Best Leg Workouts for Hypertrophy & Building Mass

Most guys would somewhat have huge pecs, shoulders, and biceps over an enormous set of wheels, and who can fault them? 

Having a muscular, outlined higher physique feels and appears good.

That mentioned, the truth that you’re studying this tells me that you simply perceive the significance of getting huge, robust legs, too. 

Not solely do robust, muscular legs enhance your efficiency on workout routines just like the squat and deadlift, in addition they assist steadiness your higher physique improvement, supplying you with the “X” physique most guys are after.

If you happen to peruse many articles on the finest leg exercises for mass, although, you possibly can simply come away considering that you have to grind your self to a pulp with grueling lower-body exercises to make any progress. 

That is foolish, and flawed, and unscientific. In truth, attempting to do an excessive amount of, too quick, is among the worst errors you may make, because it rapidly results in damage, burnout, and a plateau in your energy. 

The reality is that though compound leg exercises are a few of the most difficult you are able to do (which is why most individuals shirk them), you don’t have to run your self ragged to attain leg hypertrophy. 

In truth, the finest leg exercises contain only a handful of workout routines for a comparatively low variety of units and reps, that you simply solely have to do as soon as per week.

And that’s the type of leg exercise you’re going to get on this article. 

You’ll study . . . 

• Which muscle groups you have to practice in your leg exercises for mass
• A full leg exercise for including critical measurement to your decrease physique
• A leg energy exercise that can assist you get stronger on the squat and deadlift
• An influence leg exercise that can assist you develop explosive energy

Decrease-Physique Anatomy

Quadriceps

The quadriceps muscle groups work collectively to increase (straighten) the knee. As a result of the rectus femoris attaches to the ilium (hip), it additionally helps you bend on the hips (this implies the rectus femoris can be a hip flexor).

Hamstrings

Glutes

Calves

The Greatest Leg Day Routine for Hypertrophy and Mass

Barbell Again Squat

Why: The barbell back squat is the best start line for any hypertrophy leg day routine as a result of it lets you carry heavy weights safely and progress commonly, which is important for gaining measurement and energy.

Barbell Entrance Squat

Why: Research shows that the front squat trains the quads simply as successfully because the again squat, even whenever you use as much as 20% much less weight. What’s extra, research additionally reveals that the entrance squat locations significantly much less compressive forces in your knees and decrease again, which make it a very good addition to a hypertrophy leg exercise for these with knee or again points.

Romanian Deadlift

Why: The Romanian deadlift (RDL) trains the posterior chain in a really related option to the standard deadlift. Nevertheless, due to the distinction in kind, you place a better emphasis in your hamstrings and glutes somewhat than your again. It’s additionally significantly much less fatiguing than the standard deadlift, which suggests you are able to do it extra typically with out carrying your self to a frazzle. 

Bulgarian Break up Squat

Why: Research shows that the dumbbell Bulgarian split squat is a superb train for coaching the glutes and the quads. As a result of the Bulgarian cut up squat trains only one leg at a time, it’s significantly helpful for locating and fixing muscle or strength imbalances.

Seated Calf Increase

Why: It’s smart to incorporate the seated calf increase in any good leg exercise for mass as a result of coaching your calves helps you calves run sooner, soar increased and additional, and enhance stability throughout lower-body workout routines just like the squat and deadlift. It additionally helps enhance your muscular proportions to attain a extra symmetrical, “aesthetic” physique.

Leg Exercises for Mass Ideas

1. Construct leg day routines round compound workout routines.

A compound train is any train that trains a number of muscle groups concurrently, and research reveals that these are one of the best workout routines for gaining mass and energy.

Workouts that practice only one joint and muscle group at a time—also referred to as isolation workout routines—nonetheless have a spot in your hypertrophy leg exercises, but when constructing leg mass is your foremost objective, you need to put most of your effort into compound leg workout routines.

If you wish to study extra concerning the distinction between compound and isolation workout routines, try this text:

Are Compound Exercises Better Than Isolation Exercises?

2. Carry heavy weights.

As a pure weightlifter, your primary objective must be getting stronger.

As long as you make that your major focus in your coaching, you’ll haven’t any hassle with leg hypertrophy.

What’s one of the best ways to get stronger?

Carry heavy.

And by “heavy,” I imply working primarily with weights within the vary of 75-to-85% of your one-rep max, or within the vary of 8-to-10 (~75%) to 4-to-6 (~85%) reps, and taking most of your units inside a number of reps shy of muscular failure (the purpose at which you’ll be able to’t do one other rep with correct kind). 

