The best lower body strength training exercises

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Lower body exercises help train the legs, hips, and buttocks, strengthening the muscles in these positions, helping to create a more balanced and stronger body.

1. Why should exercise lower body gym exercises?

Regular lower body training has many benefits such as:
Shapes the legs, hips and buttocks by building muscle mass in these areas. The practitioner will strengthen the muscles in the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves; The practitioner will have a balanced and healthy body to have enough energy for all activities throughout the day. Exercise also helps the practitioner improve performance in sports activities such as running, cycling or team sports such as football. There are many leg, hip and butt exercises to choose from. Good lower body exercises will involve large movements, which will help improve core strength.
MORE: 15 back exercises to strengthen muscles and prevent injury

2. Best lower body exercises

Trainers can do the following lower body strength exercises in the gym, using equipment such as dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, and machines. For those who cannot arrange time to go to the gym, it can be done at home. Most of these moves can be done with different resistance devices or just practice without equipment.
Practitioners are also introduced to several variations to these exercises. You can choose a variation if you are new to the practice, low body endurance, or choose an advanced movement if you are used to it,... At the same time, it is necessary to pay attention to notify the coach if the practitioner returns to training later. during an illness, sports injury or pregnancy.

Exercises include:
2.1 Dumbbell Lunge This is a basic exercise, one of the most effective lower body exercises because it works the hips, glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves and core. Practitioners need to master the basic movements before adding resistance to the swinging movement. When adding weights, start with light weights, about 0.9 - 2.3 kg and then gradually add weight as the movement becomes more comfortable.
How to do the exercise as follows:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Next, let the arms hang at the sides along the body, palms facing the thighs; Take a long step forward with your right foot, bending your knee until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. The left foot also bends to match the right foot, left heel touching the floor; Push the body through the right heel, working through the center of gravity, hamstrings and glutes on the right, bringing the right leg back to the starting position; Repeat the sequence on the same leg several times before switching to the other leg or alternating sides; Try to do at least 5-7 reps for each leg. Simplified exercise: If you are not ready for the forward move, you can try the inversion. This is a similar movement, but the practitioner will step back each foot instead of forward, this movement is easier to control.
More advanced exercise: If you're up for a challenge, try free walking with weights. In this variation, instead of stepping forward and returning to the starting position, the practitioner continues to move forward, alternating each leg like a normal walk.
2.2 Dumbbell Shoulder Squat Doing the squat will help improve the muscles of the hips, thighs and buttocks. Once you get used to the squat, you can increase the difficulty by using dumbbells or dumbbells. To do the shoulder squat with dumbbells, you should start with a weight of about 0, - 2.3kg. When you feel familiar with the exercise, add more weight.
How to perform the exercise as follows:
Open your legs slightly wider than your hips, put a dumbbell on each shoulder; Bring your hips back, lowering into a hammock toward a chair behind you. Knees are bent but heels remain flat on the floor. The torso remains tall and strong with the chest open, facing forward; Continue lowering your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor or lower; Press firmly on the heels to lift the body back to the starting position; Repeat the movement 7-10 times. Simplified exercise: If you are not used to training too hard, you can start doing squats without weights. When you feel comfortable with the exercise, you can add weights.
More advanced exercise: If 10-12 reps can be done in good shape, the practitioner can add more weight or choose a squat variation using warm weights or dumbbells.

2.3 Bulgarian Split Squat This squat allows the trainer to focus their efforts on 1 leg at a time. Since one leg is elevated and the practitioner is balancing on the active leg, this is a stability exercise.
How to do the exercise as follows:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, placing them in front of a chair or bench about 2 feet long; Raise left leg, place it on the back bench. Hold 1 dumbbell or in 2 hands in front of chest; Bend right knee, lower body into a lunge on one leg. At the same time, keep your shoulders above your hips as your hips and buttocks drop to knee level; Press through right heel, lift body back to starting position and repeat; Complete 7-10 reps on the right leg, then switch sides and complete the same number of repetitions on the left leg. Simplified exercise: Perform this move without using weights before you have enough strength and familiarity.
More advanced exercise: If you want a challenge, try this exercise with heavier weights using weights or machines.

2.4 Deadlift Deadlift is usually performed with 1 barbell. If dumbbells are not available, the practitioner can practice with dumbbells. Like other exercises, the practitioner needs to get used to the movement without using weights before using weights.
How to do the exercise as follows:
Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, place a barbell under your feet; Bend forward, bend knees; Grasp the bar with your hands, hands shoulder-width apart; Using strength in your hips, glutes, and core, lift the dumbbells into a standing position; Reverse the process, bending the knees and bringing the hips back to lower the barbell. At the same time, keep your torso and back straight; After the bar hits the floor, repeat the sequence and lift one more time; Repeat 7-10 times. Simplified exercise: If you don't feel ready to lift a lot of weights, just perform the exercise with 1 dumbbell without weight.
More advanced exercise: Add heavier weight to the barbell.

2.5 Side Lunge This is a great lower body exercise because it forces the practitioner to work in the frontal plane of motion where the body moves from side to side, using the hip stabilizers. Most lower body exercises only move in a forward-backward or up-down position.
How to perform the exercise as follows:
Stand straight with your legs parallel to each other, making sure that both the right and left sides have enough space for the exercise; Take a long step to the right with your right foot, right knee deeply bent, hips back; Keep left leg straight, foot firmly on the floor, upper body still tall and chest open; Push your right leg out, lift your body and return to the head position with your feet together; Repeat with left foot by stepping left foot to the side; Repeat 10 - 12 times, alternating sides. Simplified exercise: Take smaller steps, do not lower the center of gravity too deeply.
More advanced exercise: Add weight by placing 1 warm dumbbell or dumbbell in your hands, keeping it at chest level while shifting your body from side to side.

2.6 Good Morning This exercise is great for hamstring and core strength and strengthens the lower back. For people with lower back problems, it is advisable to consult a doctor before exercising for guidance or to modify the movement accordingly. When starting out, it's a good idea to do singles, no weights, or light weights before adding weights.
How to do the exercise as follows:
Stand straight, feet hip-width apart; Place a dumbbell on your shoulder, resting it on the trapezius muscle; Bend knees slightly, rotate at hips, bring torso forward and hips back, keeping back straight and core strong; When the torso is parallel to the floor, return to the starting position; Repeat 10 - 12 times. Simplified exercise: Do the exercise with a column or weightless dumbbells.
More advanced exercise: Add heavier weights.

2.7 Barbell Jammer Press This is a full body exercise that works the upper body when performed without a squat. But when you add a squat, it strengthens your glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Trainers need a barbell and perform squats with a standard form.
How to perform the exercise is as follows:
Place a barbell on the floor vertically in front of the practitioner. If you want to add more weight, place the dumbbell at the end closest to your body. The distal end should touch the wall; Squat deeply, grip the bar by holding your palms at the end of the barbell; Press your hips, quads, and glutes to stand up and bring your hips forward, straightening your legs while continuing to hold the end of the barbell; When the practitioner is almost standing, press the barbell up, overhead, keeping the back high and firm; When the arm is fully extended, reverse the motion. Then lower the bar and bring your body back to a squat to start over; Repeat the movement 10-12 times. Simplified exercise: Use dumbbells with no weights or very light weights.
More advanced exercise: Increase the weight used.
Correctly following the above-mentioned lower body exercises will help improve the health and muscles of the hips, thighs, buttocks, calves,... Practitioners need to perform the right movements, when practicing should choose the right exercises. simple variations and increase in difficulty later on.

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Reference source: verywellfit.com