Training or exercise to get strength offers numerous mental & physical advantages. That makes a compelling case & scenario for everyone to include some sort of fitness and strength training into their exercise regimen, whether through weightlifting in the gym, calisthenics, Pilates, or other methods. Iveals.com brings a guide to the best leg day workout for gym especially for beginners.
For many newcomers, the prospect of starting with strength training can be daunting. Unlike cardio exercises and machines, which are relatively straightforward, knowing where and how to begin with strength training can be challenging. While platforms like Tiktok can be a valuable resource for learning new exercises, some of the workouts and movements showcased there are advanced and not suitable for beginners. For instance, the deadlift, an excellent lower body exercise, demands a good level of strength and technical proficiency to be executed properly. Attempting a deadlift in your first gym session might lead to improper form, engaging incorrect muscles, and the risk of injury.
To help beginners in this journey, we’ve sought the expertise of Personal Trainer, who kindly shared a leg day workout routine tailored for newcomers. This routine or workout is designed to help you gradually build strength, enhance your mind-body connection, and foster confidence in the gym. With the right guidance, you can embark on your strength training journey safely and effectively.
Why Leg Day Workout for Beginners?
When you do in strength & fitness workout, it becomes crucial to work on all major groups of muscles to prevent the development of muscular imbalances. Among the various reasons to focus on specific leg training are:
Legs are Largest Muscle Group of the Body
The human legs consist of multiple muscles, collectively forming the largest muscle group in the body. Disregarding leg day workout would mean overlooking a significant portion of your physique, one that plays a pivotal role in nearly every movement. Even the simple acts of walking, sitting & standing, or more dynamic leg day workout like running, crouching, and jumping, all these motions heavily rely on the muscles in your legs for support & strength. Therefore, incorporating leg exercises or best leg day workout into your training regimen is vital to ensure holistic muscle development and to enhance your overall functional fitness.
Daily Movement Benefits
Strengthening your legs by best leg day workout has two main benefits. First, it improves everyday activities & enhances your athletic performance. As your leg muscles grow stronger by doing best leg day workout for gym, you’ll notice increased endurance, whether it’s for standing at events, hiking with friends, or dancing the night away. This added strength & power makes your daily life more enjoyable & empowers you to be more active and engaged in various physical activities.
Getting appearance of Toned Legs
Developing strength and muscle in your legs by doing best leg day workout is crucial for achieving toned and defined legs. Contrary to the misconception that leg day results in bigger and bulkier legs, visibly gaining significant muscle mass is a challenging process that requires years of consistent training and proper nutrition. However, for most people engaging in strength training, improvements in muscle tone can be noticed well before substantial muscle growth. As you work or exercise on strengthening your leg muscles, you’ll gradually get a more sculpted & toned appearance, contributing to the overall aesthetic and functional benefits of the fitness journey.
Benefits for Joints & Bones
Leg day workout is instrumental & important in fortifying the muscles surrounding your joints of legs. Leg day workout plays a crucial & important role in maintaining strong & stable joints. Beyond muscle empowering, it also has a positive effect on your bones & joints, potentially reducing pain of joints. Considering that your ankles, hips & knees are in constant use & subjected to significant pressure. Training our legs by best leg day workout for gym becomes essential to ensure they remain robust and healthy as we age. By prioritizing leg day training, you can foster joint longevity & support body in carrying you through various physical activities throughout the lives.
Sedentary Lifestyle Effects
Prolonged sitting weakens lower body muscles, causing posture issues and discomfort. Leg day workout counters these problems by keeping your legs strong and healthy.
Burn Calories-LEG DAY WORKOUT
As already mentioned by us, legs are the largest group of muscle in the body. Training them requires the heart to work harder, delivering more blood and oxygen to the muscles, leading to increased calorie burn.
Best Leg Day Workout Routine for Beginners
With a lot of leg day workout available, it can be hard to find the right workout that are both effective & beginner-friendly. Whether for a new lifter or an experienced lifter, a good leg day workout routine should include exercises to target the glutes, quads, hamstrings muscles & calves.
Here are some bodyweight leg exercises suitable for beginners that can also be done at home:
- Squats
- Lunges
- Glute bridges
- Step-ups
- Calf raises
To start leg day workout, aim for three sets of 8-12 reps for every type of exercise. As you progress and can comfortably do 12 reps with proper form, consider adding weights or advancing to more challenging variations of these exercises. These movements will help you build strength and tone your leg muscles effectively.
Bodyweight Squats
Squats are an excellent exercise suitable for all gym enthusiasts. They are considered compound movements, engaging multiple joints and working various muscles simultaneously. As you progress & become stronger, you can easily adjust their difficulty level. For beginners, they can start by doing bodyweight squats. It is ideal as it allows you to focus on form & gradually build strength / stamina.
