The Only 5 Leg Exercises You Need for Strength, Stability, and Flexibility
If you want strong, flexible legs that allow you to move effortlessly and feel great, you only need five essential leg exercises. Many people focus only on the major muscle groups—quads, hamstrings, and glutes—but the lower body has over 60 different muscles, including small stabilizers that support the knees, hips, ankles, feet, and lower back.
The good news is that these five exercises target all of these muscles, ensuring strength, balance, flexibility, and stability. Master these movements, and your legs will feel stronger than ever.
1. Glute Bridge Lift – Strengthen Your Hips, Hamstrings, and Lower Back
The glute bridge lift is one of the best exercises for activating the posterior chain—the muscles along the back of your body, including the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.
How to Perform the Glute Bridge Lift Correctly:
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Keep your feet hip-width apart, and make sure your knees and toes point straight ahead.
Turn your palms upward to maintain good posture and relax your shoulders.
Lift your toes toward your nose to engage your shin muscles and protect your knees.
Take a deep breath, squeeze your glutes, and lift your hips off the ground.
Avoid arching your lower back—focus on hip extension rather than pushing the chest upward.
Lower your hips slowly and repeat for controlled reps.
Why This Exercise Works:
Strengthens the glutes, which support the lower back and pelvis.
Activates the hamstrings to balance out quad dominance.
Reduces strain on the knees by engaging the right muscles.
2. Sit-to-Stand (Squat) – Build Strength for Daily Movements
Squatting is one of the most functional movements you can do, and mastering the sit-to-stand ensures you maintain strength and mobility as you age.
How to Perform the Sit-to-Stand Correctly:
Start seated in a chair with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
Keep your knees and toes aligned—do not let your knees cave in or point outward too much.
Press 70% of your weight through your heels and 30% through the balls of your feet.
Take a deep breath, lean forward slightly, and press through your heels to stand up.
Avoid pushing your knees forward—instead, think about pushing your hips forward as you rise.
Lower yourself back down slowly with control.
Why This Exercise Works:
Strengthens the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.
Improves balance and coordination.
Helps maintain independence in daily activities like standing and climbing stairs.
3. Reverse Lunge – Improve Strength, Balance, and Mobility
The reverse lunge is an excellent lower-body exercise that mimics movements like walking upstairs and running. Unlike a forward lunge, it places less stress on the knees while strengthening the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
How to Perform the Reverse Lunge Correctly:
Start standing with feet hip-width apart.
Step one foot backward, keeping the majority of your weight on the front leg.
Lean your torso slightly forward, keeping your belly button over your thigh.
Lower yourself until your back knee lightly touches the ground or as low as comfortable.
Make sure your front knee aligns with your toes and does not wobble inward.
Press through your front heel, extend your hips forward, and return to standing.
Why This Exercise Works:
Strengthens the glutes and hamstrings more than a traditional lunge.
Enhances balance and coordination.
Mimics real-life movements like stepping and climbing.
4. Side Lunge – Strengthen Lateral Stability and Hip Flexibility
Most leg exercises focus on forward and backward movements, but side lunges strengthen the muscles that support side-to-side movement, improving hip stability and knee alignment.
How to Perform the Side Lunge Correctly:
Stand with feet wide apart, toes pointing slightly outward.
Shift your weight to one side, pushing your hips back rather than bending your knee forward.
Keep your spine neutral, avoiding excessive rounding or arching.
Lower as deep as comfortable, then push through your heel to return to standing.
As you progress, rotate your opposite foot upward to increase flexibility.
Why This Exercise Works:
Strengthens hip stabilizers to improve balance.
Prevents knee and ankle injuries.
Enhances lateral mobility for activities like hiking, sports, and daily movement.
5. Single-Leg Drinking Bird (Hip Hinge Balance Exercise)
Balance and coordination decline with age, increasing the risk of falls and injuries. The single-leg drinking bird strengthens the foot, ankle, and hip stabilizers, improving overall lower-body control.
How to Perform the Single-Leg Drinking Bird Correctly:
Stand with feet hip-width apart and shift your weight to one leg.
Keep your core tight and hands on your hips to maintain stability.
Hinge forward at the hips, extending your back leg straight behind you.
Lower until you feel a stretch in your hamstring, then squeeze your glutes to return to standing.
To make it easier, lightly tap your back foot on the ground for balance.
Why This Exercise Works:
Improves balance and coordination.
Strengthens the hip and foot stabilizers, reducing injury risk.
Enhances posterior chain activation for better movement control.
How to Incorporate These Exercises into Your Routine
For strong, flexible legs, perform these exercises at least 3-4 times per week.
Beginner Routine:
Glute Bridge Lift – 3 sets of 10 reps
Sit-to-Stand (Squat) – 3 sets of 8 reps
Reverse Lunge – 2 sets of 6 reps per leg
Side Lunge – 2 sets of 6 reps per side
Single-Leg Drinking Bird – 2 sets of 5 reps per leg
Advanced Routine:
Glute Bridge Lift – 3 sets of 15 reps
Squats – 3 sets of 12 reps
Reverse Lunge – 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
Side Lunge – 3 sets of 10 reps per side
Single-Leg Drinking Bird – 3 sets of 8 reps per leg
Final Thoughts
These five exercises will help you build strong, mobile, and balanced legs while reducing your risk of injury. The key is to focus on proper form and gradually increase intensity as you build strength.
If you found some of these exercises challenging, do not worry. There is a perfect routine for every fitness level. Check out We Shape’s custom workouts to find a plan that fits your needs.
For more core-strengthening exercises, watch our next video on the top three core movements that will transform your strength and stability.