The right leg workouts at the gym can completely transform your lower body strength and performance. Well, I know some of the best leg workouts to help you reach your goals! Your legs house the biggest muscles in your body - So training them is important.
But whether you're an athlete or just want to look and feel your best ... Leg workouts can be very helpful in attaining your goals.
Leg day doesn't have to be boring either. It can include a wide variety of exercises like lunges, squats, and much more. These leg exercises train every major lower-body muscle group.
If you do leg workouts at the gym, stick around. I'll run you through the best leg exercises you can try, as well as the benefits of leg workouts.
You'll leave here today with the knowledge you need to have some great leg workouts at the gym.
If you want to take things even further, this guide on how to get the most out of your leg day can help you maximize your results.
Key Takeaways:
Leg workouts at the gym help build strength, power, and athletic performance.
Compound lifts should form the foundation of your routine.
Training all major leg muscles improves balance and injury prevention.
Progressive overload and recovery are essential for growth.
Structured programs produce the best long-term results.
Benefits of Leg Workouts
Leg workouts are about much more than just being strong and looking good. Consistent leg workouts at the gym also improve mobility, stability, and athletic ability. In fact, I bet many of your daily activities require your legs.
I could go on and on about the benefits leg workouts have to offer. For today, I'll stick with three of the biggest benefits of leg workouts for men and women.
If you're looking for additional routines to apply these benefits, you can explore more leg workouts with 1st Phorm.
Stronger Leg Muscles
Shocker - Leg workouts can help strengthen your leg muscles. I don't think anyone is surprised that resistance training can build strength and power (1).
Obviously, having stronger legs can be great for many different reasons. For example, it could help make daily movement easier. Just think about how much walking you do every day.
On top of that, consider everything else we use our legs for. Going upstairs, sitting down, and even picking something up off the ground will all use your legs.
If you have a specific strength or performance goal ... Leg workouts can also help with strength and performance in other areas. Think about how beneficial stronger legs could be for the linemen on a football team. Having big and strong legs can help give them a solid foundation.
More Calories Burned
No matter what kind of exercise you do, you will burn calories. That doesn't mean that you burn the same amount of calories with every kind of exercise that you do.
In fact, you burn as many as two times as many calories with intense leg exercises vs upper body exercises (2). So, simply doing leg workouts at the gym can be a great way to burn calories.
Especially if your goal is to lose weight, I always encourage regular leg workouts.
Improved Performance
To some, performance may be improving their sports performance. To some, performance may be being able to hike more. To some, performance may be how comfortable they are while walking.
Whatever it means for you, leg workouts at the gym have been shown to improve performance (3).
Leg Workouts at the Gym: The Best Exercises
When it comes to your leg workouts at the gym, they shouldn't be the same thing every time. I always recommend varying your exercises and finding new ways to challenge yourself.
For that reason, I wanted to give you some of the best leg exercises you can do. These leg exercises are ideal for strength, muscle growth, and performance. We'll run through the exercises, then I'll give you a couple of full leg day workouts to try.
Back Squats
Muscles Targeted: Back squats are going to target your glutes, quads, hamstrings, hips, and calves.
How It Helps: Squats are known to be a classic when it comes to building strength and muscle in your legs. They can help improve your core stability, balance, and overall performance.
How To Do Back Squats
1. Load a barbell on a rack set roughly at chest height.
2. Grab the bar slightly outside of shoulder-width and step under the bar to rest it on your upper back.
3. Straighten your legs to lift the barbell off the rack and take a couple of steps back from the rack.
4. Space your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
5. With your toes pointing forward, begin to lower yourself down. It should feel like you're about to sit back into a chair.
6. Keep bending at your ankles, knees, and hips until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
7. Push through your heels from the bottom of the movement and return to the starting position.
8. Repeat for as many reps as programmed before returning the barbell to the rack.
Leg Press
Muscles Targeted: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
How It Helps: This is an exercise that is known to help increase strength. There are a bunch of different variations that you can do, too!
