In humans, because of the mobility in the standing position, the lower limbs are generally subjected to more stress, not only in sports, but in life every day. Furthermore, for the same reason, the joints have fewer degrees of freedom with respect to the upper limbs.
It is clear that not only limit the leg’s muscularly weak performance in many sports, and put themselves at risk of injury, but they can also be limiting in daily life: often just a walk of an hour or two to undermine the classic sedentary! Of course, the exercises suggested in this article cannot replace the practice of a sport correctly; those summarized here (for which reference should be made to the relevant pages of study) can help in many situations :
- During the period of expansion.
- Tone to recover after a period of sleep.
- In the winter season when you slow down the pace of training because of the bad season.
The legs are made up of many muscles simplifying. The main ones are the muscles on the front and back of the thigh, the quadriceps, tibialis anterior, the hamstring and calf muscles, and their physiological characteristics are different than the type of training varies depending on which fibers predominate in each of them. It should be recalled that the muscles of the legs are among those most subject to shorten in athletes and more sensitive to trauma.
If you look at what percentages of the athletes muscles are shortened, at the head of this special list are part of the quadriceps that fits on both the hip and knee joints called the rectus femoris which is shortened in 70% cases, while the second place we find the set of calf muscles or the triceps surae (in 37% of cases).
The hamstrings instead are in fourth place with 22% of cases. So, as you can see, the muscles of the leg, in addition to ensuring the proper stabilization of the joints and the force required for the movement of many sports, should be subject to special attention in order to avoid death or serious injury is the responsibility of the muscles that of the joints.
Many muscles to be trained.
The legs are made up of many muscles simplifying. The main ones are the muscles on the front and back of the thigh, the quadriceps, tibialis anterior, the hamstring and calf muscles, and their physiological characteristics are different than the type of training varies depending on which fibers predominate in each of them. It should be recalled that the muscles of the legs are among those most subject to shorten in athletes and more sensitive to trauma.
If you look at what percentages of the athletes muscles are shortened, at the head of this special list are part of the quadriceps that fits on both the hip and knee joints called the rectus femoris which is shortened in 70% cases, while the second place we find the set of calf muscles or the triceps surae (in 37% of cases).
The hamstrings instead are in fourth place with 22% of cases. So, as you can see, the muscles of the leg, in addition to ensuring the proper stabilization of the joints and the force required for the movement of many sports, should be subject to special attention in order to avoid death or serious injury is the responsibility of the muscles that of the joints.
To increase the strength.
The most important exercises for the lower limbs are as follows (please refer to the corresponding articles for details):
- Squatting.
- Lunges.
- The use of leg extensions.
To increase the elasticity and joint mobility.
Do not always depend on the performance of a lack of strength. It is particularly important to maintain the elasticity with targeted exercises. Stretching to lengthen the Triceps surae muscle, with all the inherent limitations of stretching can be useful if performed correctly.
