Strengthen your legs today with this list of workouts. Click here to discover multiple new exercises to make your legs fit and healthy.

1. Best workouts to
strengthen your
legs

2. How to build & strengthen your legs
Keeping your legs toned has big benefits
because leg exercises work for your largest
muscle group. Leg strength improves
balance and coordination, protects your
joints from injury, and boosts your
metabolism. As you age, leg exercises can
become even more important for keeping
your ankles, knees, and hips in good
shape. Though walking is a great exercise
to get your heart rate up, it doesn’t build as
much muscle tone as focused leg exercises.
Try adding leg exercises to your strength
training routine twice a week. Your goal
should be 10 to 15 repetitions per set and
two to three sets per workout. Because leg
muscles are large, you should notice
improved muscle tone quickly. If you have
any joint problems, talk to your doctor

3. before you add a leg workout to your
fitness routine.
Alternating Knee Lifts
It’s a good idea to start each strength-
training session with aerobic and muscle-
building activities. Alternating knee lifts
work your hamstrings, quads, and glutes
while also raising your heart rate and
improving your balance. Another
advantage is that they are straightforward
to implement. Standing with your feet hip-
width apart is a good idea. Raise your right
knee to the level of your hips. Lower your
right knee and repeat the motion with your
left. For one to three minutes, repeat the
sequence. You may get a similar result by
performing step-ups on your stairwell.

4. Walking Lunges
Rest your hands on your hips, then take one
large step forward with your right leg,
keeping your torso upright. Bend the knees
and lower your body into the lunge
position, stopping when your legs are
forming 90-degree angles. Press through
the right foot and step forward again so
that you land in the same position with your
left side, as if you are “walking.” (Pro tip:
Amp up the effort by adding dumbbells into
the mix.)
Donkey Kicks
On your mat, support yourself on your
arms and legs. Keeping your right knee
bent at a 90 degree angle, lift your right left
into the air until your leg forms a straight

5. line with your shoulders and back, your
right toe pointing upward. Reverse the
movement to return to start, and switch legs
after completing one set on your right side.
Squats
Squats are a classic leg strengthener that
targets hips, thighs, and glutes. Beginners
may want to start with chair squats and
graduate into standing squats. For chair
squats, stand in front of a sturdy chair as
you’re about to sit in it. Place feet slightly
wider than shoulder-width apart. Focus your
weight in your heels and bend your knees
to slowly lower your buttocks towards the
chair. When you get close to the chair,
quickly press back up to standing. Standing
squats use exactly the same movement,

6. without the chair. Aim for 10 to 15 squats
per set.
Calf Raises
Your calves may not be as big as your other
leg muscles, but they still need toning, so
they can support your ankles and help you
balance. Calf raises are simple but
effective. Stand with your feet shoulder-
width apart. It’s easiest if you stand near a
chair, counter, railing, or wall for support.
Push up onto the balls of your feet, like
you’re standing tippy-toe, and hold for
three seconds. Then slowly lower your heels
back down to the floor. Do two or three sets
of 15 raises.
Side Lying Plank

7. Lie on one side with your legs stacked on
top of one another. Place your forearm on
the floor with your elbow below your
shoulder and forearm parallel to your mat.
Pushing off your elbow, engage your core,
glutes, and legs to lift your body weight off
the mat.
Broad Jump
With your knees hip-length apart, bend at
the glutes and hips, then launch your body
forward in a controlled jump movement.
Land on your feet as far as you
(comfortably) can from your initial starting
point. “Maintain a soft bend through your
knees to land like you’re a ninja trying to
not make a noise,” Earnest adds. “This will

8. help keep your knees safe and your jump
fluid.”
Side Hip Raises
For this exercise, you can use the same
chair you’ve been using for squats and calf
raises. The side hip raise strengthens your
hips, thighs, and glutes. The movement
also helps keep your hip joints flexible.
Stand behind a sturdy chair with feet
planted and toes facing forward. Keep your
legs straight, but don’t lock your knees.
Slowly lift your right leg to the side. Then
return to the starting position. The slower
you do this movement, the better.
Knee Extensions

9. Knee extensions target the quadriceps and
strengthen the knees. You can do this with
or without ankle weights. If you don’t have
ankle weights, try draping a bag of rice
over your foot. Sit all the way back in a
chair with your feet almost touching the
ground. Lift your feet with a rolled towel if
you need to. Flex your right foot and slowly
lift your toes up towards the sky until your
leg is completely extended. Then slowly
bend your leg to lower it. Remember to
keep your foot flexed and move slowly.
Knee Curls
This exercise works the hamstrings in the
back of the upper leg and makes walking
and climbing easier. You can do this with or
without ankle weights. Stand behind a
sturdy chair for support and place feet

10. almost shoulder-width apart. Flex your foot
and slowly bend your right leg, so your heel
moves toward your buttock. Then slowly,
lower your leg back to starting position.
Repeat with your left leg. Do this 10 to 20
times for each leg.
Goblet Squat
Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a
weight in front of your chest, elbows
pointing toward the floor. Push hips back
and bend knees to lower into a squat. Push
yourself back to start. That’s one rep.
Leg Balance
This final exercise tones your legs, but is
also an opportunity to rest and recover.

