Whoever first said, “Never skip leg day” knew the importance of strong and durable legs. Strong legs mean longer life, greater independence as we age and optimal performance in running, rucking and other load-bearing activities involved in tactical training.
Leg days have no age group, as we all need to do them each week of our lives. When you prioritize leg training, you are investing in the power, endurance and stability that will serve you well throughout life.
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Here is an advanced leg day, but each section is completely scalable for any level of fitness:
Warm-up with Squat and Toe Touch Half Pyramid
One of my favorite warm-ups is the half pyramid; jogging or walking; and dynamic stretching between sets. It looks like this:
- 1 squat, 1 toe touch, jog/walk 50 meters
- 2 squats, 2 toe touches, jog/walk 50 meters
- Continue up the pyramid for 10 sets, completing 10 squats/10 toe touches
Then complete a 1-mile jog, 10-minute bike ride, or other non-impact cardio.
Workout Part 1: Squats
Depending on your abilities, use a barbell for front squats or a kettlebell for goblet squats. Decompress with hanging knee-ups on a pullup bar or vertical knee raise device.
Repeat 3 times:
- Front squats (or kettlebell goblet squats), 5-10
- Hanging knee-ups, 10
Workout Part 2: Lifts
Depending on your abilities, use a barbell for deadlifts; or a kettlebell for kettlebell Romanian deadlifts (RDL). Decompress with hanging knee-ups on a pullup bar or vertical knee raise device.
Repeat 3 times:
- Kettlebell deadlifts, 10 (or deadlifts, 5)
- Hanging knee-ups, 10
Workout Part 3: Carries, Swings and Lunges
This section is more dynamic, featuring carries with a like-weighted person in the fireman carry. Carry each other 100 meters. Or you can opt for farmer walks for 100 meters if you do not have a person to carry, or if you prefer to work on load bearing. The next exercise in the circuit is KB swings, walking lunges for 100 meters, and a short cardio recovery.
Repeat 3 times:
- Fireman carry, 100 meters (or farmer walk, 100 meters)
- Kettlebell swings, 20
- Walking lunges, 100 meters; stretch
- Jog 400 meters (or bike 2 minutes)
Workout Part 4: Squat Pyramid
The final section of the work is to finish the calisthenics squat pyramid, but this time start with 11 squats, run 200 meters, and continue up the pyramid to 20 squats. This will total 155 air squats and 2,000 meters of running. It is up to you if these runs are fast or easy. If you prefer not to run, replace running with a 30-second bike.
- Squat Pyramid 11-20, with 200-meter runs in between
Cooldown with Easy Cardio and Stretching
Don’t forget the cooldown. This is an easy jog, bike, elliptical or walk for 15 minutes; and stretching the legs and lower back every three minutes for a minute.
Check out more workout ideas at the Military.com Fitness Section. Each week, we create a “favorite workout of the week” and share it with beginners, intermediate and advanced fitness enthusiasts. For more on the science of leg strength (and grip) and how it aids in longevity, check out this physiology study.
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