20 Must-Do Exercises to Blow Up Your Legs

POWERED BY:

Looking for moves to add to your dreaded leg day repertoire? Here’s what we have in store for you: 

• 20 exercises to try next leg day

• 10 squat variations to add some flair to your leg workouts

• The best lower-body workouts for hypertrophy

TRAINING 

A Necessary Evil

Whether you love it or loathe it, leg day is essential to a well-rounded fitness routine. Strong legs contribute to overall muscle mass, enhance athletic performance, and improve other weightlifting exercises. Our experts have curated a list of the 20 most effective lower body exercises to make leg training more enjoyable and effective.

Spearheading the listicle is the king of all exercises: the squat. Other well-known movements, such as the leg press and Romanian deadlift, also appear. However, be sure to explore the complete list to discover additional exercises you may not be familiar with. Each entry includes detailed information about the necessary equipment, targeted muscles, and the recommended sets and rep ranges tailored for optimal results. 

We also provide clear instructions on performing each exercise and modifications for beginners or advanced athletes navigating their love-hate relationship with leg day. 

A MESSAGE FROM LUMEN

Understand Your Metabolism

If you’ve been dieting, lifting weights, and doing cardio without seeing the results you want, you might be missing out on one key piece of the puzzle: your metabolism. And with Lumen, you can get a better understanding of your metabolism right at your fingertips. 

Lumen is the world's first portable device that measures your metabolism with a single breath by tracking your CO₂ concentration. With the help of Lumen, you receive:

• Guidance on whether you are burning fat or carbs as fuel so you can choose your pre-workout meal accordingly

• Pointers on how to improve your nutrition, workouts, sleep, and stress management

• A personalized nutrition plan for the entire day based on your measurements so you know whether your body needs a low-carb or low-fat day.

• Complete macro breakdown that leads to improved metabolic flexibility, which is your body's efficiency in shifting between using fats and carbs

The result of all this data? More sustainable muscle growth and fat loss tailored to your individual needs and goals.

If you want to unlock the potential of your metabolism and start crushing your fitness goals, read more about Lumen here. Right now, Ripped Report readers will get an exclusive 15% discount on their purchase.

TRAINING TIPS 

10 Squat Switcheroos

You now have 20 exercises to experiment with the next time you muster up the courage to hit the gym for lower-body training. However, no matter how many exercises you include in your leg day routine, the squat remains the premier move for building those tree trunks. That’s why we’ve compiled 10 unique squat variations for you to incorporate into your life.

These variations offer slight adjustments to the classic back and front squats and are guaranteed to enhance strength and build muscle mass. In addition to exploring innovative squat techniques, such as the Kang squat, Spanish squat, and reverse band eccentric squat, you’ll refresh your understanding of the basic anatomy of the legs and learn how to implement an effective warm-up to prevent injuries, ensuring you perform at your best on leg day.

WORKOUT

Leg Gains 101

You have all the leg exercises and squat variations necessary to develop bigger, stronger legs. But, if your primary goal is to build real muscle, we also offer a comprehensive leg workout blueprint tailored around hypertrophy. This plan includes essential tips to maximize your leg training and promote new muscle growth without risking overtraining.

The article below features six exercises with sets and reps tailored to each movement. Additionally, we delve into crucial leg hypertrophy concepts, discussing the roles of mechanical tension, metabolic stress, and muscle damage. We also explore the science behind an optimal leg workout, emphasizing factors such as intensity and volume and common pitfalls to avoid, including having too many or too few compound movements.

THE DROP SET 

Biggest Legs in History

• Don’t have the equipment to do the leg workouts above? No fret! Here are 15 lower-body exercises you can do with just your body weight. 

• Since the rage has been all about leg day today, why not scour over the biggest legs in history? Here are 10 bodybuilders known to sport some of the most monstrous lower bodies ever. 

• The San Antonio Pro bodybuilding show went down this weekend and was one of the final Olympia-qualifying contests of the year. Check out the full results.