10 Best Leg Exercises For Beginners

Legs are one of the most stubborn body parts for men to see a radical change in. If you're just starting out on a muscle-building regimen—hoping to grow chicken legs, wear cropped running shorts, and achieve muscle definition like Cristiano Ronaldo—building your leg muscles starts with the basics.

“In any beginner program, less is more,” says Liz Lowe, CSCS, lead program designer at Scorch Fitness, a high-intensity interval training gym in Sarasota, Florida.

We asked Lowe to round up the 10 most effective leg exercises for beginners. These will work your legs from all sides, so stick to no more than five moves when putting together your own leg day workout. Lowe recommends that specific leg day workouts be done no more than twice a week for recovery purposes.

These beginner leg exercises will help you improve your balance, strength, power and muscle mass.

Related: Olympic Weightlifter Shares The Two Lifts Every Man Needs To Prepare His Body For The Future

An Overview of the Best Leg Exercises for Beginners

• Swiss Ball Wall Squat
• Split Squat
• Step by step
• Bulgarian Split Squat
• Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl
• Dumbbell Deadlift
• Banded Lateral Walk
• Calf Raise
• Walking Lunge
• Hip Bridge

10 Best Leg Exercises For Beginners

1. Swiss Ball Wall Squat

How To

1. To start, place a physiotherapy/Swiss ball between your lower back and the wall.
2. Lean back so that you press your weight into the ball.
3. “Transfer your weight to your heels (you should be able to wiggle your toes) and squat down until your legs are parallel to the floor,” says Lowe.
4. “Keep your shoulders back and chest up as you do this.” Push through your heels to stand up the same way you came down, he adds.
5. This is 1 rep.
6. Do 3 sets of 15 reps, resting 45 to 60 seconds between sets.

Why It Works

“This exercise teaches proper squat form without the risk of injury [from squatting heavy]Make sure to keep your weight in your heels, Lowe explains. This will protect your knees as you squat and ensure the correct muscles are engaged.

2. Split Squat (Lunch)

How To

1. To start, place one foot about three feet in front of the other with your toes pointing in the same direction.
2. “Keeping your shoulders pulled back and your chest up, lift your back knee a few inches off the floor,” Lowe says.
3. Straighten your back leg, driving through your front heel, and return to the starting position.
4. Repeat all reps on one leg, then the other.
5. Be careful not to lean too far forward; keep your “proud chest” up as you stand up.
6. Complete 2 sets (8 reps per leg) with 60 seconds of rest between sets.

Why It Works

“This exercise gets your legs used to working independently without completely challenging your balance since both feet are on the ground,” Lowe explains. If that's too easy, hold dumbbells or a kettlebell.

3. Step by step

How To

1. To start, find a box, ledge or step that is about 15 to 30 cm high.
2. “Put one foot on the step and push up, keeping your shoulders back and chest up,” says Lowe.
3. Take a step down and repeat with the other leg.
4. Perform 2 sets of 6 reps on each leg, resting 60 seconds between sets.

Why It Works

“This exercise strengthens all the muscles in your legs and challenges your balance, too,” says Lowe. “An added bonus: You're indirectly working your core by keeping your torso upright as you go up.” For a greater challenge, hold dumbbells or make the move explosive by lifting your back leg up while pumping your arms (imagine running or pulling your knees up).

4. Bulgarian Split Squat

How To

1. To start, stand in front of a flat bench with your back to it.
2. Place the top of one foot on the bench, then transfer all your weight to the other leg. This is your “working leg.”
3. Slowly lower yourself until the thigh of your working leg is parallel to the floor.
4. Put all your weight on your heels and stand up.
5. This is 1 rep.
6. Repeat all reps on one side, then repeat on the other side.
7. Complete 2 sets (10 reps per leg) with 30 seconds of rest between sets.

Why It Works

The deceptively difficult Bulgarian split squat is used a lot in physical therapy as a way to strengthen the medial quad and the muscles around the knee, Lowe says. Unilateral leg work ensures that your muscle growth and strength are balanced between both legs. If it's too easy, grab dumbbells to increase your load.

5. Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl

How To

1. To start, place your feet on a Swiss ball and extend your legs straight.
2. “Dig your heels into the ball and bend your knees to lift your hips, pulling the ball toward your hips,” says Lowe.
3. “Slowly push the ball back with your heels and lower your hips about two-thirds of the way down.”
4. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps with 45 seconds of rest between sets.

Why It Works

This is one of the best exercises for targeting your hamstrings. You’ll feel an almost immediate burn. “The hamstrings are often neglected in workouts, but they’re one of the most important muscles to target to prevent injury,” says Lowe. Plus, by targeting your hamstrings, you’ll quickly add size to your legs.