You possibly can nonetheless do higher-rep units (10+) in a good leg day exercise for mass, however they need to be used sparingly (particularly on compound workout routines like squats).

3. Emphasize progressive overload.

Progressive overload refers to creating your exercises more difficult over time, and it’s necessary as a result of it’s among the finest methods to maximize the muscle-building results of weightlifting.

While you’re new to lifting weights, the only and best means to do that is to try so as to add weight or reps to each train in each exercise. If you happen to bench pressed 135 for five reps final week, you attempt to bench press 145 for five reps this week. It’s that easy. 

This forces your muscle groups to provide better and better ranges of stress over time, which in flip helps you develop larger and stronger.

If you wish to study extra about one of the best methods to implement progressive overload, try this text:

What Is Progressive Overload Training?

4. Eat sufficient energy and protein.

That’s, you have to eat about 110% of your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) on daily basis.

The explanation for it is a calorie surplus boosts your physique’s “muscle-building equipment,” vastly enhancing your potential to get well from and positively adapt to your coaching.

That’s not all, although—you have to eat sufficient protein to permit your muscle groups to get well, restore, and develop successfully, too.

For most individuals, meaning eating 0.8-to-1 gram of protein per pound of physique weight per day. 

To study precisely what number of energy you need to eat to maximise leg hypertrophy, try this text:

How Many Calories Should I Eat? 

5. Take the appropriate dietary supplements.

• Protein powder: Protein powder, reminiscent of whey or casein, gives your physique with the vitamins needed to construct muscle tissue and get well from exercises. 
• Creatine: Creatine boosts muscle and energy acquire, improves anaerobic endurance, and reduces muscle harm and soreness out of your exercises. 
• Pre-workout: A high-quality pre-workout enhances vitality, temper, and focus, will increase energy and endurance, and reduces fatigue.

(If you happen to’d like much more particular recommendation about which dietary supplements you need to take to achieve your well being and health objectives, take the Legion Supplement Finder Quiz, and in lower than a minute, you’ll know precisely what dietary supplements are best for you.)

FAQ #1: What’s the distinction between a leg exercise for mass and a leg energy exercise?

Leg strength workouts . . .

• Emphasize units of decrease reps (often 6 or fewer) over units of upper reps (often ~7-to-12+) as a result of decrease rep ranges let you transfer essentially the most weight
• Typically employ barely longer relaxation intervals to make sure which you can preserve correct approach when utilizing very heavy masses

If you wish to change the above hypertrophy leg exercise right into a leg energy exercise, right here’s a great way to go about it:

• Barbell Again Squat: Units: 3  |  Reps: 3-to-5  |  Relaxation: 3-to-5 min
• Barbell Entrance Squat: Units: 3  |  Reps: 3-to-5  |  Relaxation: 3-to-5 min
• Romanian Deadlift: Units: 3  |  Reps: 6-to-8  |  Relaxation: 3-to-5 min
• Bulgarian Break up Squat: Units: 3  |  Reps: 8-to-10  |  Relaxation: 2-to-3 min
• Seated Calf Increase: Units: 3  |  Reps: 10-to15  |  Relaxation: 2-to-3 min

FAQ #2: What do it’s important to change to create an influence leg exercise?

Most individuals work out as a result of they need to construct muscle, lose fat, and keep wholesome. That is finest achieved by doing a combination of energy and hypertrophy coaching, somewhat than energy exercises, which contain performing your reps as rapidly as doable with comparatively gentle weights (often not more than ~70% of your one-rep max.

That mentioned, for those who do need to improve your leg energy, listed below are some normal suggestions:

• Begin your energy leg exercises with workout routines that let you carry weights explosively, reminiscent of the ability clear or soar squat, or by doing an everyday squat, deadlift, and so forth with gentle weights as rapidly as doable. 
• Choose a weight that’s about ~70% of your one-rep max and do 3 units of 3-to-5 reps, resting at the very least 2-to-3 minutes between every set.
• End your exercise with a number of compound leg workout routines within the 4-to-6- and 8-to-10-rep ranges.

With this in thoughts, right here’s the finest leg exercise for creating explosive energy:

Barbell Again Squat: Units: 3  |  Reps: 4-to-6  |  Relaxation: 3-to-5 min

Barbell Entrance Squat: Units: 3  |  Reps: 8-to-10  |  Relaxation: 2-to-3 min

Romanian Deadlift: Units: 3  |  Reps: 8-to-10  |  Relaxation: 2-to-3 min

FAQ #3: What number of days every week ought to I practice for leg hypertrophy?

The Best Training Frequency for Building Muscle (According to 20 Studies)