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Your legs are the foundation to your body so it’s important to incorporate exercises working this major muscle group into your workout routine. If you’re looking to strengthen and build your leg muscles, here’s a workout you can give a go the next time your train legs. Watch the video below to see the full workout, packed with plenty of great pointers from PureGym insider @peterpuregym and @pipfitt.
Before you get straight into the workout, don’t forget to warm up so your body is prepped and primed to smash the workout!
Front Squat – 5×5 reps
The front squat is a great compound exercise to strengthen your lower body.
When performing this movement, try to keep your heels pressed down, knees out, elbows high. Keep the core tight and squat down going as low as you can. Explode on the way back up. We want to go for 5 reps and 5 sets for this exercise before moving on.
Romanian deadlift – 3×8 reps
Commonly also known as RDLs, this is another great move to work your legs, focusing more on your glutes and hamstrings.
Set up a barbell with appropriate weights for your ability. Stand feet shoulder width apart. Lower your hips to reach the bar. You can either hold the bar with an overhand or have one overhand and one underhand grip, whichever you prefer. Grab the bar, push you hips back tot he point where you feel tension in your hamstring. Brace your abs, retract your shoulder and keep a nice straight back and drive the hips up, keeping the bar close to your body throughout the whole movement.When you come into standing position, squeeze your glutes. Then, keeping the bar close to your body return back to starting position. Do 3 sets with 8 reps.
Calf raise – 3×15 reps
An important exercise not to forget to give your lower leg definition and keep your appearance balanced. By building stronger calves you will have better stability and overall leg power for your other lifts.
Standing on a box with your toes on the edge, lower your feet as far as you can. Then push up and squeeze at the top of the movement. As you use your calves in your everyday life you want to go for a high rep range. Perform 3 round of 15 reps.
Weighted Wall sit – 3×1 min
A good variant to build isometric strength and endurance in the legs. This exercise is great for strengthening the thighs, hips and lower abs.
With your back against the wall bend your knees until at a right angle with your feet about shoulder width apart. Hold this position for 1 minute and repeat 3 times. The more weight plates you rest on your quads, the harder it will be.
Make sure to keep your back straight with this move.
Weighted hamstring curl – 3×10-12 reps
This exercise will enable you to really focus on your working your hamstrings.
Lay face down on the bench with the lower half of your leg over the end. Place a dumbbell between your feet and squeeze them together to secure it in place. Use your hamstrings to bring the weight up and slowly lower the weight back to starting positon. Repeat this 3 times through with 10-12 reps and we’re onto the last exercise!
Split squat – 3×10 reps each leg
Split squats allow you to focus on one leg at a time so it can help to iron out any imbalances you might have, whilst building overall leg strength.
Leave a good amount of space between yourself and the bench to allow for a full range of motion. With the trailing leg up on the bench squat down to just before the knee touches the ground. Explode back up, engaging the core for stability. This is the last exercise for give it your best. Do 3 sets of 10 reps and we are done.
Hope you enjoy this workout – give it a go on your next leg day and let us know how you get on!
If you’re new to the gym and looking for more workouts, check out our gym machine workout for beginners, lower body and legs HIIT workout, and dumbbell workouts for beginners blog for more exercise ideas. You may also want to consider working with a Personal Trainer who can create a well-rounded fitness programme and help with form tips.