Bodybuilding leg workouts are essential for developing strong legs and a balanced physique. A solid Bodybuilding leg workout promotes hypertrophy and overall body strength.
Tracking your progress with a tracker helps maintain consistency in your workout routine. While pain and sweat are part of the process, the results are worth it, resulting in a well developed physique.
Bodybuilding leg workouts are specialized exercise routines focused on strengthening and developing leg muscles, including quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes, through squats, leg presses, and leg curls.
For any serious bodybuilder, diverse Bodybuilding leg workouts are necessary to achieve their fitness goals. Consistent training and the right mindset can turn these workouts into the foundation of a powerful and symmetrical body.
With dedication, bodybuilders can achieve impressive results through effective Bodybuilding leg workouts.
The Bodybuilding Leg Workout
Ten leg exercises total 15 sets for your hamstrings and 10 sets for your quadriceps. According to current studies, that number of weekly sets may maximize muscle growth, which means you can use this leg exercise as part of your preferred bodybuilding split.
If your exercise split calls for two leg days, you could do the bodybuilder leg workout twice a week, but one session is plenty of training volume for significant increases. This is what the leg workout for bodybuilding looks like:
- Lying Leg Curl: 4 sets of 8 reps
- Squat: 5 sets of 6 12 reps
- Leg Press: 4 sets of 10 reps
- Bulgarian Split Squat: 3 sets of 10 reps
- Leg Extension: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Seated Leg Curl: 3 sets of 8 reps
- Romanian Deadlift: 3 sets of 12 reps
List of Bodybuilding Leg Workouts
· Squat
Squats are a staple in bodybuilding programs due to their impact on the body. The barbell squat is one of the best leg exercises for muscle hypertrophy and tension. Incorporating squats with different rep ranges (e.g., six to twelve reps) and sets helps target the quads and other muscles.
Ensuring proper foot placement and range of motion during the exercise can prevent injuries and improve performance. Using safety bars and weights in a squat rack allows lifters to push to muscle failure and achieve muscle growth safely.
How to Squat with Proper Form?
- Place the bar on your upper back, inhale, and brace your core slightly before unracking the bar.
- Take two steps back and adjust your foot position.
- Squat as deep as possible while maintaining good technique
- Stop and reverse the movement with control, extending your hips and legs.
- Exhale on the way up or exchange air at the top position.
- Inhale and repeat for reps.
· Leg Curl
Leg curls are a favorite exercise for many bodybuilders due to their benefits for hamstring development. Bodybuilders often include leg curl exercises at the beginning of their leg workouts to warm up the muscle group and enhance blood flow.
Performing leg curls with proper form ensures the contraction and stretch of the hamstrings, promoting muscle growth. Variants like the lying leg curl and seated leg curl target the hamstrings from different angles, making them a versatile choice.
Typically, bodybuilders perform four sets of eight reps, ensuring muscle growth and hamstring work are achieved by the end of the workout.
How to Do Lying Leg Curls?
- Adjust the machine so your knees align with the machine’s joint.
- Lift the weight by bending your knees as far as possible.
- Slowly lower the weight back down.
· Bulgarian Split Squats
Bulgarian Split Squats are a powerful leg exercise for bodybuilders focusing on muscle growth and coordination. This exercise emphasizes the quads and glutes, helping to address muscle imbalances.
Typically, three sets of ten reps per leg are performed to ensure thorough muscle fiber activation. The split squat variation enhances the range of motion and engages body muscles that support balance and stability.
Incorporating Bulgarian Split Squats into a bodybuilding leg workout is a great way to develop strength and muscle growth in the legs.
How to Do Bulgarian Split Squats?
- Stand about one long step in front of a knee height bench with your back to it.
- Place one foot on the bench behind you.
- Inhale, look forward, and squat down with control until your back knee is above the floor.
- Reverse the movement, extending your front leg while exhaling.
- Repeat for repetitions, taking a breath at the top.
· Leg Press
The leg press is a crucial part of a bodybuilding leg workout for bodybuilders aiming for muscle mass. Performing four sets of ten reps on the leg press machine targets the quads, gluteus maximus, and other leg muscles.
Proper form and range of motion are essential to avoid injury and maximize muscle building purposes. The leg press is a safe way to handle heavy loads, reducing the risk compared to compound lifts like squats. To achieve optimal results, bodybuilders should ensure adequate rest intervals between sets.
