The 15 Best Leg Workouts Guaranteed To Get Gains (2025)

Leg training is hard work. But that’s no reason to neglect your lower body in the gym. We’ve all seen those guys who have wimped out training their wheels; they’ve got plenty of upper body mass but are carrying it around with a pair of chicken legs!

It’s not a good look.

The only remedy for chicken legs, matchsticks, or whatever else you want to call them is to spend some serious gym time with the best lower body exercises for mass and strength development. This article has you covered with 15 of the most effective leg exercises to hit every muscle group in your lower body.

Looking for further workout inspiration? Check out our complete guide to workouts for men here.

Lower Body Anatomy

The lower body consists of the following muscle groups:

1. Quadriceps
2. Glutes
3. Hamstrings
4. Calves

Quadriceps Anatomy

The quadriceps, located in the front of the thigh, are responsible for extending the knee, much like how the triceps extend the elbow. Though the quadriceps function as one muscle group, they consist of four distinct parts (or heads), three of which are visible in a well-developed physique:

• Vastus lateralis
• Vastus medialis
• Rectus femoris

All four parts of the quadriceps connect at the quadriceps tendon, just above the knee, before traveling over the patella and attaching to the tibia (lower leg bone). While three heads originate from the femur (thigh bone), the rectus femoris crosses the hip joint, originating from the pelvis.

Hamstring Anatomy

The hamstrings, located at the back of the thigh, consist of four muscles that work together primarily to flex the knee, pulling the heel toward the glutes. These muscles include:

• Biceps femoris (short head)
• Biceps femoris (long head)
• Semimembranosus
• Semitendinosus

In addition to knee flexion, the hamstrings assist in hip extension, although this function is largely carried out by the glutes.

Glute Anatomy

The gluteal muscles, or glutes, consist of three muscles:

• Gluteus maximus
• Gluteus medius
• Gluteus minimus

The gluteus maximus is the largest and most significant for strength and aesthetics. Its primary function is to extend the hip joint by pushing the body upward from sitting or squatting positions. It also powers movements like walking, running, and stepping up onto platforms.

Calf Anatomy

The calf muscles include:

• Gastrocnemius
• Soleus

These muscles perform plantar flexion, which is the extension of the ankle. The gastrocnemius is the larger, more prominent muscle responsible for most of the calf’s size, while the soleus has less potential for visible growth.

Best Leg Workouts

1. Barbell Front Squat

The barbell front squat is a serious leg muscle builder, particularly for the quads. While you will find it harder to squat the same amount of weight as you would with a back squat, it can be considered a safer movement because of the way you have to position your body in order to perform it effectively.

Getting that form right can be a little difficult at first, particularly if you have tight lats, as you need to move your arms under the bar, with the aim to have your elbows at right angles and parallel to the floor.

How to perform this leg exercise:

1. Start with the barbell at around mid-chest height on the squat rack. Approach the bar as you would with a back squat: stand with your feet shoulder width-apart and hands placed just wider than that. Twist your arms under the bar so that it is resting in your fingertips, with your elbows pointing forwards. The bar should rest on your shoulders, and your fingertips are there to just keep it in place.
2. With the bar resting on your shoulders, tuck your pelvis in, brace your core, take a deep breath in and squat down. Imagine you’re sitting down on a chair, to help prevent your knees from going too far over your toes. Ensure your knees push out as you squat down to slightly below parallel.
3. Push through your heels as you power back up and exhale at the top of the movement.

Sets: 4 sets with a decreased number of reps per set – 12,10,8,6
Tempo: 3 seconds down, 2 seconds up

2. Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split squat is a single-leg variation of the classic squat. As well as isolating each quad, it requires balance and coordination, challenging your core and stabiliser muscles.

How to perform this leg exercise:

1. Stand in front of a flat bench with dumbbells in hand and place your left foot on the bench. Your right leg should be a couple of steps in front of you in a lunge position.
2. Keeping your torso upright, pelvis ticked and core braced, squat down until the thigh of your leading leg is parallel to the ground.
3. Drive back up through the heel of the leading leg back to your starting position to complete one rep.

Sets: 4 sets with 8 to 10 reps per set
Tempo: Slow and controlled. 3 seconds down, 2 seconds up.

3. Romanian Deadlift

The original deadlift may be the daddy of all workout exercises, working pretty much every major muscle in your body in one go. But while the deadlift does provide some benefit for your legs, if you really want to torch your hamstrings, you need to be performing the Romanian deadlift.

This isn’t a substitute for the deadlift, but should be performed in addition to it as part of leg day, as it doesn’t require the weight to be heavy for it to be effective.

