Here are some of my favorite Leg Exercises.

• Smith Machine Squats
  
• 45 Degree Leg Press Machine
  
• Lying Leg Curl

This exercise will work your quads, as well as your Hamstrings, Lower Back, and Glutes.

Starting Position: Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and rest the bar on your lower traps and rear shoulders. Grip the bar with your hands spaced evenly apart and un-rack the weight by pushing the bar up and twisting the hooks.

Form: With your head up, abs tight and lower back arched, begin the movement by bending at the knees and squatting towards the ground. Continue to lower yourself until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground. Once you reach the bottom, exhale and drive the weight back up until you are in a standing position. Continue the movement until you have completed your desired number of reps and then set the bar back on the machine by twisting the hooks.

Tips: When you reach the standing position, remember to not lock your knees out. Doing this will keep full tension on your thighs at all times and will also prevent stress to the knee joints.

Always maintain proper form throughout this exercise by keeping your back arched, head up and abs tight. If you get sloppy with your form you will be putting yourself at risk for an injury.

I would also recommend that you don't take this exercise to all-out failure since it will be very difficult to safely re-rack the weight. Simply continue the exercise until you are one rep short of failure and then stop.

This exercise will work your primarily you quads, also your Hamstrings, Lower Back, and Glutes.

Starting Position: Sit down in the leg press machine and place your feet on the upper half of the platform spaced slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. With your toes pointing slightly outward, press the weight up, remove the stoppers and grip the handles firmly.

Form: Exhale and lower the weight down as far as you can without putting any stress on your lower back. Drive the weight back up to the starting position but don't lock your knees out at the top. When you have completed your set, put the stoppers back in place and set the weight down.

Tips: It is important to use a full range of motion on this exercise instead of piling on the weight and only performing half reps.

Lower the weight down as far as you comfortably can to maximize muscle stimulation.

Also remember not to lock your knees out at the top of the movement as this will keep the stress on your thigh muscles at all times and will prevent injuries to the knee joints.

This exercise will work Hamstrings.

Starting Position: Position your body in the leg curl machine by lying face down and gripping the handles in front of you. Adjust the leg pad so that it rests on your ankles.

Form: Keep your body flat against the machine and curl the weight towards your body. Squeeze your hamstrings at the top of the movement and then lower the weight back to the starting position. Continue the exercise until you have reached muscular failure.

Tips: Use a full range of motion on this exercise by curling the weight as high as possible and allowing for a full stretch at the bottom.

In order to keep the tension on your hamstrings at all times, do not rest the weights at the bottom of the movement.