Legs are a complicated bodypart — as they should be, considering all the various functions and movements your lower body is responsible for, from running to walking to climbing to squatting to twisting, as well as anything and everything in between.
A functional set of wheels depends on the synergistic action and strength of your gluteus maximus (i.e., your butt muscles), the quadriceps on the front of your thighs and the hamstrings that run down the back of your thighs.
All that said, a complicated bodypart doesn’t mean you need a complicated routine to develop it effectively.
“This back-to-basics workout is well-rounded and hits those three critical muscle groups but in a super-efficient manner with just five straightforward exercises, along with a finisher in which you’ll use just your bodyweight as resistance,” says Oxygen Ambassador Josefine Holmberg, a celebrity trainer, online coach and NPC bikini competitor based in Los Angeles.
Each movement Holmberg includes in the session targets one particular muscle group with added stimulation while also impacting the whole lower body: Hip thrusts target the glutes, Romanian deadlifts target the hamstrings and Bulgarian squats target the quads, while the leg press hits the thighs while also accentuating glute action because of her suggested foot placement close together and high on the platform. The lunge is a great all-around move that calls on the glutes, hams and quads to work collectively to propel you down into a squat, back up and forward.
“This workout will feel especially good if you’re replacing one that’s become overwhelming and includes too many different movements and techniques that you’ve collected over the years,” Holmberg says. “Simplifying your approach is refreshing — it allows you to just focus on mastering these foundational exercises and maximizing the challenge and the benefits of each one.”
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