath while performing lower body workout. Therefore, inhaling and exhaling should be done correctly with care.
Regular practice of lower body workout is a key to prevent injury or strain the muscles as it will get used to all the moves.
A break in between the lower body workout is highly recommended for the muscles to recover.
A proper lower body stretching should be done after every workout sessions of lower body exercise to prevent body aches and unnecessary muscle strain.
A good posture must be maintained throughout the lower body exercising period by aligning the body correctly and making smooth movements.
The lower body strengthening must be promptly commenced with a warm-up session and ended with cooling down moves.
What are the things required to do Lower Body Workout if you are at Home & Gym?
If one is performing these exercises at home, he/she requires the following things. They are:
Stability balls
Basic weights
Yoga mat
To perform in a gym, he/she will need
A weight training zone
Machinery zone