Best 10 Leg Workouts for Men to Build Strength – When it comes to building bigger, stronger legs, the key is variety. You need compound lifts to pack on muscle and strength, machine-based moves for targeted growth, and isolation work to ensure no muscle group gets left behind. Training your entire lower body—quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves—not only builds a balanced physique but also boosts athleticism, improves posture, and enhances overall functional strength.
Ready to take your lower-body game to the next level? Below, we break down the 10 best exercises for building bigger, stronger legs, complete with step-by-step instructions, recommended reps, and performance cues. Let’s get to work.
Table of Contents
1. Barbell Back Squat
The barbell back squat is the ultimate compound lift for building bigger, stronger legs. It targets your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and even your core, making it a full-body powerhouse. To perform it, stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out, and place a barbell across your upper back, gripping it slightly wider than shoulder-width.
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Hinge at your hips and bend your knees to lower into a squat, keeping your chest up and weight in your heels. Go as low as you can while maintaining good form (ideally thighs parallel to the floor), then drive through your heels to return to standing. Perform 4 sets of 6–8 reps, focusing on keeping your core tight and avoiding letting your knees cave inward.
2. Deadlift
The deadlift is a game-changer for building strong hamstrings, glutes, and a rock-solid posterior chain. Stand with feet hip-width apart, a barbell in front of you. Hinge at your hips and bend your knees to grip the bar with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Keep your back flat, chest up, and core tight as you lift the bar by driving through your heels and extending your hips. Lower the bar back down with control, sliding it along your legs. Perform 4 sets of 5–6 reps, pretending you’re pushing the floor away and avoiding rounding your back.
3. Leg Press
The leg press machine allows you to isolate and overload your quads and glutes without worrying about balance. Sit in the machine with your back flat against the pad and feet shoulder-width apart on the platform. Unrack the weight and slowly lower the platform by bending your knees until they’re at a 90-degree angle. Press the platform back up by driving through your heels. Perform 3 sets of 8–12 reps, ensuring your knees track over your toes and avoiding locking out completely at the top to maintain tension.
4. Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is a hamstring-focused variation that also strengthens your glutes and lower back. Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell or dumbbells in front of your thighs, palms facing your body. Hinge at your hips to lower the weights toward the ground, keeping your back flat and knees slightly bent. Slide the weights along your legs, then squeeze your glutes to return to standing. Perform 3 sets of 8–10 reps, focusing on feeling the stretch in your hamstrings and keeping the movement slow and controlled.
5. Walking Lunges
Walking lunges are a dynamic exercise that builds strength, stability, and muscle symmetry in your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at your sides (optional). Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at approximately 90 degrees. Your front knee should stay aligned with your ankle, and your back knee should hover just above the ground. Push through your front heel to step forward with the opposite leg and repeat. Perform 3 sets of 10–12 reps per leg, keeping your chest up, shoulders back, and core engaged.
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6. Leg Extensions
Leg extensions are an isolation exercise designed to specifically target your quads. Sit in a leg extension machine with your back against the pad and shins under the roller pads. Extend your legs to lift the weight, squeezing your quads at the top, then lower the weight back down with control. Perform 3 sets of 12–15 reps, moving slowly and avoiding jerking the weight.
7. Calf Raises
Calf raises are simple yet effective for building stronger, more defined calves. Stand on a raised platform or flat ground, holding dumbbells at your sides (optional). Raise your heels off the ground by contracting your calves, then lower them back down with control. For added intensity, pause at the top for 2 seconds. Perform 4 sets of 15–20 reps, keeping your core tight and avoiding bouncing.
8. Bulgarian Split Squat
The Bulgarian split squat is a challenging unilateral exercise that targets your quads, glutes, and hamstrings while improving balance and stability. Stand a few feet in front of a bench, holding dumbbells at your sides (optional). Place one foot behind you on the bench, laces down. Lower your hips until your front thigh is parallel to the ground, keeping your chest up and core engaged. Push through your front heel to return to standing. Perform 3 sets of 8–10 reps per leg, ensuring your front knee tracks over your toes and avoiding leaning too far forward.
9. Hip Thrust
The hip thrust is a glute-focused exercise that also engages your hamstrings and lower back. Sit on the ground with your upper back against a bench and a barbell across your hips (pad the bar for comfort). Drive through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees, squeezing your glutes at the top. Lower your hips back down with control. Perform 3 sets of 10–12 reps, focusing on squeezing your glutes at the top and avoiding over-arching your lower back.
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10. Seated Leg Curl
The seated leg curl is an isolation exercise that directly targets your hamstrings. Sit in a seated leg curl machine with your back against the pad and ankles behind the roller pads. Curl your legs to bring your heels toward your glutes, squeezing your hamstrings at the end of the movement. Extend your legs back to the starting position with control. Perform 3 sets of 12–15 reps, moving slowly and avoiding using momentum.
