10 Best Leg Exercises: Expert Advice for Maximizing Lower-Body Size and Strength

Why do it: Few exercises in the gym rival the functionality of squats. The barbell back squat stands as a compound exercise that thoroughly tests the leg muscles. It demands engagement from the lower body and involves upper-body muscles to stabilize the weight and safeguard the spine, rendering it among the most comprehensive full-body workouts available.

How to do it:

1. Load your weight, then position your hands on a racked barbell just outside shoulder width.
2. Step under the bar, squeeze your traps, and rest the barbell on your upper back.
3. Step back from the squat rack, standing firmly with your feet hip-width apart.
4. Brace your core, bend your knees, and descend into a squat (aim for 90 degrees).
5. Drive through your feet to stand back up.
6. Repeat for desired reps then rerack the barbell between sets.

Common variations: Barbell front squat, dumbbell front squat, goblet squat, overhead squat, safety-bar squat, kettlebell squat, box squat, bodyweight squat.

Expert tip: As there are many variations of the squat exercise, choose the variation that best serves your goals. For example, a goblet squat can target your quads, inner thighs, and glutes, while an overhead squat can work your lower-body while helping you increase your strength and stability. If you’re a beginner or trying to improve your form, a simple body weight squat can help you get there.

Why do it: Deadlifts are unparalleled for building functional strength and engaging your major muscle groups, including the glutes, hamstrings, quads, upper and lower back, abdominal muscles, and calves.

How to do it:

1. Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes under the bar.
2. Hinge at your hips and knees, and grab the bar with an overhand grip just outside your legs.
3. Engage your core, lift your chest up, and straighten your back.
4. Push through your feet to stand, straightening your legs, and driving your hips forward. Keep the bar close to your body without touching.
5. Stand tall, pause, then lower the bar back to the ground with control by bending at your hips and knees.
6.  Reset and repeat for reps. 

Common variations: Sumo deadlift, Romanian deadlift, kettlebell deadlift, dumbbell deadlift, stiff-legged deadlift, trap-bar deadlift.

For more, check out our guide to deadlift benefits, written by an Olympic lifter.

Why do it: The leg press machine often gets a bad rap from lifters, notably because it’s not a squat. However, it offers a valuable opportunity to target your quads while providing support for your back. It’s common to be able to handle heavier weights on the leg press compared to squats, making it an excellent choice for overloading your quads through a full range of motion. 

How to do it:

1. Sit on the leg press machine with your back firmly against the pad and your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform.
2. Release the safety catch and extend your legs, keeping a slight knee bend.
3. Lower until your knees form a 90-degree angle.
4. Push the platform back to the starting position.
5. Repeat for desired reps.

Common variations: Single-leg leg press, wide-stance leg press, narrow-stance leg press, high-stance leg press, low-stance leg press.

Expert tip: For optimal quad engagement, I recommend placing your feet lower on the sled and ensuring a complete range of motion, allowing your knees to travel back as far as your body allows.

Why do it: A close relative of the traditional deadlift, RDLs are one of the tried-and-true hip hinge exercises, potent for building muscle, strengthening, and mobilizing your posterior chain. The dynamic aspect of RDLs stems from the constant tension placed on the targeted muscle groups throughout the entire range of motion. RDLs require consistent engagement of the hamstrings and glutes as the lifter lowers the weight toward the ground and returns to the starting position. 

How to do it:

1. Grab the barbell with a shoulder-width overhand grip.
2. Position your feet hip-width apart, flat against the floor.
3. Lift the barbell to a standing position.
4. Hinge forward by bending your knees slightly and pushing your hips back. Keep the bar close to your lower body as your chest leans forward.
5. Lower the bar slowly until you feel your hamstrings stretch. Then, drive your heels into the ground and your hips forward (without hyperextending your back) to return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for desired reps.

Common variations: Barbell RDL, kettlebell RDL, dumbbell RDL, single-leg RDL, staggered stance RDL.

