Tired of the same old calf raises and squats during your leg-day workouts? Upgrade to some compound exercises from top fitness experts.
Compound exercises build muscle in multiple areas at once, making them one of the most efficient ways to get stronger.
Whether you’re trying to target certain muscles or just looking for an extra challenge, these complex moves will give you serious results — and maybe even a few laughs along the way.
Read on to discover how to do 5 awesome compound leg exercises like a pro:
Compound Leg Exercises At Home
Let’s take a look at the best compound leg workouts to do at home:
1. Goblet Squat
Among compound exercises, the goblet squat stands out as an excellent option for targeting multiple muscle groups in the legs and core.
You can incorporate the goblet squat into your bodyweight compound leg training routine for stronger, more resilient legs and improved overall lower body strength.
How To Perform Goblet Squat?
Set Up
- Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell vertically with both hands near your chest, elbows pointing downward.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes turned out slightly.
- Maintain a neutral spine, relaxed shoulders, and core muscular engagement.
Execution
- Begin the movement by bending your hips and knees at the same time, as if sitting back in a chair. Keep your chest up and your weight on your heels.
- Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to or slightly below the ground. Make sure your knees are parallel to your toes, and don’t let them sink inward.
- Exhale and push through your heels to return to the starting posture after a brief pause at the bottom.
- At the top of the exercise, squeeze your glutes.
Breathing
- Inhale as you descend into the squat, and exhale as you rise back up. Proper breathing helps stabilize your core and enhances your overall performance.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Rounded Back: Avoid rounding your lower back during the goblet squat, as it can lead to back strain or injury. Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
Collapsing Knees: Be mindful of your knee alignment during the squat. Avoid letting your knees cave inward or go beyond your toes, as this can strain the knee joint. Maintain proper alignment by pushing your knees outward, tracking in line with your toes.
2. Dumbbell Lunges
Dumbbell lunges mimic movements used in daily activities, such as walking and climbing stairs, making them beneficial for developing functional leg strength.
By performing this unilaterally at home compound leg exercise, each leg is worked independently, which helps to improve balance, stability, and coordination.
How To Perform Dumbbell Lunges?
Set Up
- Begin by standing upright with a dumbbell in each hand and your arms fully extended at your sides.
- Step forward with your right leg, keeping your feet hip-width apart and your toes facing forward.
- For stability, keep your spine straight, shoulders back, and core muscles engaged.
Execution
- Lower your body by bending both knees and simultaneously lowering your back knee to the ground.
- Aim for a 90-degree angle between your knees, with your front thigh parallel to the floor.
- Return to the beginning position with both legs extended by pushing through your front heel and using your leg muscles.
Alternating Lunges
- To add variety and work both legs evenly, after completing a set with the right leg, alternate by stepping forward with the left leg and repeating the exercise.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Poor Posture: Maintain an upright posture throughout the exercise, avoiding hunching or leaning forward. Keeping your core engaged and shoulders back helps to prevent strain on your back and maintain proper form.
Knee Alignment: Ensure your front knee does not extend beyond your toes when performing the lunge. This helps to protect your knee joints and focuses the effort on your leg muscles. Aim to keep your front knee in line with your ankle.
Incomplete Range of Motion: To maximize the benefits of the exercise, strive for a full range of motion. Lower yourself until your front thigh is parallel to the ground, or as close as possible, without compromising your form. Avoid shallow lunges that limit muscle activation.
Compound Leg Exercises For Mass
Are you eager to add mass to your legs? We’ve got you covered with these compound leg workouts:
3. Leg Press
The leg press is a valuable compound leg workout as it targets the muscles of the lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
By following the correct technique and avoiding common mistakes, you can maximize the benefits of this exercise while minimizing the risk of injury.
How To Perform The Leg Press?
Set Up
- Adjust the seat: Sit on the leg press machine and set your feet on the footplate so that they are hip-width apart. Your knees should be parallel to your toes.
- Adjust the seat back: Make sure the seat back properly supports your lower back.
- Select the suitable weight: Begin with a weight that allows you to keep proper form while challenging your muscles. You can always progressively raise the weight as you gain strength.
Execution
- Pushing phase: Push the footplate away from you by completely extending your legs but not locking your knees. Keep your heels firmly placed on the footplate.
- Lowering phase: Bend your knees slowly, allowing the weight to decrease under control until your knees are at 90 degrees or slightly less. Allowing the weight to descend too quickly will strain your joints.
