Workouts targeting the legs are famously intense for any lifter. With the legs comprising several muscles instead of a single body part, a comprehensive leg day demands a variety of exercises.
Below are some top leg workouts to challenge your lower body, whether you’re at home, on the road, or seeking new ways to enhance size and strength.
The Best Leg Workouts
Best Leg Workout With Dumbbells
While leg day often involves a range of gym equipment, you can still achieve great results without access to fancy machines. Whether using a few dumbbells at home or in a basic hotel gym, a solid leg workout is within reach.
The Dumbbell-Only Leg Workout
You only need a couple of dumbbells or adjustable ones to target each leg muscle with high-intensity exercises. This workout focuses on single-leg exercises to maximize benefits from lighter weights due to the legs’ strength.
This routine can be done twice weekly if it’s your sole leg training or as an additional workout to supplement your current plan.
Single-Side Walking Lunge
- How to Do it: Start standing with a dumbbell in each hand. Step forward with one leg into a deep lunge position. Rise while pulling your back leg forward. Repeat on the same leg before switching sides.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15 per leg.
- Rest Time: No rest between legs, 60 seconds between sets.
Dumbbell Squat
- How to Do it: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, squat halfway down, pause, then squat lower before returning upright. This is one full rep using the “one and a half rep” method.
- Rest Time: 90 seconds between sets.
Split-Stance Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
- How to Do it: Start with a dumbbell in each hand, take a step backwards into a staggered stance, push your hips back, and bend at your waist. Keep tension in the hamstrings of your front leg. Flex your glutes and hamstrings to pull upright.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-10 per leg.
- Rest Time: No rest between legs, 60 seconds between sets.
Leaning Single-Leg Calf Raise
- How to Do it: Stand at arm’s length from a wall with one hand flat against it and hold a dumbbell in the opposite hand. Raise onto the toes of the foot under the dumbbell, hold, then lower.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15 per leg.
- Rest Time: No rest between legs or sets.
Best Bodyweight Leg Workout
You can achieve an intense lower body workout without weights by choosing the right bodyweight exercises. While bodyweight training is often associated with upper body workouts, effective leg workouts can also be done without equipment.
The Simple and Effective Bodyweight Leg Workout
This bodyweight routine focuses on single-leg exercises, extended time under tension, and explosive movements to target the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
This training style, incorporating unfamiliar exercises and high-intensity techniques, can lead to significant muscle soreness post-workout. Train hard, recover well, and stick to the plan for results. Complete the workout every four to seven days.
Bulgarian Split Squat
- How to Do it: Place one foot on a bench, chair, or low table behind you. Squat until your rear knee nearly touches the floor, then stand. Repeat on one leg before switching.
- Sets and Reps: 4 x 6-8 per leg.
- Rest Time: 15 seconds between legs, 60 seconds between sets.
Reverse Lunge
- How to Do it: Step back into a lunge position, return to standing, and repeat on one leg before switching.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-12 per leg.
- Rest Time: No rest before switching legs.
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
- How to Do it: Take a step back into a staggered stance, bend at the waist, feel tension in the hamstrings, and pull upright. Repeat on one leg before switching.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-12 per leg.
- Rest Time: 60 seconds before switching legs.
Leg Matrix
- How to Do it: Perform a circuit of bodyweight squats, alternating lunges, jumping alternating lunges, and jumping squats.
- Sets and Reps: 1 x 24 reps of each exercise (12 lunges per leg, 24 total reps). Rest three minutes if needed before a second set.
- Rest Time: No rest between exercises.
Best Leg Workout for Size
Building a strong set of legs requires targeting all muscle groups, not just the quadriceps. Neglecting muscles like the hamstrings and calves can lead to imbalances. This size-focused program aims to develop a complete lower body.
Legendary Leg Day
This weekly workout incorporates classic exercises, supersets, peak contractions, and hard work to stimulate muscle growth. Push yourself to near-failure on the last reps with good form.
Back Squat
- How to Do it: Position the bar across your shoulders, squat, and stand up for each rep.
- Sets and Reps: 4 x 8-12
- Rest Time: 90 seconds between sets.
Leg Curl
- How to Do it: Use a leg curl machine to work the hamstrings.
