Leg Exercises
Every leg exercise in the Alkemos library — back squats, front squats, deadlifts, lunges, leg presses, leg curls, calf raises, and glute bridges. Legs are the largest muscle group in the body and demand both compound and isolation work for complete development. This index organizes movements by equipment and primary muscle so you can plan a balanced leg day.
Training Guide
The legs hold more than half your muscle mass, which is why leg day feels systemic and why leg training drives results everywhere else. Four functions to train: knee extension (quads), hip extension (glutes and hamstrings), single-leg balance (adductors, stabilizers), and ankle extension (calves). A complete plan touches all four weekly.
With 297 exercises, legs are the library's largest family: barbell squats (Barbell Squat, Box Squat), hinges (Romanian Deadlift, Barbell Hip Thrust), lunges (Barbell Walking Lunge, Bodyweight Walking Lunge), machine work (Leg Press, Leg Extensions, Lying Leg Curls), calf raises (Seated Calf Raise), and a deep bodyweight section for home trainees.
Programming guide: - 2 leg sessions per week: one squat-dominant, one hinge-dominant - 10–20 hard sets weekly; large muscles recover in 48–72 hours - 5–10 reps on heavy compound lifts, 10–20 on machine and single-leg work - Calves and adductors: direct work 2x weekly, 12–20 reps, stretched position emphasized
All Legs Exercises
297 exercises- 90/90 HamstringBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Hamstrings
- AdductorBodyweightIntermediatePrimary: Adductors
- Adductor/GroinBodyweightIntermediatePrimary: Adductors
- All Fours Quad StretchBodyweightIntermediatePrimary: Quads
- Alternate Leg Diagonal BoundBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Alternating Hang CleanKettlebellIntermediatePrimary: Hamstrings
- Ankle CirclesBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Calves
- Ankle On The KneeBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Glutes
- Anterior Tibialis-SMRBodyweightIntermediatePrimary: Calves
- Backward DragBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Balance BoardBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Calves
- Ball Leg CurlBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Hamstrings
- Band Good MorningResistance BandBeginnerPrimary: Hamstrings
- Band Good Morning (Pull Through)Resistance BandBeginnerPrimary: Hamstrings
- Band Hip AdductionsResistance BandBeginnerPrimary: Adductors
- Barbell Full SquatBarbellIntermediatePrimary: Quads
- Barbell Glute BridgeBarbellIntermediatePrimary: Glutes
- Barbell Hack SquatBarbellIntermediatePrimary: Quads
- Barbell Hip ThrustBarbellIntermediatePrimary: Glutes
- Barbell LungeBarbellIntermediatePrimary: Quads
- Barbell Seated Calf RaiseBarbellBeginnerPrimary: Calves
- Barbell Side Split SquatBarbellBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Barbell SquatBarbellBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Barbell Squat To A BenchBarbellAdvancedPrimary: Quads
- Barbell Step UpsBarbellIntermediatePrimary: Quads
- Barbell Walking LungeBarbellBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Bear Crawl Sled DragsBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Bench JumpBodyweightIntermediatePrimary: Quads
- Bench SprintBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- BicyclingBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Bicycling, StationaryMachineBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Bodyweight SquatBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Bodyweight Walking LungeBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Box Jump (Multiple Response)BodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Hamstrings
- Box SkipBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Hamstrings
- Box SquatBarbellIntermediatePrimary: Quads
- Box Squat with BandsBarbellAdvancedPrimary: Quads
- Box Squat with ChainsBarbellAdvancedPrimary: Quads
- Butt Lift (Bridge)BodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Glutes
- Cable DeadliftsCableBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Cable Hip AdductionCableBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Calf PressMachineBeginnerPrimary: Calves
- Calf Press On The Leg Press MachineMachineBeginnerPrimary: Calves
- Calf Raise On A DumbbellDumbbellIntermediatePrimary: Calves
- Calf Raises - With BandsResistance BandBeginnerPrimary: Calves
- Calf Stretch Elbows Against WallBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Calves
- Calf Stretch Hands Against WallBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Calves
- Calves-SMRBodyweightIntermediatePrimary: Calves
- Car DeadliftBodyweightIntermediatePrimary: Quads
- Carioca Quick StepBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Adductors
- Chair Leg Extended StretchBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Hamstrings
- Chair SquatMachineBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- CleanBarbellIntermediatePrimary: Hamstrings
- Clean DeadliftBarbellBeginnerPrimary: Hamstrings
- Clean PullBarbellIntermediatePrimary: Quads
- Clean from BlocksBarbellIntermediatePrimary: Quads
- Conan's WheelBodyweightIntermediatePrimary: Quads
- Depth Jump LeapBodyweightBeginnerPrimary: Quads
- Donkey Calf RaisesBodyweightIntermediatePrimary: Calves
- Double Kettlebell Alternating Hang CleanKettlebellIntermediatePrimary: Hamstrings
Legs Exercises by Equipment
Other Muscle Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best leg exercises?
Four patterns cover the legs: a squat (Barbell Squat or Leg Press), a hinge (Romanian Deadlift or Barbell Hip Thrust), a lunge (Barbell Walking Lunge), and a direct calf raise (Seated Calf Raise). Squats and presses bias the quads, hinges and hip thrusts bias the glutes and hamstrings, lunges tie strength into balance. Train all four patterns weekly and you will never need to hunt for exotic variations.
How many times a week should I train legs?
Twice weekly is the standard for good reason: legs carry so much mass that each session creates a large recovery demand, typically 48–72 hours. One squat-dominant day and one hinge-dominant day distribute the load sensibly. Beginners can start with one full-body session including legs and add the second within a month. Advanced lifters who want more leg volume should add lighter machine work, not repeat maximum squats.
Are squats enough for glute development?
Squats build glutes, but they are a knee-dominant lift — the glutes share the work with the quads. Hip-dominant moves bias the glutes directly: the Barbell Hip Thrust loads them hardest at full contraction, and Romanian Deadlifts load them at full stretch. The strongest glute programs pair a squat pattern with a thrust or hinge pattern. Add lunges for the single-leg stability that keeps both heavy lifts progressing.
Can I build legs with bodyweight exercises only?
Yes, up to an intermediate level — the library holds 143 bodyweight leg exercises for a reason. Bodyweight Squats and Walking Lunges build the base; progress by slowing the tempo, adding pauses, moving to single-leg variations, and raising volume. Beyond that plateau, external load becomes the honest next step for continued strength: even one barbell or a pair of dumbbells unlocks years of progression on the same patterns.
Why is leg day so exhausting compared to other days?
Because the legs are your largest muscle group — a hard squat or leg-press session recruits enormous muscle mass at once, which raises heart rate, oxygen demand and the after-session recovery cost far above an arm or shoulder day. Work with it, not against it: schedule leg days before rest days or lighter sessions, sleep well, keep leg-session volume in the 10–20 hard-set range, and eat enough around training.
How do I fix knee discomfort during squats?
First the technique basics: sit back into the squat rather than dropping straight down, keep knees tracking over the toes, and control the descent — the knee dislikes sudden ballistic folding under load. Box Squats teach the hip-dominant path safely. Improve ankle mobility, and cap depth at the range you can control. If discomfort persists at light loads or includes swelling and locking, stop loading and see a professional — that pattern needs diagnosis, not a harder warm-up.
Free Fitness Calculators
Plan your training with our free tools: calorie needs, BMI, macros, body fat, and water intake.