Abdominal Exercises

ROMAN CHAIRS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:Emphasizes upper abs.

EXECUTION:(1) Sit on the Roman Chair bench, hook your feet under the support, and fold your arms in front of you.

(2) Keeping your stomach tucked in, lower yourself back to approximately a 70-degree angle, but not all the way back so your torso is parallel to the floor. Raise and curl your torso forward as far as possible, feeling the abdominals crunch together in a full contraction.I like to rest the front of the Roman Chair bench on a block of some sort to create an incline and increase the intensity of the exercise. You can introduce variable resistance into this exercise by starting out with the front of the bench raised and then, when you are getting tired, lower it to the floor and continue with your set

CRUNCHES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: Emphasizes upper abs

EXECUTION: (1) Lie on your back on the floor, your legs across a bench in front of you.You can put your hands behind your neck or keep them in front of you, whichever you prefer.

(2) Curl your shoulders and trunk upward toward your knees, rounding your back. Don't try to lift your entire back up off the floor, just roll forward and crunch your rib cage toward your pelvis. At the top of the movement, deliberately give an extra squeeze of the abs to achieve total contraction, then release and lower your shoulders back to the starting position.This is not a movement you do quickly.Do each rep deliberately and under control.You can vary the angle of stress on your  abdominals by raising your foot position. Instead of putting your legs across a bench, try lying on the floor and placing the soles of your feet against a wall at whatever height feels most comfortable.

TWISTING CRUNCHES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: For upper abs and obliques.

EXECUTION:(1) Lie on your back on the floor, your legs across a bench in front of you.

(2) You can put your hands behind your neck and curl your trunk up toward your knees, rounding your back. As you do this, twist your torso so that your right elbow comes across toward your left knee. Release and lower your torso back to the starting position. Repeat, this time twisting in the opposite direction, bringing your left elbow toward your right knee.Continue to alternate, twisting in one direction and then the other throughout your set.

REVERSE CRUNCHES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: Emphasizes lower abs.

EXECUTION:This exercise is best done lying on a Bench Press bench that has a rack at one end. (1)Lie on your back on the bench and reach up behind you to hold the rack for support. Bend your
knees and bring them up as far toward your face as you can without lifting your
pelvis off the bench.

(2) From this starting position, bring your knees up as close to your face as you can, rounding your back, with the glutes coming up off the bench and crunching up toward the rib cage. Hold for a moment at the top and deliberately squeeze the ab muscles for full contraction. Slowly lower your knees until your rear end comes to rest on the bench again. (Don't lower your legs any
farther than this. You aren't doing Leg Raises.) Again, do this movement deliberately and under control rather than doing a lot of quick reps.

HANGING REVERSE CRUNCHES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: Emphasizes lower abs.

EXECUTION:This is another version of Reverse Crunches, only you do it hanging by your hands from a bar or resting on your forearms on a Hanging Leg Raise bench instead of lying on a bench.

(1) Get into the hanging position and bring your knees up to the level of your abdomen.

(2) From this starting position, raise your knees up as far as possible toward your head, rounding your back and rolling yourself upward into a ball. At the top of the movement, hold and crunch the ab muscles together 

for full contraction, then lower your knees to the starting position with the knees pulled up. Again, don't lower your legs beyond this starting point.

      A lot of people and most bodybuilders (because of the mass of their legs) can't really do Hanging Reverse Crunches. An easier variation is to lie head upward on a slant board. This gives you more resistance than Reverse Crunches on a flat bench, but you can dial in the amount of resistance you want by the angle at which you set the slant board.

VERTICAL BENCH CRUNCHES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: Emphasizes lower abs.

EXECUTION:This is a variation of Hanging Reverse Crunches.

(1) Instead of hanging from a bar, position yourself on a vertical bench that allows you to support yourself on your elbows and forearms and bring your knees up to the level of your abdomen.

(2) From this starting position, raise your knees up as far as possible toward your head, rounding
your back and rolling yourself upward into a ball. At the top of the movement, hold and crunch the ab muscles together for full contraction, then lower your knees to the starting position with the knees pulled up.Again, don't lower your legs beyond this starting point.

CABLE CRUNCHES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: For upper and lower abs.

EXECUTION:This is an exercise you used to see much more in the "old days" than you do today, but it's an effective one.

(1)Attach a rope to an overhead pulley.Kneel down and grasp the rope with both hands.

