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Legs · Barbell · 54 exercises

Leg workouts with a barbell

A barbell leg workout: back squats, Romanian deadlifts, lunges and glute bridges.

A complete leg workout includes a squat or press for the quads, a hip hinge such as a Romanian deadlift for the hamstrings and glutes, a single-leg exercise, and direct work for the hamstrings and calves. Put the heaviest, most technical lift first, while you are fresh.

A barbell lets you lift the most weight and add it in small, measurable jumps, which makes it the easiest tool for getting stronger over time. Most of these lifts need a rack, and pressing needs a bench and, ideally, safety pins.

Barbell leg workout

The squat is the main lift; everything else supports it.

  1. Barbell Back Squat
    Sets
    5
    Reps
    5
    Rest
    3 min
  2. Romanian Deadlift
    Sets
    3
    Reps
    8
    Rest
    2 min
  3. Barbell Lunge
    Sets
    3
    Reps
    8 each leg
    Rest
    2 min
  4. Barbell Glute Bridge
    Sets
    3
    Reps
    10
    Rest
    90 s
  5. Barbell Standing Calf Raise
    Sets
    4
    Reps
    12
    Rest
    60 s

Front squat leg day

A more upright squat that puts more work on the quads.

  1. Barbell Front Squat
    Sets
    4
    Reps
    5–8
    Rest
    3 min
  2. Barbell Good Morning
    Sets
    3
    Reps
    8–10
    Rest
    2 min
  3. Barbell Split Squat
    Sets
    3
    Reps
    8 each leg
    Rest
    2 min
  4. Barbell Seated Calf Raise
    Sets
    4
    Reps
    12–15
    Rest
    60 s

Can’t do one of these?

Machine taken or training somewhere else? Each of these has substitutes that work the same muscles.

Tips

  • Warm up with a few lighter sets of your first lift rather than a long stretch; it is the most specific warm-up there is.
  • Squat as deep as you can while your back stays neutral. Deeper squats train the quads and glutes through more of their range.
  • Train both knee bending (leg curls) and hip hinging (Romanian deadlifts) for the hamstrings; each one trains them in a different way.
  • Use the plate calculator and add the smallest jump your gym allows. Small, regular increases beat big jumps you can’t hold.

Run this workout in SPLYT

Every exercise here is in SPLYT’s library. Save the workout as a template, log your sets on iPhone or Apple Watch, and next time your weights are already filled in from what you lifted.

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54 leg exercises with a barbell

Every one links to step-by-step instructions and a demonstration. Swap any of them into the workouts above.

All barbell exercises →

Questions

How many leg exercises can you do with barbell?

SPLYT’s exercise library has 54 leg exercises you can do with barbell, including Barbell Lunge, Barbell Back Squat and Barbell Rear Lunge. Each one links to step-by-step instructions and a demonstration.

How many exercises should a leg workout have?

Four to six: one main squat or press, a hinge, a single-leg movement, a leg curl and a calf raise covers everything. More exercises usually just means less effort on each.

Should I train legs twice a week?

If you can recover from it, yes. Two lower-body sessions a week, one heavier and one lighter, builds more strength and size than one exhausting leg day.

Do I need a squat rack for barbell workouts?

For squats and pressing, yes: a rack with safety pins lets you train close to failure safely. Deadlifts, rows, curls and Romanian deadlifts start from the floor and don’t need one.

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