Best Leg Workouts at the Gym: Most Results in the Least Time

Leg workouts at the gym improve your metabolism, balance, coordination, and agility. Your legs assist you in moving forward anytime you engage in sporting activities and support the things you enjoy doing the most.

Your leg day exercises should therefore emphasize strengthening the lower body. Your ability to burn calories increases with the amount of muscle and definition you have, which can aid in total weight loss.

We'll walk you through our list of the best leg workouts at the gym that you absolutely must practice.

Must Try Leg Workouts at the Gym

You must incorporate the right exercises at the right intensity into your leg workout routine in order to target all the different muscle groups in the legs. When in doubt about which exercises to include in your leg day, refer to these leg workouts at the gym:

1) Leg press

One of the most powerful leg workouts at the gym for developing the legs of a tree trunk is the leg press. It doesn't require a lot of coordination and is quite simple to perform.

Leg workouts at the gym help in developing strong quads and hamstrings. (Image via Pexels/ Shotpot)

The leg press is regarded as the best workout for legs and glutes. It is a complex exercise that works all the muscles in your legs.

Here’s how to do a leg press:

Your feet should be on the footplate of the leg press machine as you sit in it. Maintain your feet about hip-width apart.
When your knees are approximately 90 degrees bent, unlock the safety lever and let the weight come closer to you.
Exhale as you press the weight away until your legs are fully straightened with your back firmly placed against the seat.
Repeat by slowly lowering the weight back to the starting position.

2) Bulgarian split squat

The Bulgarian split squat is one of the best workout routines for legs. Squats help in strengthening your quadriceps as well as your calf muscles.

Here’s how to perform the Bulgarian split squat:

In front of a bench, take a lunging stance.
Your left foot's top should be on the bench behind you as you hold a dumbbell in each hand.
Your front thigh should be parallel to the floor as you lower your body until your back knee almost touches it.
Repeat 10-15 times.

3) Leg extension

The leg extension is one of the most fantastic leg workouts at the gym that you need to consider if you want to give your legs a solid workout. This exercise focuses solely on the quadriceps.

Best leg workouts at the gym are the ones that target major leg muscles. (Image via Unsplash/ Victor Freitas)

Leg extensions can also lessen the risk of accidents by strengthening the muscles and connective tissue surrounding the knee.

Here’s how to perform a leg extension:

Sit down, tuck your shins under the pad, and adjust the seat.
By changing the seat, you should get your knees to face the machine's axis.
Flex your quadriceps while extending your legs.
Returning to the starting posture, carefully lower your legs.
Continue until you've done the necessary number of repetitions.

4) Barbell side lunge

Lateral lunges are one of the most excellent leg workouts at the gym. These are advantageous for the sidestepping maneuvers needed in American football, rugby, basketball, and skiing because they put stress on your hip adductors and abductors.

Here’s how to perform a barbell side lunge:

Holding a barbell on your back, stand with your legs just beneath your hips.
While maintaining your left leg straight, step your right leg out to the side and stoop down.
Repeat on the opposite side, driving yourself back up to the starting position.

5) Barbell hip thruster

The best workout for legs and glutes is hip thrusters. You will mostly be concentrating on your quads and glutes, but you can adjust your foot posture to be higher and farther apart to engage your hamstrings as well.

Best leg workouts include compound exercises that focus on different muscles at a time. (Image via Pexels/ Cottonbro Studio)

Here’s how to perform the hip thruster:

Parallel to a bench, position a weighted barbell.
Your back should be against the bench as you sit on the ground, and the barbell should settle in the crease of your hips after being rolled over them.
Lift your hips off the floor while keeping your upper back in contact with the bench.
Tighten your glutes and plant your feet firmly to start the upward movement.
To attain full hip extension, keep tightening your glutes as you raise your hips toward the ceiling.
At the top, pause for two to three seconds.
Hinge from your hips to get back to the starting posture before initiating the downward motion.

Takeaway

The major objective of leg workouts at the gym should be to train your lower body muscles evenly. This drastically reduces your risk of injury while also giving your lower body a more attractive and proportionate appearance.