Here’s how to perform a proper bodyweight squat:
- Stand tall with your feet positioned between hip and shoulder width apart, finding a comfortable stance. Slightly turn your feet outward.
- Engage your muscles of core and start by pushing your hips back while bending the knees, lowering yourself until your thighs are parallel to floor.
- For improvement in balance, you can extend the arms out in front or rest them on your hips.
- Finally, push through the ground and return to a standing position.
Mastering this fundamental & basic exercise will serve as an excellent foundation for more advanced squat variations as you progress in the fitness journey.
Step Ups
Step-ups are a great exercise & best leg day workout that mainly focuses on building strength in one leg at a time. They work all the major muscles in your legs, including your glutes. You can make them easier or harder by adjusting the height of the step or by adding weights.
- Stand facing a step, box, or bench.
- Lift your right foot and firmly place it on the step.
- Shift your weight onto your right leg and push through your foot until you are fully standing on the step. Gently tap your left foot on the step as well.
- Step your left leg back down to the ground.
- Bring your right foot back to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement on one leg for your desired number of repetitions.
- Switch to the other leg and repeat the steps.
Lunges LEG DAY WORKOUT
Lunges are a versatile & effective leg day workout for building leg strength, improving core stability, and addressing tight hip flexors caused by a sedentary lifestyle. Incorporating lunges into your workout routine can help you achieve better overall lower body strength and flexibility.
- Stand with the feet hip-width apart & place the hands on your hips.
- Engage your core muscles to stabilize your body.
- Take a step forward with your right foot, about 2-3 feet away from your starting position, creating a lunge stance.
- Lower the body by bending your front leg until the back knee is just above the ground. Ensure your front knee is directly above your ankle and aligned with your toes.
- Push back up through your front foot to return to the starting position.
- Step your right foot back to stand beside your left foot.
- Now, switch to the other side. Step your left foot forward, creating the lunge stance.
- Lower your body by bending your left leg while keeping the right knee just above the ground.
- Push back up through your left foot to return to the starting position.
- Repeat the lunges, alternating & changing sides until you have completed your desired number of repetitions.
Lateral Lunges
image from women’s health
Lateral lunges are best leg day workout for gym that works muscles in a different direction than standard leg exercises. They strengthen sideways movements & engage the adductors and abductors, which are often overlooked in regular lunges and squats.
Here’s how to do lateral lunges:
- Stand on feet with hip-width apart, then engage your core.
- Step right foot out to the side & bend the both knees by pushing your hips back.
- Now lower the body until right thigh is parallel to the floor.
- Push back up through your right foot to return to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Incorporate lateral lunges into your routine to add variety and target muscles from different angles for a more comprehensive leg workout.
Calf Raises-LEG DAY WORKOUT
Including calf raises in your workout routine will effectively target and strengthen your calf muscles, contributing to improved lower body support and stability.
Here are the steps for performing calf raises:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, keeping a neutral spine and engaging your core.
- Use a wall or a high box for support, placing your hand against it if needed.
- Rise up onto the balls of the feet, lifting your heels off the ground.
- Hold this position for a moment, feeling the tension in your calf muscles.
- Slowly lower your heels back down to the starting position.
Leg Day Workout Gym for Beginners
The exercises or leg day workouts mentioned earlier can be performed both at the gym and at home, but if you have access to a gym, utilizing the available gym machines can be highly beneficial.
Gym machines are particularly helpful for beginners because they offer fixed movement patterns, making it challenging to perform exercises incorrectly. This reduces injury risk & allows to focus on building strength and gaining confidence in the movement patterns. With guided & controlled motions, you can progressively improve the strength & fitness level, setting a solid foundation for more advanced exercises in the future. Embracing gym machines as part of leg day workout routine can be a safe & effective way to begin your fitness journey.
When it comes to workout machines for legs that are available at the gym, below are some excellent options to try:
Leg extension machine:
Targets the quadriceps (front thigh muscles).
Leg curl machine:
Focuses on the hamstrings (back thigh muscles).
Leg press machine:
Engages various muscles in the lower body.
Above mentioned leg day workout machines are great option for beginners. They provide a controlled & guided movement which reduce the risk of improper form & injury. Also, it allows you to build strength & confidence.
As you progress & feel more comfortable in the gym, you can gradually include weights or explore more advanced leg exercises to further challenge the leg muscles & overall fitness.
If you’re new to the gym and looking for more workout ideas, check out blogs about Pull Day Workout, 5 Minute Arm Workout: Get Toned Arms in No Time & Upper Back Workout. Additionally, working with a Personal Trainer can be beneficial in creating a comprehensive fitness program tailored to your goals and providing valuable form tips to ensure safe and effective workouts.
