Upper Leg Exercises

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Amber Gargano

Group Fitness Instructor

San Diego, CA

Michael McAdams

Personal Trainer

Imperial Beach, CA

Eliana Newall

Personal Trainer

Chula Vista, California

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Exercise Library

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Upper Leg Exercises

Add some variety to your fitness routine with these upper and lower leg exercises from The American Council on Exercise. We have a large selection of leg exercises that will will help you strengthen and build muscle throughout your legs including your hamstrings, thighs, shin and calf muscles. Start taking advantage of this free information today! If you are looking for full workout routines that incorporate these leg exercises, check out our Workouts section.

Dumbbell Step-up
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Dumbbells,Raised Platform/Box
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TRX ® Suspended Lunge
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: TRX
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Dumbbell Front Squat
Target Body Part: Back,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Dumbbells
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Inverted Flyers
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Barbell Deadlift
Target Body Part: Back,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Barbell
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Bodyweight Squat
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Downward-facing Dog
Target Body Part: Arms,Back,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Glute Activation Lunges
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Mountain Climbers
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Partner Assisted Bodyweight Squats
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Supine Hip Flexor Stretch
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Agility Ladder: Lateral Shuffle
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Ladder
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Alternate Leg Push-off

Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Raised Platform/Box
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BOSU® Lateral Jumps
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: BOSU Trainer
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Box Jumps
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Raised Platform/Box
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Childs Pose
Target Body Part: Abs,Back,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Forward Cone Jumps
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Cones
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Forward Lunge
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Glute Bridge Single Leg Progression
Target Body Part: Back,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Hexagon Drill
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Cones
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Jump and Reach
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Kneeling TA Stretch
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Lateral Cone Jumps
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Cones
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Leg Crossover Stretch

Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Side Lunge
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Single Arm Barbell Jammer
Target Body Part: Arms,Back,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs,Shoulders
Equipment Needed: Barbell
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Single Leg Push-off
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Raised Platform/Box
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Single Leg Squat
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Standing Gate Openers (Frankensteins)
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Standing Hamstrings Curl
Target Body Part: Abs,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Resistance Bands/Cables
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Standing Leg Extension
Target Body Part: Abs,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Resistance Bands/Cables
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Standing Triangle Straddle Bends
Target Body Part: Back,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Sumo Rotational Squats
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Supine 90-90 Hip Rotator Stretch
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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TRX ® Hamstrings Curl

Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: TRX
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Warrior I
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Bear Crawl
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs,Shoulders
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Barbell High Back Squat
Target Body Part: Back,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Barbell
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Hip Rotations (Push-up Position)
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Squat Jumps
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Dumbbell Deadlift
Target Body Part: Back,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Dumbbells
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Lunge with Elbow Instep
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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BOSU® Squat Jumps
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: BOSU Trainer
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Stability Ball Hamstring Curl
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Stability Ball
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Hip Hinge
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Barbell
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Barbell Forward Lunge
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Barbell
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Barbell Jammers
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs,Shoulders
Equipment Needed: Barbell
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Barbell Push Press
Target Body Part: Arms,Back,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs,Shoulders
Equipment Needed: Barbell
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Cycled Split-Squat Jump
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Forward Linear Jumps
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Forward Lunge with Arm Drivers
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Kneeling Hip-flexor Stretch

Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Lateral Hurdle Run
Target Body Part: Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Hurdles
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Lateral Over Unders
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment,Raised Platform/Box
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Lateral Shuffles
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Cones
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Lateral Zig Zags
Target Body Part: Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Cones
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Lunge with Overhead Press
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs,Shoulders
Equipment Needed: Medicine Ball
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Modified Hurdler's Stretch
Target Body Part: Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Overhead Medicine Ball Slams
Target Body Part: Back,Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs,Shoulders
Equipment Needed: Medicine Ball
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Plank with Knee Drag
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Prone (Lying) Hamstrings Curl
Target Body Part: Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Resistance Bands/Cables
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Reverse Medicine Ball Throw
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Full Body/Integrated,Legs - Thighs,Shoulders
Equipment Needed: Medicine Ball
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Seated Butterfly Stretch

Target Body Part: Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Seated Leg Press
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Weight Machines / Selectorized
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Seated Side-Straddle Stretch

Target Body Part: Abs,Back,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Seated Straddle Stretch

Target Body Part: Back,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Seated Straddle with Side Reaches

Target Body Part: Abs,Back,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Seated Toe Touches

Target Body Part: Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Side Lying Hip Adduction
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Side Lying Quadriceps Stretch

Target Body Part: Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Squat Jump
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Stability Ball Wall Squats
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Stability Ball
View Details >

Standing Hip Adduction
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Resistance Bands/Cables
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Standing Lunge Stretch
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Supine Hamstrings Stretch
Target Body Part: Legs - Calves and Shins,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
View Details >

Supine IT Band Stretch
Target Body Part: Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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Thomas Stretch
Target Body Part: Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: No Equipment
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TRX ® Hip Press
Target Body Part: Back,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: TRX
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Walking Lunges with Twists
Target Body Part: Abs,Butt/Hips,Legs - Thighs
Equipment Needed: Medicine Ball
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