• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
BarBend

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Top Athletes
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • Competition Results
    • Latest Research
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini Massage Guns
      • Individual Recovery Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Whey Protein Powders
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainers
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
        • Best Fat Burners for Men
        • Best Fat Burners for Women
        • Best Non-Stim Fat Burners
      • More Supplements
        • Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
        • Best Supplements for CrossFit
        • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
        • Best Supplements for Bodybuilding
        • Best Supplements for Men
        • Best Supplement Stacks
      • Individual Supplements Reviews
    • Equipment
      • Cardio
        • Best Treadmills
        • Best Rowing Machines
        • Best Exercise Bikes
        • Best Ellipticals
        • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Strength
        • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
        • Best Dumbbells
        • Best Kettlebells
        • Best Barbells
        • Best Squat Racks
        • Best Free Weights
        • Best Weight Benches
        • Best Resistance Bands
        • Best Slam Balls
        • Best Weighted Vests
        • Best Leg Extension Machines
        • Best Cable Machines
        • Best Power Racks
        • Best Pull Up Bars
      • Best Home Gyms
        • Best Smart Home Gyms
        • Best Gym Equipment Under $100
        • Best Home Gym Essentials
        • Best Home Gym Flooring
      • Individual Equipment Reviews
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Apparel
        • Best Weightlifting Shoes
        • Best Cross Training Shoes
        • Best Gym Bags
        • Best Gym Shorts
      • Training
        • Best Weightlifting Belts
        • Best Knee Sleeves
        • Best Lifting Straps
        • Best Grip Strengtheners
        • Best Wrist Wraps
        • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Individual Fitness Product Reviews
    • Certifications
      • Best Sports Nutrition Certifications
      • Best Personal Trainer Certifications
      • Best Nutrition Certifications
      • Individual Certifications Reviews
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
      • Individual Program Reviews
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Nutrition Tips
      • Daily Protein Needs
      • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
      • Foods With Creatine
      • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Bent-Over Row
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Crunches
      • Farmer’s Carry
    • Best Exercises
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Back Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Glute Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Hamstring Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Calf Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
      • Triceps Exercises
    • Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • German Volume Training
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • The Cube Method
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Build Your Own Program
    • Fat Loss
      • How to Burn Fat
      • Spot Fat Reduction
      • How to Train on a Cut
      • Body Conditioning
      • Workouts
        • Kettlebell Circuits
        • Dumbbell Complexes
        • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Muscle Gain
      • Muscle Hypertrophy Explained
      • How to Build Muscle
      • How to Maintain Muscle
      • What Researchers Say About Muscle Gain
        • Workouts
          • 20-Minute Workouts
          • Kettlebell Circuits
          • CrossFit Workouts for Muscle
          • Bodybuilding Workouts
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
Op-Ed

5 Exercises Weightlifters Can Do to Improve Leg and Squat Strength

Written by Mike Dewar
Last updated on August 16th, 2023

Leg strength, more specially your squatting (front and back) and pulling abilities, are key factors that affect weightlifting performance, aside from technique and power application. When progressing throughout training, leg strength may stall, for whatever reason, leaving many lifters (like myself at times) frustrated and compelled to squat their lives away.

While front and back squatting are critical movements in the training of maximal strength and muscular development, certain exercises can also play a complementary role in the overall progress of lower body strength capacities. Implementing such exercises within a training regimen in assistance training blocks can increase lead to improvements in:

  • Muscular Hypertrophy: Increases in lean muscle mass can result in a greater pool of motor units and tissue that can be trained to produce more force and explosiveness.
  • Neural Adaptations: Increased motor unit activity, synchronization, and rate of force development can offer when implementing the below exercises, which can result in more strength and explosiveness.
  • Maximal Performance: While there is a specific skill-set needed to perform well at near maximal or maximal levels, increases in lean muscle mass, neural activity, strength, and power output can significantly affect maximal performance.

Therefore, in this article we will offer five leg-specific assistance exercises that weightlifters, powerlifters, and functional fitness athletes can build into current training programs to improve leg and squat strength capacities. It is important to note that while back and front squats do not appear on this list, those two exercises should be primary movements to develop strength and muscle i.e. development, with the below supplemental exercises used to facilitate optimal development.

