9 Killer Leg Workouts for a Complete Lower Body Exercise

Whether you're a seasoned powerlifter or a beginner, the barbell squat is a versatile squat variant to incorporate into your strength training.

How to perform:

1. Employ an overhand grip to hold a barbell over your upper back; avoid placing it on the neck.
2. Hug the barbell into the traps to activate the upper back muscles.
3. Squat down carefully with the bar's weight - head up, buns out, and back straight.
4. Lower yourself until the knees and hips are aligned, with your legs at 90 degrees - a deeper squat will be beneficial, but work on your strength and flexibility first.
5. Press your heels into the ground to thrust yourself back up explosively. Maintain your form until you can stand up straight.
6. Repeat until you've completed the required amount of reps.

"Maintain a tight core at all times during the leg workout. If you relax your core muscles, you will destabilize the spine and injure your back."

- Rogan Allport, Personal Trainer & Strength Coach

2. Leg Press

The leg press is often considered a machine version of the barbell back squat.

The leg press may be used to engage both the quadriceps and the hamstrings.

How to perform: 

1. Load the machine with the required weight and take a seat.
2. Sit down and take a shoulder-width stance with the legs on the sled.
3. Breathe deeply, stretch your legs, and open the locks.
4. Gradually lower the weight until your feet are below 45 degrees.
5. Extend the knees to drive the load back to the starting position without locking it out.
6. Repeat for reps.

Lying leg curls are an isolation workout that targets the calf and hamstrings muscles at the rear of the leg.

This leg workout can be performed in various ways and is an excellent addition to almost any strength-building lower-body routine.

How to perform:

1. Lie face down on the leg curls machine, completely extending your legs.
2. The roller pad must be placed slightly above your heels, a couple of inches above your calves.
3. Grasp the machine's support handles on both sides.
4. Exhale and flex the knees, bringing your ankles as near as possible to your buttocks. Keep your hips firmly planted on the bench.
5. Hold for a few seconds.
6. Inhale as you carefully and slowly return your legs to the starting position.
7. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Read More: Leg Curl Alternative Exercises 

4. Leg Extension

Leg extensions are an excellent quad strengthening workout and should be included in your training routines if your aims are aesthetic-driven.

How to perform:

1. Insert the pin after selecting the desired resistance from the weight stack.
2. Set the seat so your knees align perfectly with the machine's axis.
3. Sit down and place your shins under the pad at the machine's base.
4. Take a deep breath and flex your quadriceps as you stretch your legs.
5. Exhale as you lock out your knees to complete the exercise.
6. Return your feet to the starting position slowly.
7. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Related: Bodybuilding Leg Workout for Strength and Size

The Bulgarian split squat is a single-leg squat variation in which the rear leg is raised on a bench or a firm chair.

As a single-leg, unilateral squat, this workout targets the quadriceps more than other lower-body compound exercises.

How to perform:

1. Hold a pair of dumbbells, hands fully stretched at your sides, palms facing each other.
2. Put the instep of your back foot on a bench, with the feet hip-width apart. Your legs should be at least three feet apart.
3. Lower the hips toward the floor, bringing your back knee closer to the ground.
4. Pause and push through the front heel to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

6. Seated Leg Curl

The seated leg curl is a leg curl variation meant to isolate the hamstrings.

How to perform:

1. Select the appropriate weight, and then modify the pad so that it sits comfortably over the back of your heels.
2. Tense the hamstrings by removing the weight from the stack slightly. This is the exercise's beginning point.
3. Take a deep breath, clench your hamstrings, and curl your weight up as far as possible while keeping your spine neutral.
4. Maintain your knees slightly bent through the motions, emphasizing a full range of motion and a thorough stretch at the bottom.
5. Return the weight to its initial position slowly.
6. Repeat for reps.

The Romanian deadlift is a type of conventional deadlift.

It strengthens the posterior chain muscles, including the hamstrings, erector spinae, abductors, and gluteus maximus.

When performed correctly, the Romanian deadlift is an effective workout that strengthens the core and the lower and upper body in a single movement.

How to perform:

1. Hold the load (barbell or dumbbells) in front of the thighs and drop to the ground by pulling your hips back.
2. With a slight knee flexion, lower the weight, maintaining your shoulder blades pushed together and the chest open and broad.
3. Return to the starting position by thrusting your hips forward when the load is below your knees.
4. Repeat until the desired number of repetitions has been reached.

"RDL is excellent for strengthening the muscles in your back. Consider the bent-over row: you wouldn't perform it with 400 pounds, but you could execute a Romanian deadlift with that amount of weight."

- David Kingsbury, Founder & Head Trainer at Opus Fitness

8. Seated Calf Raise

The seated calf raise is a version of the machine calf raise designed to isolate the calf's muscles.

Because the calves may be a tough muscle group for many people, it's crucial to experiment with various angles when practicing calf raises. Consider exercising the calves regularly.

How to perform: 

1. Sit on the machine and position the balls of your legs on the platform, toes pointing forward - the heels will naturally hang off.
2. Place the base of your quads behind the knee pad and both hands on top.
3. Loosen the safety bar by extending your ankles.
4. Dorsiflex the ankles and lower the heels until your calves are fully extended.
5. Exhale while you flex your calves and extend the ankles.
6. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Walking lunges are a fantastic workout for targeting your lower body's major muscle groups while increasing your balance and core strength.

How to perform: 

1. Stand tall and have your legs hip-width apart.
2. Step forward with your left foot until your legs are staggered, maintaining your shoulders backward and down and your eyes straight ahead.
3. Lower your entire body straight to the floor by bending both knees simultaneously.
4. Push back up through your front heel when they both achieve 90 degrees.
5. Step your right foot forward and continue the action until your hips are completely stretched.
6. Continue walking ahead until you achieve the target distance or repetition count.

To maximize muscle building and strength, you must maintain a slight calorie surplus or approximately 110% of your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).

A calorie surplus enhances your body's "muscle-building machinery," significantly improving your body's capacity to recover from and favorably react to your workout.

This is especially true when beating your body with an intense leg workout.

You must also consume enough protein to help the leg muscle fibers to recuperate, repair, and develop properly. You should consume at least 1.6g of protein per kilogram of your body weight daily [5].

4. Take The Appropriate Supplements

Certain supplements help you gain muscle faster if you know how to diet and exercise properly.

The following are the greatest supplements for leg workout:

• 3–5 grams of creatine daily. This will help you grow muscle and strength, enhance your anaerobic endurance, and prevent muscle damage and pain from your quad exercises [6].
• 0.8-1.2 grams of protein per pound of your body weight daily. This gives your body the "building blocks" needed to develop and repair muscle tissue, aiding recovery after exercises [7].
• 150-300g of pre-workout caffeine 30 minutes before your leg workout. Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that is used in almost every pre-workout supplement. Pre-workout supplements boost energy, mental concentration, and your ability to work out hard and intensely for extended periods [8].