10 Leg Workouts You Aren’t Doing, But Should-NICK RANA

10 Leg Workouts You Aren’t Doing, But Should-NICK RANA

You know the saying: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Einstein probably wasn’t thinking about leg dayOpens a New Window. when he said that, but you should.

If you’re guilty of doing the same exercises every time you train your lower body, consider this: Not only will monotony make your workouts boring, therefore impacting your motivation to do them in the first place, but it’ll also drastically slow down your results.

When Should I Change My Workouts Opens a New Window.

Studies have shown that both changing the exercisesOpens a New Window. you’re doing, as well as utilizing periodizationOpens a New Window., which makes small adjustments to volume, intensity, or tempo to your regular workouts, can help break through plateaus, improve strength, and avoid overtraining injuries.

So, enough with the same old barbell back squatsOpens a New Window. and dumbbell lunges.Opens a New Window. These 10 expert-crafted legs workouts will get you and your muscles out of their comfort zones. They each utilize a unique element, such as a piece of equipment or modality, or hone in on a skill or function that you’re likely ignoring.

6 Signs It’s Time to Switch Your Workout Routine Opens a New Window.

Bottom line: No matter what your fitness goal or exercise method of choice, you’ll find a new workout that just might become your new, on-rotation favorite come leg day.

Workout 1: Lateral Training

The Trainer: NICK RANA, 

While most lifting occurs in the sagittal plane—moving forward and backward—many sports (and just life) require movement in multiple planes of motion, says Speer.

“Developing stability and power—basically stopping safely and accelerating quickly in the frontal (lateral) plane—will increase your ability to move through multiple planes of motion on the field or court,” he says. Think: abruptly changing directions.

Plus, lateral training will strengthen your stabilizing muscles such as the glute medius and adductors, which still play an active role in sagittal plane movements like running, he adds.

Directions: Perform each bodyweight exercise for the allotted reps, then repeat the circuit for a total of two rounds. These moves are great to do before a lower-body lifting program or before a game as a dynamic warmup.

1. Lateral Lunge With Thoracic Rotation

How to do it: Step out to the side with your right leg coming into a lateral lunge. Drive your left elbow to the floor and your right arm straight to the ceiling, twisting your torso toward the back of the room. Perform 8 reps per side. 

2. Single-Leg Isometric Squat With Lateral Reach 

How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Shift weight, so that it’s all on your right leg. Pressing through your heel, bend at the right knee so it’s at a 60-degree angle. Reach and slide your left leg away from your body so your left big toe is barely touching the floor. Return to starting position by sliding your left leg back (stacked under shoulder) and come to stand. Perform 6 reps per side.  

3. Lateral Bound to Single-Leg Balance 

How to do it: From standing, quickly hop front left foot to the right, as you’d perform a skater, landing on your right foot with left leg slightly bent and hovering next to you, as if in a modified high knee. Hold here on one leg for 3 seconds. Then, bounce off your right foot, jumping laterally to the left, landing on your left foot and hovering the right. Hold for 3 seconds. When bounding, it should feel like you’re floating in the air. Perform 10 reps per side.

4. 45-Degree Skater Jumps 

How to do it: From standing, hop on a diagonal forward and to the right, landing on your right foot with left leg hovering slightly behind you. Quickly hop left foot on a diagonal forward and to the left, with right leg hovering slightly behind you. Perform 10 jumps on each side.

Workout 2: Isometrics  

The trainer: NICK RANA

“Most exercise tempos focus on the concentric—pushing or pulling—phase,” says Speer. “Others focus on the eccentric—releasing or lowering—phase.” But the isometric phase (i.e. the pause at the bottom of a squat), shouldn’t be ignored. “Isometrics are an incredibly useful tool for both strength and technique development.” Plus, isometric training can help you perfect your form while under tension, which will carry over to your lifts, instead of just powering through a movement and allowing your form to suffer, he says.  

Tip: “People usually turn 5 seconds into 3 seconds when counting for themselves, so use a timer or have a slightly sadistic friend count for you to keep it honest,” says Speer. 

Directions: Add these 3 exercise variations, before, during, or after your lower-body lifts (as indicated) to improve both strength and technique. 

1. Isometric Split Squat  

How to do it: Start from a half-kneeling position with your left knee back and resting on the floor and right foot planted. Drive through your right heel and lift your left knee 2-3 inches off the floor. Hold for 10 seconds before returning the knee to floor. Rest for 10 seconds. Perform 3 reps on each leg before switching sides. Do this move before weighted split squats. 

2. Isometric Good Morning 

How to do it: Place an empty barbell on your back as if preparing to back squat. Hinge at the hips, and lower your chest until it’s parallel to the floor. Hold for 10 seconds, then return to standing. Next, hinge again, lowering torso to just 45 degrees. Hold 10 seconds, then return to standing. Perform 3 sets of 5 reps, ideally after weighted deadlifts. 

3. Isometric Goblet Squat 

How to do it: Holding a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell in the front racked position with both hands in front of your chest, elbows tight to your sides, lower into a squat. Hold at the bottom of your range of motion (ideally parallel or just below) for 5 seconds, then press through heels and return to standing. Perform 5 sets of 3 reps.

Workout 3: Compound Triset

The trainer: NICK RANA

Compound trisets use three exercises that target the same muscle group to max out your muscles.  

“Use this protocol to bust through plateaus and add size to your legs,” says Speer. “Many times, sets are either too short or rest intervals are too long to produce growth, but these trisets create extended time under tension, which is one of the biggest factors of hypertrophy training.”  

Directions: Perform each exercise for the allotted reps, resting 20 seconds between exercises. Do 3 total sets, resting 90 seconds to 2 minutes between sets. 

1. Heavy Dumbbell Front Squat

How to do it: Rack two heavy dumbbells or kettlebells at shoulder height, and perform a squat. Perform 6 reps.  

2. Goblet Split Squat

How to do it: Holding the end of a heavy dumbbell or handle of a kettlebell racked at chest, elbows in, step right foot back. Bend front knee to 90 degrees to perform a split squat (your back leg will bend but not load any weight; this is the difference between a split squat and lunge). Perform 10 reps on each leg. 

3. Reverse Lunge

How to do it: Holding two light dumbbells, step back with right leg and bend knees at 90 degrees. Push through front heel to return to standing. Repeat, alternating legs. Perform 12 reps on each leg.  

Workout 4: Unilateral Kettlebell Work

The trainer: NICK RANA  

Unilateral exercises recruit either one leg or one arm. Splitting up your reps and sides like this will help you improve muscle imbalances as it prevents a dominant side or muscle from taking over, as well as increases your core strength, stability, overall balance, and coordination. 

Directions: Choose “moderate” weight. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of rest. Aim to hit 6-12 reps within the 30 seconds. 

1. Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat 

How to do it: Place ball of right foot on a box (12” high) or bench behind you. Your left knee (in front) should be stacked directly over left ankle, and your hips should be square. Hold a kettlebell at chest height, then bend knees (front will bend more than back), coming into an elevated split squat. Drive through your front heel, squeezing your glutes to return to starting position. Repeat for 30 seconds of work, then rest for 15 seconds before switching sides.  

2. Off-Set Romanian Deadlift  

How to do it: Begin by placing left foot directly behind right heel so legs are in one line. Maintain a soft bend in your back knee throughout. Hold a kettlebell in your left hand and make a fist with the right as if you were holding another bell in that hand. With shoulders back and down, chest lifted, hinge at your hips, bending softly in your front leg to bring the bell to about mid-shin height. Drive through your front heel and squeeze glutes to come to standing. Repeat for 30 seconds of work, then rest for 15 seconds before switching sides.  

3. Lateral Box Stepup 

How to do it: Hold a kettlebell in the goblet position at chest and stand parallel to a box or bench. Place your right foot on the side-edge of the box, then hinge at your hips and press through your right heel to come to standing on top of box, left leg hovering, hips square. Slowly, with control, lower back down to the starting position. Repeat for 30 seconds of work, rest for 15 seconds, then switch sides.  

4. Single-Arm Kettlebell Rack Squat 

How to do it: Holding a kettlebell in your right hand, bring it to a front racked position (bell at shoulder height, elbow tucked). Mimic the same position with your free (left) hand. With feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, hinge at your hips, driving butt back and come down into a squat with knees outside of elbows. When you reach parallel, drive through both feet and squeeze glutes to come to standing. Repeat for 30 seconds of work, rest for 15 seconds, then switch sides.

Workout 5: 20-Minute Lower-Body Glider Workout

The trainer: NICK RANA, C.P.T., instructor at SLT

Sliders are a great low-impact tool that increase your muscles’ time under tension and offer different ranges of motion, says McGrath. Increasing the amount of eccentric motion will ultimately make those muscles stronger, he adds. “So often, I find workouts today are focused on explosive fast movements,” McGrath says. “This workout focuses on slow-twitch muscle fibers. It’s a great way to mix up your routine and continue to become stronger.” 

Directions: Perform each of the exercises for 1 minute each, resting for 15 seconds between moves. You’ll perform all exercises on your right side, then switch to the left. Repeat for a total of 4 rounds (2 on each side). Allow 30 seconds of rest between rounds.

1. Glider Lunge 

How to do it: Set up a glider under your left foot. Bend right leg into a lunge position, hinging at the hips. The glider will allow the left leg to glide straight behind you as you bend into your lunge. Drive through your right leg to extend back up to starting position. (Image shows lunge on left side.)

2. Glider Kick 

How to do it: Holding this lunge position with the glider under your left foot, bend your left leg and draw it in toward the center, without releasing the lunge/bend in the front right leg. Engage your core to stay balanced and keep your right leg planted as you glide your left leg back to the starting lunge position.  

3. Glider Bridge With Hamstring Curl 

How to do it: Begin lying down on your back with gliders under each foot. Lift hips toward the ceiling while maintaining a straight back (avoid overarching). While holding this bridge position, point toes up so just your heels are planted as you extend your legs forward (keep your hips high). Slowly draw your heels back under your knees to come back to the bridge, then lower your hips back down to the starting position.  

4. Squat with Glider Skater 

How to do it: Start standing with a glider under your left leg. Hinge at your hips and bend knees to perform a squat. Holding this squat position, slide your left leg out to the side, extending it straight out. Try to keep your hips from shifting right. Draw glider back in to return to squat position, pressing through heels to come back to standing.  

5. Glider Bear Plank 

How to do it: Begin in a plank position with gliders under each foot. Slowly bend knees, bringing them in to hover under your hips, making sure to keep your pelvis tucked and lower abs engaged. Slowly, with control, extend legs back to plank position.