Best Leg Day Workouts for Beginners

Don’t skip leg day! This simple mantra is one of the most accurate pieces of advice for every gymgoer. Your legs contain some of your body’s largest and strongest muscles, making them the foundation for so many movements, from walking up stairs and carrying groceries to running and lifting heavy weights.

Fortunately, planning a leg day workout for beginners doesn’t have to be complicated. Knowing which exercises to add to your beginner leg workout at the gym will help you strengthen your legs and notice a difference in your day-to-day activities.

BENEFITS OF LEG EXERCISES FOR BEGINNERS

Sticking to a consistent leg workout for beginners delivers benefits that extend well beyond the gym. After all, your legs are your foundation, and working them regularly can improve your fitness performance and everyday activities.

Stronger Leg Muscles

Focusing on leg day workouts for beginners helps you build stronger, more muscular and more toned legs. By strengthening your leg muscles, you can also promote healthy and stable joints.

Improved Athleticism

Your legs are responsible for getting you around. When you work your legs consistently, you might notice a difference in your daily activities and athletics, as it gets easier to walk long distances or run across a field.

More Burned Calories

Since your legs feature some of the largest muscle groups in your body, doing leg workouts for beginners can help you burn more calories.

THE BEST BEGINNER LEG WORKOUTS AT THE GYM

Jumping into any new workout routine at the gym can be a little overwhelming. With all the different machines and gym equipment out there, it can be difficult to figure out which are the best for your beginner leg day workout. We’re here to help. As you get started at the gym, focus on these effective leg workouts for beginners.

1. Bodyweight Squats

Squats are among the best beginner leg exercises, as they target the glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps. On a leg day for beginners, start with a bodyweight squat to activate your leg muscles and get the hang of the movement.

Recommended sets: 3 sets of 10-12 reps

To perform a bodyweight squat:

1. Stand in place with your legs shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep your feet planted, your back straight and drop your glutes down below your hips.
3. Push into your feet and flex your glutes to rise back up to the starting position.
4. Repeat this motion for about 10 reps.

Once you get comfortable with the squat motion, start holding a kettlebell or dumbbell for an extra challenge. Eventually, you can head over to the squat rack and take on the barbell.

2. Leg Presses

Since weighted squats can be a bit of a challenge for beginners, the leg press machine offers a way to target those same muscles with a simpler leg workout for beginners.

Recommended sets: 3 sets of 10-12 reps

To do a leg press:

1. Place your feet on the platform about hip-width apart while sitting in the machine.
2. Adjust the pin in the weight stack to a weight that you can comfortably manage.
3. Push into your feet and extend your legs to push the platform away from your body.
4. Extend your legs until they are almost straight, but keep a slight bend in your knees.
5. Bring the platform back to the start position in a slow and controlled motion.

This piece of leg day workout equipment also offers many variations to help you work your muscles in different ways and see continued results.

3. Lunges

Lunges are dynamic movements that target everything from your glutes to your calves and all the muscles in between. Take your time to focus on making proper strides and maintaining your balance.

Recommended sets: 3 sets of 8-10 reps per leg

To perform a lunge:

1. Start standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Step forward with your right leg.
3. Keeping your chest up and core engaged, lower your body by bending both knees until your front thigh is nearly parallel to the floor. Your front knee should stay stacked over your ankle at about 90 degrees, while your back knee lowers toward the floor without touching it.
4. Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat the motion with your left leg.

As with any beginner exercise, prioritize moving at your own pace. If you’re new to leg day, begin with bodyweight exercises and gradually increase the difficulty over time.

4. Leg Curls

Leg exercise machines are a great addition to any beginner leg workout at the gym, and the leg curl machine is another example. The leg curl machine helps isolate the hamstrings and provides a stable position for the exercise.

Recommended sets: 3 sets of 10-12 reps

To perform leg curls:

1. Lie on your stomach on the leg curl machine and adjust the weight stack to a manageable weight.
2. Position yourself so that the backs of your ankles are flush against the padded bar.
3. Bring the bar forward by pulling the backs of your ankles against the bar towards your glutes.
4. In a controlled motion, straighten your legs back to the starting position and lower the bar.
5. Repeat the motion.

Performing each repetition with control fully engages your hamstrings, improving knee stability, strengthening the lower body and reducing muscle imbalance.

5. Step-Ups

Step-ups are easy leg workouts for beginners that help build lower-body strength while improving balance and coordination.

