10 Best Compound Leg Exercises (with Pictures)

There is a quote quite popular in the lifting community which says that the word ‘legendary’ cannot be spelled without ‘leg day’. No matter whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced lifter, your leg workout sessions will always play a crucial role in determining how your body will look and perform.

If you are someone who doesn’t want to fall prey to the chicken leg syndrome, you would have to rely on compound leg lifts. Performing those lifts not only develops your lower body musculature but also keeps your body in an anabolic state. Those exercises are an important part of your leg workout sessions.

Here in this post, we will present before you some of the most effective compound lifts for legs that will enhance your lower body development drastically. So without further ado, let’s get started.

10 Compound Leg Exercises

Undoubtedly, performing compound exercises can give you the best bang for your bucks in building both strength and size. And when it comes to larger muscle groups like the quadriceps, compound exercises tend to stimulate them the most.

Let’s have a look at some of the best compound leg exercises that you can do for developing your legs optimally.

Squat

Squats are often regarded as the king of all the compound leg exercises. This is because they are functional in nature and target multiple muscle groups. Undoubtedly squats are brutal but they are equally effective too.

Why is it important?

Apart from working on your lower body, squats have a profound impact on your upper body’s musculature as well. This is because performing squats facilitates the release of HGH and testosterone which keeps your body in an anabolic state for muscle gains. Squats are one of the prime exercises that can fetch you both strength and size gains. That is the reason you will find squats in the workout routine of some of the strongest and the best build men in the world.

So if you too want to build tree trunk legs, performing squats should be an indispensable part of your leg workout routine.

Instructions

• Start by facing the barbell and keeping your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
• Now step under the barbell and place it on your traps and shoulders keeping your hands on either side of the barbell.
• Now get back to the starting position pointing your toes outward.
• Inhale deeply, flex your core, squeeze your glutes and squat down until your quadriceps are parallel or below parallel to the floor. Make sure to keep your back straight.
• Now explode back up to the starting position pushing the ground with your heels.
• Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.
• Once you are done, step towards the squat rack and place the barbell on the safety pins.

Sumo Squat

Sumo squats are a variation of conventional squats. However, they are more effective in targeting muscle groups which at times don’t get trained much while performing the traditional squats.

Why is it important?

Along with providing your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes with a great workout, performing sumo squats also aids in strengthening the adductor muscles in your thighs. So if your inner quads don’t have the musculature that you crave, sumo squats would serve as one of the best leg compound exercises for you.

While performing the sumo squat you have to keep your upper body upright. This in turn engages your core muscles and provides a good workout to your abdomen area too.

Instructions

• Start the movement by standing under the barbell keeping your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Now lift the barbell and step back.
• Position the barbell firmly on your shoulders and traps. Hold the barbell with a wide grip.
• Then position your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width and point your toes outwards.
• Now inhale and squat down maintaining a neutral spine until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Don’t lean forward while performing the squat. Push your butts out and squat.
• Finally, raise your body back up pushing through your heels. Make sure to not lockout your knees at this position.
• Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Deadlift

If squats are the king of all the compound exercises for legs, then the deadlifts would surely be regarded as the undisputed prince.

Irrespective of whether you intend to follow a strength-building workout program or a mass gaining workout program, you would surely find deadlifts in both of them. Deadlifts are quite functional too as lifting a heavy weight off the floor is something that we often get to do.

Why is it important?

Apart from targeting your lower body muscles, deadlifts also work on training your posterior chain. Performing deadlifts also assists in enhancing your overall strength levels.

The element of leg drive present in deadlift makes it one of the most popular compound leg lifts. The perfect execution of a deadlift targets your quadriceps, hamstring, glutes, and lower back. 

Instructions

• Place a barbell loaded with weights on the ground.
• Now stand with your mid-feet placed below the barbell keeping your feet hip-width apart.
• Keeping your chest out and lats activated, inhale and bend forward keeping your back straight and bending your knees.
• Grip the barbell keeping your hands shoulder-width apart. You can choose to go with either a pronated grip or a mixed grip (one hand pronated and one hand supinated).
• Now lift the barbell off the ground using your leg drive until your upper body is erect and exhale.
• Hold this position for a while flexing your glutes and lower back.
• Slowly return to the starting position keeping your eyes facing forward at all times.
• Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Romanian Deadlift

The execution of a Romanian deadlift looks a lot like the execution of a conventional deadlift. However, both of them are a bit different. Romanian deadlifts primarily target the hamstrings. So if you are looking out for compound movements for legs that stimulate hamstrings to a greater extent, performing Romanian deadlifts can get you the best bang for your bucks.

Why is it important?

Performing Romanian deadlifts also helps in developing and strengthening the gluteus maximus, erector spinae, and adductors. RDLs effectively train your posterior chain and enhance the mobility and flexibility in your hip area. This in turn saves you from many probable injuries that may arise owing to stiffness in your posterior chain.

Instructions

• Stand with your mid-feet placed below the barbell keeping your feet hip-width apart.
• Now grip the barbell with a pronated grip. Keep your hands slightly wider than your hip-width.
• Lift the barbell until your body is erect.
• Now begin the movement by pushing your hips back and bending down until the barbell is just below your knee height. Make sure to keep your spine straight.
• You will feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings at this point.
• Using leg drive, get back to the starting position.
• Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

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Hack Squat

Bodybuilders like Tom Platz, and Jay Cutler considered hack squats as one of the most rewarding compound exercises for legs. Performing this exercise with strict form gave them monstrous quads and due to this reason hack squats are still an essential exercise in the workout routine of many pro bodybuilders.