- Sets and Reps: 4 x 10-12
- Rest Time: No rest before the next exercise.
Leg Extension
- How to Do it: Sit on a leg extension machine to target the quadriceps.
- Sets and Reps: 4 x 10-12
- Rest Time: 60 seconds before moving on.
High-Stance Leg Press
- How to Do it: Set up in a leg press machine with a high foot position for more glute and hamstring activation.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-15
- Rest Time: 60 seconds between sets.
Seated Calf Raise
- How to Do it: Use a seated calf raise station to target the calf muscles.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 15-20
- Rest Time: 30 seconds between sets.
Best Leg Workout For Strength
A strong lower body is key to overall strength and performance. The barbell back squat is a fundamental exercise that can enhance athleticism and total body strength.
Stronger Legs, Stronger Body
This strength-focused workout centers around the back squat, a popular powerlift known for its benefits to athletic performance.
Back Squat
- How to Do it: Perform back squats for strength and power.
- Sets and Reps: 5 x 3-5
- Rest Time: Three minutes between sets.
Romanian Deadlift
- How to Do it: Execute Romanian deadlifts for hamstring and glute strength.
- Sets and Reps: 4 x 6-8
- Rest Time: Three minutes between sets.
Step-Up
- How to Do it: Incorporate step-ups for lower body strength and stability.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 6-8 per leg.
- Rest Time: 60 seconds between legs, 60 seconds between sets.
The Leg Muscles
Training the legs involves multiple muscles that require a variety of exercises for optimal development.
Understanding the leg muscles is crucial for achieving optimal results in muscle growth and strength.
Quadriceps
The quadriceps, composed of four muscles, are responsible for extending the leg at the knee joint.
While specific techniques can target different parts of the quadriceps, overall development can be achieved with a variety of exercises.
Hamstrings
The hamstrings, located at the back of the upper leg, play a role in both knee flexion and hip extension.
Exercises like leg curls and deadlifts are essential for fully engaging and developing the hamstrings.
Glutes
The glutes, comprising multiple muscles, are powerful hip extensors and contribute significantly to lower body strength.
Direct glute exercises can help maximize strength gains due to the muscles’ size and strength potential.
Calves
The calves, consisting of the soleus and gastrocnemius, are responsible for ankle and foot extension.
Targeting both muscles through various exercises can lead to balanced calf development.
Warming Up the Legs
A thorough warm-up is crucial for leg workouts due to the involvement of multiple muscles and joints. Proper warm-up can enhance range of motion, performance, and reduce injury risk.
The Full Leg Warm-Up
- Squat to Calf Raise: Combine squats and calf raises for a dynamic warm-up.
- Standing Knee Raise: Perform standing knee raises to prepare the hip and leg muscles.
- Squat to Stand: Incorporate squats and overhead reaches for a comprehensive warm-up.
Leg Day Every Day?
While “skipping leg day” is often joked about, putting in the work is essential for impressive results. With a range of workout options available, there’s no excuse to neglect leg day.
References
- Chelly MS, Fathloun M, Cherif N, Ben Amar M, Tabka Z, Van Praagh E. Effects of a back squat training program on leg power, jump, and sprint performances in junior soccer players. J Strength Cond Res. 2009 Nov;23(8):2241-9. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181b86c40. PMID: 19826302.
- Crewther, B. T., Kilduff, L. P., Cook, C. J., Middleton, M. K., Bunce, P. J., & Yang, G. Z. (2011). The acute potentiating effects of back squats on athlete performance. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 25(12), 3319–3325. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e318215f560
- Stoutenberg M, Pluchino AP, Ma F, Hoctor JE, Signorile JF. The impact of foot position on electromyographical activity of the superficial quadriceps muscles during leg extension. J Strength Cond Res. 2005 Nov;19(4):931-938. doi: 10.1519/r-16364.1. PMID: 16437818.
- Signorile JF, Kacsik D, Perry A, Robertson B, Williams R, Lowensteyn I, Digel S, Caruso J, LeBlanc WG. The effect of knee and foot position on the electromyographical activity of the superficial quadriceps. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1995 Jul;22(1):2-9. doi: 10.2519/jospt.1995.22.1.2. PMID: 7550299.
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