How To Do a Leg Press
1. Sit in the leg press machine with your feet on the platform spaced roughly shoulder-width apart.
2. Release the platform from the safety bar, making sure not to lock out your knees. This is the starting position.
3. Slowly lower the platform toward your body by bringing your knees in toward your chest. Make sure your lower back remains flat on the seat as you do this. Continue to bend at your knees until they form a 90-degree angle.
4. Pause for a second at the bottom before pushing through your legs to bring the platform back to the starting position.
5. Repeat for as many sets and reps as programmed.
Lunges
Muscles Targeted: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves.
How It Helps: These can help with unilateral leg strength, balance, coordination, and even core stability!
Lunges can be translated to a lot of real-world activities too ... Walking, running, jumping - You name it.
How To Do Lunges
1. Stand upright with your feet together. You can grab a pair of dumbbells or do them without weight.
2. Take a step forward with your right leg, tracking your knees over your toes. Sink into your right leg, bending at each knee. Keep going until each knee is bent at roughly 90 degrees.
3. Push through your front leg as you step your back leg up to meet at the center.
4. Repeat the same movement, this time stepping forward with your left leg.
5 Repeat this for an equal number of reps on each leg.
Hip Thrusts
Muscles Targeted: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, and hips.
How It Helps: This is an exercise that will target your glutes more than most others. That's great because a lot of strength is generated through your glutes in other exercises as well as daily movement. For this exercise, you'll need a loaded barbell and a bench.
How To Do a Hip Thrust
1. Before you get started, place a loaded barbell on the ground to the side of a bench. Sit between the barbell and the bench, resting your upper back on the bench.
2. Extend your legs out in front of you and roll the barbell over your legs into your hip crease. From here, you may wrap the bar with a towel or use some padding to protect your hips.
3. Point your knees toward the ceiling and plant your feet on the ground. Grab the bar with an overhand grip slightly outside of your hips. This is the starting position.
4. Drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes to push your hips and the barbell toward the ceiling. Keep going until your knees, hips, and back are all in a straight line.
5. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement and pause for a second.
6. Now, slowly lower your hips back to the ground to complete one rep. You can repeat this for as many reps as you like or have programmed.
Side Lunges
Muscles Targeted: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, adductors, and abductors.
How It Helps: Side lunges help with the strengthening of all of the muscles above. They can also help promote better balance and coordination. It's not an easy exercise, but it is definitely one to throw in your leg workouts at the gym.
How To Do Lateral Lunges
1. Stand up straight with your feet together.
2. Take a big step out to your right and shift your weight over your right hip. Bend your right knee as you sink into a single-leg squat. Make sure to keep your left leg straight and on the ground for support.
3. When you're as low as you can comfortably go, pause, then push through your right leg to stand upright and bring your right leg back to center.
4. Repeat this with your left leg, alternating between legs for reps.
Single-Leg Deadlifts
Muscles Targeted: Glutes, hamstrings, core, and lower back.
How It Helps: Single-leg deadlifts are great for building lower-body strength while also challenging your balance and coordination. Since you're working one leg at a time, they can also help address muscle imbalances between sides.
How To Do a Single-Leg Deadlift
1. Stand upright holding a barbell with an overhand grip (you can also do this exercise with dumbbells). Keep your feet about hip-width apart.
2. Shift your weight onto one leg and slightly bend that knee.
3. Keeping your back flat, hinge at your hips and extend your free leg behind you as you lower the barbell toward the floor.
4. Lower the barbell until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings or your torso is nearly parallel to the ground.
5. Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement.
6. Drive through your planted foot and squeeze your glutes to return to the starting position.
7. Complete all reps on one side before switching legs.
Leg Extensions
Muscles Targeted: Quadriceps.
How It Helps: Leg extensions are one of the best isolation exercises for your quads. They can help strengthen the muscles on the front of your thighs and improve lower-body strength for other exercises and daily activities.
