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Leg workout routine

This leg routine covers the two big muscle groups of the thigh: the quads at the front and the hamstrings at the back. It has two sessions, A and B, to do once or twice a week, and each one takes 35 to 45 minutes including the warm-up.

Session A is built around the squat and session B around the leg press, so you can pick based on the equipment you have or do both during the week. Every exercise links to its own page, with the technique and the most common mistakes.

Session A

  1. Squat

    Sets 3 · Reps 6 to 8 · Rest 2 to 3 min

    Alternatives: Hack squat

  2. Romanian deadlift

    Sets 3 · Reps 8 to 10 · Rest 2 min

    Alternatives: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

  3. Leg extension

    Sets 3 · Reps 12 to 15 · Rest 1 min

  4. Leg curl

    Sets 3 · Reps 10 to 12 · Rest 1 min

Session B

  1. Leg press

    Sets 3 · Reps 10 to 12 · Rest 2 min

    Alternatives: Hack squat

  2. Bulgarian split squat

    Sets 3 · Reps 8 to 10 per leg · Rest 90 s

    Alternatives: Lunges

  3. Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

    Sets 3 · Reps 10 to 12 · Rest 90 s

    Alternatives: Romanian deadlift

  4. Leg curl

    Sets 3 · Reps 12 to 15 · Rest 1 min

One or two sessions

If you can only give your legs one day, do session A. If you can do two, do A and B on days at least 48 hours apart: that way each leg muscle is trained twice a week, which spreads the work out and usually beats packing it into a single day. If you already train the rest of your body on other days, these sessions replace your leg day.

Why quads and hamstrings

The squat, leg press and split squat mostly work the quads, with help from the glutes. The hamstrings need their own exercises, and it pays to have two kinds: the Romanian deadlift works them from the hip, by hinging the torso, and the leg curl from the knee, by bending the leg. That is why each session has one of each.

How to progress

The squat, leg press and Romanian deadlift come first because they are the heaviest: on those, aim to add a rep, or the smallest load jump your bar, machine or dumbbells allow, every week or two. On the leg extension and leg curl, which are machine exercises that isolate one muscle, add reps with a controlled lowering until you reach the top of the rep range, and only then move to the next step on the stack.

If your knees bother you

Knee pain on the squat and split squat often improves with less weight and a controlled descent. On the leg extension you can shorten the range of motion. If the pain is sharp or doesn't go away with that, stop whatever hurts, use the leg press with a comfortable range of motion and see a doctor or physiotherapist.

Frequently asked questions

How many times a week should you train legs?

Once a week is enough to progress at first. Twice, with at least two days between sessions, usually works better for building strength and muscle.

Is the squat or the leg press better?

Both work. The squat demands more stability and technique; the leg press lets you load your legs with less demand on your back. That is why this routine uses both, one in each session.

What should I do if walking is hard the next day?

It is normal in the first weeks, or when you add a lot of sets at once. Moving gently, such as walking or cycling, usually eases it more than staying still. If every session leaves you like this, drop one set per exercise until your body adapts.

Gojan builds the routine and changes it when you tell it your week falls apart. Download Gojan