Summary
Leg day might not be everyone’s favorite, but it’s crucial for building muscle, burning calories, and improving overall strength. This blog highlights why leg workouts are essential for your fitness journey and provides a breakdown of six key exercises—ranging from squats and deadlifts to leg presses and curls—to help you target every major muscle group. Pair these exercises with proper nutrition, and you’ll be on track to achieve both strength and aesthetic goals.
Let’s face it, no one likes leg day and who would? No one can possibly enjoy hobbling around for a whole day and feeling your legs like Jell-O. That being said, you can’t hold back, you have to meet every challenge head-on. Every leg workout is assumed to start with a simple squat but it goes much further than just squats and leg presses.
This blog will give you a solid understanding of your leg muscles, how to train them and the exercises you need to reach your goal.
Note: To get those leg muscles you need a proper and comfortable gym gear that gives you the space and comfort to perform.
Why is a Leg Workout Important?
Even though it is the most hated day of the week, there are a number of reasons why leg day isn’t just good for your legs but your overall health. Here are a couple of reasons why you can most definitely not skip leg day.
1. Build more muscles
The squats and deadlifts are sure to give you huge muscles since it increases testosterone in the body and testosterone serves as a natural steroid, which means huge slabs of meat.
Compound exercises are key for any leg work out since they occupy large muscle groups that help elevate your testosterone levels.
2. Burn more calories
The Gluteus Maximus is the largest muscle in your body and to train it requires a lot of energy which in turn means that you will be burning a lot more calories.
Studies from the Journal of Applied Physiology has shown that athletes that trained and did compound exercises like squats and deadlifts for 90 minutes had an exponential increase in their metabolic rate several hours after they stopped training.
3. Increased strength
When you are trying to lift heavy weights, your body recruits your abs and legs. So if you are looking to lift some heavy weights, tree trunk-like legs are sure to help you lift some heavyweights.
Since you will have more strength you will reduce the risk of injury during your workout.
Top 6 Leg Exercises
Here are 6 exercises that are great compound exercises and will give your legs a real burn and can be a great addition to your leg workout.
1. Back Squats
The squats can be called the king of leg exercises and no workout can really be complete without squats. The back squat is a compound exercise which puts a strain on your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
How to do it:
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Take a barbell and place it on your shoulders.
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Stand firm with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart.
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Lower down as if you were sitting on a chair and descend until your hip crease is lower than your knees.
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Keep your weight on your heels and drive back up to the starting position.
2. Lunges
Lunges help develop your lower body strength and mainly works on muscle imbalances. They can also be a great move for beginners for their leg workout.
How to do it:
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Stand straight with feet hip-width apart.
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Take a step forward with the right leg and start to shift weight forward so your heel hits the floor first.
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Lower your body until the right thigh is parallel to the floor and right shin is vertical.
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Press on to your right heel to drive back up to starting position.
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Repeat on the other side.
3. Deadlift
Deadlifts are another compound exercise that strengthens your lower back, hamstrings, and core, as well as your biceps and traps.
How to do it:
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Stand with your feet under the barbell.
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Bend over and grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip.
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Bend your knees until your shins touch the bar.
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Lift your chest up and straighten your lower back.
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Take a big breath, hold it, and stand up with the weight.
4. Leg Press
This exercise develops your legs overall, working on your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. It can be an amazing addition to your leg workout.
How to do it:
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Using a leg press machine, sit down on the machine and place your legs on the platform directly in front of you at a medium (shoulder width) foot stance.
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Lower the safety bars holding the weighted platform in place and press the platform all the way up until your legs are fully extended in front of you.
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As you inhale, slowly lower the platform until your upper and lower legs make a 90-degree angle.
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Pushing mainly with the heels of your feet and using the quadriceps go back to the starting position as you exhale.
5. Leg Extension
Leg extensions are a great addition to your leg workout as it puts a strain on your quads, making for more muscle size and definition.
How to do it:
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First, choose your weight on the leg extension machine and sit with your legs under the pad (feet pointed forward) and the hands holding the sidebars. This will be your starting position.
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Using your quadriceps, extend your legs to the maximum, ensuring that the rest of the body remains stationary on the seat. Pause a second on the contracted position.
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Slowly lower the weight back to the original position as you inhale. Make sure that you do not go past the 90-degree angle limit.
6. Leg Curls
This is an isolation exercise that works on your hamstrings and calf muscles. This is a must-have exercise for every leg workout.
How to do it:
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Start by lying flat on your stomach and adjust the roller pads so they rest on the back of your ankles.
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Lift your feet smoothly as you exhale, keeping your hips firmly on the bench.
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Inhale as you flex your knee and pull your ankles as close to your buttocks as you can.
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Hold this position for a second, allowing yourself to make sure you are focused as you prepare to lower your legs.
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Inhale fully as you return your feet to the starting position in a smooth, slow, controlled movement.
Key Takeaway
As horrible as leg day seems, it is important, not only from an aesthetic standpoint, but it is also important if you are looking to gain strength, improve your core and lift heavier weights.
That being said, the workout is only 20% of the end goal and you need to keep your diet in check if you are looking to reach any fitness goal.
FAQs
What is the best leg day workout?
The best leg day workout combines compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and lunges to target multiple muscle groups, along with isolation exercises like leg curls and leg extensions for focused muscle engagement. Prioritize proper form and progressive overload, and ensure you incorporate both strength and hypertrophy training for well-rounded development.
Is 5 exercises enough for legs?
Yes, 5 exercises can be sufficient for a leg workout, as long as they include a mix of compound and isolation movements to target your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Quality matters more than quantity, so focus on performing each exercise with proper form and intensity.
Are 4 exercises enough for leg day?
Four exercises can work if they effectively cover major leg muscle groups. Incorporate compound exercises like squats and deadlifts along with one or two isolation movements such as leg curls or extensions to ensure balanced development. Adjust volume and intensity based on your fitness goals.
Do squats train all leg muscles?
While squats are a fantastic compound movement, they primarily target your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. However, they don’t fully isolate certain muscles like your calves or adductors, so incorporating additional exercises is recommended for a comprehensive leg workout.
