Looking for a good leg workout!

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Hey everyone! I'm working on toning and building muscle from home. I've got free weights for my arms/shoulders and have been working on them for a while now and they look great! But I haven't done anything for my lower body and it shows! I'm clueless on where to start! I'd like to work out all the muscles in my legs, but I only know of squats... don't know how many reps/sets I should be doing, duration, etc. Does anyone have a solid leg regime they'd be willing to share? Thanks so much!

I have a stationary bike I use and my work is fairly active, so I don't need a 'beginner's workout,' per se as I'm in decent shape, so feel free to throw something 'intermediate' my way. :)
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Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    - Stronglifts

    - New Rules of Lifting

    - Starting Strength

    - or a personal trainer's program

    Post your results in 6 months :+1:



  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    ^ info.dat
  • bmanlatour
    bmanlatour Posts: 48 Member
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    Deadlifts are a standby. Single leg Romanian deadlifts are awesome. They work the hamstrings really well, where as squats hit the quadriceps on the opposite side. Goblet squats are a great beginner squat. Calf hyper extentions are great too. Stand on a curb or a step with just the ball of the foot, use a hand hold for balance. Raise and lower your body up and down. Try it single legged or with a weight in a hand. Step ups work your whole leg. Use a fairly tall step stool and hold weights.

    Use a weight that is hard enough so 8 to 12 reps is a challenge. Do 3 to 5 sets. Rest a day. Do more.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    a standby?

    More like a standard.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    dbmata wrote: »
    a standby?

    More like a standard.

    Hold up deadlifts are not standard workouts like the other 2 big lifts?
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    How do you have free weights for your arms and shoulders, but not for your lower half?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Squats, deadlifts, weighted lunges.

    Youtube some form/technique vids for squats and deads, start with light/no weight to get the feel for the movement, the gradually increase weight. Once they start to get heavy, aim for 3-5 sets of 5-10 reps, depending on preference. Squats you can probably get away with a bit more volume, deads should probably err on the side of caution and keep the set/rep count a bit lower.

    Also, there a lots of variations for these lifts, most are worthwhile. Let your preference and equipment dictate what you do.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    a standby?

    More like a standard.

    Hold up deadlifts are not standard workouts like the other 2 big lifts?
    Not everyone lifts... lol.
  • louisevaliquette
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    Stairs, spend a half hour every second day running up and down stairs, you'll see how fast they tone up!
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    dbmata wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    a standby?

    More like a standard.

    Hold up deadlifts are not standard workouts like the other 2 big lifts?
    Not everyone lifts... lol.

    This generation needs to change that ASAP.

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    a standby?

    More like a standard.

    Hold up deadlifts are not standard workouts like the other 2 big lifts?
    Not everyone lifts... lol.

    This generation needs to change that ASAP.

    No. We need the weak to feed the ambitions of the strong.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    dbmata wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    a standby?

    More like a standard.

    Hold up deadlifts are not standard workouts like the other 2 big lifts?
    Not everyone lifts... lol.

    This generation needs to change that ASAP.

    No. We need the weak to feed the ambitions of the strong.

    The weak can be like "I'm so weak I can only bench press my body weight."

  • Brolympus
    Brolympus Posts: 360 Member
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    Hey everyone! I'm working on toning and building muscle from home. I've got free weights for my arms/shoulders and have been working on them for a while now and they look great! But I haven't done anything for my lower body and it shows! I'm clueless on where to start! I'd like to work out all the muscles in my legs, but I only know of squats... don't know how many reps/sets I should be doing, duration, etc. Does anyone have a solid leg regime they'd be willing to share? Thanks so much!

    I have a stationary bike I use and my work is fairly active, so I don't need a 'beginner's workout,' per se as I'm in decent shape, so feel free to throw something 'intermediate' my way. :)

    OP, are you working strictly with just what you have in your house, listed above? I see people telling you to do the big compound lifts (which are the most effective use of your time) but if you don't have the equipment for it obviously that is not possible.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    a standby?

    More like a standard.

    Hold up deadlifts are not standard workouts like the other 2 big lifts?
    Not everyone lifts... lol.

    This generation needs to change that ASAP.

    No. We need the weak to feed the ambitions of the strong.

    The weak can be like "I'm so weak I can only bench press my body weight."

    What I wanna know is why I'm so weak my squat is 1/2 my deadlift. wtf.
  • bmanlatour
    bmanlatour Posts: 48 Member
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    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    a standby?

    More like a standard.

    Hold up deadlifts are not standard workouts like the other 2 big lifts?

    I meant standby in the sense of the expression "an ole standby" implying it's always there. I believe that deadlifts are universal to everyone's fitness goals. Strengthening my posterior chain has cured 8 years of back pain. I wish someone told me that was possible 7.5 years ago. I would have started my fitness journey in my early 20s.
  • sugarfree123
    sugarfree123 Posts: 82 Member
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    Agree with Cherimoose Read Starting Strength, can't go wrong with that one. Explains it all. Great information that you just can't get from U tube. StrongLifts also has a excellent program that will get you going. You can also check out PHAT training on the internet.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    bmanlatour wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    a standby?

    More like a standard.

    Hold up deadlifts are not standard workouts like the other 2 big lifts?

    I meant standby in the sense of the expression "an ole standby" implying it's always there. I believe that deadlifts are universal to everyone's fitness goals. Strengthening my posterior chain has cured 8 years of back pain. I wish someone told me that was possible 7.5 years ago. I would have started my fitness journey in my early 20s.

    Another benefit of weight training.

  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    dbmata wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    a standby?

    More like a standard.

    Hold up deadlifts are not standard workouts like the other 2 big lifts?
    Not everyone lifts... lol.

    This generation needs to change that ASAP.

    No. We need the weak to feed the ambitions of the strong.

    The weak can be like "I'm so weak I can only bench press my body weight."

    What I wanna know is why I'm so weak my squat is 1/2 my deadlift. wtf.

    That too. That can be new future debates not "Do you even exercise?"

  • nicolealamode
    nicolealamode Posts: 12 Member
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    Wow everyone, thank you so much for all the response!

    But yes, as Brolympus caught, I am working from home and the heaviest weights I have are 10lbs. I wasn't sure if that was suitable for any of the muscle groups concerning the lower half of my body.

    I'm looking for a good routine I can do from home with what I have and maxing myself out before hitting a gym or investing in some equipment, and seeing how serious about this I'm going to get (although I think I will, I prefer weight training over cardio any day).

    Also, I have no idea what kind of regime I should be making for myself... three exercises a day? Five? Seven? And what exercises target what muscle groups. I've done some googling, but I thought it would be nice to find a routine that someone in my situation or who has been in my situation used and found results.

    It's nice discovering names of different exercises though, more to read up on and learn!
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    Get a bicycle....then every day is leg day :)