The strength of the legs is of great importance. Having fit leg muscles and strong glutes helps us in maintaining functional and overall health aspects. Strong leg muscles contribute to better stability and balance, which in turn reduces the risk of falls and related injuries, especially as you age. Strong legs provide a solid foundation for the body to react and recover from sudden movements or accidents.
In the following article, let's read why men should focus on training their legs, and 51 various ways through which this can be achieved.
Why should we train our legs?
Stable Muscle Growth: Focusing solely on upper body muscles can lead to an imbalance between upper and lower body strength. Well-developed legs provide a solid foundation for overall strength and functional fitness.
Hormonal Benefits: Training large muscle groups like the legs can stimulate the release of testosterone and growth hormone, which are essential for muscle growth and overall fitness. This hormonal response can have positive effects on muscle development throughout the body.
Improved Athleticism: Strong legs contribute to enhanced athletic performance across various sports and activities. Leg strength is crucial for running, jumping, squatting, lifting, and many other movements essential for sports and physical activities.
Better metabolism: Leg exercises, especially compound movements like squats and deadlifts, engage multiple large muscle groups simultaneously. This triggers a significant metabolic response, promoting fat loss and boosting overall calorie expenditure during and after the workout.
51 best Leg exercises
Here are the 51 best leg exercises that will help you build your lower body, and also help develop your overall strength and fitness:
1. Lunges
Step forward with one leg, bend your lower body at a 90-degree angle, push off the front foot, and return yourself to the starting position.
Targeted muscles: quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
Perform three sets of 10–12 reps.
2. Squats
Stand slightly wider than hip-width apart. While maintaining a straight back, keep your knees aligned.
Targeted muscles: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes.
Three sets of 10–15 reps
3. Deadlifts
Hold the barbell in front of you with your feet hip-width apart. Slightly out heels should stay flat on the surface. Hinge at hips, grip bar, back flat. Lift the barbell, extend the hips, and lower the body. Stabilization of the abdominal muscles in a good way is a must.
Target muscles: Hamstrings, back, and glutes.
Three sets of 8–10 reps are efficient for beginners.
4. Bulgarian Split Squats
Perform it by standing away from a bench. Take your position like lunges. Make sure that your front knee is above your ankle. Push off the front heel to get back to the starting position. Switch your legs and repeat.
Target muscles: Quads, hamstrings, glutes.
Three reps of 10–12 sets.
5. Leg press
First, sit on the machine and rest comfortably against the padded support. Push the platform with your legs and maintain it. Avoid locking knees.
Target muscles: Quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Start leg pressing by performing 10–12 reps in three sets.
6. Box jumps
Feet shoulder-width apart must be the norm while you face the sturdy box. Bend your knees and create momentum. Jump explosively and make a soft landing with slightly bent knees.
Target muscles: Quadriceps, hamstrings, calves.
Three sets of 8–10 reps
7. Step-ups
Stand in front of a bench. Place one foot on the bench and use your heels to stand up. Switch your legs, and do it repeatedly.
Target muscles: quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
Three sets of 12–15 reps per leg is a beneficial starter package.
8. Leg extensions
To perform leg extensions, sit on a leg extension machine. By adjusting your weight and aligning your knees with the machine's pivot point, While you are exhaling, extend your knees and lift the pad. Inhale and lower your legs.
Target muscle: Quads.
Three sets of 10–15 reps each.
9. Leg curls
To perform the hamstring targeting exercise, first lie face down on a leg curl machine. After that, bend your knees to curl your heels towards your glutes, then slowly lower the weights back to do it in a cyclic order.
Target muscle: Hamstrings
Three sets of 10–15 reps.
10. Calf Raises
The lower body exercise raises and strengthens calves. Stand hip-width apart. Lift your heels as high as possible onto your toes and lower.
Target muscle: Calves
Aim for three sets of 15–20 reps to build a stabilized lower body.
11. Glute bridges
To do the lower back exercise, bend your knees to lie on your back with your feet flat. By pushing through heels, lift the hips. Then squeeze your glutes and lower your hips.
Target muscle: Glutes
Do three sets of 12–15 reps.
12. Goblet Squats
Hold a dumbbell and close it to your chest. Squat down and push your hips back. Then maintain a neutral spine while keeping your chest up.
Target muscles: Quads and Glutes.
Three sets of 10-12 reps.
13. Front Squats
Rest the barbell on your shoulder. Secure it by crossing your arms over it, squatting down, and keeping your elbows high.
