Hey, bird legs! The party's over for those ladylike stems. Beef up below the belt in three simple steps

Men's Fitness, Dec, 2003 by Ian Cohen

SURE, FLASHING A PASSERBY your plums is an offending form of indecent exposure. As is dropping trou, exposing pasty buttock cheeks. But nothing, not one single gesture, is more hideously offensive than showing off a pair of partially toned string-cheese legs. And if your logic is, "My raging biceps attract all the attention from my toothpicks," you're mistaken. They only add to the embarrassment--and potential health problems.

"Leg development is not only necessary for proper body symmetry but also to avoid complications that can arise from muscular weakness of the lower extremities," says Paul Sklar. a certified trainer from Charlotte, N.C. "If a man's upper body is overdeveloped in relation to his lower body, he opens himself up for potential lower-body injuries such as torn knee ligaments, muscle tears, strains, and sprains." And the shame of looking like Birdman.

THE WORKOUT

Sklar's routine will hit all the muscles in the lower body. You new guys should perform higher reps with lower weights. You punishers should use this workout only once a week.

1 Smith-machine squat

quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings

5 sets; 12, 10, 8, 6, 10 reps

Position the bar on the trapezius muscles, palms forward, arms bent at a 75- to 90-degree angle, legs shoulder-width apart and slightly forward of the bar, feet pointing forward (1a). "Break your hips" and attempt to sit on an imaginary chair, with your back slightly arched and the weight bridged between the heel and ball of your foot. Lower your body until your upper legs are parallel with the floor and your knees are directly over your feet (1b). Keep your chest high and shoulders back while looking straight ahead. Hold for a second. Return to the starting position by driving the hips upward and forward, then repeat. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

2 Modified dumbbell deadlift

lower back, hamstrings, glutes

3 sets; 10-12 reps

Grasp two dumbbells and rest them on your thighs, palms facing in, feet shoulder-width apart and pointing straight ahead, knees slightly bent (2a). Maintain a slight arch in your lower back and slowly lower the dumbbells along the front of the thighs and as far past your knees as is comfortable, moving your buttocks slightly backward as you go (2b). Keep your shoulders back and push your chest out to maintain a straight back, with most of the weight on your heels. Lower using a 3-count and hold for a second at the bottom. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat. Rest one minute between sets.

3 Unilateral leg curl

hamstrings

3 sets; 12, 10, 8 reps

Lie facedown on a leg-curl machine. Align your knees with the axis of the cam and grasp the handles (3a). Curl one leg by moving your heel toward your buttocks (3b). Hold for two seconds. Return to the starting position using a 3-count and repeat for reps before switching legs. Rest 45 to 60 seconds between sets.