The best exercises for the perfect leg day

The best exercises for the perfect leg day. It’s not called “Never skip leg day” for nothing. Why you should never skip your leg training and how to best do it. 

Don’t think that leg days are just for ladies. Everyone should train their legs and buttocks at least once a week. No matter how strenuous it is. That’s the good thing about squats and the like: They make you stronger in life. And on leg days you can do 6 times more: Find out now how fit you really are

1. Leg training reduces body fat

One of the largest muscle groups is actually the gluteal muscles – plus the muscles in the legs. On average, these make up around 40% of the total body weight. This means that the muscles in the lower body are among the top calorie and body fat burners, which continue to do this job even when you are resting. To avoid any misunderstandings, it should be said at this point: leg exercises usually also require the gluteal muscles, and that’s a good thing! After all, we sit on our butts far too much and urgently need to pad up the weakened butt muscles. Not just for optical reasons, but also for healthy posture and to prevent back pain . You should also be aware that the back of the legs is often neglected, which leads to pumped-up, totally shortened thighs. So plan your leg day or leg training holistically.

Make sure you do balanced leg work, it’s worth it: A study published in the “Journal of Physiological Anthropology” shows that exercises such as squats and deadlifts really boost your metabolism – and even keep it at an extraordinarily high burning level for several hours. So don’t miss the opportunity to take a big step towards your ripped body by training your legs and buttocks.

2. Leg Day protects you from pain

Muscles are real team players. They work best when all muscles are equally strong and work together. This obviously doesn’t work if some parts are strengthened and others aren’t trained at all. This creates an imbalance of strength, or muscular imbalance . Men in particular who sit a lot and on top of that skip leg training in their training plan often suffer from ankle, knee, hip and/or back pain. For example, the anterior cruciate ligaments need strength from the back of the thighs to stabilise the knee. If this is missing, the tendons and ligaments have to take over the muscles’ tasks. You don’t notice it straight away. The body manages to bridge such weak points by adopting poor posture. But at some point the joint cartilage becomes tense, shortened or even worn out and you wish you’d just done the right leg exercises regularly. Don’t let it get that far! How to motivate yourself to exercise permanently

3. The leg workout improves your love life

Treat yourself to Leg Day and you’ll be ready for long-lasting (love) games. After all, leg training improves your performance in bed. The blood for the erectile tissue comes from the lower body. Any questions?

4. Leg Day gives you bigger biceps

You need good leg muscles to have a really big upper arm . Researchers at Lillehammer University in Norway found that the circumference of the biceps increases particularly when arm training follows a hard session for the legs and buttocks. After all, lower body exercises release a lot of growth hormones and testosterone . These in turn promote muscle growth in smaller muscle groups. Protein intake is also stimulated. So there is absolutely nothing wrong with an extra portion of protein in the form of a beef or tuna steak after training. The thought of it makes leg day a lot easier, right? This is what the ideal post-workout meal looks like.

5. Leg exercises let you lift more weight

OK, if you are still convinced that bench presses and shoulder presses are more important than leg extensions and one-legged squats, consider the following: Most of the power in upper body training comes from the core , but especially from the legs. Without a strong substructure, the stable base that makes heavy lifting and pressing possible in the first place is missing. In other words: You owe more performance to leg training! This is what you have to eat if you want to have a six-pack

6. Leg Day reduces your belly

It’s high time to speak frankly: If you don’t have the guts, you won’t get a six-pack . Weak gluteal muscles can cause the hips to tip forward. This in turn makes the stomach look bigger than it actually is. That’s why you can’t avoid leg day, whether you like it or not.

The 6 best exercises for the legs

The following six classics should not be missing from any leg workout. The exercises can be done in any (home) gym, target many muscles at the same time and help you progress quickly.

Hardly any exercise challenges the posterior muscle chain as much as squats.

1. Squats with barbell

Squats are and remain the leg classic because the exercise targets the hamstrings and leg extensors as well as the gluteus maximus – plus the back extensors, adductors and even the abdominal muscles as auxiliary muscles.

Here’s how to do it: Place a barbell on the upper part of your contracted shoulder blades. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees slightly. Make sure your back is straight and look straight ahead. Bend your knees slowly as if you were about to sit down. Do not push your knees past your toes. Tighten your stomach to avoid hunching your back. When your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor, slowly straighten up again – you don’t need to rush a squat – until your hips are completely extended. Important: Tighten your buttocks!

2. Deadlift

Deadlifts straighten the spine and are particularly suitable for men who sit a lot.

Deadlifts are a real feat of strength – not only for the back of the legs, the quadriceps and the buttocks, but also for the lower back: the ideal exercise for those who sit a lot.

Here’s how to do it: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, the barbell over your mid-feet. Turn your toes slightly outwards. Bend over with a straight back and grab the barbell with your arms shoulder-width apart. It is important that your shoulders are slightly in front of the bar. Lift the barbell slightly, straighten your hips and stretch your knees. At the same time, push your knees away from each other so that they touch your elbows. Stand up completely, bringing the barbell up close to your legs. Your head is an extension of your spine, your gaze is directed forward and downward. Now push your buttocks back, lean your upper body forward with a straight back and bring the barbell down close to your shins. Do not put the weight down and move on to the next repetition as quickly as possible. Tip: The strength in your forearms can become a limiting factor when doing deadlifts. A few lifting aids can help and enable you to lift more weight.

