Building powerful legs isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s essential for your overall health and functionality. While many men focus on upper body training, developing lower body strength offers tremendous benefits that extend far beyond the gym.
“The strength in your legs and glutes is important for balance, mobility, and injury prevention. As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass, which can result in falls, achy joints, and less independence. Lower body strength helps enhance stability and coordination along with the ability to do everyday tasks like walking, climbing stairs, and standing up from a chair,” says Chris Pruit, the CEO of WorkoutHealthy and a certified personal trainer with more than 16 years of experience in fitness and strength training.
To build bigger, stronger legs, you need a comprehensive approach targeting all major muscle groups: quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. The most effective exercises combine compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and lunges with targeted isolation exercises for specific leg muscles.
Ready to transform your lower body? Here are the best exercises men should incorporate into their routine for maximum leg development and strength gains.
Bodyweight Squats (Chair Squats for Beginners)
“Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, lower your hips as if sitting in a chair, then push through your heels to stand back up,” says Pruit. “Keep your chest up and make sure your knees stay in line with your toes. If balance is an issue, use a chair for support or squat part of the way down,” he adds.
Step-Ups
“Step on and off a sturdy platform (or low stair) to work each leg. Step onto the platform with one foot, pressing through your heel to raise the other foot up, then step back down. Alternate legs,” instructs Pruit. “Keep movements controlled, avoid using momentum, and don’t hesitate to hold on to a rail or wall for balance if necessary. For an added challenge, try using light dumbbells,” he adds.
Barbell Back Squats
To set up for this first exercise, position the barbell so that it’s comfortably resting on your upper back. Avoid putting pressure on your neck. Grab onto the secure bar, placing your hands outside the width of your shoulders. Then, take the bar off of the rack, step back, and assume a tall stance. Hinge at the hips, activate your core, and lower into a squat until your hips reach a parallel position to the floor. Return to standing to finish the first rep. Perform eight to 10 reps.
Barbell Front Squats
For barbell front squats, stand under the barbell so that it’s on the front of your shoulders. Grab onto the bar outside shoulder-width, and bring your elbows forward. Unrack the barbell, step back, and sit back onto your heels. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Push through your heels to return to standing, and get a solid flex in your glutes when you finish. Perform six to eight reps.
Leg Press
The leg press begins with you getting situated on a leg press sled. Your feet should be outside your shoulder span and your toes pointed a bit out. Push the weight up, then unlock the machine. Lower the weight with control, then drive through your heels to finish. Perform 10 to 15 reps.
Hack Squats
The machine hack squat begins with you placing both feet in front of your body and turning out just a bit. Push yourself up before hitting the switches below to unlock the machine. Descend using control as you would for a classic squat until your hips are at least at a 90-degree angle. Then, push yourself back up through your heels, flexing your quads and glutes to finish. Perform 10 reps.
Leg Extensions
Next up in our exercises for bigger legs is the leg extension. Sit on the leg extension machine, placing both legs under the pad. Press the weight up, and squeeze your quads at the top of the motion. Lower the weight all the way down before completing another rep. Perform 10 to 12 reps.
Machine Lying Leg Curls
Set up for this strength exercise by lying down on your stomach on the leg curl machine—your chest and hips should be pressed against the pad. Then, drag your heels toward your body, flexing your hamstrings to finish. Using control, lower the weight as you keep tension in your hamstrings until your legs are extended. Perform 10 to 12 reps.
Bulgarian Split Squats
Begin this exercise by standing tall with a dumbbell in both hands. Place your back foot on a workout bench, couch, or sturdy surface, and step out with the other foot a couple of feet away. With control, descend into a split squat until your back knee almost touches the floor. Then, press back up to the start position. Perform 10 reps per leg.
Barbell Romanian Deadlifts
For barbell Romanian deadlifts, grab onto a barbell and hold it in front of your body. With a tall chest and soft knees, hinge at the hips as you lower the barbell down your thighs. When you feel a nice stretch in your hamstrings, move your hips forward and squeeze your glutes. Perform 10 reps.
Machine Standing Calf Raises
If you have access to a machine for standing calf raises, begin by positioning yourself underneath the pad. You should be on the balls of your feet on the edge of the step. With straight legs, begin to lower your heels down toward the floor while flexing your toes toward your body. Once you feel a solid calf stretch at the bottom, push through your big toes, flexing your calves hard at the top. Perform 15 reps.
