Top 7 Compound Leg Workouts for Stronger Legs

Compound leg workouts are essential for anyone looking to build lower body strength and muscular endurance. Unlike isolation exercises, which target individual muscles, compound movements engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, offering a more efficient and functional workout.

These types of exercises not only improve muscular size and strength but also enhance coordination, balance, and even burn more calories due to the higher energy demand. In this blog, we’ll guide you through 7 effective compound leg exercises that will give you the foundation for formidable leg strength and a well-balanced physique.

Posted on: January 30, 2024

7 Compound Leg Workouts

1: Squats

Squats are a fantastic compound leg workout because they engage multiple major muscle groups simultaneously – including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. But that’s not all – squats also work your core, making them a powerhouse exercise for total body strength and conditioning.

Here’s a simple guide on how to perform a squat:

Stand Tall: Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outwards.
Lower Down: Bend at the hips and knees to lower your body down as if sitting back into a chair. Keep your chest up and your weight in your heels.
Reach Deep: Aim to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, maintaining a neutral spine throughout.
Rise Up: Push through your heels to stand back up to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.

Despite its apparent simplicity, squats are often performed incorrectly. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Rounding Your Back: This can put unnecessary strain on your spine. Always maintain a neutral spine during the entire movement.
Lifting Heels Off the Ground: Your weight should be evenly distributed across your feet. If your heels lift off the ground, it might indicate a lack of mobility or improper form.
Not Going Low Enough: Aim for your thighs to be parallel to the ground to ensure you’re engaging the right muscles and getting the full benefit of the exercise.
Knees Caving In: Your knees should be aligned with your toes throughout the movement. If they’re caving inwards, it could lead to knee injury.

2: Deadlifts

Deadlifts are another incredible compound leg workout that target multiple muscle groups at once. Not only do they work your entire posterior chain – including your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back – but they also engage your core, arms, and grip strength. Deadlifts can help improve overall body strength, power, and posture.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform a deadlift:

Position Your Feet: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with the barbell over the middle of your feet.
Grip The Bar: Bend at your hips and knees to lower your body and grip the bar. Hands should be shoulder-width apart.
Lift Your Chest: Keep your back straight and lift your chest up, pulling your shoulders back.
Stand Up Straight: Push through your heels to lift the weight up while keeping the bar close to your body, until you’re standing straight.
Lower The Bar: Hinge at your hips to lower the bar back down to the ground in a controlled manner, maintaining a straight back throughout.

Despite their effectiveness, deadlifts can be risky if performed incorrectly. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Rounding Your Back: This is a major mistake that can lead to serious injury. Always keep your back straight and your core engaged.
Pulling With Your Arms: Your arms should remain straight during the lift. The power should come from your legs and hips, not your arms.
Lifting Your Heels: Like with squats, your weight should be evenly distributed across your feet. If your heels lift off the ground, it could indicate improper form.
Jerking The Weight: The movement should be smooth and controlled, not jerky. Jerking the weight can lead to muscle strains or other injuries.

3: Lunges

Lunges are another excellent leg workout as they target several muscle groups at once – your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. In addition to strengthening these muscles, lunges also improve balance, coordination, and core stability.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform a lunge:

Stand Straight: Start by standing upright with your feet hip-width apart.
Step Forward: Take a step forward with one foot, keeping the other foot in place.
Lower Your Body: Bend both knees to lower your body towards the ground, making sure your front knee is directly above your ankle and your other knee is hovering just above the ground.
Push Back Up: Push through the heel of your front foot to raise your body back up to the starting position.
Repeat: Do the same movement with the other foot. This completes one repetition.

Despite their simplicity, lunges are often performed incorrectly. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Leaning Forward: Keep your upper body straight and maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise. Leaning forward can put unnecessary strain on your back and knees.
Overstepping: Your front knee should be directly over your ankle when you’re in the lunge position. If your knee extends past your toes, it could lead to knee pain or injury.
Not Going Low Enough: Aim to lower your body until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. If you’re not going low enough, you might not be fully engaging the targeted muscles.
Rushing The Movement: Each lunge should be performed in a controlled manner. Rushing through the movement can compromise your form and lead to injury.

