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Leg Day is the only day that most people skip! Why is that? Well, it is pretty hard to get all your leg exercises done and can result in a "waddle" for the following few days. But here is one thing: your legs are one of the most essential parts of any of your simplest movements, which makes it necessary to work those legs. While solid legs do look great, they are also an integral part of your health. But you might wonder where you need to start your workout. Whether you are looking for some exercises to hit at home or some leg workouts at the gym, here is a list of leg definition workouts that will help strengthen and define your legs.
One of the critical parts of working out your lower leg muscles is that you need to focus on all the muscle groups if you want to get that dream physique. Here are some ways with which you can start your ultimate lower body workout for big legs.
Warming up:
It would be best if you never hit those workouts without a proper warm-up and warm-up set, especially when it comes to a leg day.
List of leg workouts at the gym to get big legs:
Barbell Squats
Do at least four sets of this exercise with about 6 to 10 reps each.
Hip thrust
Do at least four sets of this exercise with 8 to 12 reps each.
Weighted walking lunge
Do at least three sets of this exercise with 10 to 14 reps each.
Lying leg curl
Do at least three sets of this exercise with 8 to 12 reps each.
Calf raise
Do at least four sets of this exercise with 15 to 20 reps each.
To build big legs, it will also be essential to follow the 4-point rule, where initially you start with the most strenuous exercises and some hefty weights. Next, you will hit the thighs from various angles. The third and fourth points will have you needing to keep every routine's volume at a high level and train the muscles to at least muscle failure.
The mass building typically comes along with a set of rules. This means that you start your leg workout for mass with the most challenging workouts and then gradually increase the weight used. The workout tends to follow a reverse-pyramid protocol, which helps you to follow more total sets to muscle failure. As the rep target tends to increase, you need to lighten the weight accordingly. The workout will hit mainly four target muscles: quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.
Leg Press:
The leg press is one of the machine leg workouts at the gym that mainly targets the quads and is one of the favorite exercises among lifters.
How to perform:
Leg Extension:
The leg extension is a great isolation exercise for the quads. This leg workout for mass also tends to increase the overall quad's muscle mass.
How to perform:
Romanian Deadlift:
Romanian Deadlift is a great leg workout for the mass increase and helps in working your calves, hamstrings, and glutes while also increasing mobility in your hips.
How to perform:
Adding more reps with light weights may not provide the best leg definition you are looking for. To keep your metabolism high, it is essential you get the stimulus for both building and maintaining your muscle size. That is why it is necessary to follow some of the specific exercises to keep your workout in progress.
Smith machine back squat:
Smith machine back squat is a great leg definition workout to target your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. It also works the core and upper back to maintain the correct posture.
How to perform:
Goblet squat:
The goblet squat, which is a leg definition workout, is relatively more straightforward to perform as it lifts off the weight from your back as compared to a back squat while also working out your glutes and quads.
How to perform:
Weighted donkey calf raise:
The weighted donkey calf raise is a great muscle-building exercise and a significant leg definition workout, which primarily focuses on the lower leg.
How to perform:
As your leg movement involves multiple joints, it is hard to isolate one area over another; however, you can emphasize one area particularly. In this case, you can increase your motion by focusing on the quads. The front squat is such an exercise that emphasizes the quads.
Hack Squat:
Hack squat is a machine-based exercise that focuses on the muscles of the leg, especially the quads workout. It is often used as an accessory for squats; however, the lower body movement with this accessory can provide overall leg strength. Both the size and strength of quads tend to increase.
How to perform:
Banded Spanish Squats:
Banded Spanish squats are great for your quads workout during leg day. One benefit of doing this exercise is that you do not need much equipment and, hence, it is straightforward to perform. For better results, you can also increase the weight of the kettlebell.
How to perform:
Pistol squats:
Pistol squats are great leg workouts at the gym that enable the activation of quads while also giving strength to the entire legs. These quad workouts ensure that your muscle is activated and strengthened correctly.
How to perform:
While you try to minimize the hip extension when working out your quads, you will, however, want to maximize the extension when you are working out your glutes. This can be done by choosing exercises that allow the glutes to be trained to a full range of motions.
Single-leg cable hip extensions:
The single-leg cable hip extension is an isolation exercise that mainly targets the glutes workout. It is an everyday burnout movement that is primarily focused on the lower body.
How to perform:
Kettlebell swing:
Kettlebell swings are full-body movement swings that engage both your leg muscles along the glutes workout. It helps in developing power and, hence, creating core stability.
How to perform:
Lateral lunge:
The lateral lunge involves a step being taken out and to the side instead of going forward or back. Because of this movement, the groin muscles tend to become more active and emphasize quads and glutes. In such a way, this helps the glutes work out, making them stronger.
How to perform:
Hamstrings should not be an afterthought as they are not just there for aesthetic reasons but are an integral part of the knee joint support. Most bodybuilders are familiar with leg curl movements, which can be done quickly to work out the hams. When you perform squats, your hams are also worked on.
Glute ham raise:
The glute ham raise tends to target both the glutes and hams at the same time. It helps in building up the size and strength of the hamstrings and glutes. It also works the core and the lower back.
How to perform:
Swiss ball hamstring curl:
Swiss ball hamstring curl is a fitness ball-based exercise that targets the hamstrings and some parts of the glutes. The only equipment needed is a Swiss ball, and it is, hence, relatively easy to perform.
How to perform:
Cable or band pull-through:
The cable pull-through exercise is a great exercise that strengthens and tones the hamstrings and glute muscles. It also supports the back muscles.
How to perform:
You do not want to challenge your legs to work out without having a proper warm-up session, as it can lead to multiple injuries. Warming up can not only increase the blood flow to your leg muscles but also loosen up the joints. It also helps you perform better and prevent any acute injuries such as sprains.
Here are four warm-up exercises you can perform:
As for some cool-down exercises, you can follow the few workouts below:
Following these cool-down exercises can help prevent any possible injuries while also increasing the flexibility of your muscles for the next workout.
As a beginner, it is easier to keep the initial count of 3 to 5 exercises per leg workout. Once you are familiar with the process, you can gradually increase the number of exercises and sets you perform.
Yes, it is recommended to work your legs at least three times a week to get the best results, and the workout should last for about 15 to 20 minutes.
You can lose leg fat in multiple ways, such as follows:
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