Walking Lunges

 

A video posted by Mike Dewar (@mikejdewar) on Dec 31, 2016 at 11:52am PST


This unilateral exercise can help athletes to overcome any asymmetries and imbalances that may be present in the loading of the hip, knee, and ankle joints while assuming a squat. Walking lunges, when done with a normal stride (when walking, have the front heel he nearly in line with the back knee to mimic best the high bar squat patterning) can increase muscle activation (see the science behind unilateral training here) and overall development of the quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

Deficit Stiff-Leg Deadlifts

 

A video posted by Mike Dewar (@mikejdewar) on Dec 26, 2016 at 4:45pm PST


While this is a deadlift variation, it can offer hamstring, glutes, and erector strength and development. The development of the posterior chain will allow for greater hip strength and explosiveness, both keys to squatting and weightlifting.

Leg Press

 

A video posted by Julio G (@juliusmaximus24) on Dec 26, 2016 at 7:56am PST


In the event you have access to a leg press or hack squat machine, I highly recommend you include this training exercise within your training routine, even if only used every few weeks. While this may not translate directly to patterning of the squat, this exercise can be used to target the quads and hips while minimizing the load on the spine, making it a great way to add quality training volume and increase muscle hypertrophy.

Goodmornings

 

A video posted by Jared Ferruggia (@the_strength_experiment) on Apr 10, 2016 at 10:29am PDT


Hip, hamstring, and back strength (lower, middle, and upper) are necessary for stability and strength in the squat. Goodmornings are a great exercise to develop a stronger “packing” of the back similar to that needed while squatting, and can be programmed to increase a lifter’s ability to resist spinal and thoracic flexion under loads. The added benefit of hip and hamstring engagement can further facilitate improvements in overall leg and squat strength.

Jump Squats

 

A video posted by Mr. Rice Guy (@riisinkeitin) on Jun 26, 2015 at 11:53am PDT


Jump squats are a plyometric-based exercise offering weightlifter the ability to train muscle fibers to recruit faster and fire in synchronization, which equates to greater force and power output. The additional development of the eccentric training (when jumps are done in cyclical fashion) can translate to increase control and stability under loads high velocities, similar to the receiving positions of the snatch and clean.

Additional Must-Reads

Increasing squat strength can be very straight forward (progressive overload) and/or a complicated matter (neural adaptations, addressing technical faults, or assistance training). The below articles can assist you on your pursuit of squatting ungodly numbers (relative to your abilities), each addressing various aspects for maximal development.

  • How Wave Loading Can Increase Your Squat and Olympic Lifts
  • How Much Should You Clean in Relationship to Your Front Squat
  • How Can Weightlifters Benefit From Squat Walkouts

Editors note: This article is an op-ed. The views expressed herein are the authors and don’t necessarily reflect the views of BarBend. Claims, assertions, opinions, and quotes have been sourced exclusively by the author.

Featured Image: @juliusmaximus24 on Instagram

About Mike Dewar

Mike holds a Master's in Exercise Physiology and a Bachelor's in Exercise Science. He's a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and is the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at New York University. Mike is also the Founder of J2FIT, a strength and conditioning brand in New York City that offers personal training, online programs, and has an established USAW Olympic Weightlifting club.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

Best Cyber Monday Fitness Deals (2023)

Russel Orhii (83KG) Raw Squats 22 kilograms Over IPF World Record For a Double

Jesus Olivares (+120KG) Raw Deadlifts 5 Kilograms Over His IPF World Record

Erholove Izobodo-John (84KG) Pulls Heaviest Raw British Deadlift In History of 260 Kilograms

Kate Sweatman (+84KG) Squats Single-Ply UK Record of 270 Kilograms

Latest Reviews

Redwood Outdoors Yukon Cold Plunge Tub Review

Redwood Outdoor Thermowood Garden Sauna Review

Future App Review

Bells of Steel Hydra Rack Review

Assault Runner Elite Treadmill

Assault Runner Elite Treadmill Review

BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2023 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap