Discover 6 lesser-known leg exercises for toned and firm legs!

1. Let's delve into these 6 effective leg exercises together!
   1. 1. Single Leg Squat with Knee Tap – Targeting stability and strength
   2. 2. Bulgarian Split Squat with a forward lean
   3. 3. Leg Extension with outward/inward focus
   4. 4. Tire Rolling
   5. 5. Deadlift Variation
   6. 6. Glute-Ham Raise 

Tired of the same old leg routines? Explore these effective, yet underrated leg exercises.

Unveiling the secrets of lesser-known leg workouts.

Get ready to explore these variations of leg exercises designed to tone and strengthen your legs. You'll find them familiar yet refreshing!

Let's dive into these 6 leg exercises for firm and sculpted legs right away!

1. Single Leg Squat with Knee Tap – Engage in the single-leg squat while tapping your knee.

You're probably familiar with the single-leg squat, but we're about to switch up the routine a bit.

Single Leg Squat with Knee Touch

This squat exercise targets multiple muscle groups in your thighs and glutes, promoting fluid movements and improving balance.

Tip: Balancing on one leg is harder than you think, so start without weights first. Once you're comfortable, add weights to challenge yourself. Remember not to rest your shin on the ball, but keep your knees aligned.

2. Forward Incline Bulgarian Split Squat

Familiar with the classic leg exercises for firm legs, aren't you? Typically, we maintain a straight back and focus on thigh muscles during this exercise. If your squat needs improvement, this is a great variation, although it may put some strain on your knees.

Bulgarian Split Squat

The alternative version for you is to perform the squat as usual but lean your body forward 45 degrees. This increases the torque on your hips, making your glutes and hamstrings work harder to stabilize your body. It also reduces impact on your knees.

Tip: You can apply this forward lean to lunges or split squats for a more challenging variation. Note that the more you lean, the more your glutes and hamstrings will have to work.

3. Leg Extension with Toes Pointed Outward/Inward

We often do leg extensions with toes pointed upward.

However, we can vary it by rotating the feet outward or inward.

Pointing the feet inward targets the outer thigh muscle, Vastus lateralis, the most. The inner thigh muscles will be moderately engaged. Conversely, if the feet are pointed outward, the muscle groups will change accordingly.

Now you can easily envision how to train the outer and inner thigh muscles, right?

Additionally, there's a variation where you extend one leg forward, which you can also try to feel the difference.

4. Tire Rolling

Here's another effective but less common leg exercise in Vietnam (probably due to the lack of tires to roll), but if you have them at home or at the gym, don't overlook it.

Tire Flip Exercise

The tire flip exercise may seem simple, but it requires engagement from various muscle groups including shoulders, traps, lower back, arms, and lower body muscles. Variations can include repetitions, distance, speed, and rest time.

When using heavy tires, pay close attention to your form. Ensure you squat down with your chest against the tire, engage your hips, and extend your knees to flip the tire forward.

Tip: Wear a pair of high-traction sports shoes to prevent slipping while flipping the tire. Make sure to use your legs and glutes rather than your lower back for this exercise.

5. Combined Deadlift Exercise

This Deadlift combines aspects of Sumo Deadlift and Romanian Deadlift.

The foot positioning is not as wide as Sumo nor as narrow as Romanian. Here, the stance will be 10cm wider than shoulder-width on each side. The knee bend in this exercise falls between Sumo and Romanian Deadlifts.

Combined Deadlift

With the Sumo Deadlift, our torso stays upright, knees bent at 90 degrees, whereas in the Romanian Deadlift, we primarily engage the hips and only slightly bend the knees, about 15 degrees. In this exercise, we'll apply something in between. That means bending the knees at 45 degrees and tilting the hips about 7 degrees. This helps target the lower back and hamstrings effectively.

Performing this exercise will feel more natural compared to the Sumo and also allow you to lift heavier weights.

Tip: Unlike the Romanian Deadlift where you typically touch lightly down to the floor after each rep, with this mixed exercise, you don't have to, unless you're lifting very heavy. Keep your back straight and the number of repetitions depends on your capacity.

6. Glute-Ham Raise 

If you're used to exercises like Calf Raise or occasionally Romanian Deadlift, consider incorporating the Glute-Ham Raise.

This exercise is regarded as the best by EGM for the posterior thigh (excluding Deadlifts), so why not include it in your routine, right?

Glute-Ham Raise

Because this exercise can be a bit challenging to master (due to body movement rather than leg strength) and also quite difficult if you want to add weights. Therefore, it's best to do this exercise at the beginning of your leg workout when your body is freshest.

Tip: Controlled movement is crucial in this exercise. You don't need to touch your face to the floor (and you can't do that anyway). Aim for 8-12 repetitions, with the last repetition always yielding the highest result. If you're using a Lat PullDown machine for this exercise, use a small stick to help push yourself back if you're not used to it.

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Posted by: Chí Phúc

Keywords: 6 lesser-known leg exercises for toned and firm legs