Why do it: Lunges increase muscle activation¹, leading to the effective development of lean muscle mass, single-leg strength, balance, and coordination. Additionally, they contribute to improved joint health and stability in the lower body.

How to do it:

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and toes facing forward.
2. Step forward with your left foot and lower your right knee until it’s nearly parallel to the floor.
3. Push with your left leg and return to the starting position with your feet together.
4. Switch sides and repeat for the desired sets and reps.

Common variations: Reverse lunge, walking lunge, lateral lunge, pendulum lunge.

Why do it: Leg curls target the distal (further away) hamstring muscles closer to the knee joint, while deadlifts, RDLs, and good mornings primarily work the hamstrings across the hip joint. The isolated nature of leg curls allows for greater muscle hypertrophy through focused sets and reps.

How to do it:

1. Take a seated position with your back flat against the seat and place the backside of your lower legs on the curl pad.
2. Squeeze your hamstrings and drive the weight down, allowing your knees to bend. 
3. Return to the starting position with control, feeling your hamstrings lengthen.
4. Repeat for desired reps. Switch legs if performing single-leg curls. 

Common variations: Standing leg curl, Nordic hamstring curl, stability ball leg curl, slider leg curl, single-leg leg curl.

Why do it: During the good morning exercise the positioning of the bar allows you to target your posterior chain, specifically focusing on your glutes and hamstrings, even with lighter weights. As your torso leans forward, the barbell shifts away from your body’s center of mass, which increases the stretch on your hamstrings despite using lighter loads.

How to do it:

1. Position your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent and a barbell resting against your shoulders.
2. Push your hips back and lower your chest toward the floor, squeezing your core tight.
3. Continue lowering your chest until it’s almost parallel to the floor.
4. Drive your hips forward as you stand, slowly returning to the start position.
5. Repeat for desired sets and reps.

Common variations: Dumbbell good morning, Zercher good morning, single-leg good morning, medicine ball good morning, banded good morning.

Why do it: Hip thrusts are another hip hinge exercise that elevates the traditional glute bridge by raising the shoulders, allowing for a wider range of motion. This position exclusively targets your glutes² compared to other hinges like deadlifts and RDLs, developing strength and hypertrophy while stimulating greater muscle activation.

How to do it:

1. Sit on the ground with your upper back against a bench or sturdy surface. 
2. Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
3. Drive through your heels, pushing your hips upward until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
4. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement, then lower your hips to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired sets and reps.

Common variations: Barbell hip thrust, dumbbell hip thrust, single-leg hip thrust, heel-elevated hip thrusts, landmine hip thrusts.

Why do it: Calf raises are an excellent way of strengthening the calf muscles and ligaments in your lower legs, particularly around the ankle area. During explosive workouts, they contribute to improved ankle stability, mobility, and overall lower-body power.

How to do it:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Push through the balls of your feet to lift your heels off the ground as high as possible.
3. Pause at the top of the movement, squeeze your calves, and slowly lower your heels back to the ground.
4. Repeat for desired sets and reps.

Common variations: Barbell calf raise, dumbbell calf raise, single-leg calf raise, deficit calf raise, seated calf raise.

Why do it: Bulgarian split squats amplify the load the single working leg handles compared to traditional split squats, leading to enhanced strength gains. Additionally, the elevated rear foot allows for a greater range of motion with each repetition, boosting muscle size in your quads, abductors, adductors, and glutes.

How to do it:

1. Position your left foot on an elevated surface, with your rear knee under your hip.
2. Place your right foot forward in a lunge position, keeping your front shin vertical.
3. Lower your knee toward the ground.
4. Drive through your right leg to squat up.
5. Repeat desired reps.

Common variations: Raised Bulgarian split squat, Isometric Bulgarian split squat, barbell Bulgarian split squat, goblet Bulgarian split squat, suitcase Bulgarian split squat.