Best Leg Exercises

Leg Press

How-To: Sit squarely in the leg press machine and place your feet shoulder-width apart on the sled. Keeping your chest up and lower back pressed into the pad, carefully unlatch the sled from the safeties. Bend your knees to lower the platform, stopping before your glutes lift off the pad. From there, powerfully extend your knees to press the weight up (but don’t lock them out at the top.

Walking Lunges

How-To: Holding dumbbells in each hand, step forward with one foot. Bend both knees to lower your torso toward the floor, making sure your front knee doesn’t pass your toes at the bottommost position. Stop just short of your rear knee touching the floor, then drive through the heel of your front foot while bringing your rear leg forward until you return to a standing position. Then step with the opposite leg into a lunge, repeating the pattern. Continue alternating down the floor.

 Hack Squat

How-To: Step inside a hack squat machine, placing your shoulders and back against the pads. Set your feet at mid-platform just inside shoulder width, keeping your feet flat throughout the exercise. From here, powerfully press upward to the start position, keeping your knees bent slightly at the top to protect them from hyperextension.“The weight should be felt in your heels, not your toes.”

Front Squat

How-To:Set the pegs in a power rack just at or below mid-chest,at a level between your hips Keep your chest up, lower back and abs tight, and eyes forward as you step back into a shoulder-width stance. Bend your knees and hips as if sitting in a chair until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, then reverse direction by driving through your heels and pressing your hips forward to return to standing.

 Barbell Squat

How-To:Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and hold a bar across your upper back. Your knees should be slightly bent and your toes turned out slightly. Keeping your head in a neutral position, abs tight and torso upright, bend at the knees and hips to slowly lower your body as if you were going to sit in a chair.

Leg Extensions  

Step-by-Step Instructions

Set up the leg extension machine so the pad is at the top of your lower legs at the ankles. Your knees are at 90 degrees. Select a weight that will give you a moderate load for 10 repetitions. 

****    Place your hands on the hand bars.

***Lift the weight while exhaling until your legs are almost straight. Do not lock your knees. Keep your back against the backrest and do not arch your back.

****Exhale and lower the weight back to starting position.

***Do three sets of eight to 12 repetitions

Leg Curls

Step-by-Step Instructions

Before you begin, you'll want to become familiar with the machine leg curls are performed on.

1. Start by lying flat on your stomach.
2. Adjust the roller pad so that it rests comfortably a few inches under your calves, just above the heels.
3. Stretch your legs out fully. On an inhale, lightly grasp the support handles on each side of the machine.
4. Lift your feet smoothly as you exhale, keeping your hips firmly on the bench.
5. Hold this position for a beat, allowing yourself to make sure you are focused as you prepare to lower your legs.
6. Repeat for 8 to 12 reps.