Ultimate Leg Day Workout: Achieve Explosive Muscle Growth Today! (2024)

The 5 step approach to an effective leg day routine

Step 1: Carry out a proper warm-up

This step is pretty straightforward; however, far too many gym-goers fail to warm up correctly, if at all! Failure to do so will lead to an increased chance of injury and the ability to lift less during your workout that follows. A proper warm-up should effectively target your core, glutes and hip flexors. Leaving you flexible and pumped for the session ahead.

As a minimum, we recommend 10 to 15 minutes of light cardio. You could use the treadmill or exercise bike work well for this. Followed by another 10 minutes of slight to moderate stretching. It also helps to stretch your upper body as well, as exercises like squats engage muscles all across your body.

Step 2: Pre-exhaust your quads

Ok, now it’s time to move on to the heavy lifting! And here, we believe in starting the punishment right away. That’s why we recommend starting your session by pre-exhausting your quads. Leg extensions tend to work best here. It’s up to you how many sets you do/need; however, 5 is usually a good amount.

Start the first set off lightly, maybe 60% of your working weight for 10-12 reps. Increase this to 70% for the second set, 80% for the third, 90% for the fourth and 100% for the 5th. Leg extensions are great as they isolate the quads and force you to contract the muscles thoroughly. You’re now ready to move on to step 3 …

Step 3: Destroy your quads!

There are 2 main exercises here that I’m sure you’re familiar with. That’s right, squats and leg press. These 2 exercises are the staple of any good leg day, and we highly recommend starting with squats. This is because they engage so many other muscles and really force you to engage your core. 5 sets of 10 to 12 reps is a good amount.

Afterwards, your 5 sets of leg press are the best way to push your quads to the max and get everything out of them that you can. Again 5 sets is a good amount. For both squats and leg press, we recommend increasing your weight as you progress through the sets. If this means dropping the rep count as you go, that’s fine. Just focus on adding more and more plates and feeling your legs start to shake more and more after each set.

Ultimate Leg Day Workout: Achieve Explosive Muscle Growth Today! (2024)

FAQs

What is the most effective leg day workout? ›

The 10 Best Leg Exercises
  1. Squats. Squats strengthen the quads, hamstrings, glutes and lower back, improve overall leg and core strength, and help with balance and stability. ...
  2. Lunges. ...
  3. Deadlifts. ...
  4. Step-Ups. ...
  5. 5. Box Jumps. ...
  6. Bulgarian Split Squats. ...
  7. Calf Raises. ...
  8. Glute Bridges.
Sep 20, 2023

Does leg day increase muscle growth? ›

Squats, lunges and deadlifts will help develop your hamstrings, build muscle around weak joints and help promote stability and mobility. If you are serious about building muscle, developing functional strength and reducing the risk of injury, then you need to work on your legs.

Is 20 minutes enough for leg day? ›

Generally, it's recommended to train your legs three times a week, with each workout lasting 15 to 20 minutes and targeting different parts of the legs in each routine. For instance, a good plan would be to work on calves one day, thighs the next and then hips during the final session.

Are 3 exercises enough for legs? ›

As a beginner looking to increase general fitness — and following the theme of keeping things simple — choose 3–5 exercises per leg workout. Then complete 3 sets of 8–12 reps of each exercise, ensuring that you're working your muscles to fatigue but not failure (1).

How long should leg day be? ›

So you need to cover enough different exercises to stimulate the muscles. But that doesn't mean your leg workouts should be 2 hours long! A decent leg workout for beginners can be achieved in 45-60 minutes, including warm up and cool down.

Do legs release testosterone? ›

Stimulates hormones

Working your legs helps to produce hormones such as cortisol, testosterone, and human growth hormone (HGH). Cortisol helps your body to respond to stress and increase fat metabolism. Testosterone helps your body to repair damaged muscle proteins and build skeletal muscle.

Does leg workout reduce belly fat? ›

Working out the legs contributes to overall calorie expenditure, but spot reduction is challenging. A full-body workout, including cardio and strength training, is more effective for belly fat reduction. Consult with a fitness professional for a personalized plan.

Which exercise is best for testosterone? ›

To get more testosterone, focus on weight and resistance training. Cardio is still important for weight management and heart health, but exercises like bench presses, deadlifts and squats will have a bigger impact on your testosterone levels.

What exercises make your legs stronger? ›

Some good leg strengthening exercises include:
  1. Squats — Squatting is one of the best resistance workouts you can do. ...
  2. Lunges — Lunges are a great way to enhance strength and stability in your legs since you are forced to balance all of your body weight on one leg for a short period of time.

How many exercises should I do on leg day? ›

To avoid overtraining, we recommend not doing any more than five leg exercises per workout. However, this rule may be broken if you are doing lots of specific isolatory work.

Can I train legs every day? ›

Aim to perform your leg workouts two to three times per week, and always make sure to warm up and cool down properly.

Why is it so hard to get bigger legs? ›

Legs are your biggest muscle group so it's not surprising they're the toughest part to gain size. Partly, it can come down to genetics, some people are naturally gifted with tree trunks, others find it extremely easy to add size to their legs regardless of training or any of the below points in this article.

What foods strengthen legs? ›

Some of the best foods for bulking up :
  • meats like sirloin steak, pork tenderloin, chicken breast, and tilapia.
  • dairy like cheese, yogurt, and low fat milk.
  • grains like oatmeal, quinoa, and whole-grain breads.
  • fruits like bananas, grapes, watermelon, and berries.
  • starchy vegetables like potatoes, lima beans, and cassava.
Aug 27, 2020

Is 7 exercises enough for leg day? ›

Sets And Reps Necessary for A Leg Workout:

3-to 5 exercises per leg workout are enough. After selecting workouts, complete 3 sets of 8-12 reps of each exercise. It ensures that you are working your muscles for fatigue, not failure.

What is the best order to train legs? ›

How To Build a Beginner Leg Workout Routine
  1. A 10-minute warm-up on the treadmill or elliptical.
  2. Bodyweight squats – Three sets of 10 reps.
  3. Lunges– Three sets of 10 reps.
  4. Leg press – Three sets of 10 reps.
  5. Leg curls – Three sets of 10 reps.
  6. A five to 10-minute cool-down doing stretches or an ab workout.
May 11, 2023

Which leg exercises build the most muscle? ›

The 20 Best Leg Exercises For Muscle And Strength
  • Front Squats. ...
  • Sumo Deadlifts. ...
  • Plyometric Box Jumps. ...
  • Zercher Squats. Equipment Needed: Barbell. ...
  • Good Mornings. Equipment Needed: Barbell. ...
  • Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts. Equipment Needed: Dumbbell or Kettlebell. ...
  • Pistol Squats. Equipment Needed: None. ...
  • Sled Push. Equipment Needed: Sled.

Which day is best for leg day? ›

The best day for a leg workout depends on personal preference and individual schedules. Many people prefer scheduling leg workouts earlier in the week when energy levels tend to be higher. Monday or Tuesday is common as it allows for ample recovery time before the weekend. However, the key is consistency.

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