Breathing
- Inhale as you lower the weight, and exhale as you push it away from your body. Maintaining good breathing techniques during the exercise aids in core stabilization and improves overall performance.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Poor Foot Placement: Placing your feet too high or too low on the footplate can cause unnecessary strain on your joints and limit the effectiveness of the exercise. Ensure your feet are positioned at hip-width apart and that your knees align with your toes.
Rounded Lower Back: Avoid rounding your lower back during the leg press, as it can lead to lower back strain or injury. Keep your back firmly against the seat throughout the movement.
Locking Your Knees: It’s important to avoid fully locking your knees at the top of the movement. This helps maintain muscle tension and prevents stress on your joints.
Lifting Heels: It’s essential to keep your weight on your heels throughout the exercise. Lifting your heels off the ground puts unnecessary strain on your knees and reduces the engagement of your leg muscles. Focus on driving through your heels as you rise from the squat.
4. Glute Ham Raises
Glute ham raises should be on your list of best compound leg workouts for mass as they effectively target and strengthen the glutes and hamstrings, leading to improved lower body power, stability, and overall athletic performance.
This exercise also contributes to sculpting and toning the legs, providing a well-rounded lower body aesthetic while promoting strength and muscle development.
How To Perform Glute Ham Raises?
Set Up
- Position yourself on a glute ham raise machine with your knees secured at the front pad and your ankles locked in place.
- Place your hands on your chest or cross them over your chest to maintain stability.
Execution
- Engage your glutes and hamstrings to control the movement as you lower your upper body toward the ground.
- Lower yourself by bending at the waist while keeping your torso straight and your hips extended.
- Descend until your upper body is parallel to the ground or until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
- Engage your glutes and hamstrings to reverse the movement and return to the starting position, lifting your upper body back up to a neutral position.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Not Maintaining Control During the Lowering portion: Maintain control during the lowering portion of the exercise, fighting the impulse to let your body sink quickly. Lower yourself slowly and methodically, preserving tension in your glutes and hamstrings.
Glute and Hamstring Engagement: Keep your glutes and hamstrings engaged throughout the movement. The major drivers of the exercise should be these muscles. Avoid overusing your lower back or calf muscles to complete the exercise.
Inadequate Ankle Lock-In: Ensure your ankles are tightly fastened on the machine to provide stability and avoid unwanted movement or sliding.
5. Hip Thrusts
While hip thrusts primarily focus on the glutes, they also engage the quadriceps muscles. The quadriceps work to stabilize the knee joint during the movement, providing additional leg strength and development.
Hip thrusts strengthen the muscles around the hips, contributing to improved leg stability and balance.
This can be particularly beneficial for athletes involved in sports that require quick changes in direction or movements that place high demands on lower body stability.
How To Perform Hip Thrusts?
Set Up
- Begin by sitting on the ground with your back to a bench or elevated surface. Cross your hips using a barbell or a weighted resistance.
- Stand with your feet flat on the ground and little wider than hip-width apart, knees bent.
- Rest your hands on the barbell or on your hips for support.
Execution
- Using your glutes and hamstrings, drive through your heels to lift your hips off the ground until your torso and thighs are parallel to the ground.
- At the height of the movement, squeeze your glutes and ensure your body is straight from your knees to your shoulders.
- Return your hips to the starting position in a controlled manner, keeping gluteal tension throughout the range of motion.
Breathing
- Inhale as you lower your hips to the ground, and exhale as you drive your hips upward. Throughout the exercise, focus on deep breathing and maintaining a stable core.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Inadequate Hip Alignment: Make sure your hips are level and do not tilt to one side during the activity. This helps to maintain correct muscular activation and avoids strain or imbalance.
Lower Back Extension: Avoid utilizing excessive lower back extension to elevate your hips. Instead, concentrate on driving through your glutes and hamstrings while maintaining core engagement throughout the movement.
Inadequate Glute Activation: Prioritize activating and fully squeezing your glutes at the top of the exercise. Concentrate on contracting your glutes to get the most out of the exercise.
Final Remarks
While compound leg exercises should be part of proper workout routines, don’t forget that these can be intense, and it’s important to take care of your body if you want to maximize training and remain injury free.
Skipping leg day is not recommended, but we all need a rest now and then; listening to your body is often the difference between seeing results or dealing with setbacks.
Don’t get overzealous when adding exercise to your regimen – start slowly, progress gradually, and stretch accordingly.