Target muscle: Quads
Three sets of 8–10 reps are enough.
14. Romanian deadlifts
Hold a barbell in front, hinge at the hips, and lower the weights while keeping your back straight by maintaining a slight bend in your knees.
Target muscles: Hamstrings and lower back
Do three sets of 8–10 reps.
15. Pistol Squats
Involve balancing on one leg, turning lower into a squat, and extending the other leg. Push through the heel to return upright.
Target muscles: Quads, hamstrings, glutes
Do three sets of 6–8 reps per leg.
16. Sumo Deadlifts
Stand with wide feet and make a grip on the barbell with your hands inside your legs. Maintain the lifting of the bar and keep your back straight.
Target Muscles: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back
Do three sets of 5-8 reps.
17. Walking lunges
Step forward into the lunge. Give the assurance in your position that both knees would be at 90 degrees. Pushing back to step with the other leg is compulsory and should be done repeatedly.
Target muscles: Quads, hamstrings, glutes
Do three sets of 12–15 reps per leg.
18. Single-leg deadlifts
Stand on one leg, hinge at the hips, extend the opposite leg behind to keep the back flat, engage the core, and return upright.
Target muscles: hamstrings, glutes, lower back
Do three sets of 8–10 reps per leg.
19. Curtsy Lunges
Step one of your legs diagonally behind another while standing with your feet approximately hip-width apart, then lower yourself into a lunge position. Continue on the other side, then go back to your starting position.
Target muscle: The quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
3 sets of 12–15 reps each for each leg.
20. Side lunges
Step one foot out to the side while maintaining the remaining leg straight as you stand with your feet hip-width apart. Return to the initial position by pushing off the bowed leg.
Target muscle: Quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, and abductors.
3 sets of 12–15 reps for each leg.
21. Jump Squats
How to do it: Squat down to begin, then jump up quickly while stretching your hips and knees. Softly re-enter the squat position.
Target muscle: Calves and glutes
Three sets of 10–12 repetitions each.
22. Bulgarian Deadlift
Place yourself a few feet away from a step or seat. Put one foot on the bench behind you, and as you drop your torso towards the floor, hinge at the hips. Maintain a straight back and a tight core.
Target muscle: Hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
3 sets of 10–12 repetitions each on each leg
23. Hip Thrust
Place a barbell across your hips while seated on the ground with your upper back resting against a bench. To make a straight path from your shoulders to your knees, lift your hips.
Target muscles: hamstrings and glutes
Three sets of 10–12 repetitions each.
24. Hack Squats
With your shoulders tucked beneath the shoulder pads, stand on a hack squat machine. Kneel to bring your torso down, then push up through your heels to bring your legs straight.
Target muscle: Hamstrings, glutes, and quadriceps.
Three sets of 8–10 repetitions each.
25. Reverse Lunges
Keep your other leg still while stepping a foot back into a lunge. To get back to the starting position, press through the front heel.
Target muscle: Quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
Three sets of 12–15 reps each for each leg.
26. Swiss Ball Hamstring Curls
Place a Swiss ball under your feet as you lay on your back. By raising your hips off the ground, you may bend your knees and curl the ball in the direction of your buttocks.
Target muscles: hip flexors, and glutes.
Three sets of 12–15 repetitions each.
27. Sliding Leg Raises
As you raise your top leg, keep it straight while lying on your side. Without letting your lower leg touch it, lower it back down.
Target muscle: Outside of the thighs.
Three sets of 15-20 repetitions on each leg.
28. Donkey Kicks
Beginning on all fours, raise one leg while maintaining the other bent at a 90-degree angle. Without letting it contact the ground, raise it towards the ceiling and then bring it back down.
Target muscles: Hamstrings and glutes.
3 sets of 12–15 reps each for each leg.
29. Fire Hydrants
Starting on all fours, lift a single leg out to the opposite side with the knee bent at an angle of 90°. Continue on the other side, lowering it back down so that it doesn't touch the ground.
Target muscle: Hip abductors (gluteus medius).
Three sets of 15-20 repetitions on each leg.
30. Seated Leg Press
Using your legs, move the weight platform away from you while seated on a leg press machine. Knees bent, lower the platform back down.
Target muscle: Hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and glutes.
Three sets of 8–10 repetitions each.
31. Wall Sits
Lean against a wall with your back against it. Slide down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Target muscle: glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings.
