Build stronger, more powerful legs with this ultimate guide to the 15 best leg exercises for the gym. Whether your goal is to grow bigger quads, sculpt your glutes, strengthen your hamstrings, or improve overall lower-body strength, Olaben gives you everything you need from essential movement patterns and proper technique to ready-made workout plans. Perfect for beginners and advanced lifters looking to level up their leg day.
Why Leg Training Matters
Training your legs isn’t just another workout, it’s one of the toughest sessions in the entire week. Leg Day demands strength, grit, and the willingness to push past discomfort if you want real progress. That’s why many people skip it, but avoiding leg training only holds back your overall development.
Your lower body contains the biggest and most powerful muscles you have: your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Because of their size, working these muscles triggers a strong hormonal response that supports muscle growth across your entire body. In other words, a solid leg day can actually help improve the results of your upper-body workouts as well.
Building strong legs also goes far beyond aesthetics. Training your lower body boosts calorie burn, increases metabolism, and enhances everyday movement. Plus, developing leg strength improves balance, coordination, and mobility, which reduces your risk of injuries both inside and outside the gym.
How Often Should You Train Legs?
Once you’ve structured your leg workouts, the next step is choosing the right weekly frequency. For most people aiming to grow bigger, stronger legs, training 2–3 times per week is ideal. This gives your muscles enough stimulus to grow while still allowing the necessary 48 hours of recovery between sessions. Avoid doing leg days back-to-back, as it can hinder recovery and slow progress.
Your optimal frequency also depends on your goals. If legs are a weak point, you may benefit from adding an extra session. If they’re not a priority, two focused workouts per week can still deliver great results. You can also divide leg days by muscle group quads, hamstrings, glutes, or calves to increase focus without overloading one area.
5-Day Split (Leg-Focused)
- Mon: Legs Push (quads, calves)
- Tue: Upper Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
- Wed: Legs Pull (glutes, hamstrings, calves)
- Thu: Rest
- Fri: Upper Pull (back, biceps)
- Sat: Legs (compound-focused: squats, deadlifts + accessories)
- Sun: Rest
3-Day Split
- Mon: Upper Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
- Tue: Rest
- Wed: Legs (full lower body)
- Thu: Rest
- Fri: Upper Pull (back, biceps)
Warm-Up for Leg Day
Warming up properly is key to reducing injury risk and getting your body ready for a heavy lower-body session. Starting by raising your heart rate about 5 minutes of light cardio exercises as on a treadmill workout, bike, or rower is enough to boost circulation and loosen your joints.
Follow this with dynamic stretches, then move into simple bodyweight movements like squats, lunges, and calf raises to activate your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.
Before your main working sets, perform the first exercise with a lighter weight or resistance band. This helps improve your range of motion, fire up the right muscles, and prepare your nervous system for heavier loads.
15 Best Leg Workout
Back squat variations
The back squat is a powerful lower-body movement that targets the glutes, hamstrings, and the entire posterior chain. It’s one of the most effective exercises for building strength and size in your legs.
How to do it:
- Place the barbell across your upper back (not on your neck) and stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest lifted, core engaged, and toes turned out slightly.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees, lowering yourself under control. Make sure your knees track outward not inward through the movement.
- Descend until your thighs reach parallel or to the deepest position your mobility allows.
- Drive through your heels and return to standing, keeping your spine neutral and your core tight.
Front squat
The front squat shifts more emphasis to the front of your lower body, especially the quads, while also demanding strong core stability to keep your torso upright.
How to do it:
- Position the barbell across the front of your shoulders. Use an underhand “rack” grip with your fingertips under the bar and elbows lifted high to keep it in place. Keep your chest tall and eyes forward.
- Push your hips back slightly and bend your knees to descend into the squat. Maintain an upright torso and allow your knees to travel outward as you lower.
- Sink down until your thighs reach parallel or the deepest depth your mobility allows.
- Drive through your mid-foot and heels to stand back up, keeping your elbows high and your chest from tipping forward.
Bulgarian split squat
The Bulgarian split squat is a powerful single-leg exercise that challenges your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core all while improving balance and stability.
How to do it:
- Stand about two feet in front of a bench or step, facing away. Extend your right leg back and rest the top of your foot on the bench.
- Lean your torso slightly forward, brace your core, and begin lowering your body by bending your front knee. Keep your front knee tracking over your toes.
- Lower until your front thigh reaches parallel to the floor (or as low as your mobility comfortably allows).
- Drive through your front foot to rise back up, maintaining balance and control throughout the movement.
Leg press
The leg press machine is excellent for targeting the quads, hamstrings, and glutes while reducing the balance demands of free-weight squats. It’s a great option for isolating lower-body muscles safely.
How to do it:
- Sit on the leg press machine with your back and head pressed firmly against the pad. Place your feet about hip-width apart on the platform, forming roughly a 90-degree angle at your knees.
- Brace your core and press the platform away by extending your legs. Pause briefly at the top without locking your knees.
- Slowly bend your knees to lower the weight back to the starting position, keeping control throughout the movement.
Romanian deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is a key exercise for strengthening the glutes, hamstrings, and calves while improving hip mobility and posterior chain stability.
How to do it:
- Hold a barbell or a dumbbell in each hand, keeping your arms straight and your back neutral. Eyes should face forward to maintain proper posture.
- Hinge at your hips, pushing them backward while keeping a slight bend in your knees. Lower the weights close to your legs, stopping when you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings.
- Pause briefly, then thrust your hips forward to return to standing, using your glutes to power the movement.
