Ever wondered how to get stronger legs? We’ve got the answer.
In the fitness world, the focus often used to be placed on the upper body: pecs, delts, biceps, triceps, and lats. In fact, people used to make jokes about “skipping leg day to do bench press.”
But that’s a mistake. Leg strength is fundamental in daily life, work, and sports. And, of course, many people desire toned leg muscles, including glutes, for aesthetic value. Regardless of why you want strong legs, we can help you earn them.
First, to get stronger legs you need to train them properly. That means you can’t skip leg day. When left on their own, many people don’t have a precise plan. So they end up missing training days, training some parts too often and others too little, lifting with poor technique, and doing the wrong exercises, sets and reps with the wrong loads for their goals.
We solve all those problems by telling you exactly what to do to accomplish your personal goals. In all of our programmes, we give you a precise plan, and we coach you to perform movements properly so you optimise your results.
For example, a rugby player who wants huge leg strength might work up to 1 set of 5 heavy deadlifts once a week. Someone who wants to look better in short shorts might do 3-4 glute-specific exercises in 3 sets of 8-12 reps with limited rest. That client might train the legs twice a week, according to a specific plan.
If you’re on your own, you’ll need to determine the right movements, sets, reps, loads and rest intervals for your goals. That can be complicated, but we’ll give you a few general tips:
- To build raw strength, use 3-5 sets of 1-5 reps, with 3-5 minutes of rest between sets.
- To add muscle (which will help increase strength), use 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps, with 60-90 seconds of rest between sets.
- To improve muscular endurance (and build a bit of strength), use 2-3 sets of 12-20 reps, with about 30 seconds of rest between sets.
As for exercises, you have a huge variety available to you and you can select according to your goals, your preferences, and the equipment available to you.
Here’s a quick tip many people need: To build leg strength, heavier loads are required.
As you can see above, you build muscular endurance with sets of about 20 reps and you’ll have to use lighter loads. You’ll build a little strength with that formula, too, but it’s best for improving endurance.
To focus more on strength, perform fewer reps with loads that challenge you. In some cases, that might require equipment you don’t have. For example, a strong person might require a barbell and 100kg of weight or more for optimal strength training. And you’d definitely want to make sure you’re lifting with great form. We have all the equipment and expertise to help with that.
The general summary: To get stronger legs, you need to train them regularly with relatively heavy loads. The exact plan will vary according to your goals and fitness level.
Do you Want Help Becoming The Healthiest, Fittest, Strongest Version Of Yourself?
Most people know that a regular exercise plan, eating well, sleeping, and managing stress is important for looking and feeling better. Yet they need help applying that knowledge in the context of their busy, sometimes stressful lives.
That’s why we work closely with all of our clients to help them lose fat, get stronger, and improve their health… no matter what challenges they’re dealing with.
If you’re ready to change your body, and your life, with help from some of the country’s best coaches, this is your chance.