Q. What are the best exercises for strong,
shapely legs?
A.
Your legs are the largest group of muscles in your body. Along with your
core muscles, they form the foundation of your strength and power. As such, by
training your legs hard, you will experience the satisfaction of some of the best
progress in strength and development of any muscles you train. By training legs
you will:
 Burn calories at the highest possible rate.
 Progress in leg strength longer and to higher levels than for any
other muscle groups.
 Increase speed and power, enhancing athleticism.
 Create “systemic” change and adaptations in your body beyond just
your legs. For example, your heart and cardiovascular system are best
stimulated by the rhythmic, continuous use of your legs. Higher intensity
exercise like intervals and weight lifting also stimulate the highest growth
hormone release which aids fat release and burning.
So which exercises are best to get all these great results? Well, for starters we
need to recognize that the legs are made up of at least three major groupings of
muscles:
1. The front of the thighs or “quadriceps”
2. The back of the thighs or “hamstrings”
3. The lower legs or “calves”
Then, we can look at what each group of muscles does, and determine which
exercises overload those muscles the best. Let’s take a look!
The Best Exercises for Quadriceps
Quadriceps Function: The term “Quad” means “four” so there are four muscles
on the front of the upper leg, whose purpose is to straighten the knee. One of
the four quadriceps, called the Rectus Femoris (it lies on top of Vastus
Intermedius which is why you can’t see it in the picture) actually stretches across
the hip at the top as well as the knee, so it helps with hip flexion.
Best activation with EMG: Electromyography or “EMG” for short, measures the
electrical activity of the muscles during exercise. So, the higher the EMG score,
the greater the muscular involvement. The following exercises rate amongst the
highest with EMG.
Quadriceps:
In Beginners - Leg Extensions
In Experienced Trainers – Parallel Squats, Half Squats, Full Squats, Hack
Squats and Leg Press
Winners: Interestingly, research with EMG is a bit mixed with quadriceps. The
training status of the individual seems to determine which exercises are best to
get the most muscle fiber activation. In untrained beginners, who have not yet
learned how to “fire” or activate their muscles at their highest potential—a simple
movement like Leg Extensions work best. It does put a little more stress on the
ACL than Squats or Leg Presses, so it is not the best move for people with
unhealthy (injured) knees—but for all others it is fine. However, past the first few
months of training, when neural learning has been accomplished, larger (multijoint) movements like Squats and Leg Press produce a much better response.
Between the Squat and Leg Press, the many variations of Squatting are the best,
but the Leg Press is still close. However, Squatting also causes a cocontraction of the hamstrings that is much greater than the Leg Press,
while also strongly working the abdominals, low back, and more, so
overall, it gives a lot more “bang for the buck.” Nevertheless, some
individuals, particularly taller people with long legs, or those with movement
impairments because of tightness or injury may find that regular squatting just
doesn’t work for them, so the Leg Press is a close second for quadriceps activity.
This form of Leg Press is NOT recommended 
But this one will do…
Hack squats elicit some of the strongest activation of the quadriceps muscles
but it is a poor tool since it creates large shear forces and pressure at the knee
joint and patella. The hack squat limits the ability to safely manipulate hip and
knee motion (since the hip is contained by the pad from pushing back) so the risk
to benefit for this movement is poor.
Full Squats can produce the highest peak activation in the quadriceps in some
advanced lifters, as well as getting decent activation in the hamstrings and
glutes, but it can be troublesome for many lifters’ knees and also promote low
back pain if it is not kept in a tight neutral arch in the low position. Under a
person’s own bodyweight, full flexion in the deep squat is usually well tolerated,
but greater loads become more dangerous because the cartilage is thinner at the
back of the femoral condyles. The cartilage is thicker and the force distribution is
better in the starting and slightly bent positions. For maximal leg training this will
work fine, since the quadriceps are activated very strongly even with Half and
Quarter Squats and almost no sporting activity calls on you to go deeper.
Bottom Line: Use full squats for testing and warm-ups (or bodyweight
routines) and a somewhat shorter range of motion (perhaps only to 90degrees flexion) when under heavy load (unless the sport, ie powerlifting,
requires otherwise).
For older fitness enthusiasts (over 50) there is generally less supple
cartilage and going down to parallel probably causes more harm than
good, unless they have been practicing that move for years.
People with long legs and shorter torsos can’t usually squat this deep without
bending over too much. For such people it is better to only squat to parallel or
above.
Leg Press and single leg squats (ie split squats and lunges) can be used
for necessary variation to rest the lower back, work the muscles in slightly
different patterns, and/or to work around movement impairments or
tightness in the related joints.
