Train your entire lower body for power, size and everyday strength
Leg exercises
Your legs are the foundation of nearly every athletic movement and strong legs support strength, mobility, and balance. Whether your goal is to build muscle, increase stability, or boost sports performance, training all major leg muscles is key. This overview covers the best leg exercises using machines, free weights, and bodyweight, so you can build stronger legs at home or in the gym.
Pick your equipment
Ball Rolling for Front Thigh
Banded Hip Thrusts
Barbell Clean And Jerk
Barbell Deadlift
Barbell Front Squat
Barbell Good Morning
Barbell Hip Thrust
Barbell Lunge
Barbell Romanian Deadlift
Barbell Seated Calf Raise
Barbell Squat
Barbell Step Up
Barbell Sumo Deadlift
Bent Knee Glute Kickback
Bodyweight Full Squat With Overhead Press
Bodyweight Single Leg Deadlift
Bodyweight Squat
Bodyweight Standing Calf Raise
Bodyweight Step Up
Bulgarian Split Squat
Build a powerful, athletic, and well-balanced lower body
Training goals for leg development
A complete leg routine develops the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. It improves overall strength, boosts speed and vertical jump, and helps prevent injury by reinforcing knee and hip stability. Strong legs support full-body performance: whether you’re squatting, sprinting, or simply climbing stairs. The right leg exercises can also improve body composition and metabolic health by training large muscle groups that demand energy.
Combine compound lifts with isolation for full development
Best leg exercises for size and functional strength
Foundational leg exercises like barbell back squats, Romanian deadlifts, and walking lunges train multiple muscle groups at once, maximizing efficiency and strength gains. Add isolation exercises like seated leg curls, leg extensions, and calf raises to target specific areas. For variety, bodyweight options like step-ups, jump squats, or wall sits help you build endurance, mobility, and control.
Train legs with machines, free weights, or bodyweight at home
Equipment options for leg training
Training your legs doesn’t require a full gym. At home, resistance bands and elevated surfaces can provide all the intensity you need for squats, lunges, and hip thrusts. At the gym, machines like the leg press, hack squat, and hamstring curl offer stability and progressive resistance. Barbells and dumbbells are versatile tools for weighted lunges, goblet squats, and more.
Structure your leg days for growth, performance, or mobility
Training plans featuring leg exercises
You can structure leg training across one to two sessions per week, depending on your program. For muscle growth, combine heavy compound lifts with moderate-to-high rep accessories. For athletic performance, include plyometrics, unilateral movements, and mobility drills. The app helps you create a personalized training plan that aligns with your goals: whether that’s building muscle, gaining strength, or improving mobility and includes the right leg exercises based on your level and available equipment.
Frequently asked questions about leg exercises
While it’s not essential to split them completely, giving focused attention to both the quads and hamstrings helps maintain muscular balance and joint health. Many common lifts emphasize the quads, so adding exercises like Romanian deadlifts or Nordic curls ensures the hamstrings are equally trained. This balance is especially important for preventing injuries and improving performance in sports or full-body movements like deadlifts and sprints.
Knee discomfort during leg training is often caused by poor form, limited mobility, or muscular imbalances. Ensure your knees track properly over your toes during squats and lunges and avoid letting them cave inward. Weak glutes, tight hip flexors, or overreliance on quads can also put stress on your knees. Improving technique, strengthening surrounding muscles, and adjusting your range of motion can significantly reduce discomfort and prevent injury.
Legs can be trained 1–3 times per week depending on your experience, training volume, and recovery. Beginners often see results with one focused leg day per week, while more advanced lifters benefit from splitting quad- and hamstring-focused sessions across multiple days. It’s important to allow enough recovery time — usually 48 to 72 hours — between sessions, especially after heavy or high-volume training.
Yes, it’s entirely possible to build leg strength and muscle at home using just your bodyweight or minimal equipment. Exercises like split squats, wall sits, glute bridges, and jump squats can be progressed by adding reps, tempo, or pauses. Resistance bands can add tension and variety, especially for hamstring and glute-focused movements. Consistency and progressive overload — even without weights — are key to seeing results over time.
The most effective leg exercises combine compound lifts with targeted isolation work. Barbell squats, Romanian deadlifts, and lunges train multiple major muscles at once, helping you build overall strength and muscle mass. Leg presses, step-ups, and Bulgarian split squats are also excellent options to challenge your lower body from different angles. For full development, include isolation movements like calf raises and seated leg curls to target specific areas.
Integrate leg workouts into full-body and split routines
