Leg Equipment

Exercise equipment for legs has made leaps and bounds in the past decade. Better design and knowledge have caused the fitness industry to boom. With so many different choices in exercise equipment one may find themselves asking which one do I need. This article have broken down some of the basics in order to help those in their search for the right equipment. The leg exercise equipment is placed in 2 categories: Muscle building and Cardiovascular

Muscle Building

Leg Extensions / Leg Curls
This leg machine is used to work your quadriceps, which are the muscle located in the front of your thigh. It achieves this by applying weight resistance to the tops of your feet and then extending your leg straight out. Leg curls can be done on the same machine. This exercise is best exercise for the hamstrings. It is achieved by laying flat on your stomach, weight is applied to your heels and you curl your legs toward your back.

Leg Press
There are two types of leg presses: vertical and seated. The seated leg press is achieved by pushing on plates attached to weights vertically upwards away from your body. This exercise is used to workout the back, quadriceps and gluteus maximus (plays a big role in hip, back, and lower leg function). The vertical is performed the same way except is done laying on your back and pushing the weights straight up.

Calf Raise Machine
This machine is used to target your calf muscles on the back of the lower legs. The newest machines allow you to perform this exercise in the seated position by putting your knees under padded bars and applying weight. The exercise involves forcing the weighted bar up by raising the back of your heels. Other machines allow to target the calf muscles by standing and placing the weight on your shoulders.

Cardiovascular

You can read the rest of this article at its original location at: Exercise Equipment For Legs