How to Leg Press
- Adjust the machine so you only need to extend your legs slightly to release the weights. If needed, set the safety pins to catch the weight.
- Place your feet shoulder width apart on the sled.
- Inhale and lower the weight towards you by bending your legs.
- Lower the weight as deep as possible without rounding your back, and keep your glutes on the seat.
- Press the weight back up as you exhale.
· Leg Extension
Your quads are probably burning by now, but we’re almost done. It’s time for the finisher: leg extensions. This exercise creates a massive pump in your leg muscles and perfectly complements squats. Here’s why: Your quadriceps consists of four muscles:
- Vastus lateralis
- Vastus medialis
- Rectus femoris
- Vastus intermedius
Squats and their variations effectively target the first three muscles but don’t do much for the rectus femoris. Adding leg extensions helps ensure optimal quad development.
You’ll do three sets of 12 reps of leg extensions. Rest for up to two minutes between sets. Lower the weight slowly and contract your quads at the top to keep muscle tension throughout the movement.
How to Do Leg Extensions?
- Make sure the knees on the machine line up with the joint.
- Controlfully extend your knees till they are fully straight.
- Lower the weight back down gradually.
· Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is a staple in any bodybuilding leg workout, particularly for hamstring development. This exercise targets the posterior chain muscles, including the glutes and hamstrings.
Typically performed in three sets of twelve reps, the Romanian deadlift ensures a good stretch at the bottom of the movement, enhancing flexibility and strength.
By focusing on hip extension and keeping the knees slightly bent, the exercise minimizes stress on the knee joint and maximizes the engagement of the hamstrings. Including the Romanian deadlift in your leg day workout is a great way to build hamstring strength and improve overall muscle stability.
How to Do Romanian Deadlifts
- Start by lifting a barbell off the floor or unracking it from a barbell rack.
- Inhale, brace your core and lean forward by hinging at your hips. Keep your knees slightly bent.
- Lean forward as far as possible without rounding your back. Touching the barbell to the floor is optional.
- Reverse the movement and return to the starting position, exhaling up.
- Repeat the breathing exercise for several reps.
· Legs Curls
Leg curls are essential to any quad workout, providing excellent benefits for the hamstrings. At the beginning of the workout, leg curls help warm up the muscles and prepare them for more intense exercises. Performing leg curls properly ensures that the motion effectively targets the hamstrings.
Typically, bodybuilders do three sets of eight reps, maintaining a full range of motion. Including leg curls in a bodybuilding leg workout enhances hamstring strength and stability. This exercise is crucial for anyone looking to focus on their hamstrings during their workout.
How to Do Seated Leg Curls?
- Adjust the machine so your knees align with the machine’s joint.
- Push the weight down by bending your knees as far as possible.
- Slowly let the weight return to the starting position.
Calves
Regarding bodybuilding leg workouts, calves often don’t get the attention they deserve. Many bodybuilders focus on their calf workout to ensure their legs are proportionate and strong.
The idea behind targeting calves is to avoid the common phenomenon where people have well developed upper legs but underdeveloped calves.
This imbalance can waste the energy and effort put into the overall workout. By incorporating specific calf exercises, bodybuilders can maximize their energy use and prevent losing steam during training sessions.
Properly training the calves ensures that no part of the legs is left behind in the bodybuilding leg workout routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Squats Per Day?
If you are new to squats, start with 2 3 sets of 10–15 reps. you can increase the number of sets and repetitions as you get stronger. If you are intermediate, you should perform more squats with greater weight to develop larger muscles. Go for 4 6 sets of 6–12 repetitions.
What Are The Key Exercises In A Bodybuilding Leg Workout?
Key exercises include squats, leg presses, curls, and calf raises. These exercises target various leg muscles for balanced development. Incorporating these into your routine helps build strength and size.
How Often Should I Do Leg Workouts For Muscle Growth?
For optimal muscle growth, aim to perform leg workouts 1 2 times per week. This frequency allows for adequate recovery and muscle repair. Ensure consistency for best results.
Can I Combine Leg Workouts With Other Muscle Groups?
Yes, you can combine leg workouts with upper body exercises. Just ensure that your leg workouts remain intense and focused. This combination can help maximize overall muscle development.