11. Stand with your knees slightly bent. Keep
your chest up and back straight with hands
on the hips. Slowly lift your knee up, as you
did with knee raises, but hold it there for 15
to 60 seconds. You should feel your
opposite leg working to keep your balance.
Single-Leg Deadlift
Holding a weight in either hand, stand on
left leg with palms facing toward thighs.
Keep the left leg slightly bent while hinging
forward at the hips, extending the right leg
straight behind you, until torso is parallel to
the floor. Weights should be lowered
straight down as you move until they’re
almost touching the floor. Drive into left
heel to return to standing.
Stability Ball Bridge

12. Start lying on your back with arms by sides,
legs bent at 90 degrees (shins parallel to
the mat), and feet on a stability ball. Push
down into soles, upper back, and arms to
lift hips off ground a few inches. Return to
start. That’s one rep.
Squat with Heel Raise
Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands at
sides. Take a big step to the right, then push
your hips back, bending the right knee and
lowering until the right knee is bent to 90
degrees. Push back to an upright position,
lifting your knee and pulling it into the chest
with your arms.
Leg Press

13. Adjust the seat of the machine so that you
can sit comfortably with your hips beneath
your knees and your knees in line with your
feet. Remove the safeties and lower your
knees toward your chest until they’re bent
90 degrees and then press back up.
Be careful not to go too low or you risk your
lower back coming off the seat (which can
cause injury).
Some important things to know are:
Pause and hold
When you do leg exercises, pause and
contract your muscles. This contraction
further engages the muscles, which helps
maintain strength. You can do this with
many types of moves, including squats and
bridges.

14. Rest your legs
Don’t overwork your legs. This can slow
down recovery and weaken muscles.
Instead, let your legs rest. This will allow
time for your muscles to repair and get
stronger.
Use your non-dominant leg
Occasionally, lead with your non-dominant
side. This is good to do when you walk or
climb stairs. Otherwise, if you always lead
with your dominant leg, you might develop
muscular imbalances.
Use a foam roller
For optimal recovery, do foam roller
exercises for the legs. It can loosen tight
muscles and realign tissue. Using a foam
roller also improves overall exercise
performance.

15. Stay hydrated
The body stores carbohydrates as glycogen.
During exercise, it uses glycogen as energy.
Poor hydration also speeds up glycogen
use. Low glycogen can lead to muscle
fatigue and impaired performance trusted
Source.
To get the most out of your leg workout,
stay hydrated. This is especially important
on hot days.
Eat enough calories
Eating enough calories is key for building
muscle. It provides energy and maintains
strength in your legs and body. Your caloric
intake depends on your activity level and
specific needs. You can talk to a dietitian or
nutritionist to determine your recommended
intake.

16. Eat a well-rounded diet
For maximum leg and body strength, eat a
well-rounded diet. This includes adequate
hydration and macronutrient intake. After
exercise, focus on carbohydrates and
protein. Carbohydrates replenish muscle
glycogen, while protein supports muscle
repair.
Avoid added sugars
Foods with added sugar provide low-quality
calories. This may contribute to unwanted
weight gain in the legs. Limit or avoid foods
with added sugar. This includes sugar-
sweetened drinks, breakfast cereals, and
packaged snacks. Eat more unprocessed,
whole foods instead.
Wear compression leggings

17. In between workouts, wear compression
leggings. Doing so can improve circulation
for some people by applying pressure on
their legs. This promotes blood flow and
supports muscle repair after doing exercises
that tone the legs.
Stand up often
Sitting all day can contribute to muscle loss
and weakness in the legs.
To keep your legs strong, stand up every 20
to 40 minutes. You can also stretch or do
exercises every 60 to 90 minutes.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is a major part of muscle recovery.
During deep sleep, the body releases
hormones that repair cells and tissue.
Getting enough rest also supports optimal
performance during leg workouts.

18. Home workouts vs. gym workouts
Some of the recommended exercises
suggest using dumbbells or other gym
equipment. If you’re working out at home
and don’t have any dumbbells, there are
plenty of alternatives to try. You can fill a
milk jug with water or sand or use some
soup cans or water bottles to use as
weights. You can also use resistance bands
or a bucket filled with sand.
Before you start, warm-up!
When working out with weights, you should
always warm-up before your workout and
cool down after. This can help to avoid
injuries. Warm-ups can include things like
jogging, stretching, and body-weight
exercises. Cooldowns should include plenty
of stretching.

19. Wear shoes with a good grip to keep you in
position during your exercises. Make sure to
keep your back straight during exercises,
especially ones where you are bending over
like the deadlift.
If you feel pain during your workout, stop
doing that exercise. If your pain doesn’t go
away after a few days, contact your doctor.
Wrapping up the discussion on
strengthening your legs
If you’re new to working out, start slow. Use
lighter weights and do fewer reps. Easing
into your workouts helps you avoid injuries.
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