Nordic hamstring curl
The Nordic hamstring curl is an advanced exercise that targets the hamstrings intensely, improving strength, muscle growth, and injury prevention.
How to do it:
- Kneel on a padded surface with your feet anchored under a stable object or held by a partner. Keep your body upright and core engaged.
- Slowly lean forward from the knees, resisting the movement with your hamstrings. Control the descent as far as possible without collapsing.
- Use your hands to catch yourself lightly on the floor if needed, then push off slightly to return to the starting position.
Good mornings
Wake up your hamstrings with this classic hip-hinge movement that builds posterior-chain strength and stability.
How to do it:
- Place a barbell across your upper traps and stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Keep a slight bend in your knees, hinge at the hips, and push your hips backward as your torso lowers. Maintain a proud chest and eyes forward.
- Lower until you feel a deep hamstring stretch, then drive through your glutes to return to the starting position.
Hip thrust
Build strength and size in your glutes with this powerful, glute-focused hip-extension movement.
How to do it:
- Sit with your upper back against a bench (right below the shoulder blades) and place a barbell, dumbbell, or plate across your hips, supporting it with your hands.
- Bend your knees, keep feet flat and shoulder-width, forming a 90-degree angle at the legs.
- Tuck your chin and lower your hips toward the floor until your torso reaches about a 45-degree angle.
- Drive through your heels to lift your hips until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Squeeze your glutes at the top, then lower back down with control.
Glute bridge
This exercise requires only your bodyweight and effectively targets your glutes, hamstrings, and core.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms resting by your sides.
- Inhale and press through all four corners of your feet, engaging your core, glutes, and hamstrings as you lift your hips toward the ceiling.
- Pause and squeeze at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position with control.
Step-up
Increase lower-body strength, balance, and power with this functional movement.
How to do it:
- Stand facing a bench or sturdy elevated surface about one foot in front of you. Hold dumbbells in each hand if you want to add resistance.
- Step onto the bench with your entire right foot, driving through your heel to lift yourself up and bring your left foot to meet it (or lift your left knee for extra challenge).
- Step back down with your left foot, returning to the starting position.
Walking lunges
Challenge your balance while strengthening your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
How to do it:
- Stand tall with your feet together. Hold a dumbbell in each hand if you want to add weight.
- Step forward with your right leg and lower into a lunge until your right thigh is parallel to the ground, keeping your chest lifted and gaze forward.
- Push through your right heel to rise and bring your feet together.
- Continue moving forward by stepping into the next lunge with your left leg.
Standing calf raise
Strengthen and define your calves with this classic lower-leg exercise.
How to do it:
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. You can hold dumbbells by your sides for added resistance.
- Push through the balls of your feet to lift your heels as high as possible, squeezing your calves at the top.
- Pause briefly, then slowly lower your heels back down to the floor with control.
Seated calf raise
Build lower-leg strength with a seated variation that targets the soleus muscle.
How to do it:
- Sit on a bench or seated calf raise machine with your knees bent at 90 degrees and the balls of your feet resting on a platform.
- Place a weight (or use the machine’s pads) on top of your thighs, just above your knees.
- Push through the balls of your feet to lift your heels as high as possible, squeezing your calves at the top.
- Slowly lower your heels back down until you feel a stretch in your calves.
Donkey kicks
Strengthen your glutes and improve hip stability with this simple bodyweight move.
How to do it:
- Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Keeping your core tight, lift your right leg and kick your heel upward toward the ceiling while maintaining a 90-degree bend in your knee.
- Pause at the top, squeezing your glute.
- Lower your leg back down with control.
- Repeat on the other side.
Sumo calf raise
Target your calves while also engaging your inner thighs and glutes with this wide-stance variation.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes turned slightly outward (sumo stance).
- Engage your core and keep your chest lifted.
- Rise up onto the balls of your feet, lifting your heels as high as possible.
- Pause briefly at the top and squeeze your calves.
- Lower your heels back to the floor with control.
Leg Day Cool-Down: Recover & Stay Flexible
Finishing your leg workout the right way helps reduce soreness, speed up recovery, and keep your muscles supple. Whether you’re training at a gym or at home, wearing comfortable and flexible clothes (what women wear to the gym or what men wear to the gym) can make your cool-down exercises more effective.
- Light Cardio (5 minutes): Walk, cycle, or use a stair stepper at an easy pace to boost blood flow and help remove lactic acid.
- Dynamic Movements: Gently move your legs through controlled ranges of motion to keep muscles warm and mobile.
- Static Stretching: Focus on quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Hold each stretch for ~30 seconds, breathing deeply to relax and lengthen the muscles.
A proper cool-down not only aids recovery but also prepares your legs for the next intense session.
Conclusion
With these 15 best leg exercises, you now have everything you need to build stronger, more powerful legs from quads and hamstrings to glutes and calves. Following a well-structured workout, proper warm-up, and cool-down routine ensures maximum results while minimizing the risk of injury.
To perform at your best, the right workout gear matters. Olaben, the best workout clothes brand, offers a wide range of high-quality athletic apparel designed for both comfort and performance.
- For the women's sport apparel, Olaben provides leggings, sports bras, tank tops, skirts and dresses, perfect for supporting every squat, lunge, and hip thrust.
- For the men's sport apparel, choose from compression shorts, pants, performance short sleeves, and hoodies, engineered to enhance mobility, durability, and style.
Whether training at a gym or using home gym equipment, Olaben ensures you stay comfortable, confident, and ready to crush every leg day. Make your workouts count, not just with your training, but with the gear that supports you every step of the way.
