Leg Workout: Complete Leg Day Guide for the Gym
This leg day workout trains quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves with one main squat, one hinge, a single-leg movement and targeted isolation work. Expect about 60–70 minutes.
Legs respond well to hard work but take longer to recover, so good rest times and sensible weekly volume matter.
Who this workout is for
- Beginners learning the squat and hinge patterns
- Lifters who want stronger, more muscular legs and glutes
- Runners and sports players who want sturdier knees and hips
The example workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back squat | 3–4 | 5–8 | 2–3 min |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 | 8–10 | 2 min |
| Walking lunge or Bulgarian split squat | 3 | 8–12 each leg | 90 sec |
| Leg extension | 2–3 | 12–15 | 60–90 sec |
| Seated or lying leg curl | 3 | 10–15 | 60–90 sec |
| Standing calf raise | 3 | 10–15 | 60 sec |
Warm up with 5 minutes of light cardio and 2–3 lighter sets of the first exercise.
How to do each exercise
01Back squat
Place the bar on your upper back, brace your core and sit down between your heels with knees tracking over your toes. Go as deep as you can while keeping your back neutral, then drive up through your whole foot.
Beginner alternative: Goblet squat or leg press while you build confidence.
02Romanian deadlift
Push your hips back with soft knees and a flat back, lower until you feel your hamstrings stretch, then squeeze your glutes to stand.
Beginner alternative: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift.
03Walking lunge or Bulgarian split squat
Take a long enough step that your front heel stays down. Lower your back knee towards the floor, keep your torso tall and push through the front foot.
Beginner alternative: Reverse lunge holding a support, or step-ups onto a low box.
04Leg extension
Line your knee up with the machine's pivot, extend fully, pause briefly and lower under control.
05Seated or lying leg curl
Curl the pad towards you without lifting your hips, then control the return until your legs are nearly straight.
06Standing calf raise
Lower your heels into a deep stretch, pause, then rise as high as you can onto the balls of your feet.
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How to progress over time
- Add 2.5–5kg to squats and Romanian deadlifts when you hit the top of the rep range on every set.
- For lunges and isolation work, add reps first, then weight.
- Leave 1–3 reps in reserve on heavy squats — technique breaks down fast near failure.
- Expect soreness to fade after the first few weeks as your legs adapt.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Cutting squat depth as the weight goes up.
- Letting your knees cave inward on squats and lunges.
- Rounding your lower back on hinges.
- Skipping hamstrings and calves because squats "do everything".
- Resting 45 seconds between heavy squat sets and losing performance.
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
How often should I do leg day?
Once or twice a week. Twice a week with a slightly smaller session each time is often easier to recover from than one very long leg day.
Do I have to squat to build legs?
No. Leg presses, hack squats and split squats are all effective. Squats are valuable, but no single exercise is mandatory.
How deep should I squat?
As deep as you can while keeping your back neutral and heels down. For most people that is at or just below parallel. Deeper squats tend to train the glutes and quads through a longer range.
Is it normal to be very sore after leg day?
It is common early on or after a new exercise. Soreness is not a sign of a better workout, and it usually reduces as you train consistently.
Want a workout built around you?
KINETIC creates workouts based on your goals, experience level and training schedule — exercises, sets, reps and effort targets laid out for every session.
Create My WorkoutFree 60-second assessment · First month FREE, then £7.99/month. Cancel anytime.
More workout guides
Back workout
Pulldowns, rows and a hinge for a wider, thicker back.
Chest workout
Five presses and flyes with sets, reps, rest and form cues.
Shoulder workout
Presses and raises for front, side and rear delts.