Does anyone know any good leg strengthening exercise?

Question

I really want to drop my 400 from a 65 by strengthening my legs and I honestly don't think they are strong enough to enable me to run Varsity next year. Does leg strengthening have a significant effect on time? Also, should I start doing some chest exercises?

Answer 1

of course leg stregthening has significant effect on your time.

stretch a lot. chest exercises would help your endurance and breathing, which does help a LOT.

for leg training, this is what my track team does every day, that really helps : (these are little routines we do every day, so you would go across a field or whatever and repeat it back, then move onto the next one, etc.) 1) run and bring your knees up when you do. 2) run and kick your butt. 3) kinda gallop sideways. 3) walk on tiptoes with the toes in, and then the toes out. 4) walk on your heels with the toes in, and then the toes out.

just basic things like that strengthen certain muscles of your legs, and in the end, that does build up. make sure, tho, if you're going to be training a lot, to ice every night, and stretch after running. thats KEY.

have fun and good luck! =)

Answer 2

start lifting program with things like squat, calve raises, Hang clean, vertimax if you school has one, and also include some bench, shoulder press, and any other upper body work outs. Lifting in general will make you better over all just dont lose flexibility in your upper body by over working it thats when you slow down. Squat and calve raises will help A LOT

Answer 3

Lifting weights is the most important thing along with doing short fast sprints. The fastest runners don't collapse at the ankle, knee and hip at ground contact thus having the shortest foot contact times. Work up to heavy isometric calf raises, squats or leg press and hamstring curls. Also try altitude drops where you jump off a chair and land on balls of feet without collapsing at ankle/knee. Also continue to run short sprints at top speed

Answer 4

I would ask a coach or trainer to see what they say. But I would suggest some body resistance training first, see how that goes (if you feel you got any stronger) and then add some weights.

You want to strengthen your quads, hamstrings, calf muscles. The major leg muscles.  But just don't concentrate on your quads cus then your hamstrings won't help you when you run and could create an imbalance. Hope this helps, but def ask a coach or your HS trainer.

Answer 5

I don't like weight lifting and rarely ever do it.  Biking is a great way to strengthen your legs.  My boyfriend was training for a triathlon but hurt his ankle.  He was barely running at all, but biking tons.  When he could run again he was much faster than before.