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Best Leg Exercises Backed By Science

Updated: Apr 4

Leg Muscle Biology

Leg Muscle Groups
Leg Muscle Groups

Leg muscles can be categorised into four groups:

  1. Quadriceps (Quads)

  2. Hamstrings (Hams)

  3. Calves (Calf)

  4. Gluteus Maximus (Glutes)


If you want to find out more about the biology of the skeletal leg muscles, check out this blog post.


EMG Analysis Technique

An electromyography (EMG) machine is a diagnostic tool used to evaluate the function of muscles and the nerve cells that control them. It measures the electrical activity of the muscles at rest and during contraction.


The process typically involves placing small electrodes on the skin over the studied muscle or inserting a needle electrode directly into the muscle. The EMG machine records the electrical signals generated by the muscles and displays them as waveforms on a monitor. This information is crucial for diagnosing nerve disorders, muscle diseases, and injuries. It helps healthcare professionals assess how well the muscles and nerves are functioning and can guide treatment decisions. The research below was conducted using this science-backed approach with EMG machines.


What is Maximum Voluntary Contraction

Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC) refers to the maximum force that a muscle or muscle group can produce voluntarily. It is typically assessed during strength testing, where the individual exerts maximum effort to contract the muscle. MVC is important in evaluating muscle function as it provides a benchmark for muscle strength and can be used to identify deficits or improvements in muscle performance resulting from training, rehabilitation, or other interventions.


In research and clinical settings, MVC is often measured using electromyography (EMG) to capture the electrical activity of the muscles during the contraction. By comparing the electrical signals and the resulting force produced, researchers can gain insights into the efficiency and health of the neuromuscular system. MVC is crucial in various applications, including sports science, rehabilitation, and muscle physiology.


What is Mean and Peak Activation

Researchers typically use mean MVC for their data. I used to think that mean activation was more critical as it measured the average activation throughout the entire repetition. However, muscles are not always active throughout an exercise's entire range of motion, especially during compound lifts.


For example, one muscle might be very active down low in the stretched position, while another becomes more active up top in the contracted position of the same exercise.

For this reason, I believe that peak MVC is a more important figure. Peak activation measures the highest point of activation during a repetition.


Still, I believe that mean activation might be more critical for bodybuilding purposes as it provides constant tension, occlusion, and “the pump.” In contrast, peak activation may be more critical for sport-specific purposes, as it enables maximum tension at a particular moment for optimal force production.


Study One

This study utilized EMG Peak and Mean data to determine the optimal leg exercises, involving only one participant. However, the individual is an experienced weightlifter. The participant performed five repetitions of each exercise to find the peak and mean activation.


Gluteus Maximus

  1. Barbell Glute Bridge

  2. Hip Thrust

  3. Pull Through


Hamstring

  1. Romanian Deadlift

  2. Single Leg Gliding Leg Curl

  3. High Step Up


Quadricep

  1. Full Squat

  2. Parallel Squat

  3. Half Squat


Calve

  1. Heavy Lever Calf Raise

  2. Explosive Lever Calf Raise

  3. Single Leg Calf Raise



Study Two

This study used an EMG to collect data from ten male resistance-trained subjects, with a mean age of 22 years, to identify the optimal leg exercises for each major leg muscle.


Quadricep

  1. Hack Squats with 50° knee angle

  2. Hack Squats with 90° knee angle

  3. Barbell Back Squats with 70° knee angle


Gluteus Maximus

  1. Lying Leg Curls with Thighs Raised from Pad

  2. Glute Raises on Hip-Pendulum Swing

  3. Deadlift Bodyweight


Hamstring

  1. Partial Leg Curls in Stretch Position

  2. Leg Curls to Peak Contraction

  3. Leg Lift with Bodyweight


Abductor

  1. Abductor Machine

  2. Hip Pendulum Abductors

  3. Side Bridges with Hip Abduction


Calve Muscle

  1. 90° Donkey Calve Raises

  2. Standing Calf Raises

  3. Horizontal Leg Press Calf Raises



Study Three

This study used fifteen resistance-trained male participants. All participants had at least one year of resistance-training experience and were free of illness or injury. All were able to leg press their body mass for six repetitions using one leg. All were similar to the three exercises examined in this study:

  1. Unilateral Leg Press

  2. Kickbacks

  3. Knee Extensions


A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the surface EMG amplitude of rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, biceps femoris and gluteus maximus while performing unilateral leg press, kickback and knee extension. The participants performed three repetitions using their respective 6RM load.


  • Gluteus Maximus (Glutes)

Unilateral Leg Press


  • Hamstring

Kickback


  • Quadricep (Outer)

Unilateral Leg Press


  • Quadricep (Inner)

Knee Extensions



Study Four

This study focused on determining the optimal hamstring exercises using EMG results. It involved a total of 34 subjects, comprising 21 men and 13 women. Subjects then performed two full range-of-motion repetitions at maximal volitional velocity using their 6-RM loads for each of the randomly ordered test exercises. The results from the study found the following to be the most to least practical exercises for the hamstring:


  1. Leg Curl

  2. Russian Curl

  3. Stiff Legged Deadlift



Study Five

Build with Science conducted in-depth research analysis using scientific research to determine which exercises are the most optimal for each major muscle group. Their findings showed the following:


Gluteus Maximus (Glutes)

  1. Weighted Hip Thrusts

  2. FOM Barbell Back Squats

  3. Bulgarian Split Squats


Quadriceps

  1. Barbell Front Squats

  2. Full Range of Motion Barbell Back Squat


Hamstrings

  1. Bulgarian Split Squats

  2. Weighted Hip Thrusts

  3. Romanian Deadlifts



Study Summary

Based on the above studies and my personal experience of training for 22 years and working with thousands of clients, I recommend the following for each leg muscle group:


Glutes

  1. Isolation: Glute Bridge

  2. Compound: Barbell Hip Thrust


Hamstrings

  1. Isolation: Partial Leg Curls in Stretch Position

  2. Compound: Romanian Deadlift


Calves

  1. Standing Calf Raise

  2. Horizontal Leg Press Calf Raise


Quadricep

  1. Compound: Full Range of Motion Barbell Back Squat

  2. Isolation: Leg Extensions


JH Backed by Science Killa Leg Workout


Glutes

  • Barbell Hip Thrust: 3-4 sets of 6-8 repetitions














  • Glute Pull-through: 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions














Hamstrings

  • Romanian Barbell Deadlift: 3-4 sets of 6-8 repetitions














  • Partial Leg Curls in Stretch Position: 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions














Quadriceps

  • Full Range of Motion Barbell Back Squats: 3-4 sets of 6-8 repetitions














Leg Knee Extensions: 3 sets of 12 repetitions














Calves


Standing Calf Raises: 5 sets of 10-12 repetitions (I recommend using the Smith Machine)














Donkey Calf Raise: 5 sets of 10-12 repetitions (perform as seen in the below video)
















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