Related: The Best Squat Exercises to Build Muscular Legs

6. Dumbbell Deadlift

How To

1. To start, hold two dumbbells and position your hands with your palms facing your body (aka “face down grip”).
2. Bend from your hips and bend your knees slightly as you lower the weights just in front of your legs.
3. Shift your weight into your heels, keep your shoulders back, and lift your chest slightly.
4. Pause briefly at the bottom, then use your hamstrings and glutes to lift your body back up to standing.
5. Push your hips forward and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
6. Repeat for 2 sets of 6 repetitions, keeping your back straight and resting for 60 seconds between sets.

Why It Works

“The deadlift is one of the best lower-body strengtheners, but using dumbbells increases your risk of injury when you’re first learning,” says Lowe. Dumbbells allow you to perfect your form while working your glutes and hamstrings (aka your “posterior chain”). Increase the weight as you get stronger, then move on to dumbbells.

7. Banded Lateral Walk

How To

1. To start, get a light or medium resistance band.
2. Step onto the band and place it in the middle of your shin.
3. Squat down and take a wide step forward to create resistance in the band.
4. Step your other foot 10-15 cm inward so there is tension on the band.
5. Repeat this lateral shuffle in one direction for all reps, then stop and complete in the other direction.
6. Complete 2 sets of 12 reps on each leg, resting 45 seconds between sets.

Why It Works

“Most people forget to engage your lateral stabilizers, which are critical for getting stronger on your other lifts and preventing injury,” Lowe says.

8. Calf Raise

How To

1. To start, use a machine, step up on a step, or simply stand on the floor.
2. Stand with your feet slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart, rise up on your toes, and then slowly lower back down, Lowe says.
3. Perform 3 sets of 20 reps with 30 seconds of rest between sets.

Why It Works

“This foundational exercise strengthens the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles that make up your calf and puts positive stress on your Achilles tendon,” Lowe explains. Working your Achilles tendon is crucial because it’s crucial to long-term success in any exercise program and is the most susceptible to injury when starting a new program, he adds.

9. Walking Lunge

How To

1. To start, place one foot about three feet in front of the other with your toes pointing in the same direction.
2. Lower your back knee to a few inches off the floor, not letting it touch the floor, then push through your front heel to bring your feet together.
3. Step out with your other leg, lowering your back knee, then come back up and step together again.
4. Continue alternating until you've completed 2 sets of 6 reps (each leg) with 60 seconds of rest between sets.

Why It Works

“This is one of the most common leg exercises because it strengthens each leg individually, challenges your balance, and works all the muscles in your lower body,” Lowe says.

10. Glute Bridge

How To

1. To start, lie flat on the floor with your knees bent and feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Push your heels into the floor as you lift your hips off the floor.
3. Squeeze your glutes at the top and keep your abs tight to prevent your lower back from rounding.
4. Lower your hips back down. To keep the stretch going, keep your hips just above the floor rather than resting.
5. This is 1 rep.
6. Perform 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.

Why It Works

Glute bridges have many of the same benefits as squats without putting pressure on your lower back. Not only do they help you build muscle and strength in your hips, but they can also improve your core stability.

Should Beginners Train Their Leg Muscles?

The leg muscles are the largest muscle group in your body. Without strong legs, we can’t walk properly, our posture suffers, and we’re more prone to injury as we age. Plus, no one who’s just starting out in the gym wants to look like a T-Rex (there’s a reason they say “don’t skip leg day”). So before you start working on your upper body each week, make sure you’re adding beginner-friendly leg exercises to your workout regimen.

Leg workouts for beginners should focus on a few basics. You’ll want exercises that work each leg separately (i.e. “unilaterally”), which ensures equal muscle development. (Any imbalances can reduce the quality of your bigger, more complex lifts.)

You'll also want to do side-to-side (aka “lateral”) training, which helps build the smaller stabilizer leg muscles that are important for injury prevention. Most importantly, you'll want resistance-training moves that work the major muscles in your posterior chain, like your glutes and hamstrings, which produce the most force in your body.

How Long Does It Take To Start Building Leg Muscles?

From your genetics to the time you work out to the muscle group you’re trying to grow, building muscle takes time. While the timeline for gaining strength and muscle varies, most studies agree that individuals (especially beginners) can see growth in as little as three to seven weeks when they participate in regular resistance training. Since your legs are the largest muscle group in your body, you may not see gains as quickly as you’d like, but with hard work and consistent training, you’ll have massive legs in no time.

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