Anatomy of Leg Muscles and Best Workouts to Train Them

If you want to strengthen your leg muscles, understanding the anatomy will surely help you.

You have different muscle groups in the legs, each responsible for many small and large movements. These muscles stabilize the body and also support bodyweight so that you can balance and stand up straight.

Each muscle in the legs can be targeted through different exercises so that they may become stronger, more flexible, and more mobile.

Anatomy of leg muscles

The leg muscle consists of the upper and lower legs:

Upper leg muscles

The upper leg, also called the thigh muscle, is the area that runs from the hips to the knee. The upper leg bone, femur, or thigh bone, is the longest and strongest bone in the human body. The muscles in the upper leg include:

Hamstrings

The hamstrings consist of three different leg muscles, namely:

biceps femoris
semimembranosus
semitendinosus

All three are located on the back of the thigh. The function of the hamstrings is to allow the knees to bend easily.

Quadriceps

Quads are upper leg muscles. (Photo via Instagram/steph_pdk)

The quadriceps consist of four muscles, namely:

vastus medialis
vastus lateralis
rectus femoris
vastus intermedius

These leg muscles are located on the front of the thighs and are responsible for straightening the knees from a bent position.

Adductors

The adductors consist of five muscles, namely:

adductor brevis
adductor magnus
adductor longus
gracilis
obturator externus

These leg muscles are located on the inner part of the thighs. They help the thighs come together.

Abductors

The abductors are located on the upper side of the outside of the thigh muscles and hips.

They perform opposite functions to the adductors and are responsible for pulling the legs away from the midsection. They stabilize the knees and prevent them from collapsing when you jump, lunge, or squat.

The abductors consist of the following muscles:

gluteus minimus
gluteus medius
gluteus maximus
tensor fasciae latae
piriformis
sartorius

Lower leg muscles

The lower leg muscles, commonly called calf, run from the knees to the ankles. The bones in the lower legs include the fibula and tibia. While the tibia is the longest among the two and is the main weight-bearing bone, the fibula acts as an attachment for other muscles located in the lower leg.

The muscles in the lower leg include the following:

Gastrocnemius

This is the major and largest muscle in the leg, which is responsible for plantar flexion in the ankle. It also helps the toes point downward and connect to the heels.

Soleus

The lower leg muscles include the calves. (Photo via Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio)

The soleus runs from the back of the knee and goes to the heels. This muscle helps you stand and walk.

Best leg workouts

To strengthen the leg muscles, it's important to target every muscle mentioned above. While you can work on them individually, there are leg exercises that target these muscles at once.

To help you get started with your leg strengthening routine, here are some of the top leg exercises you can incorporate into your workout session:

Barbell front squat

Barbell front squats are easily one of the most challenging variations of weighted squats.

To do the exercise:

Set a barbell on a rack at your shoulder height, and grab it using an overhand grip. The elbows should be lifted till the upper arms get parallel to the floor.
Step back, and slowly squat down as lower as you can while keeping the spine stable and upright. Come back up maintaining the form and repeat the exercise.

Walking lunge

Walking lunges effectively target the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, and gastrocnemius/soleus.

To do the exercise:

Place your hands on your hips, and take a large step forward with your left leg while keeping your upper body stable.
You can also hold a dumbbell in each hand to challenge your muscles even more.
Bend your knees, and slowly lower your body into a standard lunge position. Stop when your legs form a 90-degree angle.
Press through your left foot, and step forward with your right.
Continue the exercise for a few reps.

Dumbbell step up

Dumbell step up box. (Image via Freepik/ Senivpetro)

Weighted step ups work on the muscles of the posterior chain along with the quads.

To do the exercise:

Stand straight behind an exercise bench, and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
Step up on the bench with your right leg, and leave your left leg hanging off the bench. Come back down, and repeat the movement.
Switch sides.

Deadlift

Deadlift is an exercise that strengthens the entire core and lower body muscles like no other.

To do the exercise:

Stand tall with your feet at a hip-width distance. Place a barbell just in front of you. Bend your knees, and grab the barbell with a reverse or double-pronated grip.
Keep your chest up and gaze straight as you pull the barbell up without locking your elbows.
Lower the barbell down slowly, and repeat the exercise.

Bodyweight calf raise

Calf raises to support lower leg muscles. (Image via Pinterest/ Bodybuildingmealplan.com)

Standing calf raises primarily target the gastrocnemius muscle.

To do the exercise:

Stand straight with your toes on an elevated surface. You may also stand on a step. Hold onto something for support.
Slowly raise your heels as high as you can, and come up on the balls of your feet.
Lower your heels back to the starting position, and feel a gentle stretch in your calves.
Repeat the exercise.

Initially, you must start with ten reps of each exercise mentioned above. As you progress further and build strength, increase the power of your reps according to your goals and fitness level and pay equal attention to each muscle group in legs.

Edited by Bhargav