Hold for 30 to 60 seconds; repeat for three sets.
32. Standing Calf Raises
Holding onto the edge of a raised surface, stand. As you rise onto your toes, bury your heels in the ground.
Target muscle: Calves
Three sets of 15-20 repetitions each.
33. Seated Calf Raises
Lie down on the platform of a seated calf-raising machine. By pressing up with your toes, raise the weight, then drop it.
Target muscle: Calves
Three sets of 12–15 repetitions each.
34. Lateral Box Jumps
Leap onto the box laterally and softly land. Place yourself next to the box. After descending, repeat on the opposite side.
Target muscle: Hamstrings, calves, and quadriceps.
Three sets of 8–10 repetitions each on each side.
35. Barbell Step-Ups
Climb onto the seat with a single foot while maintaining control of a barbell over your upper back. Your body will rise as you lift the opposite foot and press through the heel to do so. Back off. and then repeat on the opposite side.
Target muscle: Quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
Three sets of 10–12 reps each on each leg.
36. Dumbbell Lunges
Dumbbells should be held in each hand as you lunge forward. To get back to the starting position, press through the front heel.
Target muscle: Hamstrings, glutes, and quadriceps.
Three sets of 12–15 reps each for each leg.
37. Good Morning
Holding a barbell over your upper back, you should keep your back straight and hinge at the hips. Lift your torso back up after lowering it to the ground.
Target muscle: Lower back, hamstrings, and glutes are the muscles.
Three sets of 10–12 repetitions each.
38. Jumping Frogs
Squat down to start, then jump forward and land back in the squat.
Target muscle: Quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
Two sets of 10 repetitions are good.
39. Split Squat Jumps
Begin in the lunge posture, jump quickly, swap legs in midair, and land on the opposing leg.
Targeted muscles: hamstrings, glutes, and quadriceps.
Three sets of 10–12 repetitions each on each leg.
40. Lunge Jumps
Lunge forward with one leg and extend the back leg with the other. Jump forcefully while reversing your leg positions in midair so that your front leg travels back and your back leg comes forward, then softly lands in a lunge to the opposite side.
Target muscle: Quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
Three sets of 10–12 repetitions each on each leg.
41. Plyometric Box Jumps
To jump onto a robust box and land gently, step in front of the box. Lower yourself and repeat.
Target muscle: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
Three sets of 8–10 repetitions each.
42. Resistance Band Squats
Squats can be done as usual while wearing a resistance band around your thighs.
Target muscle: Quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
Three sets of 12–15 repetitions each.
43. Resistance Band Side Steps
Place the band above your knees. Stand with your feet hip-width apart to step sideways.
Target muscle: Glutes, outer thighs.
Do three sets of 15–20 reps daily.
44. Skater Jumps
Start by balancing on one leg, jumping sideways, and landing on the opposite leg. Now jump from side to side by swinging the trailing leg behind and touching the ground sideways.
Target muscles: Glutes, quads.
Do three sets of 12–15 reps every day.
45. Bicycle Crunches
Lie on your back, elbow to the opposite knee, while extending the other leg.
Target muscles: Abs, hip flexors, obliques.
Do three sets of 20–25 reps per side.
46. V-Ups
Lie on your back, lift your legs and upper body off the ground at the same time, and stretch your hands down to your feet.
Target muscle: the abdominals.
Three sets of 12–15 repetitions each.
47. Leg pull-in:
Holding onto the sides of the bench, sit on the edge. Legs raised, knees bent inward towards the chest
Targeted muscles: the abdominals.
Three sets of 15-20 repetitions each.
48. Russian Twists
While holding a weight or your hands, sit on the ground, lean back slightly, and rotate your torso such that it touches the ground on each side.
Target muscle: Obliques.
Three sets of 20–25 twists each.
49. Plank with Leg Raises:
Start in the plank position, then, while keeping your body line straight, elevate one leg off the ground.
Target muscle: Glutes and the core muscles.
Three sets of 12–15 repetitions on each leg.
50. Clamshells
Lie on your side and bend your knees. Add a resistance band just above your bent knees. Lift the top knee while touching the feet.
Target muscle: glutes
Do three sets of 10–15 reps daily.
51. Squats Jump
Claim yourself in a squat position, then jump and land softly.
Target muscles: Glutes, quads
Do three sets of 12–15 reps per side daily.
Article by: Sounabha Ghosh
Edited by: Puneet Kapani