When it comes to leg day workouts, the usual go-to tends to be squats. While squats are an effective compound exercise, they are not always an exercise people love to do.
The content ahead looks into the 5 best leg day exercises for people who hate squats, so that you can program your workout more effectively if you truly do not like them.
There are many lower body exercises that target the legs and can do a great job working the lower half. While squats are easy to perform at most any time, the knee movements involved may not be for everyone, with knee pain as a common concern for many. Let’s look into the various lower body exercises you can do to substitute out squats so you can feel at your best.
The Top 4 Benefits of Leg Exercises
Leg exercises are vital to an athletic physique and a strong lower half can really set the tone for much of your fitness journey. While it cannot be overstated, the benefits of a strong lower half can work wonders in many aspects of your life. Listed ahead are some of the 4 top benefits of leg day exercises.
- Can lead to upper body adaptations. It seems counterintuitive, but working your lower body may have an effect on the upper. Studies have shown high volume, lower body training protocols can help to boost hormone balance to encourage full body strength. Especially growth hormone, lower body training can allow for the release of androgen hormones that are essential for performance.
- Strong legs support other activities. Perhaps one of the most important features of lower extremity exercise is what it offers to daily activities. Lower body exercises, when performed regularly, can help to boost daily functional activities such as biking, hiking, and hogging.
- Develop the foundation of the body. The legs create the grounding foundation to help in various lifts. Strong legs help to encourage deadlifts, power cleans, and unilateral exercises. The important element in these exercises is form and a strong lower body can help to encourage a strong form.
- Encourages blood circulation. Leg exercises can help to encourage blood flow in the lower body with every repetition. The contacting muscles and increased heart rate during exercise can help to boost circulation and transport nutrients to the working muscles.
What are the Main Leg Muscles to Target?
The legs include various small and big muscles that help to extend, flex, and rotate through a full range of motion. Target the legs to help boost lower body strength and support various parts of your workout program. Here are the main muscles of the lower body to target for optimal strength.
- Quadriceps. With four main muscles that make up this group, the rectus femoris is the biggest of the quads. This muscle group pulls on the lower leg to create knee extension and it also plays a role in hip flexion. The quads are extremely valuable for day-to-day activities and are central to keeping the body grounded through lifts.
- Hamstrings. The hamstrings are made from three long posterior muscles that work together to perform knee flexion, leg rotation, and hip extension. These posterior muscles are important for counteracting the quads and are typically a close source of injuries for many athletes. Working the hamstrings, especially the primary biceps femoris, can help to ensure optimal strength to properly the body through various movements.
- Glutes. The gluteus maximus and minimus are two posterior muscles that work the hips. Involved in hip extension, hyperextension, and abduction, the glutes play a role in stability, balance, and power. Primarily targeted by people who want stronger and more defined glutes, squats typically target this area.
- Calves. The gastrocnemius is a powerful muscle that takes up the posterior part of the lower legs. It contains two attachment heads at the knee joint and another that turns into the Achilles tendon. The calves help to propel the body during running, jumping, and biking movements.
The 5 Best Leg Exercises for People Who Hate Squats
If you are one of the athletes who do not like to perform squats, then you’re in luck. Consider the five best leg exercises ahead to help you navigate through your workouts, all without performing squats.
- Dumbbell Reverse Lunges. For those who do not like excessive joint motions that squats offer, it seems the reverse lunge may be perfect. Close studies examining joint mobility between lunges and squats show the squatting variations have more joint moments, which could be burdensome on people who have joint mobility concerns.
- Deadlifts. Don’t like to do squats? You’re definitely in luck because deadlifts work the posterior muscles just as good, if not better than squats. Deadlifts work the primary leg muscles and definitely target the glutes for a great lower body exercise.
- Dumbbell Step-Ups. Step-ups using a stepper, ledge, or elevated bench can work the posterior leg muscles concentrically. The hip extension required to step the body upwards makes for a great exercise and adding dumbbells can make this a truly tough exercise for your legs.
- Barbell Calf Raises. Working the calf muscles can happen in various ways, but the barbell option can add more weight, work balance, and maintain lower limb stability. While there may be a bit of a learning lag, consider trying this option for true calf definition.
- Single Leg Lateral Abductions. Lateral abductions are not usually the most sought after exercise in the gym, but they play a big role in functional ability. When attached to the cable machine, lateral abductions work the outer hips to help with the side-to-side movements you perform when walking, running, hiking, and anything that requires lower half stability.
Conclusions
Working the lower half of the body usually means incorporating squats into your workout plan. While squats offer efficiency for many adults, not everyone likes to do them. Consider the information above a guide on how to target your legs with the 5 best leg exercises for people who hate squats.
Resources
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8439705
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26418958
image sources
- leg-muscles-running: Deposit Photos
