This leg workout targets quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves with six exercises, finished with an ab exercise. We’ll start with a general warm-up of 5-10 minutes of cardio on a treadmill or StairMaster, followed by 2 minutes of dynamic stretching.
The first exercise is a heavy squat set of 2-4 reps at 85-90% of your one-rep max. This isn’t a max-effort set (RPE 10), but it should be challenging (RPE 8-9) with only 1-2 reps left in the tank. This routine uses a minimalist approach to strength and optimizes for hypertrophy, so we’re only doing one heavy set per week for squats, bench press, and deadlifts.
If you prioritize muscle building over strength, can’t squat, or simply don’t want to, substitute hack squats or Bulgarian split squats. For hypertrophy, increase the rep range to 4-6. After the heavy set, perform two back-off sets of paused squats for 5 reps at 75% of your heavy set weight, pausing for 1-2 seconds in the hole. Hold your breath during the pause and explode upwards, keeping the bar path straight. Paused squats are effective for hypertrophy with less stress because they eliminate stored elastic energy in tendons, forcing muscles to work harder. They also reinforce proper depth and technique.
Next, perform three sets of 8-10 reps of barbell Romanian deadlifts (RDLs). Push your hips back, lower the weight to just below knee level or mid-shin, and then reverse the motion by lifting your chest and thrusting your hips forward. Keep the bar close to your body and maintain a vertical shin angle.
To target hamstrings during RDLs, keep the bar close to your legs and consider wearing a belt. For glute emphasis, squeeze your glutes throughout the lift. For hamstring emphasis, omit the top 10-25% of the lift and consider a pause at the bottom to enhance the stretch.
After RDLs, perform two sets of 10 reps per leg of dumbbell walking lunges, totaling 20 strides per set. Ensure consistent depth on every rep, even as fatigue sets in. Control the negative portion of the rep and avoid rushing. Use straps if grip strength is limiting your load.
Now move on to three sets of 10-12 reps of seated leg curls. Position your torso forward on the machine to feel a hamstring stretch. Experiment with toe position (in, out, straight) to target different hamstring areas. A 2021 study suggests seated leg curls promote more muscle growth than lying leg curls due to the increased hamstring stretch.
After leg curls, perform four sets of 10-12 reps of leg press toe presses. This calf exercise provides a break for your back and hips. Similar to leg curls, toe position influences calf development. A 2020 study indicated toes-out targets inner calves, toes-in targets outer calves, and straight ahead targets both evenly. Experiment with different toe positions throughout the four sets.
Finally, three sets of 10-12 reps of decline plate crunches complete the workout. Holding a plate to your chest, focus on squeezing your abs, allowing your lower back to round. Progressive overload with weight or reps is essential for ab development.