(2) Holding the rope in front of your forehead, bend and curl downward,rounding your back, bringing your head to your knees and feeling the abdominals crunch together. Hold the peak contraction at the bottom, then release and come back up to the starting position.Make sure the effort involved is
made with the abs. Don't pull down with the arms.

MACHINE CRUNCHES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: For upper and lower abs.

EXECUTION:A great many bodybuilders feel that machines are unnecessary when it comes to ab training. But others swear by some of the ab training equipment currently available. Charles Glass, for example, often has his clients use a Nautilus Crunch machine. In all cases, however, concentrate on feeling the rib cage and the pelvis squeeze together as the abdominals contract. If you can't achieve this feeling, the piece of equipment you are using may not be suited to your individual needs.

SEATED LEG TUCKS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: For upper and lower abs.

EXECUTION:In all ab exercises the rib cage contracts toward the pelvis or the pelvis toward the rib cage-in this exercise, both of these things happen.

(1) Sit crosswise on a bench, holding on to the sides for support. Raise your legs slightly and bend your knees and lean backward at about a 45-degree angle.

(2) Using a scissors movement (this exercise is sometimes called Scissors Crunches), curl your upper body toward your pelvis, rounding your back, and simultaneously lift your knees up toward your head. Feel the crunch as your rib cage and pelvis squeeze together.From this position, lower your
torso and knees back to the starting position.

SEATED TWISTS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: To tighten the obliques.

EXECUTION:(1) Sit on the end of a bench, feet flat on the floor and comfortably apart. Place a broom handle or light bar across the back of your shoulders and hold it.

(2) Keeping your head stationary, and making sure your pelvis doesn't shift on the bench, deliberately turn your upper body and shoulders in one direction as far as you can. Hold at the extreme rotated
position, then turn your torso and shoulders back in the other direction as far as you can, keeping the movement fully under control rather than swinging. Because this exercise contracts the oblique muscles but uses no additional resistance, it keeps them tight but doesn't add any extra bulk that might thicken your waist.

BENT-OVER TWISTS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To tighten the obliques

EXECUTION:(1) Standing with your feet apart, place a broom handle or light bar across the back of your shoulders, hold it, and bend forward from the waist as far as is comfortable.

(2) Keeping your head stationary, and blocking your pelvis from rotating, deliberately turn your upper body and shoulders in one direction as far as you can. Hold at the extreme rotated position, then turn your torso and shoulders back in the other direction as far as you can, keeping the movement fully under control rather than swinging

LEG RAISES

            Leg Raises are a traditional abdominal exercise that has fallen out of favor with exercise physiologists. The reason is that the abdominals don't attach to the legs, so raising and lowering your legs works them only indirectly, as stabilizers. The muscles that raise and lower the legs are the iliopsoas muscles (hip flexors) that run from the lower back across the top of the pelvis
and attach to the upper leg.

       Nonetheless, I have gotten good results doing Leg Raises, as have many other champions, so I feel this encyclopedia would be incomplete if they were not included. I am a big believer in science and exercise physiology, but when it comes to bodybuilding the bottom line is always what
works for you, regardless of what the "experts" might think.

FLAT BENCH LEG RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: Emphasizes lower abs.

EXECUTION:(1) Lie on your back on a flat bench, your rear end just at the end of the bench, put your hands under your glutes for support, and extend your legs out straight. 

(2) Keeping your legs straight, raise them as high as you can, pause, then lower them until they are slightly below the level of the bench.

BENT-KNEE FLAT BENCH LEG RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: Emphasizes lower abs

EXECUTION:Lie on a bench in the same position as with Flat Bench Leg Raises. Bend your
knees, then raise your legs as far as possible, pause at the top, then lower your legs again, keeping them bent throughout the entire range of motion.

BENT-KNEE INCLINE BOARD LEG RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:Emphasizes lower abs.

EXECUTION:(1) Lie on your back on an incline board, head higher than your feet. Reach back and take hold of the top of the board or some other support.

(2) With your knees bent, raise your legs as high as you can, then lower them slowly, stopping just as your rear end touches the board. Exhale as you lift and inhale as you lower your legs. Bending your knees makes the movement a little easier and helps to increase your range of motion.

BENT-KNEE VERTICAL BENCH LEG RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: Emphasizes lower abs.

EXECUTION:(1) Support yourself on your arms on a vertical bench.

(2) Holding your upper body steady, bend your knees and raise them up as high as you can, flexing your abs through the full range of the motion.Keeping your legs bent, lower them again to the starting position.