The Best Exercises for Hamstrings
Hamstrings Function: The hamstring muscles are primary movers in flexing
the knee (much like how your biceps muscle flexes the elbow in your arm). A
good example of this is the leg curl machine exercise. It also is a primary mover
in hip extension (moving your leg to the rear, or, if standing, lifting the upper body
up from a bent forward position). A good example of this is the stiff-legged
deadlift or back extension exercise.
Best activation with EMG: The following exercises have rated amongst the
highest with EMG.
Hamstrings—Deadlift, Stiff Legged Deadlift, Rack Pull, Weighted Bird Dog.
Winners: Like the quadriceps, the best exercises can undoubtedly differ a little
based on the individual and his/her training experience. Yet, overall, standing hip
extension movements like the Barbell Deadlift and Stiff-Legged Deadlift
generate the most power and activation of the hamstring muscles. Nevertheless,
there are four main types of movement to consider for your routines:
Stretched-position hip extension movements – like the aforementioned Stifflegged Deadlifts and exercises like Good mornings.
Be careful because exercises from this group produce the most soreness and a
good muscle pump.
Hip hyperextension movements – like Back extension, 45 Degree
Hyperextension, etc
These are good to stretch the spine and for the low back as well as strongly
activating the hamstrings.
They are not as good as Deadlifts for producing strength, but they are MUCH
easier on the spine.
Combined hip extension/knee flexion movements – Like Leg Curls on the
Swiss Ball, Glute Ham Raises, etc
These are great exercises for working the flexion aspect of the hamstrings in the
way they work best—in conjunction with the glutes or buttocks.
Isolated knee flexion movements – Lying, Seated and Standing Leg Curls
The leg curl machine is best as an optional extra.
These are the only movements to isolate the hamstrings from glute activity, and
in general, you activate the hamstrings with less strength when this is done. This
would only be done as an optional extra, as a finishing move for those with
bodybuilding aspirations.
Bottom Line: While standing hip extension exercises are the clear winners
for great hamstring development, there is a place for different types of
movement for full development. A well-rounded routine should include
both a stretch type, Deadlift movement along with a flexion type Leg Curl
movement. Leg curls on a Swiss ball (which also involve hip extension)
are a better choice than the leg curl machines for good hamstring
development.
The Best Exercises for Calves
Calf Function: The function of the largest muscles of the calves is to elevate the
heel (known as plantar flexion). The diamond shaped gastrocnemius handles
this best when the leg is held straight, but the soleus carries a larger proportion
of the work when the knee is bent.
Best activation with EMG: The following exercises rate amongst the highest
with EMG.
Calves—Heavy Calf Raises (Two or One legged) with a machine or without.
Winners: Standing Calf Raise Machine, Calf Press Machine or Donkey Calf
Raise.
Bottom Line: Straight Leg Calf Raises whether standing or bent over as in
the Donkey Calf Raise or Calf Extension machine are best to work the full
gastrocnemius muscle of the calf as well as the soleus muscle. One
legged versions are good for variety, to take the load off the back when
becoming very strong, or to correct left to right leg strength imbalances.
The seated calf raise does not work the soleus anymore than standing
versions, but does isolate it more because the larger gastrocnemius cannot
contract as hard with a bent knee.
Helping you get a “leg up” on the best exercise choices,
Tom Morrison 
Fitness Coordinator, BWC
Ph. 706-278-WELL
Email: [email protected]
References:
 Anatomy of the Quadriceps Muscles found at:
http://www.fitstep.com/Advanced/Anatomy/Quadriceps.htm
 Anatomy of the Hamstrings Muscles found at:
http://www.fitstep.com/Advanced/Anatomy/Hamstrings.htm
 Anatomy of the Calf Muscles found at:
http://www.fitstep.com/Advanced/Anatomy/Calves.htm
 Andersen, Lars et al. “Neuromuscular Activation in Conventional Therapeutic Exercises
and Heavy Resistance Exercises: Implications for Rehabilitation.” Physical Therapy
Journal article found online at: http://ptjournal.apta.org/content/86/5/683.full
 Brandon, Raphael. Muscle building: Squats, leg press or knee extensions - which
exercise is best for the quads? Article found at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0159.htm
 Contreras, Bret. Inside the Muscles. Best Leg, Glute, and Calf Exercises. Article found at:
http://www.musclechemistry.com/upload/musclechemistry-discussion/51279-insidemuscles-best-leg-glute-calf-exercises.html
 Contreras, Bret. 12 Hamstring Exercises for Hardasses. Article found at:
http://www.musclechemistry.com/upload/musclechemistry-discussion/48699-all-abouthamstrings.html
 The Top 5 Best Legs Exercises for Your Quads. Article found at:
http://www.projectswole.com/weight-training/the-top-5-best-legs-exercises-for-yourquads/#more-512
 Dale, Patrick. Top 10 Rated Muscle Building Exercises. Article found at:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/110149-top-rated-muscle-building-exercises/