Squats are probably the first exercise a person ever performs — simply standing up from the ground. This is likely why squats are often dubbed as the king of exercises. Indeed, they are one of the best, if not the best exercises to develop lower body size, strength, and power while making you a universally
leg day
Simple bodybuilding programs are a little too easy to find. You could pull them from fitness magazines — those ghost-written workouts that your favorite bodybuilders supposedly follow. You could roll the dice and ask an artificial intelligence chatbot to generate one for you. Or, you could attempt to develop one for yourself. Just a few
The front squat is one of the most effective lower body exercises, offering tons of benefits from strength and muscle size to athleticism and mobility. The same exercise can also be daunting because it requires coordination from head to toe. This challenging squat variation can even be awkward for some lifters because it demands more
When it comes to building muscle one leg at a time, the Bulgarian split squat, also known as the rear foot elevated split squat, usually gets all the praise and attention. But the real ones know how underrated the front foot elevated split squat truly is. Credit: Zoran Pucarevic / Shutterstock The unfairly overlooked front
Whether you want to build an impressive set of wheels, boost your strength, or improve athletic performance, your training had better include some single-leg exercises. Indeed, they are invaluable for balancing your physique, addressing weaknesses, improving leg strength, and providing a nasty pump. Credit: Vladimir Sukhachev / Shutterstock Among the best single-leg exercises are lunges,
“Doubling up” can be a good thing — A doubleheader at the ballpark, double meat in your burrito bowl, and a double shot of espresso to jump-start the day. But it can also be, well, double trouble — Double vision, double traffic fines, and double-dipping your chip at a party. But how about doubling up
When it’s time to train your lower body, barbell back squats get plenty of attention, but single-leg training should spend more time in the spotlight. In particular, it’s worth focusing on the dumbbell split squat to bring awareness to the staggered position and learn to coordinate weight distribution across both feet. The dumbbell split squat,
Imagine this: It’s peak hour at your gym and you’ve spent all day looking forward to attacking some front squats, but the wait for a squat rack is longer than the line at the smoothie bar on half-price day. Or maybe you’re trying to get a quality workout in a sparse hotel or still-growing home
The front squat is a staple movement for Olympic weightlifters, CrossFit athletes, and countless other strength-focused lifters. However, some find the unique bar position to be a limiting factor because it requires ample shoulder and wrist mobility. Credit: Ground Picture / Shutterstock Other lifters shy away from the front squat because they can move relatively
Some lifters think they don’t “need” to do the goblet squat, usually because they can load more weight onto a barbell. But the goblet squat really is one of the most efficient exercises you can do. It’s more challenging than basic bodyweight squats, it’s more accessible than squatting with a barbell, and can usually be
“Don’t skip leg day” has almost become a meme in the gym, warning dedicated lifters to give lower body training as much emphasis, intensity, and attention as their upper body. That’s all well and good, but even when it comes to “leg day,” many lifters still end up skipping a relatively large portion of their
It’s difficult to walk into a gym and not run into someone trying to develop their posterior chain with set after set of hip thrusts. The exercise has actually been around for a long time, but it’s gotten a surge of popularity in the last 10 years or so, possibly fueled by social media trends
When leg day rolls around, many lifters prioritize barbell exercises like squats and Romanian deadlifts. That’s a generally reliable approach for building size and strength, but an aversion to machine exercises can make lower body workouts less effective and it can make gains harder to come by. If lifters do incorporate machine-based movements, it’s often
“You’ve gotta squat” can be heard echoing through gyms worldwide. At face value, it’s undoubtedly useful advice. Squatting strengthens the entire lower body and builds muscle in the legs, while also working the core and upper-body stabilizers. However, squatting isn’t one specific exercise; it’s a general movement pattern. Telling someone to squat is like telling
Some people go to the gym just to look good, and that’s a fine goal to have. They spend time and effort working various muscle groups to improve their aesthetics and reach their dream physique. Yet, some body parts aren’t always given the same attention as others. Credit: Ruslan Shugushev / Shutterstock Let’s be real.
In the gym, simple training does not always mean easy training. Some of the most simple-looking exercises can be the most challenging, as well as the most beneficial. Many lifters are familiar with the basic squat movement and the lower body benefits it delivers. But squatting with a barbell isn’t the only option. Many lifters
Most dedicated lifters show up to the gym ready to do what it takes to work towards their goals. But it’s not always fun and games, and some workouts are approached with less enthusiasm than others. Leg day usually separates goal-focused lifters from those who’d get a tongue tattoo rather than train. Many leg exercises
Everybody’s keen on boasting about their squat numbers, but many people overlook single-leg work. That’s a pity because unilateral exercises — single-arm or single-leg movements — offer unique benefits such as avoiding overusing the dominant side, isolating and correcting muscle or strength imbalances, improving balance, body awareness and preventing injuries. Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock