Leg Workout in Gym: Best Exercises, Sessions and Knee Myths
Leg workout in gym: squat, leg press, RDL, lunges, leg curl, hip thrust and calves with form cues, two sessions, and why squats aren't bad for your knees.
A complete leg workout in the gym needs five things: a squat pattern (barbell squat, goblet squat or leg press) for the quads and glutes, a hip hinge (Romanian deadlift) for the hamstrings and glutes, a single-leg exercise (lunge or Bulgarian split squat), a leg curl, and a calf raise. Beginners need 3 or 4 of these, 2 to 3 sets each, once or twice a week. And no, squats are not bad for healthy knees: reviews of the research found squatting with good technique does not damage the knee.
The same plan works for men and women. The sessions are near the end.
What are the best leg exercises in the gym?
| Exercise | Main muscles | Why it's in the plan |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell back squat | Quads, glutes, adductors | Big, loadable, trains the trunk too |
| Goblet squat | Quads, glutes | Easiest way to learn the squat |
| Leg press | Quads, glutes, hamstrings | Heavy leg work with back support |
| Romanian deadlift (RDL) | Hamstrings, glutes, lower back | Among the highest hamstring activity measured |
| Lunge / Bulgarian split squat | Quads, glutes | One leg at a time; fixes side-to-side gaps |
| Seated leg curl | Hamstrings | Grew the hamstrings more than lying curls |
| Leg extension | Quads | Isolates the front of the thigh |
| Hip thrust | Glutes | Glute growth similar to squats |
| Standing calf raise | Calves | Built more calf muscle than seated raises |
Are squats bad for your knees?
It's one of the most repeated gym myths, and the research doesn't support it for healthy knees.
- A 2013 review in Sports Medicine of over 164 articles concluded that concerns about deep squats causing cartilage damage or osteoarthritis are unfounded, and that deep squats do not increase the risk of injury to passive tissues, provided technique is learned under supervision and loads increase gradually. It also found the highest kneecap compression forces at 90 degrees of knee bend, not at the very bottom.
- An earlier review of knee biomechanics found the parallel squat was not injurious to the healthy knee and can improve knee stability when done correctly. Its author did recommend parallel over very deep squats for athletes, so there is some disagreement about how deep to go.
- Knees past toes is fine. In a 2003 study, blocking the knees from moving forward cut knee torque a little but raised hip torque about tenfold and increased forward trunk lean. The authors concluded the knees may need to move slightly past the toes for good loading.
Practical takeaway: squat as deep as you can with a flat back and heels down, and let your knees travel forward over your toes. If you already have knee pain or an old injury, get it assessed first. The NHS knee pain page advises seeing a GP if pain doesn't improve within a few weeks, and getting urgent advice if the knee is badly swollen, locks or gives way, or you can't put weight on it.
How do you do each leg exercise?
Barbell back squat
Setup: Set the bar in the rack just below shoulder height. Step under, rest it across your upper back, grip wider than your shoulders and walk it out two or three steps. Feet a little wider than shoulder width, toes slightly out.
Movement: Sit back and down until your hips are about level with or below your knees, then drive up through your whole foot. The ACE back squat guide keeps the chest up and the back straight throughout.
Cues: Brace your stomach before each rep. Knees follow the direction of your toes. Heels stay down.
Common mistake: Knees caving inwards as you stand up. Use the safety bars set just below your lowest point.
Leg press
Setup: Back and tailbone flat on the pad, feet shoulder-width on the plate, knees at about 90 degrees, as in the ACE leg press guide.
Movement: Push the plate away until your legs are straight but not locked, then lower under control.
Cues: Keep your heels on the plate. Lower only as far as your hips stay on the seat.
Common mistake: Lowering so deep that your bottom lifts and your lower back rounds.
Romanian deadlift
Setup: Hold a barbell or dumbbells against your thighs, knees slightly bent.
Movement: Push your hips back and slide the weight down your legs until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, then stand up by driving your hips forward. ACE's RDL guide keeps the bar close to the body.
Cues: Back flat. Hips back, not down. Knees stay softly bent, not locked.
Common mistake: Turning it into a squat by bending the knees more as you go down.
A comparison of four hamstring exercises found hamstring activity was highest in the RDL and glute-ham raise, which is why it's the main hinge here.
Lunge and Bulgarian split squat
Setup: For a lunge, stand tall holding dumbbells at your sides. For a Bulgarian split squat, put the top of your back foot on a bench about knee height behind you.
Movement: Step forward (or, in the split squat, stay in place) and lower your back knee towards the floor, then push through your front foot to stand. See the ACE lunge and Bulgarian split squat guides.
Cues: Front knee in line with your toes. Torso tall. Most of your weight on the front leg.
Common mistake: A stance so short that the front heel lifts.
Leg curl
Setup: On a seated curl, line your knee up with the machine's pivot and put the pad just above your ankles.
Movement: Curl your heels down and back, squeeze, then return slowly.
Cues: Don't let your hips lift. Slow lowering.
Why seated: In a 12-week trial, seated leg curls increased whole-hamstring muscle volume more than lying curls (+14% vs +9%). Lying curls still work.
Leg extension
Setup: Knee in line with the pivot, pad on the front of your lower shin.
Movement: Straighten your knees, pause, lower slowly.
Cues: Moderate weight, 10 to 15 reps. Hold the handles so you don't slide.
Common mistake: Kicking the weight up fast and letting it crash down.
Hip thrust
Setup: Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, a padded barbell over your hips, feet flat and about hip-width apart.
Movement: Drive through your heels to lift your hips until your body is straight from knees to shoulders, squeeze your glutes, lower.
Cues: Chin slightly tucked. Ribs down; the ACE glute bridge guide warns that pushing the hips too high arches the lower back.
What the research says: In a 9-week trial, hip thrusts and squats gave similar glute growth, while squats grew the quads and inner thighs more. In a 12-week study of trained women, squats beat hip thrusts for both quad and glute thickness. So the hip thrust is a good extra, not a squat replacement.
Calf raise
Setup: On a standing calf machine or a step, stand on the balls of your feet with your heels hanging off.
Movement: Lower your heels as far as is comfortable, pause, then rise as high as you can.
Cues: Full range, slow, a short pause at the bottom.
Why standing: In a 2023 study, standing calf raises built far more muscle in the gastrocnemius (the big calf muscle) than seated ones, which barely grew it.
Do men and women need different leg workouts?
No. A 2020 meta-analysis found men and women gained muscle and lower-body strength at similar rates on the same programme. Pick exercises, sets and weights based on your experience, not your gender. Women wanting more glute focus can add an extra hip thrust or Bulgarian split squat set; see weight training for women for the rest.
Beginner leg session
The ACSM position stand recommends novices train 2 to 3 days a week with loads they can lift 8 to 12 times.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goblet squat or leg press | 3 | 8–12 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 3 | 10–12 | 90 sec |
| Seated leg curl | 2 | 10–12 | 60–90 sec |
| Standing calf raise | 2 | 12–15 | 60 sec |
Intermediate leg session
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell back squat | 3–4 | 5–8 | 2–3 min |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 | 8–10 | 2 min |
| Bulgarian split squat | 3 | 8–12 each leg | 90 sec |
| Seated leg curl | 3 | 10–12 | 90 sec |
| Leg extension or hip thrust | 2–3 | 10–15 | 90 sec |
| Standing calf raise | 3 | 10–15 | 60 sec |
Stop most sets with 1 to 3 reps left. When you hit the top of your rep range on every set, add a little weight. Set squat and RDL weights from a recent set with the one-rep max calculator. For how legs fit into a week, see the push pull legs split or, if you're new, the beginner gym workout plan. The sets and reps guide explains weekly volume.
The short version
- Cover a squat, a hinge, a single-leg move, a leg curl and calves
- Squats with good technique are not bad for healthy knees, and knees past toes is fine
- Seated leg curls and standing calf raises are the better versions
- Hip thrusts are a good extra; squats still grow the glutes and quads
- Same principles for men and women
- Beginners: 3 to 4 exercises, 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12, once or twice a week
If you have a knee, hip or back injury, are pregnant or are under 18, check with a doctor or physiotherapist and a qualified trainer first. This is general information, not medical advice.
Useful links
- Hartmann et al. (2013), squat depth and knee/spine load
- Escamilla (2001), knee biomechanics of the squat
- Fry et al. (2003), knee position in the squat
- Maeo et al. (2021), seated vs lying leg curl
- Plotkin et al. (2023), hip thrust vs squat
- Kinoshita et al. (2023), standing vs seated calf raise
- Roberts et al. (2020), sex differences in resistance training
- NHS: knee pain
- ACSM (2009), progression models in resistance training
Frequently asked questions
How many times a week should I train legs?
Once or twice. Beginners do well with legs as part of 2 to 3 full-body sessions a week. If you follow a split, one or two leg days covering a squat, a hinge and a single-leg exercise is enough.
Is the leg press as good as squats?
For building the thighs, the leg press is a good option, especially when you're learning or your lower back is tired. Squats train balance and your trunk as well. Most plans use both, with the squat or leg press first and the other as a second exercise.
Should I train legs if I want to lose weight?
Yes. The legs and glutes are your largest muscles, and keeping muscle while you lose fat matters. Weight loss itself comes from a calorie deficit; leg training helps you keep strength and shape while it happens.
My knees hurt during squats. What should I change?
Lighten the weight, squat to a depth you can control, let your knees track over your toes, and try a goblet squat or leg press instead for a week or two. If pain lasts more than a few weeks, comes with swelling, or your knee locks or gives way, see a doctor or physiotherapist.