Why is it important?

Hack squats put greater emphasis on your quadriceps. If you want to build sweeping quads, hack squats can assist you in attaining them.

Among all the other leg compound exercises, hack squats is a movement that enables you to lift a considerable amount of weight and that too without subjecting your body to any injury.

Instructions

• Load the hack squat machine with your desired weight.
• Position yourself on the hack squat machine keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and placing your shoulders and back against the pads.
• Now release the safety handles and squat down until your thighs form a 90-degree angle with your calves. If your body mobility allows, you can squat below that as well.
• Using leg drive, press the platform with your heels and get back to the starting position. Ensure to keep a slight bend in your knees.
• Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Leg Press

Leg press acquires a prominent position in the list of the best compound movements for legs. Leg press allows you to train different areas of your quads just by changing the width of your foot placement.

Why is it important?

Unlike a conventional squat, leg press doesn’t require you to balance the weight. So when you perform a leg press you can pay more attention to training your quads and establishing a better mind-muscle connection with them.

Leg press also enables you to hit higher repetitions with heavyweights.

Instructions

• Start by loading the leg press machine with your desired weight.
• Then lie down on it and place your feet on the platform in front of you. Keep your feet hip-width apart.
• Inhale deeply, release the safety bars and lower the platform until your upper legs are perpendicular to your lower legs. If your body mobility allows, you can go down below that as well.
• Now press the platform up and exhale. Ensure to not lock out your knees.
• Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Smith Machine Squat

A smith machine squat offers you a safer alternative to a conventional barbell squat. So if you are a newbie and are not very confident with your squatting form, you can incorporate this exercise into your compound leg workouts.

Why is it important?

Just like a conventional squat, a smith machine squat primarily targets your quads, hams, and glutes. It also assists you in perfecting your squatting form.

Instructions

• Start by positioning the barbell just below your shoulder height. The safety stops must be adjusted right above your knee height.
• Get under the barbell placing it on your upper back and shoulders. Hold it firmly on either side with your hands.
• Unrack the barbell by rotating it with your hands to remove the safety hooks.
• Now inhale deeply and squat down, keeping your back straight and pushing your hips back until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
• Now push with your heels and return to the starting position. Exhale at this point. Ensure to flex your quads for greater stimulation.
• Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

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Goblet Squat

If you are an absolute newbie and want to learn the correct squatting form and technique, performing goblet squats can serve you pretty well in that matter.

Since the goblet squat requires you to hold a weight in front of your chest, there are no chances of you getting pinned down under the weight.

Why is it important?

The execution of a goblet squat allows you to train your quads in a full range of motion. It also places little to no strain on your back. Performing goblet squats improves your hip and ankle mobility as well.

Instructions

• Hold a dumbbell at chest height positioning both of your hands on either side of the dumbbell.
• Stand erect keeping your feet hip-width apart and pointing your toes outwards.
• Now keeping your back straight and core tight, inhale deeply and squat down until your thighs are parallel or slightly below parallel to the floor.
• Using leg drive, push with your heels and get back to the starting position. Exhale at this point.
• Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Barbell Glute Bridge

The barbell glute bridge is one of the most underutilized compound exercises for legs. However, when it comes to the training routine of some of the fittest athletes, you will certainly find this exercise there.

Why is it important?

Along with providing your glutes with a great workout, the barbell glute bridge also targets your quadriceps and hamstrings. Its execution also contributes positively towards enhancing your lower back strength and core stability.

Instructions

• Lie down flat on your back keeping your face up.
• Now position a barbell just where your hips bend. To cushion the weight you can wrap the barbell with a pad.
• Now bend your knees at 90-degrees so that they point to the ceiling.
• Place your feet flat on the floor and your hands on either side of the barbell.
• Using your heels, push your hips upwards keeping your head and shoulders in the same position. Keep pushing until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your hips.
• Hold this position for 1-2 seconds and squeeze your glutes.
• Now slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.
• Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Lunges

Lunges are a unilateral compound exercise for the legs. Their execution requires you to train your legs independently. So if your one quad is slightly more developed than the other, performing lunges can help you in getting rid of that problem.

Why is it important?

Lunges must be a crucial exercise in your compound workouts for legs. Along with targeting your quads and hams, lunges also work on your gluteus maximus. Overall, they provide a great workout to your lower body muscles.

Instructions

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Place your hands on either side of your waist. You can also hold dumbbells in each hand.
• Now step forward longer than your regular walking stride. Your one leg would be in front of you and the other one would be behind you.
• Keeping your front foot flat on the floor, bend your front foot until it forms a 90-degree angle with your calves.
• Keep your back straight and core tight at this point. Your eyes must be facing forward.
• Then using the leg drive of your front foot, get back to the starting position.
• Repeat the same steps for the other leg.
• Perform the desired number of sets and reps.

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Final Words

The effectiveness of leg workouts is directly proportional to their intensity. However, you must be cautious about not overtraining your body. Consider your fitness goals and training experience before subjecting your body to a high-intensity workout routine.

The compound exercises for legs mentioned in this post can get you the lower body gains that you have always wanted. Just incorporate a few of them in your leg workouts and you will surely reap their benefits.