4: Step-Ups

Step-ups are a fantastic workout because they target several muscle groups at once, including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. They also improve balance, coordination, and functional fitness, as they mimic movements we do in daily life, like climbing stairs.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform a step-up:

Position Yourself: Stand facing a bench or step with your feet hip-width apart.
Step Up: Place one foot on the bench. Push through your heel to lift your body up until you’re standing on the bench with one leg, keeping the other foot off the bench.
Balance: Balance yourself at the top of the movement for a moment.
Step Down: Lower your body back down in a controlled manner, leading with the same foot that stepped up.
Repeat: Repeat the movement with the same leg for the desired number of reps, then switch to the other leg.

Despite their simplicity, step-ups can be performed incorrectly. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Using Momentum: Avoid using momentum to propel your body upwards. The power should come from your leg muscles, not momentum.
Not Fully Standing Up: Make sure you fully extend your hips at the top of the movement. This ensures you’re fully engaging the targeted muscles.
Stepping Too Far Away: Your foot should be directly under your knee when you’re at the top of the movement. If your foot is too far forward, it could put unnecessary strain on your knee.
Rushing Through the Movement: Each step-up should be performed in a controlled manner. Rushing can compromise your form and lead to injury.

5: Leg Press

Leg presses are a fantastic compound leg workout because they target several muscle groups at once, including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. They also allow you to lift heavier weights compared to other leg exercises, enabling you to build strength and muscle mass more effectively.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform a leg press:

Position Yourself: Sit on the leg press machine with your back and head resting comfortably against the padded support. Place your feet hip-width apart on the platform in front of you.
Lower the Weight: Bend your knees to lower the weight towards your chest. Your knees should create a 90-degree angle at the bottom of the movement.
Push Up: Push through your heels to extend your legs and push the weight away from you.
Repeat: Control the weight back towards your chest and repeat the movement for the desired number of reps.

Despite their simplicity, leg presses can be performed incorrectly. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Locking Out Your Knees: Avoid fully extending your knees at the top of the movement as this can put unnecessary strain on your knee joints.
Lifting Your Lower Back: Keep your lower back pressed against the pad throughout the exercise. Lifting it off can lead to back injury.
Not Going Low Enough: Aim to lower the weight until your knees create a 90-degree angle. If you’re not going low enough, you might not be fully engaging the targeted muscles.
Rushing Through the Movement: Each leg press should be performed in a controlled manner. Rushing can compromise your form and lead to injury.

6: Romanian Deadlifts

Romanian deadlifts are an excellent workout because they target several muscle groups at once, including your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. They are particularly good for working the posterior chain – the muscles on the backside of your body. Moreover, they also improve balance, coordination, and functional fitness.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform a Romanian deadlift:

Position Yourself: Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding a barbell or dumbbells in front of you with an overhand grip.
Lower the Weight: Keeping your back straight and shoulders back, bend at the hips to lower the weight down the front of your legs. Your knees should have a slight bend but remain constant throughout the movement.
Lift the Weight: Push your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to lift the weight back up to the starting position.
Repeat: Repeat the movement for the desired number of reps.

Despite their simplicity, Romanian deadlifts can be performed incorrectly. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Rounding Your Back: Keep your back straight throughout the movement. Rounding it can put unnecessary strain on your spine.
Not Pushing Hips Back: The movement should start by pushing your hips back. If you’re bending at the waist without pushing your hips back, you might not be fully engaging the targeted muscles.
Not Keeping the Weight Close: The weight should travel close to your legs throughout the movement. If it drifts away from your body, it could put unnecessary strain on your back.
Rushing Through the Movement: Each deadlift should be performed in a controlled manner. Rushing can compromise your form and lead to injury.

7: Bulgarian Split Squat

Lastly, Bulgarian split squats which are a fantastic exercise because they target several muscle groups at once, including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. They also require and improve balance, coordination, and unilateral strength, as they are performed one leg at a time. This can help to correct muscle imbalances and enhance functional fitness.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform a Bulgarian split squat:

Position Yourself: Stand facing away from a bench or step. Extend one leg back and place the top of your foot on the bench.
Lower Your Body: Bend your front knee to lower your body towards the ground. Your back knee should come close to the floor, and your front knee should be directly above your ankle.
Push Up: Push through your front heel to lift your body back up to the starting position.
Repeat: Repeat the movement with the same leg for the desired number of reps, then switch to the other leg.