VARIATION:Any variation of an exercise forces the muscles to respond in new and different ways. When working the abdominals with Vertical Bench Leg Raises, try doing the movement using each leg alternately instead of simultaneously.

HANGING LEG RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: Emphasizes lower abs.

EXECUTION:(1) Grasp an overhead bar and hang at arm's length.

(2) Keeping your legs fairly straight, raise them as high as you can, hold for a moment, then lower them under control back to the starting position. Keeping your legs straight adds to the resistance in this exercise, which makes the movement more difficult.

TWISTING HANGING LEG RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:For the obliques and detail at the side of the torso.

EXECUTION:Start as in Hanging Leg Raises, hanging at arm's length from the bar and keeping your legs fairly straight. Next, raise your legs as high as you can slightly to the side while twisting the torso to involve the obliques, serratus, and intercostal muscles. Hold for a moment, then lower them under control to the starting position.

ADDITIONAL LEG-RAISE EXERCISES

                In addition to the basic abdominal exercises, there are a number of leg raise movements I have always liked and that I believe help firm and tighten areas like the hips, the lower back, and the buttocks. These are exercises that can be done for very high reps and that are just as easy to do in a hotel when you are traveling as when you are home or at the gym.One benefit of these movements is the way they work the lower body from every angle-front, back, and rear. They are also useful for a wide range of people, from competitive bodybuilders to serious athletes, weekend athletes, and men and women simply trying to stay fit and in good shape.

SIDE LEG RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:For the obliques and intercostals.This exercise works the entire side of the torso and can really help give your waist a narrow look from the front.

EXECUTION:(1) Lie on your side, supporting yourself on your elbow with your lower leg bent under for support.

(2) Keeping the upper leg straight, raise it slowly as high as it will go, then lower it again, but stop short of letting it touch the floor. Finish your reps with this leg, then turn onto your other side and repeat the movement. Don't move your hips at all during this movement.

BENT-KNEE SIDE LEG RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:For the obliques and intercostals.

EXECUTION:Lie on your side, supporting yourself on your elbow with your lower leg bent under for support. Bend the knee of your upper leg and raise it slowly toward your chest as high as you can, then lower it again, stopping short of touching the floor. Finish your reps with this, then turn and work the opposite leg.

FRONT KICKS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:For the obliques and intercostals.

EXECUTION:This exercise begins in exactly the same position as Side Leg Raises. Here, though, you slowly move your upper leg forward as far as you can, keeping it straight throughout the movement. Finish your reps, and turn and work the opposite leg.

BENCH KICKBACKS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:For the glutes.

EXECUTION:(1) Kneel with one leg on the end of a bench.Grip the bench with arms locked for support.

(2) Kick one leg back as high as you can, then bring it back down, not letting it quite touch the bench. Concentrate throughout the movement on flexing and contracting the buttocks. Complete your repetitions then repeat using the other leg. (This can be done kneeling on the floor, but it's slightly more difficult.)

REAR LEG SCISSORS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: For the glutes.

EXECUTION:(1) Lie on your stomach, hands under your thighs. Raise your legs off the floor as far as possible.

(2) Move your feet apart a short distance, then bring them together and cross one over the other.

(3) Move them apart and then cross them again with the opposite leg on top. Repeat, alternating legs continuously until you have completed your repetitions.Throughout the exercise, concentrate on feeling the contraction of the buttocks.

VACUUMS
                        Being able to control your abdominal muscles to the point where you can hit and hold a full vacuum is becoming a lost art in bodybuilding. This is unfortunate, since a vacuum pose is not only impressive onstage, creating a much smaller waistline and exaggerating the size and fullness of the chest and rib cage, but also helps to develop abdominal definition and gives you the total control of the abdominal muscles that helps you avoid letting your abs bulge the moment you relax and stop concentrating on them.

                 Bodybuilders often forget under the pressure of competition that they are being watched the whole time they are onstage-even when they are standing at the back of the stage waiting for a comparison call-out. You should never give the judges the impression that you are tired, and keeping
your abs from bulging and protruding is one way to assure you make the proper impression.

               Nowadays, bodybuilders frequently have trouble hitting a vacuum because their abs get so
massive-but the primary reason is that they don't practice hitting vacuums. This is not some tiring
you can master in an hour. You have to practice on a regular basis, just as you do any other kind of posing, for a period of weeks or months until you develop full control over these muscles.

