10 Best Leg Exercises for Weight Loss (From a Trainer)

Leg exercises are a powerhouse for burning body fat. They build lower body muscle, boost your speed, strength, and endurance, and rev up your metabolism for ongoing calorie burn.

To optimize your weight loss journey, it's essential to understand the intricate anatomy of leg muscles, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. This knowledge will empower you to target specific muscles effectively, ensuring a balanced and comprehensive leg workout.

What Are The Advantages Of Leg Exercises?

• Strengthen your legs which results in longer and better workouts
• Faster fat loss due to prolonged and consistent workouts
• Improve your cardiovascular health and prevent strain to the lower back. Additionally, they enhance your overall physical performance and agility.

You can get more benefits by adding supplements. Pre-workouts have natural ingredients that give you more energy, help your muscles heal, and make you feel less tired after a workout.

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The Goblet squat is a basic squat position holding a kettlebell or dumbbell in front of your body. It targets your glutes, calves, hamstrings, and quads and engages your core. This exercise is also beneficial for improving your balance and coordination.

Doing Goblet squats is a good option for those with back injuries as it offers less strain on the lower lumbar and spine.

I remember the first time I tried goblet squats; the burn in my glutes and thighs was real. Holding that kettlebell in front of me not only worked my lower body but also engaged my core, enhancing my balance and coordination. It's a must-try for anyone looking to spice up their leg day.

Steps To Get It Done

Equipment: Kettlebell or Dumbbell

A deadlift is a lower-body exercise where a bar is lifted off the ground while keeping a good posture. It works on your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. It also engages your core, lower and upper body. Deadlifts also contribute to better bone health and improved grip strength.

Deadlifting helps promote quicker fat loss, increase cardio endurance and muscle strength. It stabilizes your core and improves posture.

Deadlifts have been a game-changer for me. Lifting that bar off the ground, feeling every muscle from my glutes down to my hamstrings engage, is invigorating. My grip strength and bone health have improved significantly. It’s a holistic exercise that I can’t recommend enough.

Steps To Get It Done

Equipment: Barbell

The Curtsy Lunge is an excellent fat-burning exercise to brace yourself for balance. It primarily engages your quads and gluteal muscles. This exercise also aids in enhancing your lateral mobility and flexibility.

Curtsy lunges can improve posture by strengthening and sculpting the inner thigh and stabilizing your hips and ankles. It is less risky for knee injuries while losing weight.

I used to struggle with lateral mobility until I incorporated curtsy lunges into my routine. Feeling my quads and glutes engage with each movement was proof of its effectiveness. It’s not just about burning fat; it’s about enhancing mobility and flexibility, something I noticed after just a few sessions.

Steps To Get It Done

Equipment: None

Glute-Ham Raise means challenging the leg muscle group to a fat-burning exercise that works to strengthen your glutes and hamstring. These backside muscles of your body are often missed in workout routines.

GHR can strengthen your legs to help you better perform in other workouts. It lessens low back strain while trimming those unwanted fats.

I can't stress enough the difference Glute-Ham Raises made in my workouts. Strengthening those often neglected backside muscles not only intensified my fat burn but also enhanced my performance in other exercises. Every raise was a step closer to my weight loss and strength goals.

Steps To Get It Done

Equipment: GHR machine.

The leg raises exercise is a fat-burning exercise that engages muscle groups throughout your body. But, it works mainly on your hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, and lower back muscles.

Leg raises strengthen your lower body muscles for a better workout. It also helps in fat burning while toning your abs muscles.

I was skeptical about the impact of leg raises until I added them to my routine. The engagement I felt in my hamstrings and lower back was undeniable. Each lift not only contributed to my fat loss journey but also toned my abs, a pleasant surprise.

Steps To Get It Done

Equipment: None

Step-ups are cardiovascular training that engages the buttocks and works the leg muscles independently. It mainly targets the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Step-ups also promote better joint health, particularly in the knees and hips.

Step-ups can improve balance and increase endurance by promoting overall leg and lower body strength. It lessens stress on your lower body while losing weight.

There’s something gratifying about conquering step-ups. Each step, a mix of cardio and strength training, not only tones my quads and glutes but also reassures me of my joint health. It’s a blend of endurance and power, making every session a rewarding challenge.

Steps To Get It Done

Equipment: Box/Platform

Skaters exercise is the simple act of skating without the skates that can get your heart rate up while slimming you down. It works on your quads, glutes, outer thigh, hamstring, calves, and core muscles.

Skaters can improve stability, endurance, coordination, and balance by strengthening legs,and building lower body muscle and abs.

I’ll never forget my first skaters session; it was intense and exhilarating! Feeling my heart rate soar as my legs worked in unison with my core, I knew I had found a cardio gem. It’s a full-body workout disguised as a fun, dynamic leg exercise.

Steps To Get It Done

Equipment:  None

The inner thigh lift is a Pilates exercise that strengthens your knees and lower-back muscles. It works primarily on your inner thighs and gluteal muscles.

Inner thigh lift provides stability to hip joints, improves your balance during heavy weight lifting.

I used to overlook my inner thighs until the inner thigh lift became a staple in my workouts. The strength and tone it brought to my legs were visible, and the enhanced knee and lower back strength was a welcomed bonus. It’s a subtle yet powerful move.

Steps To Get It Done

Equipment: None

Single-leg circles are a classic Pilates exercise that looks simple to do but offers a challenging deal. The circular movement of the leg works on your quads, glutes, hamstrings, inner and outer thighs. It also engages your core and pelvis.

Single-Leg Circles improve pelvic stability and healthy hip joints. It promotes balance and posture by combining stretching and strengthening, which provide better leg mobility and hip flexibility.

I was deceived by the simplicity of single-leg circles at first, but oh, the burn. Each circle carved definition into my thighs and glutes while my core and pelvis engaged silently but effectively. It’s a testament that simplicity and intensity can coexist in a workout.

Steps To Get It Done

Equipment: Mat

Walking and running are two of the first exercises ever done to burn fat. In addition, they are very convenient and easy to do.

Daily walking and running not only strengthen your legs but also enhance your workout endurance and performance. If you're looking to amp up your weight loss, running can be a high-energy alternative, burning double the calories of walking.

I’ve always found solace in the rhythmic pace of running and the gentle strides of a fast walk. Every step is not just a move towards weight loss but a journey of endurance and strength building.

Athletes, weight lifters, models, stage performers, and people with jobs that require prolonged standing or sitting can benefit from leg workouts.

Keeping a focus and consistent leg workout promotes overall balanced fitness and stability that can also benefit people with back problems who want to burn more calories, develop strong legs, and improve flexibility.

These strength training exercises result in a strong lower body that may save people from injuries and manage medical conditions such as heart problems, joint pains, and diabetes [2].

Complement your leg exercises with tailored nutritional guidelines, designed to fuel muscle development and strength. Discover the essential nutrients, sample meal plans, and specific foods that will accelerate your muscle growth and enhance recovery, ensuring you get the most out of each workout.