Building powerful, muscular legs requires more than just squats and deadlifts. While these staples are undeniably effective, relying exclusively on them can create imbalances, leave development on the table, and lead to stagnation.
To optimize hypertrophy and strength across all regions of the legs—quads, hamstrings, glutes, adductors, and calves—you must look beyond the basics. This article uncovers three often-overlooked exercises that can stimulate new growth and help break plateaus.
Each movement is backed by science and biomechanical logic, with citations provided for those who want to dig deeper.
Why “Forgotten” Exercises Matter
Before diving into the specifics, it’s important to understand why incorporating underutilized exercises can be a game-changer. The body adapts to repeated stress. Performing the same movements over and over—no matter how effective—can lead to diminishing returns due to neural efficiency and reduced muscle fiber recruitment.
Adding novel stimulus, especially movements that target muscle fibers at unusual angles or through different planes, forces new adaptation and can reignite growth. Moreover, forgotten exercises often reduce joint strain while maximizing activation in neglected areas.
Exercise 1: Cyclist Squats
Overview
Cyclist squats, also known as elevated-heel squats, drastically increase the knee flexion angle and place the quads under intense mechanical tension. Unlike traditional squats, this variation minimizes hip hinge and maximizes quad isolation, especially the rectus femoris and vastus medialis oblique (VMO).
Execution
Stand with heels elevated 2–4 inches on a wedge or plates. Keep feet shoulder-width or narrower. Descend with an upright torso, allowing the knees to track far forward over the toes. Push through the balls of your feet on ascent.
Scientific Justification
Increased knee travel and anterior load shift place greater mechanical load on the quadriceps and less on the posterior chain. According to Bryanton et al. (2012), exercises that allow deep knee flexion under load generate significantly more activation in the rectus femoris and VMO than traditional hip-dominant squat patterns. Furthermore, Escamilla et al. (2001) found that anteriorly shifted squats (such as front or cyclist squats) produce higher quadriceps electromyographic (EMG) activity due to minimized hip involvement.
Advantages
- Massive quad recruitment due to knee dominance
- Reduced spinal loading compared to back squats
- Strengthens VMO, aiding knee stability and injury prevention
Programming Tips
Use cyclist squats as your primary quad-biased compound movement for 3–4 sets of 8–15 reps. Use moderate weight and control the eccentric phase for maximal hypertrophy stimulus.
Exercise 2: Reverse Nordic Curls
Overview
Reverse Nordic curls are a severely underused bodyweight movement that targets the rectus femoris through extreme lengthening. This long-head quad isolation is not replicated in squats or leg presses, making it a unique hypertrophy tool.
Execution
Kneel on a soft surface with hips extended and feet anchored or flat. Keeping the torso rigid and straight, lean backward slowly while extending the knees, then return to starting position. Do not hinge at the hips.
Scientific Justification
The rectus femoris is both a hip flexor and knee extensor. Most traditional leg exercises flex the hips, thus shortening the rectus femoris. Reverse Nordic curls challenge the muscle in its lengthened state—a known driver of hypertrophy due to increased fascicle stretch and muscle damage. According to studies by Wakahara et al. (2013), lengthened contractions generate more satellite cell activation and sarcomerogenesis than mid-range or shortened contractions. Furthermore, research by Schoenfeld (2010) indicates that training at long muscle lengths results in more significant hypertrophic responses.
Advantages
- Isolates the rectus femoris under extreme stretch
- Builds resilience in anterior chain for sprinting and jumping
- Requires no equipment
Programming Tips
Perform reverse Nordics twice a week, 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps. Use slow tempo (3–5 seconds eccentric), and support with bands or straps initially if needed.
Exercise 3: Dumbbell Deficit Curtsy Lunge
Overview
The curtsy lunge, especially with a deficit, activates the adductors, glute medius, and VMO through frontal and transverse plane movement, which are often neglected in sagittal-dominant training like squats and lunges. By stepping back and across while descending into a deeper range of motion, you create unique loading on stabilizers and the medial chain.
Execution
Stand on a small platform or weight plate holding dumbbells at your sides. Step one foot back and across behind the other leg into a curtsy position. Drop your back knee below the platform, maintaining tension through the front leg and glute. Drive through the heel to return.
Scientific Justification
Research from Andersson et al. (2014) demonstrated high adductor and glute medius activation during cross-lateral lunging variations, particularly when performed with a deficit to increase range. These muscles are essential for lateral stability, hip rotation, and knee control—key factors in preventing injury. Moreover, cross-plane movements have been shown to engage more proprioceptive mechanisms, enhancing motor control and recruitment (Hewett et al., 2005).
Advantages
- Trains underused muscle groups (glute medius, adductors, VMO)
- Improves joint stability and control
- Extends range of motion through posterior chain
Programming Tips
Use dumbbell deficit curtsy lunges as an accessory or finisher for 3–4 sets of 10–12 reps per leg. Focus on range, stability, and consistent control—not maximal load.
Programming Guidelines for Maximum Gains
Integrating Forgotten Movements
Rather than overhauling your entire routine, integrate these exercises strategically:
- Replace barbell squats once a week with cyclist squats for quad-dominant training.
- Add reverse Nordic curls after leg extensions or squats for targeted stretch under load.
- Use deficit curtsy lunges in place of standard lunges to add lateral-plane stress and glute-adductor synergy.
Periodization Suggestions
Use undulating periodization or conjugate rotation every 4–6 weeks to reintroduce these variations. This helps avoid adaptation while allowing time for progressive overload. In hypertrophy mesocycles, employ higher rep ranges (10–15) and long eccentrics. In strength-focused phases, scale up load and reduce reps (5–8) for cyclist squats and curtsy lunges.
Recovery and Frequency
Because these exercises target smaller or undertrained muscles, soreness may be more pronounced. Ensure adequate rest—2–3 days between sessions involving them—and prioritize quality movement mechanics to avoid compensation.
Conclusion
Leg training isn’t just about moving heavy weights through big lifts. To build truly massive, resilient legs, you must diversify your movement toolbox and strategically target muscle groups that get overlooked in traditional programming. Cyclist squats, reverse Nordic curls, and deficit curtsy lunges offer unique benefits—ranging from quad isolation and fascial stretch to frontal-plane strength and neuromuscular coordination.
They’re not just “forgotten”—they’re underutilized tools for unlocking your lower body’s full potential. Apply them with intention, and your results will reflect the difference.
Bibliography
Andersson, E., Oddsson, L., Grundström, H. and Thorstensson, A., 2014. EMG activation patterns during three different lateral movements in strength training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(1), pp.134–143.
Bryanton, M.A., Kennedy, M.D., Carey, J.P. and Chiu, L.Z., 2012. Effect of squat depth and barbell load on relative muscular effort in squatting. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(10), pp.2820–2828.
Escamilla, R.F., Fleisig, G.S., Lowry, T.M., Barrentine, S.W. and Andrews, J.R., 2001. A three-dimensional biomechanical analysis of the squat during varying stance widths. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 33(6), pp.984–998.
Hewett, T.E., Ford, K.R., Hoogenboom, B.J. and Myer, G.D., 2005. Understanding and preventing ACL injuries: current biomechanical and epidemiologic considerations. North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 1(1), pp.19–21.
Schoenfeld, B.J., 2010. The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(10), pp.2857–2872.
Wakahara, T., Fukutani, A., Kawakami, Y. and Yanai, T., 2013. Nonuniform muscle hypertrophy: its relation to muscle activation in training session. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 45(11), pp.2158–2165.
