5 Leg Exercises To Switch Up Your Leg Day
Leg day.
A day that everyone knows should never be skipped if you want to become physically stronger, develop your dream physique and further, to mitigate your risk of future injury. It matters not if you’re a young athlete, a 70-year-old woman recovering from a double hip replacement, a 40-year-old father looking to avoid the both feared and famed “dad bod”, or simply a regular gym-goer looking to look good and feel better – leg days MUST be a priority.
Leg day also happens to be one of the most physically exhausting days due largely to the use of some of the largest muscles of your body. As a general rule, gym goers tend to dislike leg day and although a rare few prioritize and execute their leg days with a progressive, structured approach, the majority do the same basic, manageable movements over and over again and likely just as many skip leg day all together.
Because leg day can be generally monotonous when you do the exact same leg presses, leg extensions and calf raises or whichever may be your exercise selection of choice, we figured we’d share with you, five less common leg exercises that will spice up your lower body workouts and bring the heat to your glutes and hamstrings.
1. Goblet Loaded Slider Lunge (SLIDERS)
- slider lunge variations are great for building muscle on the lower body due to the ever-present tension throughout the entire range of motion
- the goblet style loading contributes to improved posture and development of the core muscles as the trainee is forced to maintain a slightly more upright torso throughout each rep to avoid “dumping” their weight
2. Slider Hamstring Curls (SLIDERS)
- these are a simple bodyweight hamstring priority exercise that targets the back of the leg
- consider incorporating these for a predetermined number of reps or time
3. Hamstring Walkouts
- primarily used as an exercise option to prioritize the hamstrings at the latter end of a workout, the hamstring walkout maintains constant tension on the back of the legs for the duration of the set
- focus on taking small, deliberate steps on the heels while aiming to extend your legs as much as physically possible while maintaining elevated hips
4. TRX Pistol Squats (SUSPENSION STRAPS)
- quite the advanced body weight exercise, full range of motion pistol squats contribute to incredible gains in the glutes and hamstrings and contribute to a much greater degree of increased stability in the knee over time
- using the TRX for balance assists the trainee with learning the general movement pattern and developing confidence and adequate strength in the required range of motion before eventually transitioning to an unassisted variation
5. Landmine Front Squat
- the landmine front squat allows the lifter to focus on engaging the glutes and hamstrings as it forces them to push their hips back upon initiating the squat in order to follow the path the barbell follows due to the landmine attachment
- an excellent exercise selection for making measurable progress thanks to the loading being on the sleeve of a barbell
- smaller, further manageable progressions can be employed over time providing a yield to a wide demographic of gym-goers
Conclusion:
Although leg day isn’t the most enjoyable day in the gym, there’s certainly something to be said for the incorporation of exercise variety and the prioritization of the glutes & hamstrings. Most exercises at the gym that prioritize the legs are still commonly executed on a machine that puts a greater degree of emphasis on the quads. Over time, if the glutes / hamstrings are neglected, this may contribute to a greater risk of knee injury.
Regardless of your individual training goals, recognize that prioritizing your lower body development is only going to help you form a solid foundation with which to make injury-free progress over time!
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Committed to your success,
Ben Graham, PTS, NWS
Fitness & Lifestyle Coach