Strength Training: Don’t Skip Leg Day

A lot of people dread leg day. Sometimes it’s easy to forget the importance of working out our legs because we tend to take them for granted. Leg day is hard, and arguably requires more strain and power than any other muscle group. Because of this, there is a running joke about leg day in the lifting community, “Real lifters skip leg day.” It is a joke, and there are countless memes about it, but actually skipping it is no joking matter.

If you’re an athlete, your legs are the source of much of your power. Football, soccer, track and field, even pickleball, all require leg strength to be as optimal as possible. And if you don’t play a sport but lift for personal health or to look better, leg day is just as important for you. Today, we’ll run through some exercises you can do to get the most out of your legs.

There are multiple muscles in your legs. The primary muscles we’ll be focusing on are your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and glutes. It’s important to target each muscle at least once during your workout. Separating your exercises around different muscles will result in maximum efficiency, allowing you to get the most done without the risk of overworking yourself.

Quads

First let's talk about your quadriceps, or “quads.” These muscles are located on the front of your thighs, and contain more mass than any other muscle group in your body. Your quads give you the ability to extend your knee outwards, allow you to run, jump, and kick. There are plenty of great exercises that work your quads, especially compound lifts. An exercise that targets only your quads, however, is the quadriceps extension. IF you are on a machine, simply sit down, pull on the side handles to glue yourself to the seat, and extend your legs outwards. Repeat this motion for reps. This can also be done with free weights on a bench equipped with a leg bar. Doing quad extensions in a drop set is a great way to produce a rewarding burn. After a good warm up, start at a higher weight and work your way down. Doing this is a sure-fire way to get those quads burning.

Hamstrings

Hamstrings are in the back of your thighs. The hamstrings also help you extend your leg outward, but play a large role in providing your power. Hamstring curls will strengthen this muscle group exponentially. The leg curl machine is commonplace in many gyms, but you can, again, get by with a bench and free weights. There are two variations, sitting or lying leg curls. Either will do the trick. Position yourself accordingly and curl your legs by squeezing your glutes. Work for reps until failure, and slowly increase your weight as you go.

Glutes

Glutes are arguably the most important muscles in your legs. The glutes are responsible for the basic every-day movement of our bodies. Sitting, standing, walking, you name it. Our glutes give us the power to move our body forward and keep our bodies upright. Given their importance in terms of daily mobility, strong glutes can also reduce back and knee pain.

Weighted hip thrusts are a great way to strengthen your glutes. There are machines for this, but they’re not as common as quad extension or hamstring curl machines. If you do not have access to one, the exercise can be accomplished just as easily with a barbell. Position yourself on the floor, resting your back against an elevated surface, like a bench. Allow the barbell to lie over your waist and push it off the floor by driving your heels into the ground. A barbell pad may make this exercise more comfortable. If you don’t have one, a folded towel can do the trick. Be sure to push your chest outward and arch your back to reduce the risk of injury and put all the pressure in your glutes. Repeat for reps until failure.

Calves

Lastly, we have calves. Calves are one of the most neglected muscle groups, athletically and aesthetically. They don’t serve a similar physiological purpose like the rest of the muscles we’ve discussed, but the calves act as a supportive backbone-type muscle for our legs. Strengthening your calves will take much of the stress off your bigger muscle groups, especially in an athletic environment. Explosive calf raises are a sure way to get this done.

Stand flat-footed with dumbbells in each hand and rise to your toes as fast as you can. Slowly lower your heels back down to the ground, and repeat. Repeat for reps, but be sure to stretch. Calves can tighten up easily, so it’s important to stretch in between sets.

Don’t Skip Leg Day

Leg day is just as important, if not more so, than any other day in the gym. Your legs are responsible for every move you can make in your life, from strength, to balance, to mobility. If you’re an athlete, your legs are your most important power bank. Neglecting leg exercises will only hinder your ability, whether you’re running on the turf or walking down the street. Every workout is important, whether you are training for agility, speed, strength, or conditioning. Strong legs will go a long way toward achieving your fitness goals.