Best Leg Workouts for Weight Loss

You’ve probably heard that you should never skip leg day, but why is that? Working your legs will build muscle in your lower body, making you stronger, faster, and more powerful. The more muscle you have in your lower body, the more calories you’ll burn, for easier weight loss. Are you a little lost about the best leg workout for you? Try some of these top exercises for leg day.

  • Barbell Squats (High Bar): Resting the bar on your rear shoulder muscles, carefully un-rack the barbell and step back from the rack. With your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointing outwards at a slight angle, breathe in deeply and brace. Keeping your hips back and not allowing your knees to slide forward or buckle inwards, slowly lower into a squat, as though sitting on a chair behind you. Drive your heels into the ground to propel yourself back into a standing position as quickly and explosively as possible, take another deep breath, brace, and start another rep. If you’re not comfortable using a barbell for this, use a dumbbell or a kettlebell.
  • Front Squats: Get under the racked barbell and position it across the front of your shoulders, with your palms up and your elbows forward. Put your fingertips under the bar, about shoulder-width apart, or a little wider if necessary. Un-rack the bar, step out, and take a deep breath, core braced. Slowly lower yourself into a squat, using a controlled motion and making sure your core is engaged, chest up. Go as low as you can. Dig through your heels and push back to a standing position. Repeat.
  • Walking Lunge: Making sure you have room to walk, place your feet hip-width apart, engage your core, and look ahead of you. Take a step forward and lunge, aiming to get your thigh parallel to the ground and your knee at a 90 degree angle. Bring your back foot in front of you to step into another lunge and continue repeating.
  • Hip Thrust: Find a bench or box to comfortably sit against and rest the barbell just below your hips with a pad around it for comfort. With both feet planted on the ground, grip the bar with both hands. Leaning back so your shoulder blades are pushing against the bench, thrust your hips up, pushing the barbell up. Knees should be at a 90 degree angle, torso parallel to the ground, chin to chest, looking forward. In the top position, squeeze your glutes and pause for a moment, then lower the bar and repeat.

When you’re trying to reach your fitness goals, a supportive environment can enhance the experience. At the Wellbridge Family of Athletic Clubs, we offer world-class training that keeps up-to-date with the latest in health and wellness. At our clubs, you’ll be greeted by our friendly team before you’re challenged and motivated by top-notch instructors in our fitness classes. You’ll make new friends because you belong here. Join today or contact us to learn more.