           To practice vacuums, get down on your hands and knees, blowout all your breath, and suck in your abdominals as much as you can.Hold this for 20 to 30 seconds, relax for a few moments, and then try it again two or three times.

by Arnold Schwarzenegger Encyclopedia Of Modern Bodybuilding.

Calf Exercises

STANDING CALF RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To develop the overall mass of the calves.

EXECUTION:(1) Stand with your toes on the block of a standing Calf Raise machine, your heels extended out into space. Hook your shoulders under the pads and straighten your legs, lifting the weight clear of the support. Lower your heels as far as possible toward the floor, keeping your knees slightly bent throughout the movement in order to work the lower area of the calves as well as the upper, and feeling the calf muscles stretch to the maximum. I like a block that is high enough so that I get a full stretch when I lower my heels.

(2) From the bottom of the movement, come up on your toes as far as possible. The weight should be heavy enough to exercise the calves, but not so heavy that you cannot come all the way up for most of your repetitions.When you are too tired to do complete repetitions, finish off the set with a series of partial movements to increase the intensity of the exercise.

Here's what happened one time when I couldn't load up enough weight on the Standing Calf Raise, though I wouldn't recommend it for you.

The normal position, with toes straight ahead, is best for overall calf development.

CALF RAISES ON LEG PRESS MACHINE
PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: To develop the calves.

EXECUTION:(1) Using one of the various types of Leg Press machines (I prefer the Vertical Leg Press for Calf Raises), position yourself as if to do a Leg Press, but push against the foot pads only with your toes, leaving your heels unsupported. Straighten your legs and press the weight up until your knees are almost locked out. With your knees just slightly bent, keep your heels pressed upward but let your toes come back toward you, feeling the fullest possible stretch in the calf muscles.

(2) When you can't stretch any farther, press the weight upward with your toes as far as you possibly can to fully contract your calf muscles.You can't cheat at all when you do Calf Raises on a machine. Lying with your back braced against the pad, you can totally isolate the calves to give them a really intense workout. Make sure the safety bars are in place in case your toes slip.

SEATED CALF RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To develop the lower and outer areas of the calves.

EXECUTION:(1) Sit on the machine and place your toes on the bottom crosspiece, hooking your knees under the crossbar. Slowly lower your heels as far toward the ground as possible, 

(2) then press back up on your toes until your calves are fully contracted. Try not to rock back and forth too much, but keep the calves working with a steady, rhythmic motion.

DONKEY CALF RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To develop the thickness of the back of the calves.Donkey Calf Raises are one of my favorite exercises, and really make your calves look huge when viewed from the side.

EXECUTION:(1) Place your toes on a block, bend forward from the waist, and lean on a bench or a table for support or use a Donkey Calf machine.Your toes should be directly below your hips. Have a training partner add resistance by seating himself across your hips, as far back as possible to keep pressure off the lower back.

(2) With your toes pointed straight ahead, lower your heels as far as possible, then come back up on your toes until your calves are fully contracted.If you try to cheat on this movement you end up bouncing your training partner around, so have him call this to your attention if it happens.
You can use a variation of the Stripping Method doing Donkey Calf Raises. I would frequently start with as many as three men on my back. As I got tired, I would do a few sets with just two guys, then finish off with just one. Talk about getting a burn.

ONE-LEG CALF RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To isolate each set of calf muscles. Doing Calf Raises one leg at a time is essential when one calf is larger than the other and you need to bring up the size of the smaller one.

EXECUTION:(1) Stand with the toes of one leg on a block and the other leg suspended in midair behind you. Lower your heel as far as you can.
(2) then come back up on your toes. Finish your set, then repeat with the other leg. If one of your calves is smaller or weaker than the other, give it some extra sets to help achieve the necessary symmetry. One-Leg Calf Raises can also be done on a Leg Press machine

REVERSE CALF RAISES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To develop the front of the lower leg. Many bodybuilders with good calves forget about developing the muscles at the front of the lower leg, primarily the tibialis anterior, which separates the inside calf from the outside calf and makes the leg seem much bigger.

\

EXECUTION:(1) Stand with your heels on a block, lower your toes as far as you can.

(2) then lift them up, feeling the muscles at the front of the lower leg contract as fully as possible. Do about 20 or 30 repetitions with your own body weight. As a variation, you can hook your toes under a light weight to provide extra resistance.

by Arnold Schwarzenegger Encyclopedia Of Modern Bodybuilding 

Legs or thighs exercise

SQUATS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To build mass and strength in the legs, especially the thighs. Full Squats are one of the traditional mass-building exercises for the entire lower body but are primarily for developing all four heads of the quadriceps.

