If you want a strong upper body, you must have a strong lower body. Countless examples have taught me that major breakthroughs in overall strength and endurance come from strengthening and conditioning the legs. Obviously, there are more intricate muscles groups in the legs, but these are the muscles most commonly known in the exercise environment. Instruct your patients that there is a potential for injury while doing any weightlifting. Overtraining can cause muscle spasms, muscle strains and possible joint sprains.
Necessary terminology includes sets and repetitions.
A repetition is the amount of times the weights are lifted throughout a specific movement. Moving a weight up and down is one repetition. A series of repetitions makes up a set. Following are a list of the most common exercises for strengthening the legs. I will discuss the value of squats, leg extensions, leg curls and calve raises.