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Despite their simplicity, Bulgarian split squats can be performed incorrectly. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Leaning Forward: Keep your torso upright throughout the movement. Leaning forward can put unnecessary strain on your lower back.
Not Going Low Enough: Aim to lower your body until your front knee creates a 90-degree angle. If you’re not going low enough, you might not be fully engaging the targeted muscles.
Losing Balance: Maintain control and balance throughout the movement. Wobbly movements can compromise your form and lead to injury.
Rushing Through the Movement: Each Bulgarian split squat should be performed in a controlled manner. Rushing can compromise your form and lead to injury.

Sample Leg Workout with Compound Workouts

Warm-Up

Begin with a 10-minute warm-up to prepare your muscles for the workout. This could include light cardio such as jogging or cycling, followed by dynamic stretches targeting your legs (leg swings, high knees, butt kicks)

Workout

Squats: As one of the most effective exercises, start with 3 sets of 15 reps. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and lower your body as if sitting back into a chair.
Lunges: Perform 3 sets of 12 reps per leg. Step forward with one foot and lower your body until your front knee is at a 90-degree angle.
Leg Presses: Do 3 sets of 15 reps. Remember to push through your heels and keep your knees from extending past your toes.
Romanian Deadlifts: Perform 3 sets of 12 reps. Keep the back straight and movements controlled.
Bulgarian Split Squats: Conclude with 3 sets of 10 reps per leg. Maintain balance and ensure your front knee is directly above your ankle.

Cool-Down

Wrap up your workout with a cool-down to help your muscles recover and prevent stiffness. This should include 5-10 minutes of light cardio, such as walking, followed by static stretching for all major muscle groups in your legs (quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes)

Benefits of Compound Leg Workouts

Here are several great benefits of doing compound leg workouts:

Full Body Workout: Compound exercises engage multiple muscle groups at once, providing a comprehensive workout that can save time and increase caloric burn.
Increased Strength and Muscle Mass: Because they target multiple muscles, compound exercises can lead to greater strength gains and muscle growth over time.
Improved Coordination and Balance: Many compound exercises require a high degree of balance and coordination, which can improve overall body control and reduce the risk of falls.
Boosted Metabolism: Compound exercises, particularly those that involve large muscle groups like the legs, can significantly elevate your metabolic rate, helping you burn more calories even at rest.
Enhanced Functional Fitness: The movements involved in compound exercises often mimic those used in daily life, enhancing your ability to perform everyday tasks with ease.
Increased Bone Density: Weight-bearing exercises like squats and deadlifts can help increase bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Greater Caloric Burn: Due to the high intensity and multi-joint nature of these exercises, you burn more calories in less time compared to isolation exercises.
Improved Cardiovascular Fitness: Compound exercises raise your heart rate faster and keep it elevated for longer, improving cardiovascular fitness over time.
Better Core Stability: Many compound leg exercises also engage the core, improving stability and reducing the risk of back pain.

Remember

As with any exercise program, it’s important to start slow, maintain proper form, and gradually increase intensity as your fitness level improves. Always consult with a healthcare professional or personal trainer if you’re unsure about how to perform these exercises safely.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is leg raises a compound exercise?

No, leg raises are considered an isolation exercise because they primarily target the abdominal muscles.

How many compound lifts per leg day?

Typically, 2-3 compound lifts are recommended per leg day, depending on your fitness level and goals.

Difference between isolation and compound leg exercises?

The main difference is that isolation exercises target one specific muscle group, while compound exercises engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Conclusion

Incorporating compound workouts into your leg day routine is an efficient and effective way to enhance strength, muscle mass, and overall fitness. By engaging multiple muscle groups, not only do you maximize your time in the gym, but you also reap benefits such as improved coordination, increased bone density, and heightened metabolic rate.

Remember to prioritize form over quantity to minimize the risk of injury and to get the most out of these exercises. We would love to hear about your experiences with compound leg workouts. Share your progress, ask questions, or provide feedback in the comments below – your insights could be invaluable to fellow fitness enthusiasts!

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