🤜 DIFFERENT GOALS = DIFFERENT TRAINING

I’m going to conclude this article with a list of exercises, but your outcome goals will make a difference on how you do the exercises, in addition to which ones you’ll want to do.

Do you want to master explosive moves?

Parkour pros, trick, and acrobatic athletes want this kind of power.

So don’t do any kind of heavy lifting, and the squeezing for trunk-like legs definitely won’t benefit you.

Your focus should be almost exclusively on skill-work and train the explosive moves you’re working towards, such as box jumps, jump-lunges, jump-squats, etc.

Do you want legs like tree trunks? 😲

To be quite honest, if this is your main goal, and you want a very quick result, weight-lifting might just be the best training method for you. However, if you’re working with a long-term goal, calisthenics does provide some solutions.

Quite simply put, the exercises will be focused on pushing your muscles as far as they can go, both in terms of strength and endurance.

How to train your legs🦵 to build mass and endurance

If you ever want to build mass, there are some fundamental rules you need to follow.

Rules to build mass and endurance

1. ✅ Do multiple sets

If you want to develop muscle, then you need to focus on doing high volume in your workout. One set won’t be enough for this goal. Instead, try doing upwards of 4 sets, with no more than 60 seconds of rest before going at it again.

2. ✅ Muscle groups are important

Focus on the different muscle groups: working one single muscle isn’t enough. If you train muscle groups instead, a faster development will occur.

3. ✅ Don’t rest!

You need to fatigue your body without rest during the workout in order to avoid its recovery. Push your body to its limits, training until you can’t keep proper form anymore.

4. ✅ Use the full range-of-motion

Make sure that you’re working the full range-of-motion of your legs. Again, it’ll help you work through multiple muscle groupings, which is the most optimal way to train.

Here’s a basic workout with the focus being on

building mass and endurance:

A LEG WORKOUT TO BUILD MASS

Remember, volume is super important to fully fatigue a muscle group. Try doing this set 4-6 times total. Give yourself approximately 60 seconds’ rest between each set.

Here’s how a full leg workout might look:

1. Warm-up

Warm-ups need to be active stretches: go look for that stretch and tense your muscles. Don’t hang there, because it will negatively impact the muscle-development you’re aiming for.

Front fold                         2-3 times, 30-second holds
Femur stretch                  2-3 times, 30-second holds
Front-straddle stretch     2-3 times, 30-second holds

2. Routine

 Complete Leg Set

1. Sprints                        2-3 10-15 sec sprints
2. Assisted squat           15 reps
3. Split squat                  15 reps
4. Jumping split squat    10 reps
5. Pistol Squat                15 reps
6. Bridge                         15 reps
7. Running Man              15 reps
8. Squat jumps                15 reps
9. Depth jumps                15 reps

Rest for 60 seconds
Repeat the set at least 3 more times

Is your goal calisthenics mastery?

This goal will bring your focus on pure skill-work, and mastery of the different progressions.

With this goal in mind, you should start with the progressions you’re almost mastering, and slowly work your way up. The list of leg exercises I’m offering here might help, but if you want to attain calisthenics mastery, I highly encourage you to join The Movement Athlete program and community.

Why is the Pistol Squat a Fundamental movement?

I mentioned this earlier; the pistol squat is the ultimate challenge for leg strength.

It requires both the push and lift aspect of bodily (rotational) strength, in addition to the need for strong ankles and excellent balance.

The pistol squat allows you to scope out any issues you might have in your ankles, legs and hips: it’ll help you uncover issues with mobility, hamstring flexibility, ankle strength and overall lower-body range-of-motion.

It’s a one-sided movement that challenges your balance in a way that the standard deep squat just can’t, since the two feet planted firmly on the ground.

Training your pistol squat will only benefit your overall health and lower-body strength. It develops a durable strength while addressing key issues of those important joints.

Your range-of-motion will be thoroughly challenged, your weaknesses made obvious and a solution provided, all thanks to this one movement that is deceptively difficult.

But…I can’t do a Pistol squat yet. So what now?

If you can’t do it yet, that’s OK. Because if you set your mind to it, you will master it.

Start with following our progression.

Calisthenics is focused on working through progressions. If you can’t do the pistol squat yet, start with an easier progression. If you’re not sure where to start, try out the Movement Athlete assessment to find out!

Don’t force the process. You need to start at the level that’s best for you. It’ll help you learn proper form, master your body from the ground up and prevent you from risking any injury.

We’ve written extensively on the importance of personalization and how doing the standardized beginners/intermediate exercises is hurting your progress. The Movement Athlete Academy adjusts your workouts based on your feedback during a particular training session.

Calisthenics leg training is more than the pistol squat

The myth goes that the only leg training calisthenics offers is the pistol squat.

…which in itself is a badass exercise, as you now know. So if you haven’t tried it and are judging, I suggest you go test it out right here and now and then be quiet and keep reading.

Calisthenics includes many other squat variations, and even weight variations for leg training, such as plyometric jumps.

As soon as you start looking beyond what’s in front of you and mixing up different disciplines, you’ll see the vastness of what’s out there and what we can do with our bodies.

There are bodyweight leg exercises that go beyond a pistol squat. Although they’re limited, they’ll turn your legs into tree trunks if that’s what you’re aiming for. Combining those with explosive squat variations can really do magic.

Still not convinced?

Just look at some of the biggest names in calisthenics: Frank Medrano and Lazar Novovic.

Gymnasts are known to train exclusively with calisthenics. Their legs are incredibly muscular nonetheless.

So let’s stop stereotyping calisthenics leg training, m’kay?

I’ve put together a list of some of the essentials of leg-training in calisthenics. Make sure you first warm-up before attacking the exercises, and always, ALWAYS do the exercise at the level where you are. DON’T FORCE something you’re not ready to do just yet. The more consistently you train, the better results you’ll have. And the more safely you’ll be training

Warm-Ups

Warm-ups are crucial. Don’t skip this part!

ALWAYS take your time and do the exercises, and warm-ups, as slowly as you can. I’d encourage to try executing each movement in no less than 30 seconds.

1. 😀 Forward Fold

How to perform
– Stand straight with feet close and look straight ahead
– Bend down slowly to touch the floor with your fingers, a little far away from the feet
– Make sure your knees remain straight and heels rest on the floor
– Hold this position for as long as you can
– Feel the stretch in the hamstrings and the calf muscles
– Come back up slowly
– Repeat a few times

.

2. 😀 Femur Stretch

How to perform
– Place your legs close, with the knees slightly bent. Make sure you have a good balance to do the movement.
– Bend from your hips and try to touch your stomach (body) to your thighs
– Keep your arms straight and outstretched with hands clasped together. Look at your hands
– In this position, try and move your arms straight and slightly upwards
– Holds this position as long as you can

3. 😀 Forward Straddle Stretch

How to perform
– Sit on the floor with your legs as wide apart as possible
– Keep your knees straight and toes pointing forward
– Bend forward until your forearms rest on the floor. Clasp your hands together
– Keep your elbows bent slightly. Look ahead
– Feel the stretch in your inner thighs, hamstrings, calf, and low back
– Hold this position as long as you can

👍 You NEED to train your legs, and this is just the starting point

Calisthenics can definitely help you get the legs of your dreams, but for that to happen, you need to train them.

Holistic training means also focusing your attention on that part of your body.

If you want to successfully achieve the planche or the human flag, you need your legs to be just as strong as your upper-body.

Just because you might ignore them doesn’t mean that they’re deadweight.

Legs deserve just as much love and training as the rest of your body.

🧐 How do you train your legs? Share your routine in the comments, or in our Facebook Group!