Leg Day Workout

Leg day is an important day to ensure you work up base strength that will help you with many of the main compound movements. 

This workout will act as a building block to build strength and balance, as well as help build your confidence when moving on to movements like squatting and deadlifts. 

This workout has 2 focusses:

1. Lower reps on compound movements which will help build the overall power and strength of your legs.
2. Higher reps on isolation movements which will increase strength and help reduce muscle imbalances. These are great for the 2nd part of a workout as you can train to failure in an easier and safer manner.

With all workouts, it is important you take your time to warm-up and stretch to avoid unwanted injuries.

The Workout:

Warm up:

1. spend 5-10 minutes getting blood into the legs and opening up your hips.

Leg workout:

• Squats: complete 3/4 sets of between 8-12 reps. If you are getting to 12 reps on every set, then it is time to go up weight. 

1. On the rack, the bar should be set just below shoulder height. So when you un-rack you keep your feet flat on the ground.
2. The bar position should be on the traps not on the neck. Keep your hands as close to your body and push your elbows back.
3. Feet should be at shoulder width apart. Push your hips back and keep your back straight, slightly lean forwards, to keep bar position in the centre of foot and engage your core.
4. Squat down till hips are parallel with knees for minimal depth. If you can get lower in a safe manner do so.
5. Once you’ve hit parallel, keep the bar at mid point of your feet and drive the bar back up to the top. Whilst keeping your core engage.

• Leg press: complete 3/4 sets of between 8-12 reps. If you are getting to 12 reps on every set, then it is time to go up weight. 

1. Sit on the machine with your back and head resting on the machine padding.
2. Place your feet on the footplate hip width apart with your heels flat against the plate. Your legs should be 90 degree at your knees and your bottom flat against the seat.
3. Push your feet against the plate whilst keeping your feet flat.
4. Extend your legs slowly and controlled, whilst keeping your head and back against the seat.
5. Once at the top have a quick pause - do not lock your legs at the top of the movement.
6. Return the footplate to the starting position in a controlled manner to complete your first rep.

• Leg Extensions: complete 3 sets of 12-15 reps. If you are getting to 15 reps for all sets, then consider going up weight or slowing down the movement.

1. Set the machine so your knee is at a 90 degree angle with your back flat against the support.
2. Pick a weight that allows your to extend your leg in a straight and controlled manner.
3. Grip the handles to improve stability and ensure your quads are doing the work.
4. Use your quads to extend your legs out until they are straight.
5. Hold at this top position and squeeze your quads before returning back to the start position.

• Leg Curls (Laying): complete 3 sets of 12-15 reps. If you are getting to 15 reps for all sets, then consider going up weight or slowing down the movement.
1. Set the machine so that your torso and legs lay comfortably on the pad when you are lying face down. The lever should be positioned just below your calf muscle when you have straight legs.
2. Pick a weight that allows your to curl your legs in a straight and controlled manner.
3. Grip the handles and brace your body to increase stability.
4. Curl your legs as high as possible in a controlled manner without letting your thighs leave the pad.
5. Hold for a second, then lower the weight slowly in a controlled manner back to the start position.

• Walking Lunges: 20 reps total (10 on each leg).
1. Choose to either do with no weight or pick 2 dumbbells that allow you to do this movement in a controlled and stable manner.
2. Stand up straight with your legs shoulder-width apart.
3. Step forward with your right leg and put the weight in to your heel. Bend your right knee so it is parallel to the floor and your leg knee touches the floor.
4. Keeping your right leg in the same position, move your left leg forward with the same movement stepping past your right leg. Bend your left leg so it is parallel to the floor and your right knee touches the floor.
5. Repeat this movement walking forward for 20 steps in total.

Increase your leg strength with this workout

Now you know this workout, give it a go and let us know how you get on!

We are excited to see how your workouts progress and don't forget to submit your squat videos to unlock our Gamified t-shirt range 'Never Skip Leg Day' aimed at the squat movement.

Men:

• Bronze: 70kg
• Silver: 130kg
• Gold: 220kg

Women:

• Bronze: 30kg
• Silver: 70kg
• Gold: 120kg

To unlock these items, you will need to submit a video of you completing the above squat weights, please visit the 'how it works' page for more details.