Leg day is the day most people "accidentally" skip. Then at 60 they wonder why the stairs feel like a mountain. Don't be that person.
This page has the leg exercises I think are worth your time in a gym, split into the big lifts, the single-leg work and the machines. A good leg day has one of each, plus calves if you have the energy.
Before you load a barbell: learn the movement with a light weight or a dumbbell first. Ego is the fastest way to a sore back. Use the safety pins in the rack. Always.
The big lifts
Barbell back squat Intermediate
Bar on your upper back, not your neck. Big breath in, brace your belly like someone is about to punch it, then sit down between your hips. Knees go where your toes point. Drive up through the whole foot.
Reps: 5–10. Depth: as deep as you can while your lower back stays neutral.
Squat form check: knees Watch this
This video puts a wrong knee position next to the right one, so you can see the difference. The rule: your knees should track in the same direction as your toes the whole way down and up. If they cave inwards, especially on the way up, the weight is too heavy or your glutes are too weak. Lower the weight and push the knees out.
Goblet squat Beginner
Hold one dumbbell vertically against your chest and squat. The weight in front keeps you upright, so this is the best way to learn the squat before you go to the barbell. Plenty of people never need to go further.
Reps: 8–15.
Romanian deadlift Intermediate
Soft knees, push your hips back, let the bar slide down your thighs until you feel a strong stretch in the back of your legs. Back flat the whole time. Stand up by pushing the hips forward. This is the hamstring builder.
Reps: 8–12. It is not a squat. The knees barely bend.
Deadlift Intermediate
Bar over the middle of your foot, grip just outside the knees, chest up, back flat. Push the floor away and stand up tall. Lower it under control. Picking things up off the floor is the most "real life" exercise there is.
Reps: 3–8. Stop the set the moment your back starts to round.
Barbell hip thrust Intermediate
Upper back on a bench, bar across the hips (use a pad), feet flat. Drive the hips up until the torso is flat, squeeze, lower. The strongest glute exercise in the gym.
Reps: 8–12.
Single-leg work
Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat Hard
Back foot on a bench, dumbbell in hand, and something solid to hold on to for balance. Drop straight down. Holding on means you can go heavier and focus on the leg instead of wobbling.
Reps: 6–10 per leg.
Dumbbell walking lunge Intermediate
Long steps, back knee almost to the floor, front foot flat. Push off the front leg into the next step. Slow and controlled, not a race to the other end of the gym.
Reps: 8–12 steps per leg.
Dumbbell step-up Intermediate
Box at knee height or a bit lower. Whole foot on the box, push yourself up with that leg only. The bottom foot is just along for the ride.
Reps: 8–12 per leg.
Machines worth using
Machines are not "cheating". They let you train a muscle hard without balance or technique being the limit. Use them after the big lifts.
Leg press Beginner
Feet in the middle of the platform, lower until your knees are around 90 degrees or a bit deeper, without your lower back peeling off the seat. Don't lock your knees hard at the top.
Reps: 10–15.
Hack squat machine Intermediate
Back flat against the pad, go deep, drive up. Great for the front of the thighs when you want to push hard without worrying about balance.
Reps: 8–12.
Leg extension Beginner
Knee lined up with the machine's pivot. Straighten the legs, squeeze the front of the thigh for a second, lower slowly. Light-to-moderate weight, high control.
Reps: 12–15.
Lying leg curl Beginner
Hips pressed into the pad, curl your heels towards your backside, lower slowly. If your hips lift off the pad, it is too heavy.
Reps: 10–15.
Standing calf raise Beginner
Up on your toes as high as you can, pause, then all the way down. Full range, slow. Your calves push you forward with every step, and you will want them when you are 80 and still jogging.
Reps: 12–20.
A simple leg day to start with
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Goblet squat or back squat | 3–4 | 6–12 |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 | 8–12 |
| Bulgarian split squat or walking lunge | 3 | 8–10 per leg |
| Leg curl | 2–3 | 10–15 |
| Standing calf raise | 3 | 12–20 |
Rest 2–3 minutes after the big lifts, 60–90 seconds after the rest. Add a little weight or a rep every week. Once a week is the minimum for legs; twice is better.