5 Exercises for Bulking up Your Legs

If you are looking for exercises that bulk up the legs, incorporating compound movements into your routine can be beneficial.

These exercises not only help build massive strength in the legs, including quads, hamstrings, and calves, but they also improve overall functional strength in the lower body and burn lots of calories. They can also boost your cardiovascular fitness and improve your sports performance.

While leg exercises can be brutal and tiring, skipping leg day is not an option. Instead, it is integral and essential for your fitness, especially for your lower body muscle strength and balance.

Don’t know where to start? Try the following exercises to bulk up and enhance strength in your legs.

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Romanian deadlift, calf raises, and 3 other great exercises that strengthen and build muscle in the legs

Listed below are a few exercises that are sure to help you build a bigger and stronger leg. Aim to perform each exercise for 10 to 12 reps with appropriate weights, but do not overtrain your leg muscles.

1) Barbell back squat

The barbell back squat is considered the king of leg exercises. It targets the entire posterior chain muscles, including the hamstring and back.

Follow the instructions below to perform this exercise:

• Place a barbell on your traps and stand tall with your feet at a shoulder-width distance. Keep your gaze in the front and make sure your toes are pointed slightly outwards.
• Now push back your hips and bend your knees to lower yourself into a squat. While squatting, ensure that your knees are slightly out.
• Lower yourself until your mobility allows or your thighs get parallel to the floor.
• Slowly push back up to the initial position and repeat the exercise a few times more.

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2) Romanian deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is another strengthening exercise for your legs. It targets your calves and hamstrings, along with your glutes, and also improves mobility in your hips.

Follow the instructions below to perform this exercise:

• Hold a dumbbell or barbell while standing tall and keeping your spine straight.
• Slowly hinge at your hips and bend your knees slightly to lower the weight down while following the line of your legs.
• Lower the weights until you feel a gentle stretch in your hamstrings.
• Hold at the bottom position and then push your hips forward to return to the start.
• Perform 10 reps.

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3) Leg press

The leg press machine isolates hamstrings, glutes, and quads while also building massive leg strength.

Follow the instructions below to perform this exercise:

• Sit on the leg press machine with your back supported against the pad and your feet positioned at a hip-width distance.
• Engage your abs and slowly push the press away using your entire foot while keeping your back and head stable. Make sure you don’t use your toes or heels to push the press away.
• Hold at the extended motion but do not lock your knees. Now bring the leg press back to the starting position and repeat the exercise for 10 reps more.

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4) Calf raises

Calf raises are a simple yet very productive exercise for the legs that primarily helps bulk up the calves.

Follow the instructions below to perform this exercise:

• Stand tall with your feet flat on the floor and your abs flexed. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand on a slightly elevated ledge. Position the front half of your feet on the raised platform and keep your arms alongside your body.
• Slowly lift up on the front of your feet and stay in the position for a few breaths.
• Return your feet back to the start and repeat the exercise a few times more.

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5) Seated hamstring curls

The seated hamstring curls primarily isolate and target the back of your thighs and help develop more muscle fibers throughout your legs.

Follow the instructions below to perform this exercise:

• Sit straight on the hamstring curl machine and position your back against the pad.
• Keep your legs straight and position the padded bar against your lower leg.
• Engage your hamstrings and pull your heels toward your body.
• Lower it back and repeat the exercise a few times more.

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Takeaway

While these exercises work wonders for the lower body, building bigger muscles and bulking up your leg can take months of consistency and dedication in the gym.

The key is to start slow and gradually add advanced exercises for safer and more efficient leg training. If you are a newbie, however, keeping things simple can be the best approach to achieving a stronger and bigger leg.