Recommended sets: 3 sets of 8-10 reps per leg

To perform step-ups:

1. Stand in front of a sturdy bench or box.
2. Step up with one foot.
3. Drive through your heel to lift your body.
4. Step down slowly.
5. Alternate legs.

Once you’ve got the basics down, add light dumbbells to further build up your strength.

6. Romanian Deadlifts (Dumbbells)

Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells strengthen your lower back, glutes and hamstrings while teaching proper hip-hinge mechanics.

Recommended sets: 3 sets of 10 reps

To perform Romanian deadlifts:

1. Hold dumbbells in front of your thighs.
2. Keep a slight bend in your knees.
3. Push your hips backward while lowering the weights.
4. Stop when you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
5. Drive your hips forward to stand tall.

Focus on making slow, controlled movements instead of lifting heavy weights. Building solid form now can help prepare you for more advanced exercises later.

7. Glute Bridges

Glute bridges are the best leg day workout for glutes, especially for beginners learning to activate their hips correctly. This exercise focuses on building your glutes, hamstrings and core.

Recommended sets: 3 sets of 12-15 reps

To perform glute bridges:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent.
2. Place your feet flat on the floor.
3. Press through your heels.
4. Lift your hips until your body is in a straight line.
5. Squeeze your glutes at the top.
6. Lower with control.

As your strength improves, you can make glute bridges more challenging by placing a dumbbell or barbell across your hips while maintaining proper form.

8. Standing Calf Raises

Don’t overlook your calves, as they help with balance, walking and ankle stability. It’s pretty easy to work these muscles without equipment by doing standing calf raises.

Recommended sets: 3 sets of 12-15 reps

To perform standing calf raises:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Rise onto your toes.
3. Pause at the top.
4. Slowly lower your heels.

Want to add a challenge? Increase resistance by holding dumbbells or using a calf raise machine.

HOW TO BUILD A BEGINNER LEG WORKOUT ROUTINE

To build an effective beginner leg workout routine, the first step is to set aside a dedicated leg day. Making one day of your gym routine specifically about your legs will help you really focus on targeting and prioritizing those muscles. Still, make sure not to overexert those muscles and find a balance between challenging and manageable exercise.

Best Pre-Workout Stretches for Leg Day

When you get to the gym, before hitting the weights, perform dynamic stretches to increase blood flow and prepare your muscles.

A few good leg day stretches include:

• Leg swings
• Walking lunges
• Hip circles
• Bodyweight squats
• Glute activation with resistance bands
• High knees

When it comes to lifting, avoid long static stretches, as they don’t get your muscles moving and your blood pumping.

Sample Leg Day Workout for Beginners

Once you’re warmed up and ready to move, it’s time to get to work.

An example of a good leg day for beginners includes:

• 10-minute warm-up on the treadmill or elliptical as a pre-workout for leg day
• Bodyweight squats: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Lunges: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Leg presses: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Leg curls: 3 sets of 10 reps
• 5- to 10-minute cool-down doing stretches or an ab workout

If you need help building your beginner leg workout, EōS Fitness is here to help. Schedule a personal training session to build a routine that fits your specific fitness goals.

When you sign up at EōS Fitness, you also receive a Complimentary Welcome Workout, where a personal trainer will discuss your goals with you and show you the basics of using gym equipment.

CRAFT THE PERFECT LEG DAY FOR BEGINNERS

Your first leg day doesn’t need to be legendary. Focus on showing up and building consistency. Just make sure you choose the right beginner leg workouts that challenge you without overdoing it.

At EōS Fitness, we provide everything you need for a successful leg day workout for beginners. You’ll find modern strength equipment, spacious free-weight areas and dozens of group fitness classes.

Find an EōS Fitness near you to get started with building your beginner leg workout at your gym.

FAQs ABOUT LEG DAY FOR BEGINNERS

How many exercises should I choose for leg day?

Most beginners can build an effective leg day with around four to six exercises. Focus on movements that train the major muscles in your lower body without adding more exercises than you can perform with good form.

How many leg workouts should I do on leg day?

A beginner leg workout might include one or two compound movements followed by two to four additional exercises that target different lower-body muscles. The right number depends on your fitness level, workout length and ability to maintain proper form.

How many leg days should I do a week?

Most people benefit from doing leg day either one to two times per week, so that you have at least 48 hours of recovery between your training sessions.

What is the best leg day workout?

The best leg day workout for beginners balances compound exercises, machine work, and isolation movements, including squats, lunges, Romanian deadlifts, glute bridges and calf raises.