How To Do Leg Extensions
1. Sit down on the leg extension machine and place your feet behind the padded bar.
2. Adjust the machine so your knees line up with the pivot point of the machine.
3. Grab the handles at your sides and sit upright with your back against the pad.
4. Extend your legs until they are straight and your feet are out in front of you.
5. Squeeze your quads at the top of the movement and pause for a second.
6. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position to complete one rep.
Bulgarian Split Squats
Muscles Targeted: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core.
How It Helps: Bulgarian split squats are a challenging single-leg exercise that can help build strength, balance, and stability. They're especially effective for targeting your glutes and quads.
How To Do Bulgarian Split Squats
1. Stand a few feet in front of a bench while holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Place one foot behind you on the bench with the top of your foot resting on the surface.
3. Keep your chest up and core tight as you bend your front knee and lower yourself toward the floor.
4. Continue lowering until your front thigh is roughly parallel to the ground.
5. Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement.
6. Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
7. Complete all reps on one side before switching legs.
Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
Muscles Targeted: Hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and core.
How It Helps: Romanian deadlifts are one of the best exercises for strengthening the back side of your body. They can help improve hip strength, posture, and overall lower-body performance.
How To Do a Romanian Deadlift
1. Stand upright holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended in front of your thighs.
2. Keep a slight bend in your knees and brace your core.
3. Push your hips back and lower the dumbbells toward the floor while keeping them close to your legs.
4. Continue lowering until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
5. Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement.
6. Drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to return to the starting position.
7. Repeat for reps.
Hamstring Curls
Muscles Targeted: Hamstrings.
How It Helps: Hamstring curls isolate the hamstrings and can help improve strength, stability, and muscular balance throughout your lower body.
How To Do Leg Curls
1. Adjust the machine so the pad rests comfortably against the back of your lower legs.
2. Position yourself according to the machine's setup and grab the handles for support.
3. Keep your hips stable as you bend your knees and pull the pad toward your glutes.
4. Continue curling until you reach the end of your comfortable range of motion.
5. Squeeze your hamstrings at the top of the movement and pause for a second.
6. Slowly return the weight to the starting position to complete one rep.
Front Squat
Muscles Targeted: Quads, glutes, core, hamstrings, and upper back.
How It Helps: Front squats place more emphasis on your quads while also requiring a strong, upright posture. They can help build lower-body strength and improve overall squat mechanics.
How To Do a Front Squat
1. Position a barbell across the front of your shoulders and hold it securely with your elbows pointed forward.
2. Stand upright with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Brace your core and keep your chest tall.
3. Bend your knees and hips to lower yourself into a squat.
4. Continue lowering until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground.
5. Push through your feet and stand back up to return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for reps.
Lateral Band Walk
Muscles Targeted: Glutes, hip abductors, and outer thighs.
How It Helps: Lateral band walks are excellent for activating the muscles around your hips and glutes. Strong hip muscles can help improve lower-body stability and support athletic performance.
How To Do a Lateral Band Walk
1. Place a resistance band around your legs just above your knees or around your ankles.
2. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and slightly bend your knees.
3. Keep tension on the band and maintain an athletic stance.
4. Step sideways with one foot while keeping your toes pointed forward.
5. Follow with your opposite foot while maintaining tension on the band.
6. Continue taking controlled steps in one direction before repeating on the other side.
Standing Calf Raises
Muscles Targeted: Calves.
How It Helps: Standing calf raises strengthen the muscles of the lower leg and can help improve ankle stability, balance, and lower-body performance.
How To Do Standing Calf Raises
1. Stand upright with your feet about hip-width apart.
2. Keep your core tight and your posture tall.
3. Press through the balls of your feet and raise your heels as high as possible.
4. Pause for a second at the top of the movement and squeeze your calves.
5. Slowly lower your heels back toward the ground.
6. Repeat for reps.
Sumo Squat
Muscles Targeted: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, and inner thighs.
How It Helps: The wider stance used in a sumo squat places greater emphasis on your glutes and inner thighs. It's a great exercise for developing lower-body strength and stability.
