PAYDAY EXCLUSIVE | 15% off €35
PAYDAY EXCLUSIVE | 15% off €35
Code:PAYDAY
14 Mar 2023 • 23 min read
Looking to strengthen the muscles in your legs but not sure where to start? You’re in the right place. We’ll run you through some of the best leg exercises that you can do from the comfort of your own home or in the gym. And to make sure you’re going about it in a safe way, we’ve included some top tips on recovery and some important things to consider when it comes to leg day.
Before we dive into the exercises, it’s time for a quick biology lesson. If you want to work on your legs, it’s worth knowing the types of leg muscles you’ll be working on first. So to make it easier, we’ll start at the top of your leg and make our way down to your ankles.
The main muscles are in the following order (top of your leg to the bottom:)1
Let’s get down to the details. What are some of the best exercises you can do to strengthen your legs? If you’re new to this kind of thing, don’t worry. We’ve included four simple moves that you can create a routine with, without having to leave the front door. Or if you’ve got a gym membership and you’d like to make the most of it, check out seven different exercises you can do on leg day.
A very popular exercise for working multiple muscles in your legs is the humble lunge. They’re said to work your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, calves, transverse abdominis, obliques, multifidus and erector spinae.
Known as the bridge exercise, or bridge pose if you’re a yogi, this is a great move for working your glutes and hamstrings.
Another great exercise that doesn’t require any equipment are calf raises. This targets your calves and lower leg muscles.
Much like calf raises, leg lifts are perfect for strengthening your legs at home. Targeting your hamstrings, hip flexors and more, they’re great move to incorporate into your workout routine.
The leg press machine is a popular spot at the gym for building your leg strength. It is often thought to be a machine assisted version of a squat, but more on those later.
Okay, so this one sounds scary... but with practice you can get it, one step at a time! This is simply the act of picking up a barbell from the floor; just make sure you’re paying attention to your form.
It might be worth practicing without any (or very light) plates on the bar to begin with, until you’re confident with your form.
Everyone’s favourite move, the squat, has so many variations. But we’re going to highlight three key versions for you to try, starting with the back squat!
Switching out your barbell for a dumbbell or kettlebell, a goblet squat is great for working your : glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings.
Fans of retro aerobics classes might remember this one. Step ups are a simple way to work your legs, but you may need a step or box at the gym to do them.
And last up in our list of leg exercises is the leg curl. This is a machine exercise that you can do at the gym, which targets your hamstrings.
Now you know the moves, it’s time to get to grips with creating a routine. Depending on your experience, you can create a progressive routine to help strengthen your legs, but you have to figure out the right amount of reps and weights. Here’s a bit more guidance…
Reps (aka repetitions) are the number of times you do a short exercise. For example, how many leg curls or lunges you do. As a rule of thumb, if you’re using light or no extra weights you can do more reps, and if you’re using heavy weights you can do less.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 10-15 reps for muscular endurance, 8-12 reps for muscular strength and 4-6 reps (with heavier weights) for increased muscle size.2
You can also break your workout into sets. For example, you could do three sets of 10 reps of each exercise, meaning you’d do 30 reps in total with 3 breaks in between.
As we mentioned earlier, it’s probably not the best idea to start with heavy weights. Start lighter and work on your form. Then, when you feel ready, slowly increase the heaviness of your weights as you grow stronger and more confident.
It’s all well and good putting in the effort on leg day, but recovery is equally as important if you want to keep it up. To help your legs recover, here are some proven techniques:
Feeling inspired and ready to get your legs pumping? Just remember to take it steady and build up your strength slowly. If you’re after more information like this, check out our ultimate guide to muscle health for additional tips, tricks and advice.