Training legs is one of the most commonly skipped parts of a workout routine, but Mike Thurston believes it’s one of the biggest mistakes lifters can make. In a recent YouTube video, the fitness coach and founder of THRST Coaching explained why balanced lower-body training improves not only aesthetics but also strength, athletic performance, and long-term progress.
Rather than focusing on a single muscle group, Thurston broke down his favorite exercises for hamstrings, quads, glutes, and calves before explaining how to program them into an effective weekly routine.
Build Stronger Hamstrings with Stretch-Focused Exercises
When discussing hamstring development, Thurston placed the seated leg curl at the top of his list.
“If I had to do one hamstring exercise for the rest of my life, it would be the seated leg curl.”
According to Thurston, the movement places the hamstrings under a deep stretch while providing enough stability to eliminate momentum and cheating. He also recommends leaning slightly forward during the exercise to increase the stretch without rounding the spine.
Other staples in his routine include 45-degree hyperextensions, stiff-leg deadlifts, lying leg curls, and glute ham raises. While the glute ham raise can be difficult for beginners, Thurston encourages lifters to gradually build toward six to ten controlled repetitions, arguing that few exercises develop hamstring strength as effectively.
Choose Quad Exercises That Maximize Tension
For quadriceps growth, Thurston recommends selecting exercises that keep tension where it belongs rather than allowing other muscle groups to become the limiting factor.
“It would make sense to select the ones which are going to place as much tension as possible on the quads themselves.”
His preferred choices include pendulum squats, hack squats, leg presses, leg extensions, front squats, and Smith machine squats.
He also highlighted the importance of foot positioning, particularly on the leg press, explaining that lower foot placement and allowing the knees to travel forward can significantly increase quad involvement. Lifters with lower back issues may also benefit from supported machines that reduce spinal loading while still allowing progressive overload.
Don’t Neglect Your Glutes
Thurston argues that many men develop strong quads while overlooking one of the most important muscles in the lower body.
“The glutes are probably one of the most neglected and arguably most important muscle groups that men do not train.”
Strong glutes improve performance in compound lifts, support the lower back, and contribute to a more balanced physique. His recommended exercises include hip thrusts, Romanian deadlifts, split squats, walking lunges, hip abductor work, and machine kickbacks, with small changes in stance and torso position shifting the emphasis between the glutes and quads.
Program Your Leg Training for Consistent Growth
Exercise selection is only part of the equation. Thurston believes consistency and training frequency ultimately determine long-term progress.
“The absolute minimum is you need to train legs twice per week. Once a week is just not going to cut it.”
Instead of dedicating one exhausting session to lower-body training, he recommends splitting volume across two weekly workouts. For most lifters, each session can include one quad movement, one hamstring exercise, and one glute exercise before transitioning into upper-body work.
Combined with progressive overload and occasional exercise rotation every five weeks, Thurston says this approach provides enough stimulus to build bigger, stronger legs while keeping training sustainable over the long term.
About the Author
Jeremiah Oliva
Jeremiah Oliva is a writer passionate about fitness, sports, and active living. He has experience in songwriting and managing content and social media for online radio and magazine platforms.
He covers HYROX, CrossFit®, and competitive fitness, with a focus on performance, mindset, and athlete development.
Outside of writing, Jeremiah trains in boxing, cycles, explores the outdoors with his kids, and plays the guitar.
