Legs Workouts Tips

Shorts: Fitness leaf by Fitness To A Tee

This week on Fitness To A Tee, it's been all about another one of my favourite body parts to strengthen - legs! 

Why work the legs anyway?

No matter what your fitness goals are, doing workouts for your legs is key. Your legs keep your body balanced/ stable; help with every movement; reduce injury; aid in strengthening your core; release hormones such as ones that help you manage stress etc.

The legs are  one of the biggest muscle groups in your body, so if #weightloss is 1 of your goals - working your legs will have you burning heaps of calories.💪🏾

How I set a foundation for legs workouts + bodybuilding

In 2021, I started a series of posts on my Instagram and Facebook titled “Bodybuilding VS Build A Body”.  I was telling you my bodybuilding story from my competing days as a fitness model BUT also my personal story and how my life prepared me not just to step on stage to get a gold medal - but how to set a foundation for my body for LIFE. 

Building a body is not just about exercises, but what rises up from WITHIN as you connect with your body and use it as a vessel to carry you through life's situations.

In my last post in this series (click here to read the previous one) - I'd just left Melbourne for the second time to go back to Zimbabwe after my dad fell ill in 2011, after mum's death. I went into auto pilot mode and didn't let myself feel a thing because I was afraid of what would come out.

When I got home, it was tough to see my dad unwell whilst being in the creeping reality that mum was gone. I searched for anything external to "feel better".

I think before I ever got onto stage years later, I learnt in this time - how important some form of STRUCTURE was amidst my internal chaos. Bodybuilding training as a #fitness model in Australia - leading to my Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, was one of the ways I learnt and became embedded in structure which has carried me through my journey with #fitnesstoatee and sustained my health at age 41.

Winning Silver + Bronze at one of my Fitness Model comps.

Enter legs 

When I was in Zimbabwe looking after dad, I started jogging each morning in Harare and when I got home, I would then do step ups using my bed; squats and lunges around my room every other day - whilst alternating with upper body days which included push ups.  

Every 6 am, despite what the days brought like packing up mum's things with tears in my eyes and shock vibrating through my soul - that routine was a time when I escaped into the beauty of the wind on my face; the slow waking up of the city as I passed people going to work; then the thrill from the endorphins after doing strength work for my legs.

Little did I know that this basic routine was setting a foundation which would lead me to a career in fitness then to compete. 

And a ray of sunshine one morning, sitting with Dad. We were deep in discussion. It was time to set up the Elizabeth Chanakira Cancer Trust. In mum's last days, I had told her that I was going to start the Elizabeth Chanakira Cancer Trust and vowed to do what I could to make a difference for underprivileged #cancer patients. (Story to be continued…)

My legs workout routine

So how often do I work my legs? When I first started working my legs over a decade ago, I worked them out every other day. 

When I started training for my bodybuilding competitions as a fitness model, I started training three times per week, but after I had gained experience in my first competitions - I realised that the best way for me to get the best results for my body type was to train them just twice per week. This was gained from e.g. one of my great coaches with my first one being Neil Peters.

So I trained hamstrings (back of legs) and glutes one day then quads (front of legs) and glutes after at least two days. 

My current legs workout routine at age 41

I still train my legs this way and because I separate the muscle groups - it means that I get to work them even harder. 

I always ensure I touch all the muscles of the legs so the front, back, outer and inner thighs. I usually work my glutes together with the legs. I will fill you in on my glutes in a separate blog in a Glute Series week. 

Some of my favourite moves include all types of squats; deadlifts and lunges. I love doing squats and deadlifts, but hate lunging although I know it's great and gives me a shapely butt haha. Click here to watch a few of my favourite legs moves! 

I focus on using medium weight and higher reps but my emphasis is always on feeling my muscles activate, more than lifting 5000 kg. You can lift a heavy weight but if your technique is off and you’re not focusing on activating the muscle (feeling it work) - then that’s not doing much to give you good results. 

I've found that at my age - medium weight just works for me. Remember this is from getting to know my body and what suits me best, so I'm not saying don't lift super heavy. How I train my clients depends on their body type and getting to know them. Every #fitnesstoatee plan is customised. 

Everybody is different, so what may work for me and my goals may not necessarily work specifically for someone else. If you want to ask more questions about training your legs alongside your goals, click on link in last sentence below.

Nutrition

This is the most important thing to achieve great toning results or any other goal with your fitness. I’ve definitely maintained my fitness and kept shaping my body at this age by being consistent with healthy eating. I still have treat or cheat meals twice per week and that helps me sustain my healthy eating, as I don’t cut or deprive myself of foods I like. 

So what kind of healthy foods do I eat to stay toned at age 41? I love greens and more greens; fruit and/or veg smoothies with superfood powders; wholemeal carbs e.g. brown rice, sweet potato. You can see my healthy food shopping by clicking here.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my tips and do get in touch here for any questions you might have.

Click here to watch a few of my favourite legs moves! 

Click here to get in touch with me for any questions you might have!