Complete Leg Day Workout Guide for Strength

Leg day is often the most dreaded workout of the week, but it’s also the most important. Your legs contain the largest muscle groups in your body, and training them properly builds foundational strength, burns significant calories, and stimulates hormonal responses that benefit your entire physique. This complete guide will teach you everything you need to know about leg day training for strength and size.

Why Leg Training Matters

Full Body Benefits

Training legs isn’t just about building impressive quads. Here’s why it’s essential:

Hormonal Response: Heavy leg exercises like squats and deadlifts trigger significant testosterone and growth hormone release, benefiting muscle growth throughout your entire body.

Metabolic Impact: The large muscles of the legs burn more calories during exercise and at rest, supporting fat loss and metabolic health.

Athletic Performance: Nearly every athletic movement originates from the lower body. Stronger legs mean better performance in sports, running, and daily activities.

Injury Prevention: Strong legs stabilize your knees, hips, and lower back, reducing injury risk in all physical activities.

Balanced Physique: Nothing looks worse than a developed upper body on chicken legs. Complete development requires leg training.

Leg Muscle Anatomy

Understanding the muscles you’re training helps you select the right exercises:

Quadriceps (Front of Thigh)

The quads consist of four muscles responsible for knee extension:

• Rectus femoris (only quad that crosses the hip)
• Vastus lateralis (outer quad)
• Vastus medialis (inner quad, the “teardrop”)
• Vastus intermedius (deep, under rectus femoris)

Hamstrings (Back of Thigh)

Three muscles responsible for knee flexion and hip extension:

• Biceps femoris
• Semimembranosus
• Semitendinosus

Glutes

The gluteal muscles are the powerhouse of the lower body:

• Gluteus maximus (largest muscle in the body)
• Gluteus medius (side of hip)
• Gluteus minimus (deep stabilizer)

Calves (Lower Leg)

• Gastrocnemius (visible calf muscle, two heads)
• Soleus (deep calf muscle)

Adductors (Inner Thigh)

• Adductor magnus, longus, brevis
• Gracilis
• Pectineus

The Best Leg Exercises

Compound Quad-Dominant Exercises

1. Barbell Back Squat

The undisputed king of leg exercises. Squats build total leg mass and strength like nothing else.

How to perform:

1. Position bar across upper back (high bar) or rear delts (low bar)
2. Unrack and step back, feet shoulder-width apart
3. Brace your core, take a breath
4. Descend by breaking at hips and knees simultaneously
5. Lower until thighs are at least parallel to floor
6. Drive through your feet to stand

Key tips:

• Keep knees tracking over toes
• Maintain neutral spine throughout
• Full depth equals full development

Sets/Reps: 4 sets × 5-8 reps

2. Front Squat

Places more emphasis on quads with less lower back stress.

How to perform:

1. Rest bar on front delts, elbows high
2. Feet shoulder-width, toes slightly out
3. Descend keeping torso upright
4. Go as deep as mobility allows
5. Drive up through your heels

Key tips:

• If wrist mobility is limited, use cross-arm grip
• Stay more upright than back squats
• Great for quad development

Sets/Reps: 3-4 sets × 6-10 reps

3. Leg Press

Allows heavy quad training without spinal loading.

How to perform:

1. Position feet shoulder-width on platform
2. Lower sled by bending knees toward chest
3. Don’t let lower back round off the pad
4. Press through your feet to extend legs
5. Don’t lock out knees completely

Key tips:

• Higher foot placement = more glute/hamstring
• Lower foot placement = more quad
• Control the negative, don’t bounce at bottom

Sets/Reps: 3-4 sets × 10-15 reps

4. Hack Squat

Isolates quads with back support.

How to perform:

1. Position shoulders under pads
2. Feet shoulder-width apart, slightly forward
3. Release safety and lower under control
4. Descend until thighs are parallel
5. Drive through heels to extend

Sets/Reps: 3 sets × 8-12 reps

Compound Hip-Dominant Exercises

5. Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

The best exercise for hamstring development and hip hinge mechanics.

How to perform:

1. Hold barbell at hip level, shoulder-width grip
2. Slight bend in knees, maintained throughout
3. Hinge at hips, pushing them backward
4. Lower bar along legs until you feel hamstring stretch
5. Drive hips forward to stand, squeezing glutes at top

Key tips:

• Keep bar close to your body
• Back stays flat—stop when it wants to round
• Feel the stretch in your hamstrings

Sets/Reps: 3-4 sets × 8-12 reps

6. Conventional Deadlift

Builds total posterior chain strength and mass.

How to perform:

1. Stand with mid-foot under bar
2. Grip bar just outside legs
3. Hips back, chest up, back flat
4. Drive through floor, extending hips and knees
5. Lock out at top with shoulders back
6. Return bar to floor with control

Key tips:

• Bar stays close to body throughout
• Think “push the floor away”
• Engage lats to keep bar tight

Sets/Reps: 3-4 sets × 5 reps

7. Hip Thrust

The ultimate glute-building exercise.

How to perform:

1. Sit on floor with upper back against bench
2. Position barbell over hips (use pad)
3. Plant feet flat, about shoulder-width
4. Drive through heels, extending hips to ceiling
5. Squeeze glutes hard at top
6. Lower with control

Key tips:

• Chin tucked, don’t hyperextend neck
• Full hip extension at top
• Pause and squeeze at peak contraction

Sets/Reps: 3-4 sets × 8-12 reps

Single-Leg (Unilateral) Exercises

8. Walking Lunges

Builds leg strength while addressing muscle imbalances.