3. Lunges with the barbell

When doing lunges, the often criminally neglected gluteal muscles come into play again.

Lunges offer the benefit of properly triggering the gluteus maximus, quadriceps and hamstrings, as well as improving your balance and thus challenging the deep core muscles.

Here’s how to do it: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Place the barbell on the upper part of your contracted shoulder blades. Take a big step forward with your left foot. Lift your right heel off the floor, bend both knees slightly. Now bring your right knee to the floor, bending your left leg strongly. Make sure that your left knee does not extend beyond your toes. Put pressure on your front foot and stretch your legs. Place your left foot next to your right and repeat the exercise with your right foot in front.

4. Calf raises with dumbbells

Small movement, big benefit: calf raises

Big thighs look fragile over weak calves. Give yourself a boost by strengthening your calves. This one exercise is enough:

Here’s how to do it: Hold a weight in each hand, such as a dumbbell or kettlebell , and place the balls of your feet on a slight elevation (such as weight plates ) so that your heels just touch the floor. Lean forward slightly with your back straight and lower your heels as far as you can. The rest of your body position remains the same. Explosively stretch your calves and raise your heels as high as possible. Hold the highest position briefly and then slowly lower back to the starting position.

5. Good Mornings with Barbell

With this beautiful bowing exercise you strengthen the entire posterior muscle chain: a treat for your back and legs!

Here’s how to do it: Place the barbell on the upper part of your contracted shoulder blades. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your legs stretched out. With your back straight, bend forward until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Push your buttocks back and keep your back slightly arched the whole time. Your stomach is firm! Stand up straight again without changing the rest of your body position. Important: Your feet stay on the floor and your heels never lift off the ground.

6. Pistol Squats in the Sling Trainer

One-legged squats

The pistol squat basically trains your entire lower body. If you don’t hang too much on the sling rope , you’ll also need to use your balance and core muscles. This way, you can achieve an incredible amount with one exercise.

Here’s how to do it : stand with your feet hip-width apart. Grip the sling trainer so that both loops are in front of your chest. The forearms and loops form a straight line. Lift your right foot off the floor and lift your leg slightly forwards while keeping it straight. Now bend your left leg and lower your buttocks to knee height. Hold your right leg in the air parallel to the floor. Hold the position briefly, then put pressure on your left foot and straighten up again.

The 5 best leg exercises without equipment for at home

You don’t go to the gym? No problem: the classic exercises can be made more challenging without weights. By changing the speed, changing direction or applying one-sided strain.

1. One-legged squats against the wall

You can always do more, even without equipment. With the one-legged version of the squat, you can use a wall to help you and you’ll still be shaking a lot!

Here’s how to do it: Lean your back against a wall. Your feet are about half a meter in front of your body. Stretch your arms forward at shoulder height, palms facing downwards. Then lift your right foot off the floor and stretch your leg slightly forward. Bend your elbows and press your upper arms against the wall. Use your elbows to push your body away from the wall and bend your knee a little more. The right leg remains stretched forward. Stretch your arms forward again and repeat this process until your knee is bent at about a right angle. Switch legs in the next set.

2. Lunge-alternating jumps

Lunges are boring without a barbell? Not if you do them explosively! Pick up the pace and jump, provided you have healthy knee joints.

Here’s how to do it: Step forward with your left foot into a deep lunge. Bring your right arm forward at an angle and pull your left arm back. Build up body tension. Jump explosively with both legs and lift off the ground as quickly as possible. Switch arms and legs in the air so that you land with your right foot in front in a wide lunge. Your left arm is now in front. Bounce and hold briefly, then jump back straight away and continue alternating.

3. Lateral lunges

Hardly any other exercise offers so much variation: Lunges can not only be performed while jumping, but also in all directions. Start straight away with side lunges to get your inner thighs burning too.

How to do it: Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on your hips. Step into a lunge to the left side. Bend your left leg and stretch your right leg completely. The sole of your right foot should lift slightly off the ground. Switch sides in the next round. Then shift your weight to the right side and assume the same position on the other side.

4. Wide stance squats

The so-called sumo squat sends a completely different stimulus to your thighs. Try it and feel it for yourself!

How to do it: Stand upright and stretch your arms forward. Your feet are now twice as wide as shoulder width apart. Push your hips back and bend your knees. Keep your lower back straight and lower your body as far as you can.

5. One-legged heel raise

If your body weight is only on one calf, you don’t even need to think about dumbbells. Balance is also required here – perfect for the deep muscles in the torso.

Here’s how to do it: Stand upright and stretch your arms straight out in front of you, palms facing the floor. Place the instep of your left foot on your right lower leg and stand with the ball of your right foot on two weight plates, one on top of the other, if you have them. Raise your heel as high as possible. Hold briefly and then lower it back to the starting position. Switch legs in the next set.

Conclusion: Leg training is key – even for runners or footballers

Leg Day is just for women? Quite the opposite! By training your legs and buttocks, you can lift more weight during upper body training, lose fat faster and even improve your performance in bed. If that’s not reason enough?! With just a few exercises, whether with or without weights, you can prevent muscular imbalances and pain. So, off you go for Leg Day!