Last week we took a closer look at our gluteal muscles. We talked about where they are, what they do, why they are important, and 5 simple exercises to improve their strength. This week we are going to take a closer look at the big groups of muscles in our legs that are so very important to movement.
There are numerous muscles in our legs, but there are a few large groups of muscles that are active in many of the activities we perform on a daily basis. Groups like the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles. Keeping these muscles strong is vital for mobility.
Quadriceps
Our quadriceps muscle is made up of 4 smaller muscles, which is where the “quad” part comes from. When looking out your thigh, the rectus femoris is the portion that runs down the middle. The vastus medialis runs down the inner portion of the thigh while the vastus lateralis runs down the outside portion of the thigh. The rectus intermedius runs down the middle, but is underneath the rectus femoris.
The rectus femoris begins on the pelvis while the other three sections begin on the femur. All four muscles converge and insert via the patellar tendon. This structure and anatomy allows all 4 portions of quadricep to work together to extend your knee. The rectus femoris begins on the pelvis, it also helps to flex your knee while the medial section, vastus medialis (aka VMO), helps to keep your knee cap (patella) in the right place.
Hamstrings
The hamstring muscle is made up of 3 smaller muscles and is located on the back of your thigh. The middle section is the semitendinosus. The portion near the inner thigh is the semimembranosus while the portion on the outer thigh is the biceps femoris.
The hamstring muscles begin on the pelvis and insert into the two bones in the lower leg, the tibia and fibula. This anatomy allows all three muscles to work together to flex (bend) the knee and to work in different capacities to help extend the hip.
Gastrocnemius and Soleus
The calf contains 2 large and important muscles, the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius begins just above the knee and inserts itself into the heel through the Achilles Tendon. The gastroc as it is called, helps both bend the knee and plantarflex the foot. Plantarflexion is the motion that occurs at our ankle when we point our toes. The soleus muscle lies underneath the gastroc muscles. It begins just below the knee and inserts itself into the heel, just like the gastroc, via the achilles tendon. Because it does not cross the knee joint, its only job is to assist in plantarflexion.
5 Simple Leg Strengthening Exercises
Now the we know what muscles help our legs move, let’s explore some simple ways for kids to strengthen them!
Squat: This activity is often the most difficult to teach, but so very important. Any time we pick something up from the floor or lift a heavy object we use the squatting motion. Learning how to squat properly can prevent back injuries later in life. To perform a proper squat:
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Slowly bend your knees while sticking your bottom out as if you were going to sit down in a chair.
- You should feel the majority of your weight in your heels. To understand this concept, I often place a magazine or thin book under the front of their foot. Then allow them to hold my hands for balance while they squat. This small shift really pushes your weight back onto your heels and helps you understand that feeling.
- When you return to standing be sure to leave a small amount of bend in your knee to protect the joint.
- Squats use many of our leg muscles to perform which makes them great for overall strengthening. Some of the muscles are actively involved in the motion (quads, glutes, adductors, and soleus) and others are keeping the body stable during the movement (abdominals, hamstrings, glutes, and gastrocnemius).
Jumping: Kids love to jump around when they play. Whether it’s a game like hopscotch or jumping down from play equipment, children love to jump. And the greatest thing about jumping is that it uses all those big groups of muscles we talked about. Jumping activities not only strengthen the muscles of the leg, but they help improve balance and coordination skills in kids.
So, practice ¼ or ½ turn jumps to strengthen those muscles. When learning to jump be sure to start with your feet shoulder width apart. Use your arms to help propel you up.
Toe Raises: This simple exercise strengthens the muscles in your calf while working on balance. Anytime we need to grab something off of a high shelf we have to be able to stand on our toes and balance. To perform a toe raise:
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. If you have balance challenges, place your hands on a counter or table for support.
- Slowly raise up on your toes and then lower back to the floor.
Step Ups: Stepping up and down from a bench is a great way to practice a functional activity (like stair climbing and curbs) while getting stronger. When performing step ups, be sure the step isn’t too high as it can put undo stress on the knee. I like to start with a step that is at about mid-calf range. But, the height of the step should not place your hip in more than 90 degrees of flexion.
- Place one foot on the step and lean your trunk forward.
- Push up through your legs to step up on the bench.
- When stepping down, be sure to keep the motion slow and controlled.
Lunges: Our final exercise is lunges. Kids use a movement similar to lunges when getting up from the floor using the tall and half kneeling positions that we talked about a few weeks ago. So, using this position to exercise is great practice for that real life skill. Keep in mind, however, that lunges need to be performed with correct form to keep joints safe. To perform a lunge:
- Take a large step forward with one leg.
- Slowly bend both knees so that the rear knee comes close to the floor. Be sure that the knee in front does not pass the foot on the floor.
- Push back up into standing.
Give some of these simple exercises a try and let me know what you think.
Be sure to check out the printables that go along with today’s post here.
-Heather