How to perform:

1. Stand with dumbbells at sides or barbell on back
2. Step forward into a lunge
3. Lower until back knee nearly touches floor
4. Drive through front foot to step forward
5. Alternate legs

Key tips:

• Keep torso upright
• Front knee tracks over toes
• Control your balance throughout

Sets/Reps: 3 sets × 10-12 per leg

9. Bulgarian Split Squat

A challenging single-leg exercise for quad and glute development.

How to perform:

1. Stand with rear foot elevated on bench
2. Front foot forward enough for a deep lunge
3. Lower until front thigh is parallel
4. Drive through front foot to stand
5. Complete all reps on one side, then switch

Key tips:

• Most weight on front leg
• Torso can lean slightly forward for glute emphasis
• Stay upright for more quad emphasis

Sets/Reps: 3 sets × 8-10 per leg

10. Step-Ups

Functional single-leg strength building.

How to perform:

1. Stand facing a box or bench (knee height)
2. Step up with one foot, driving through heel
3. Bring other foot up to stand on box
4. Step down with control
5. Complete all reps on one side, then switch

Sets/Reps: 3 sets × 10-12 per leg

Isolation Exercises

11. Leg Extension

Isolates the quadriceps for targeted development.

How to perform:

1. Adjust machine so knees align with pivot point
2. Ankle pad positioned just above feet
3. Extend legs fully, squeezing quads at top
4. Lower with control
5. Don’t let weight stack touch between reps

Key tips:

• Don’t use momentum
• Pause at full extension
• Great for pre-exhaust or burnout

Sets/Reps: 3 sets × 12-15 reps

12. Leg Curl (Lying or Seated)

Isolates the hamstrings.

How to perform:

1. Position ankle pad just above heels
2. Curl heels toward glutes
3. Squeeze hamstrings at peak contraction
4. Lower with control

Key tips:

• Don’t lift hips off pad (lying version)
• Full range of motion
• Control the eccentric phase

Sets/Reps: 3-4 sets × 10-12 reps

13. Calf Raises

Essential for complete leg development.

Standing Calf Raise:

• Position shoulders under pads
• Balls of feet on platform edge
• Rise up on toes as high as possible
• Lower heels below platform level
• 4 sets × 12-15 reps

Seated Calf Raise:

• Targets the soleus
• Knee pad positioned above knees
• Same movement pattern
• 3 sets × 15-20 reps

Sample Leg Day Workouts

Workout A: Quad-Focused

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Barbell Back Squat	4	6-8	3 min
Leg Press	4	10-12	2 min
Walking Lunges	3	10/leg	90 sec
Leg Extension	3	12-15	60 sec
Standing Calf Raise	4	12-15	60 sec

Workout B: Hamstring/Glute-Focused

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Romanian Deadlift	4	8-10	2 min
Hip Thrust	4	10-12	90 sec
Bulgarian Split Squat	3	8/leg	90 sec
Lying Leg Curl	4	10-12	60 sec
Seated Calf Raise	3	15-20	60 sec

Complete Leg Day (Balanced)

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Barbell Back Squat	4	6-8	3 min
Romanian Deadlift	3	8-10	2 min
Leg Press	3	10-12	2 min
Hip Thrust	3	10-12	90 sec
Walking Lunges	2	10/leg	90 sec
Leg Curl	3	10-12	60 sec
Calf Raises	4	12-15	60 sec

Beginner Leg Day

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Goblet Squat	3	10-12	90 sec
Leg Press	3	12-15	90 sec
Romanian Deadlift (light)	3	10-12	90 sec
Walking Lunges (BW)	2	8/leg	60 sec
Leg Curl	2	12-15	60 sec
Calf Raises	3	15	60 sec

Leg Training Tips for Maximum Results

1. Prioritize Compound Movements

Start your workout with squats or deadlifts when you’re freshest. These exercises require the most energy and deliver the biggest results.

2. Don’t Skip Hamstrings

Quadriceps often overpower hamstrings, creating imbalances. Dedicate equal attention to both for balanced development and injury prevention.

3. Full Range of Motion

Partial squats build partial legs. Go deep on squats and lunges for complete muscle development.

4. Progressive Overload

Track your lifts and aim to increase weight or reps over time. Leg muscles respond well to progressive challenge.

5. Don’t Neglect Calves

Small calves are usually undertrained calves. Hit them hard and frequently with full range of motion.

6. Train Legs 2x Per Week

Split your leg training across two sessions for better recovery and more training frequency.

7. Embrace the Discomfort

Leg training is hard. High-rep squats and walking lunges are supposed to be uncomfortable. Embrace it.

Recovery for Leg Day

Leg training is demanding and requires proper recovery:

• Sleep: 7-9 hours minimum
• Protein: 1.6-2.2g per kg bodyweight
• Hydration: Extra water on leg day
• Active recovery: Light walking the day after
• Rest: 48-72 hours before training legs again

Track Your Leg Progress with SuperBody

Building impressive legs requires consistent training and progressive overload. The SuperBody app helps you track every squat, deadlift, and lunge, ensuring you’re always progressing toward stronger, more developed legs. With comprehensive exercise demonstrations and customizable workout tracking, SuperBody is your perfect leg day companion. Download it from the App Store to build the legs you’ve always wanted.

Conclusion

Leg day is non-negotiable for anyone serious about fitness. By incorporating a balanced mix of compound and isolation exercises targeting quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, you’ll build strong, powerful legs that enhance both your physique and performance. Remember: consistency beats intensity. Show up, put in the work, and your legs will grow. Don’t skip leg day.