EXECUTION:(1) With the barbell on a rack, step under it so that it rests across the back of your shoulders, hold on to the bar to balance it, raise up to lift it off the rack, and step away. The movement can be done with your feet flat on the floor or your heels resting on a low block for support.

(2) Keeping your head up and back straight, bend your knees and lower yourself until your thighs are just lower than parallel to the floor.From this point, push yourself back up to the starting position.It is important to go below parallel in this movement, especially when you are just learning the exercise, so that you develop strength along the entire range of motion. If you don't go low enough in the beginning, you could injure yourself later when using heavier weight. Foot position to some extent determines which area of the thighs you work the most while doing Squats: A wider stance works the inside of the thighs to a greater degree, while a narrower stance tends to work the outside more; toes turned out hits the inside of the thighs. The basic stance for greatest power is usually feet shoulder-width apart, with toes turned just slightly out.

HEAVY SQUATS

Your Squat technique will vary a lot depending on your physical proportions. Because of my height, whenever I do Heavy Squats I am forced to bend forward quite far, bringing my lower back very strongly into the exercise. Ideally, you should do Squats with your back as straight as possible.

Bodybuilders like Franco Columbu and Tom Platz can do this easily with the rear end and bar in about the same line when coming down with the weight, instead of the way I do it, bar way forward
and rear end stuck out toward the back. I always include a lot of Front Squats in my routine in order to make certain I emphasize the quadriceps.

HALF SQUATS
PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: To develop extra mass and power in the thighs.

EXECUTION:This exercise is done the same way as regular Squats except you go only half way down, which will enable you to use more weight.

MACHINE SQUATS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To develop the quadriceps. When you do Squats on a machine, you can work the thighs intensely while putting less strain on other areas such as the knees and lower back. There are a number of machines designed to approximate the Squat movement.They use a variety of techniques to create resistance, including weights, friction, and even air compression.Personally, I have always preferred doing Machine Squats on a Smith machine.

EXECUTION:(1) Place your shoulders under the bar and come up to a standing position. Position your feet to obtain the desired effects from the exercise.

(2) Bend your knees and squat down until your thighs are lower than parallel, then press back up to the starting position.Turning your toes out helps develop the inside of the thighs. Balancing a barbell in this position could be difficult, but the machine makes it easy. Standing with your feet moved forward helps isolate the quadriceps, especially the lower area near the knee, and minimizes strain to the lower back since you don't need to bend forward at all.

Machine Squat toes out.

Machine Squat-feet forward.

Wrapping the knees when you do Heavy Squats raises the hydro static pressure within the joint and helps to prevent joint or ligament injury.

FRONT SQUATS
PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To work the legs, with special emphasis on the thighs. Front Squats develop the outside sweep of the quadriceps.

EXECUTION:(1) Step up to the rack, bring your arms up under the bar, keeping the elbows high, cross your arms and grasp the bar with your hands to control it. Then lift the weight off the rack. Step back and separate your feet for balance (I find this exercise easier to do if I rest my heels on a low block to improve balance).

(2) Bend your knees and, keeping your head up and your back straight, lower yourself until your thighs are below parallel to the floor.Push yourself back up to the starting position.Do this exercise slowly and strictly, making sure you keep your back straight. If possible, do all Squats in front of a mirror so you can check that you are keeping your back straight.

Front half Squats are done in the same manner as Front Squats except you go only halfway down.

SISSY SQUATS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: To isolate the lower quadriceps. Although this movement is called a Squat it is very close to a Leg Extension in the way it affects the legs.You will feel a lot of stress right down to where the quadriceps insert into the knee.

EXECUTION:(1) Stand upright, feet a few inches apart, holding on to a bench or something else for support.

(2) Bend your knees, raise up on your toes, and slowly lower yourself toward the floor, letting your pelvis and knees go forward while your head and shoulders tilt backward.

(3) Continue down as low as possible, until your buttocks practically touch your heels. Stretch the thigh muscles and hold for a moment, then straighten your legs and come back up into a standing position. Flex your thigh muscles hard at the top of the movement for maximum cuts and development.

LEG PRESSES

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To build the mass of the thighs. If Squats have a disadvantage, it's the
pressure they put on the lower back. Doing Leg Presses is a way around this that allows you to work the legs with very heavy weight.