How to perform:

1. Set yourself up as you would in the top position of a conventional deadlift: feet shoulder-width apart and underneath the bar, with hands grasping it slightly wider than shoulder-width with an overhand grip.
2. With the bar hanging down in front of you, slowly lower it down, keeping it close to your body.
3. Slightly bend your knees and hinge at the waist, keeping the back straight and allowing the barbell to drop lower.
4. Keep going until the barbell has gone just beyond your knees, hold for a second to feel the tension in your hamstrings, and drive back up to return to the starting position.

Sets:4 sets with 8 to 10 reps per set
Tempo:3 seconds down, 2 seconds up

4. Goblet Squat

The goblet squat is a serious quad killer, and a leg day exercise that can help to further improve your technique in the heavier-lift movements such as the deadlift and back squat.

How to perform this leg exercise:

1. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell to your chest using both hands and stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart.
2. Squat down, keeping your torso upright and your elbows inside your knee line. Descend to slightly lower than parallel.
3. Push through your heels to return to the start position.

Sets:4 sets with 12 to 15 reps per set
Tempo:2 seconds down, 1 second up

5. Walking Lunges

Lunges are an incredible exercise because they target pretty much every major muscle in your lower body. Think quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. The walking aspect of the movement brings your core into play, as it will be working overtime to keep your upper body upright and balanced during the exercise.

How to perform this leg exercise:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, pelvis tucked and core engaged.
2. Take a big stride forward with your right leg and bend your knees to lower your body down until both knees are at a 90-degree angle and the front thigh is parallel to the ground.
3. Push up from the left foot at the rear and immediately step into another lunge, performing the same sequence as previously.

Sets: 3 sets with 10 reps per leg per set
Tempo: Slow, continuous walking pace

6. Deadlift

There is some debate within the fitness industry as to whether the deadlift can be considered a leg exercise, or if it slots more neatly into a back-day workout. Ultimately, it’s one of the absolute best weightlifting exercises you can do, since it works pretty much every single muscle in your body. And, since it’s your legs that are used to lift the weight off the ground – and the deadlift helps to target your glutes and hamstrings more than the squat – we feel they can very much be a part of a well-rounded leg-day routine.

How to perform this leg exercise:

1. Stand behind a loaded barbell, with your mid feet under the bar.
2. Hingle at the hips and knees to grab the bar with an overhand grip and with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest up, lock down your shoulder blades and look forward.
3. Push up through your heels and lift the bar, keeping it always close to your body. Your arms are not pulling; instead, they’re just being used to ensure the bar is stable, and your core and back are activated to keep your upper body tense.
4. Pull up to a standing position, so that the bar is at thigh level.
5. Lower under control back to the start position.

Sets: 3 to 4 sets with 4 to 6 reps per set
Tempo: 1 to 2 seconds up (it’s good if you use some explosive force), 2 seconds down

7. Hip Thrusters

No, hip thrusters aren’t just an exercise for women to build a bigger behind, they’re actually a fantastic leg exercise for men because, not only can they help to give you a more aesthetically-pleasing figure, they primarily target the glute muscles.

This is incredibly important, because having strong glutes can help to prevent you from getting lower back pain, and will also help you to be able to lift more when deadlifting or squat more weight when doing any squat variation.

How to perform this leg exercise:

1. The majority of people perform the hip thrust with a long Olympic bar, but this requires balancing the bar across your hips. To make it easier, grab an EZ barbell or a shorter barbell if your gym has one.
2. Rest your back on a bench and perform a thrust without the bar to find the best foot placement for you. Drive your hips up and adjust your feet until your shins are perpendicular to the floor (at 90-degrees). Once you’ve found this position, lower your hips and place your bar just above your pelvis. Hold the bar in both hands using an overhand grip.
3. Drive your hips up and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement. You want to make sure you are pushing your knees out when you drive up, to prevent them from caving in and losing the tension placed on the glutes. It will also help to focus your eyes on either the bar itself or a fixed position down on the floor, to prevent your back from arching.

Sets: 3 sets with 10 reps per set
Tempo: 1 second up, 2 seconds down.

8. Leg Press

The leg press allows you to overload your quads and glutes with heavy weight with relative safety. While not a replacement for the squat, it is an excellent assist movement.

How to perform this leg exercise:

1. Select your weight by adjusting the pin and then take up your seated position. Where you position your feet will determine which muscle group you target. Place your feet higher up the plate and you will target your glutes. Position them further down and you’ll place more emphasis on your quads. If you’re new to the leg press, it’s best to start somewhere in the middle.
2. Position your feet shoulder-width apart and facing outwards slightly and ensure your lower back remains pressed against the seat throughout the duration of the movement.
3. Push the footplate to straighten your legs, while removing the safety handles to the side of the seat.
4. Draw your knees close to your chest, but be sure to not have them touch. Just over 90-degrees is a good target.
5. Straighten your legs back out, but don’t fully lock them. Not only will this ensure you place the greatest amount of tension on your leg muscles, but it also helps prevent injuries to your knees.

