Elite Physique The New Science of Building a Better Body

CHAPTER 5
Lower Body Training
When it comes to physical development, few things are as visually impressive
as a muscular lower body. When you see big glutes, thighs, and calves on a guy
it just screams “power!” In this chapter we cover a vast array of exercises and
progressions that focus primarily on the lower body muscles. In many cases,
the exercises will also work the core and upper back, making the exercises more
full-body in nature, which translates to the physical demands of life and sport.
You will learn the principles for choosing appropriate lower body exercises. We
cover variations that work for novice to advanced lifters, as well as joint-friendly
training options for readers whose bodies have a little more mileage on them. By
the end of this chapter, you should have a thorough understanding of ways to
increase the size and strength of the lower body, as well as a myriad of progressions
that can suit all levels of the fitness spectrum.
Development of Lower Body Musculature
Let’s start with a fact: Exercises that target the lower body musculature are not
easy. It requires a lot of effort and focus to do them correctly because exercises
such as the squat and deadlift simultaneously work hundreds of muscle groups,
including your largest ones (i.e., glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps). This is
especially true when training with a challenging load. That is why guys often
like to skip “leg day” when they’re feeling a bit run down. However, the muscles
throughout your legs, hips, and pelvis need to be big and strong to build a body
that performs as well as it looks.
Your power comes from your hips and pelvis. When you think of an explosive
athlete, it’s likely you picture a running back sprinting through defenders
or a powerlifter pulling a deadlift that’s triple his body weight. You might think
of an MMA fighter who throws a powerful roundhouse kick. Even the ability
to throw a hard knockout punch comes from the hips. Imagine a right-handed
puncher standing in a split stance with his left leg forward and right leg behind
him. He pushes off his right foot, which generates force that travels up through
his hips, trunk, and shoulders and then culminates when his right fist lands on
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