EXECUTION:(1) Using a Leg Press machine, position yourself under the machine and place your feet together against the crosspiece. Bend your knees and lower the weight as far as possible, bringing your knees toward your shoulders.

(2) Press the weight back up again until your legs are fully extended. Don't get in the habit of pushing on your knees to help your legs press upward, or of crossing your arms across your chest and limiting your range of motion.

LEG PRESS VARIATIONS

There are a number of other machines on which you can do the Leg Press movement.Some of these move along an angled track, others along horizontal. No matter which type of machine is used, the exercise should be done in a similar manner, with the knees coming back as closely as possible to the shoulders.

HACK SQUATS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: To develop the lower area of the thigh. Hack Squats are a good movement for working the lower range of the pressing motion.

EXECUTION:(1) Depending on the design of the machine you use, either hook your shoulders under the padded bars or take hold of the handles.Your feet should be together, toes pointed slightly out.

(2) Press downward with your legs and lift the mechanism, stopping when your legs are fully extended. This keeps constant tension on the legs. Bend your knees and lower yourself all the way down. Your legs should end up bent at a much more acute angle than when you do Squats. In all your repetitions, keep working this lower range of motion by going all the way down.

(3) For some of your last repetitions, lower yourself in the normal way, but as you press back up, arch your back and bring your hips away from the machine without locking your legs out. This will emphasize the separation between the leg biceps and the quadriceps, which makes the thighs look huge when you do a side chest shot.

LUNGES
PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: To develop the front of the thighs and glutes.

EXECUTION:(1) Holding a barbell across the back of your shoulders, stand upright with your feet together.

(2) Keeping your head up, back straight, and chest thrust out, take a step forward, bend your knees,
and bring your trailing knee almost to the floor.The step should be long enough so that the trailing leg is almost straight. Push yourself back up to the starting position with one strong and decisive movement, bringing your feet together, then step forward with the other foot and repeat the movement. You can do all your repetitions with one leg, then switch and repeat with the other, or you can alternate legs throughout the set.

LEG EXTENSIONS
PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: To define and shape the front of the thigh. Leg Extensions are great for getting really deep definition in the thighs without losing size, and especially for developing the area around the knees.

EXECUTION:(1) Using one of the various Leg Extension machines, sit in the seat and hook your feet under the padded bar.

(2) Extend your legs out to the maximum, making sure you remain sitting flat on the machine (don't let yourself lift off and cheat up the weight). Extend your legs as far as possible until they are locked out to achieve maximum contraction of the quadriceps, then lower the weight slowly until your feet are no farther back than the knees and the thighs are fully stretched out. To make sure you always
extend your legs fully enough, have your training partner hold out a hand on a level where your feet will kick it at the top of the extension.

LEG CURLS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: To develop the hamstrings (rear of thigh).

EXECUTION: (1) Lie face down on a leg Curl machine and hook your heels under the lever mechanism.your legs should be stretched out\straight.

(2) Keeping flat on the bench, curl your legs up as far as possible, until the leg biceps are fully contracted. Release and lower the weight slowly back to the starting position. Hold on to the handles or the bench itself to keep yourself from lifting up off the bench. This exercise should be done strictly and through the fullest range of motion possible. I have found that supporting myself on my elbows helps keep the lower part of my body more firmly on the bench.

STANDING LEG CURLS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: To develop the leg biceps. Using a Standing Curl machine, you can train one leg at a time and further isolate the leg biceps.

 

EXECUTION:(1) Stand against the machine and hook one leg behind the lever mechanism.

(2) Hold yourself steady and curl the leg up as high as possible. Release and lower the weight back to the starting position.Do your set with one leg, then repeat the exercise using the other leg. Be certain to keep the movement slow and strict.

STRAIGHT-LEG DEAD LIFTS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To work the hamstrings. Also works glutes and lower back.

EXECUTION:(1) Take hold of a barbell as for Deadlifts and come up to a standing position.

(2) Keep your legs nearly locked and bend forward from the waist, your back straight, until your torso is about parallel to the floor, the bar hanging at arm's length below you. Straighten up again, pull your shoulders back, and arch your spine to get the spinal erectors of the lower back to contract completely. Without your legs to help you as in regular Deadlifts, you will use much less weight doing
this exercise. If you use Olympic weights, it is best to stand on a block or a bench so that you can lower the weight to the maximum extent without the large end plates touching the floor as long as your back doesn't begin to round.

by Arnold Schwarzenegger Encyclopedia Of Modern Bodybuilding.