Well-developed legs are the foundation of a healthy, powerful body. Whether you're training them for sporting performance, general fitness or how they look, it's important to include a variety of exercises in your programme that target every muscle in the legs. In this article we cover the best exercises for training your legs, including compound movements and machine work.
The leg muscles
The legs are made up of several muscle groups working together to provide movement and stability. The main ones are the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves. The quadriceps, at the front of the thigh, are responsible for extending the knee and play a crucial role in activities such as running, jumping and squatting. The hamstrings, at the back of the thigh, bend the knee and help extend the hip. Strong hamstrings are essential to maintaining knee stability and preventing injury. The glutes, made up of the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus, are responsible for hip extension, abduction and rotation. Finally, the calf muscles, at the back of the lower leg, help flex the ankle and are crucial to activities such as walking and jumping.
How many exercises do you need for stronger legs?
To develop stronger legs, we'd generally recommend including 5 to 10 different exercises in your routine. Because the legs contain such large muscles, you can load them considerably. Varying your exercises makes sure every muscle in the legs is recruited and helps prevent plateaus in strength development. Adding diversity to your programme also provides mental stimulation and helps prevent boredom. Be careful not to add too many exercises, though, since that can lead to overtraining and reduced performance. It's important to listen to your body and take enough rest between sessions to support muscle recovery and prevent injury.
Leg exercise 1: Squats
Squats are one of the most effective exercises for building strength and mass in the legs, and the absolute holy grail of leg training. Start with your feet at hip width, your back straight and your knees slightly bent. Lower yourself slowly as though sitting down on an imaginary chair, keeping your weight on your heels and not letting your knees travel past your toes. Keep your chest up and your back straight as you descend, then drive yourself powerfully back up to the starting position.
Squats can be performed with a barbell across your shoulders or a dumbbell in each hand. Adjust the weight to suit your strength and perform the exercise slowly and under control for maximum muscle growth and strength development.
Leg exercise 2: Lunges
Lunges are an excellent exercise for strengthening the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, and for improving stability through the hips and knees. Start standing with your feet at hip width. Take a large step forward with your right foot and bend your knees until both are at 90 degrees, with your back knee almost touching the floor. Then drive yourself powerfully back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
Lunges can be performed with bodyweight, a kettlebell, dumbbells in each hand or a barbell across your shoulders. Focus on a slow, controlled movement to isolate the muscles effectively and reduce your risk of injury. Vary between reverse, lateral and diagonal lunges for a complete leg session.
Leg exercise 3: Deadlifts
Deadlifts are a compound exercise that doesn't just strengthen the hamstrings and glutes – it stabilises the lower back and core too. Start with a barbell on the floor in front of you, your feet at hip width and your toes turned slightly out. Bend your knees and hips to take the barbell with a wide, overhand grip. Keep your back straight and your shoulders back as you pull the barbell up by extending your hips and knees together. Keep the barbell close to your body and your arms extended as you rise, and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement before returning under control to the starting position.
Deadlifts can be performed in various forms, including conventional, sumo and stiff-leg deadlifts. Start with light weights to master the technique and build up slowly to heavier loads as your strength and stability improve.
Leg exercise 4: Leg press
The leg press is an excellent exercise for isolating and strengthening the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes while reducing the load on your lower back. Lie on a leg press machine with your back flat against the backrest and your feet firmly on the platform at shoulder width. Push the platform away by extending your knees and straightening your legs fully, keeping the tension on the leg muscles. Return under control to the starting position by bending your knees and letting the platform come slowly back towards you.
Adjust the weight to suit your strength and perform the exercise slowly and under control for maximum muscle growth and strength development. Avoid locking your knees at the top of the movement to prevent overloading them.
Leg exercise 5: Calf raises
Calf raises target the calf muscles specifically and help build strength and definition through the lower legs. Stand upright with your feet at hip width, holding onto a wall or a stable structure for balance. Lift your heels off the floor by extending your ankles and squeezing your calves as you rise. Hold the tension briefly at the top of the movement before returning under control to the starting position by lowering your heels slowly to the floor.
Calf raises can be performed using a raised surface or a calf raise machine at the gym. Experiment with different foot positions, toes turned in or out, to target different parts of the calf muscles. Increase the weight and reps gradually as your strength and endurance improve.
Leg exercise 6: Bulgarian split squats
Bulgarian split squats are a demanding exercise targeting the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and core stabilisers. Start with one foot behind you on a raised platform such as a bench, and the other foot forward on the floor. Bend your knees and hips to lower your back knee towards the floor, keeping your front knee above your ankle and your back straight. Then drive yourself powerfully back up to the starting position by extending your front leg.
Bulgarian split squats can be performed with bodyweight, dumbbells in each hand or a barbell across your shoulders. Focus on a controlled movement and keep your balance throughout. Adjust the weight and reps to suit your training level and goals.
Leg exercise 7: Romanian deadlifts
Romanian deadlifts are an effective exercise for strengthening the hamstrings, glutes and lower back. Start standing with a barbell or two dumbbells in front of your thighs, your feet at hip width and your knees slightly bent. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, your hands slightly wider than shoulder width. Hinge slowly forward from your hips while keeping your back straight, lowering the barbell along your legs to just below your knees. Squeeze your hamstrings as you come back up to the starting position by driving your hips forward and squeezing your glutes.
Romanian deadlifts can be performed with a barbell, dumbbells or a kettlebell. Keep your back straight and avoid excessive bending or rounding through the movement to prevent injury. Perform the exercise slowly and under control for maximum muscle activation and strength development.
Leg exercise 8: Step-ups
Step-ups are a great exercise for strengthening the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, along with the core stabilisers. Start with one foot on a raised platform such as a bench, plyo box or an aerobic step, and push yourself up until both legs are extended. Hold the tension briefly at the top of the movement before returning under control to the starting position by lowering your back foot to the floor.
Step-ups can be performed with bodyweight, dumbbells in each hand or a barbell across your shoulders. Focus on a controlled movement and make sure you keep your balance throughout. Vary the height of the raised platform to change the intensity of the exercise and target different areas.
Strengthen your legs with the exercises above
Including a variety of exercises in your routine offers a comprehensive approach to strengthening and developing the leg muscles. By performing movements such as squats, lunges, deadlifts, leg presses, calf raises, Bulgarian split squats, Romanian deadlifts and step-ups, you can target every important muscle group in the legs effectively. It's essential to use correct technique, increase the weight and intensity gradually, and take enough rest between sessions to support muscle recovery and prevent injury. With consistent, disciplined strength training, you'll see noticeable improvements in the strength, muscle mass and overall performance of your legs.