Sets: 4 sets with 10 – 15 reps per set
Tempo: 2 seconds in, 2 seconds out

9. Donkey Kicks

Donkey kicks, which target the glutes and hamstrings, represent one of the most popular exercises for legs because they are very easy to perform and require no equipment. If you don’t have time to go to the gym, they can even be done at home. All you need is some energy and a little bit of strength.

How to Perform This Leg Exercise:

1. Get down on all fours in table-top position. Your knees should be directly under your hips. Brace your core for balance.
2. Draw your right knee slightly forward then kick it back and up behind you to full extension.
3. Lower and repeat.

Sets: 3 sets of 10-15 reps per leg
Tempo: 2-second for the kick, 1-second return

10. Reverse Lunge

A reverse lunge switches the emphasis from the quads to the hamstrings. It also works the glutes and improves core strength and balance.

How to Perform This Leg Exercise:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
2. Take a large step back with your right leg and descend into a lunge until the rear knee is about an inch from the floor.
3. Push through the rear leg to return to the start position.

Sets: 5 sets of 10-15 reps
Tempo: 2-3-second lunge, 1-second return

11. Assault Bike

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a bike can be great for your legs, especially when used regularly. The assault bike can help you achieve the muscles you want, and you’ll notice that if you do sprints mixed with other leg exercises, it doesn’t take long for your leg muscles to develop.

How to Perform This Leg Exercise:

1. Begin by setting your seat up. Put the ball of your foot on the bike’s pedal and adjust the height. Then, sit down on the seat, and put both feet on the pedals, and your hands on the handles.
2. Begin pedaling, then drive your arms back and forth, synchronizing them with your legs. Remember that your legs must produce the most power, not your arms.

Sets: 2-3 sets of 1 rep

Tempo: 30-second reps

12. Sumo Deadlift

This deadlift variation has a wider leg position, meaning that you don’t have to pull the bar as high. The wide position also emphasizes the adductors (inner thighs), quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

How to Perform This Leg Exercise:

1. Stand before a loaded bar with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Come down to the bar and grab it a little closer than shoulder-width. Pull your shoulders back while keeping your chest up, then look straight ahead while lifting.
2. Drive your heels into the floor as you pull the weight up your legs, keeping the bar as close to the body as possible during the exercise.
3. Lift the barbell to thigh level.
4. Lower under control to the start position.

Sets: 3 sets of 10 reps
Tempo: 4-5-second per rep, 2-3 second return

13. Seated Calf Raise

The seated calf raise works both parts of your calf muscle through a full range of motion without the spinal compression that comes with the standing calf raise. Go for high reps and slow, full extensions and contractions.

How to Perform This Leg Exercise:

1. Set the desired weight on the seated calf raise machine, then sit on the machine’s seat and place your thighs under the knee pad, with your toes resting on the footplate; your heels should be hanging off the edge of the plate.
2. Release the machine’s safety catch, then rise up on your toes to full extension.
3. Lower to bring your heels down to full contraction.

Sets: 3-4 sets with 10 reps
Tempo: 2-3 seconds for the reps, 2-second return

14. Cyclist Squat

The cyclist squat makes use of a slant board to elevate your heels. This allows you to maintain a natural upright torso while achieving a deep squat position.

How to Perform This Leg Exercise:

1. Stand on a slant board with your feet slightly closer than shoulder-width apart. Place your hands together in front of your chest.
2. Hinge at the hips to descend into a full squat, allowing your knees to track over your toes.
3. Pause in the bottom position and then push through your heels to return to standing.

Sets: 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps
Tempo: 4-5 seconds per rep, 2-3-second return

15. Nordic Hamstring Curl

Here’s an extremely challenging bodyweight exercise that will isolate your hamstrings.

How to Perform This Leg Exercise:

1. Kneel on the floor with your heels anchored by a beach, loaded barbell or other sturdy anchor point.
2. Place your hands behind your back and slowly lower your torso to the floor, stopping when your body is at a 45-degree angle.
3. Pull with your hamstrings to return to an upright torso position.

Sets: 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps, depending on how many you can do
Tempo: 3-4 second rep, 1-2-second return

Wrap-Up

Now that we’ve explored 15 of the best leg exercises, you’re all set to construct the ideal lower body workout. We recommend that you take each exercise for a trial run to discover the 5 or 6 moves that resonate the best with you. Use these exercises as the basis of your program, being sure to choose moves that work the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.

Your leg workout should consist of 20-25 sets in total. Train your lower body twice weekly for maximum mass and strength gains.