How To Do a Sumo Squat
1. Hold a kettlebell with both hands in front of your body.
2. Take a wide stance with your toes pointed slightly outward.
3. Keep your chest up and core tight as you bend your knees and hips.
4. Lower yourself into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground or as low as you can comfortably go.
5. Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement.
6. Push through your feet and squeeze your glutes to return to the starting position.
7. Repeat for reps.
Hip Abductions
Muscles Targeted: Glutes, hip abductors, and outer thighs.
How It Helps: Hip abductions strengthen the muscles on the outside of your hips and glutes. These muscles play an important role in balance, stability, and lower-body movement.
How To Do Hip Abductions
1. Sit down on the hip abduction machine and place your legs against the pads.
2. Adjust the machine so you are seated comfortably with your back against the support pad.
3. Grab the handles and brace your core.
4. Push your legs outward against the resistance of the machine as far as you comfortably can.
5. Squeeze your glutes at the end of the movement and pause for a second.
6. Slowly return to the starting position to complete one rep.
Example Leg Workouts At The Gym
Looking for a good workout you can try out today? I put together a beginner, intermediate, and advanced leg workout. That way, no matter your fitness level, there's a workout here for you to try.
Beginner Leg Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Walking Lunges | 3 | 10 Each Leg |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 12-15 |
| Squats | 3 | 12-15 |
| Hip Thrusts | 3 | 10 (2 Second Hold at Top) |
| Lateral Lunges | 3 | 10 Each Leg |
Intermediate Leg Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Squats | 3 | 8-12 |
| Reverse Lunges | 3 | 10 Each Leg |
| Hip Thrusts | 3 | 8-12 |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 | 10-12 |
| Leg Extensions | 3 | 10-12 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 10-12 |
Advanced Leg Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Squats | 4 | 8-12 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 4 | 10 |
| Walking Lunges | 4 | 10 Each Leg |
| Leg Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Lateral Lunges | 3 | 10 Each Leg |
| Seated Leg Curls | 2 | 12-15 |
| Leg Extensions | 2 | 12-15 |
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Leg Workouts At The Gym
If you're anything like me, you're always looking to get the most out of your workouts. Well, following a good program is certainly a good start. You'll want to find something that is continually challenging you and pushing you to that next level.
The most effective leg workouts at the gym follow structured programming with progressive overload.
Beyond that, your nutrition will also be important for earning the best results. Just consider how much better your workouts could be with the proper fuel in your tank. That's why choosing the right post-workout support can make a big difference. You can explore options here.
With that being said, knowing what to eat to reach your goals can be a challenge. Even finding a good workout program can be a challenge.
If you're not sure where to start or exactly what to do to see results, that's what we're here for! In fact, we designed the 1st Phorm App to give you all the resources you need to be successful...
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Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com. We're available Monday through Friday from 6 AM to 8 PM Central and Saturday & Sunday from 9 AM to 7 PM Central. We'll be more than happy to help in any way we can!
Frequently Asked Questions: Leg Workouts at the Gym
What are the best leg workouts at the gym?
The best ones include compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, lunges, and leg press variations.
How often should I do leg workouts at the gym?
Most people benefit from training legs 1–2 times per week, depending on recovery.
Are machines or free weights better?
Both work. Free weights build stabilizer strength while machines help isolate muscles.
How long should leg workouts be?
Most effective sessions last 45–75 minutes depending on volume.
References:
(1) Torres-Banduc, M., et al. “Effects of Different Lower Limb Strengthening Protocols on Muscle Activity, Strength and Power in Sedentary and Physically Inactive Subjects: A Systematic Review.” Nutrición Hospitalaria, vol. 41, no. 1, 2024, pp. 202–211.
(2) Reis, V. M., et al. “Energy Cost of Isolated Resistance Exercises Across Low- to High-Intensities.” PLoS One, vol. 12, no. 7, 2017, article e0181311.
(3) Chelly, M. S., et al. “Effects of a Back Squat Training Program on Leg Power, Jump, and Sprint Performances in Junior Soccer Players.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 23, no. 8, 2009, pp. 2241–2249.
