A leg workout for Apple Watch is a normal leg day, a squat or leg press, a hip hinge, a leg curl and calf raises for 2 to 4 hard sets each, logged set by set on your wrist instead of your phone. In RIRLift you log weight, reps and reps in reserve on the Watch, the rest timer starts on its own, and the next set and next week's weights are worked out from what you logged.
EquipmentBarbells, Leg Press, Seated Leg Curl, Standing Calf Raise
You have lifted for six months or more, train legs once or twice a week, and want to leave the phone in your bag.
Squat and Romanian deadlift come first, while you are fresh and the bar is heaviest, then the leg press, the curl and calves, which you can push closer to failure. Every exercise has its own rest, so the Watch times three minutes after a squat set and one minute after a calf set without you touching it.
Leg Day
Exercise
Sets × reps
RIR
Rest
Barbell Back Squat3 warm-up sets firstHip crease to knee height or lower
Add it on your iPhone and switch to it in My Programs, then start the leg day from the Watch and leave the phone in the locker. With Pro, the Watch also shows the plates per side for the squat and the deadlift.
How to progress
Between sessions, the weakest set decides. Last week's squat was 225 lb for 10, 10 and 10 with 2 left: every set at the top of 6 to 10, so this week opens at 230 lb with the target back at 6. Within a session, a set that was easier than planned moves the next one up: a Romanian deadlift set of 185 lb for 8 with 4 left, against a target of 8 with 2 left, moves set 2 to 195 lb.
EquipmentHack Squat, Leg Extension, Lying Leg Curl, Seated Calf Raise
You train at peak hours, every rack is busy, and you want a leg day that needs no rack and no barbell.
The hack squat gives your quads deep knee bends with your back supported, and the extension and lying curl train the front and back of the thigh on their own. Machines change weight with a pin, so the next weight is one tap away and nobody waits on you.
Machine Legs
Exercise
Sets × reps
RIR
Rest
Hack Squat2 warm-up sets firstHips back on the pad, knees forward
Run it as your leg day when the gym is busy, or start your usual leg day and swap the squat for the hack squat on the Watch. If you have never logged the hack squat, it starts at a weight worked out from your squat, adjusted for the machine, instead of a guess. Save the machine and it remembers its own loads next time.
How to progress
The hack squat logged 180 lb for 10, 9 and 9 with 2 left, against a target of 9: the weakest set hit it, so the weight holds and the target rises to 10. The leg extension logged 100 lb for 15, 15 and 15 with 1 left: every set at the top of 10 to 15, so it goes up one step on the stack, 110 lb on a stack that moves in 10 lb steps, with the target back at 10.
You have a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a bench, box or sturdy chair. No barbell, so no plates to count.
The goblet squat and the split squat cover quads and glutes, the Romanian deadlift covers the hamstrings, and step-ups add single-leg work without a machine. Higher rep ranges make light dumbbells hard enough.
Start it from the Watch next to the dumbbells. Split squats and step-ups are per leg: log the reps of one leg, then do the other before you log the set.
How to progress
Dumbbells move in bigger jumps than a barbell, so a raise is one dumbbell step. Bulgarian split squats at 30 lb in each hand for 12, 12 and 12 reached the top of 8 to 12, so next time is 35 lb with the target back at 8. A first Romanian deadlift set of 40 lb for 10 with 6 left, against 10 with 2 left, moves set 2 to 45 lb, the nearest dumbbell.
Sets come prefilled from last time, so most squat and leg press sets are one confirm on the Watch. Rest is set per exercise: three minutes after squats, about a minute after calf raises, and you can add or take off 15 seconds from the rest screen.
A hack squat or a goblet squat takes the squat's place, and a split squat covers glutes and quads one leg at a time. Swap on the Watch, and a lift you have never logged starts from a weight worked out from your squat.
The squat lets you load your quads and glutes heavier than anything else on leg day, so it goes first while you are fresh.
How to do it
Set the bar in the rack at mid-chest height and step under it so it sits on your upper back, not your neck.
Grip just outside your shoulders, stand up to unrack, and take two short steps back.
Set your feet about shoulder width, toes turned out slightly, and take a big breath into your belly.
Sit down between your heels until your hip crease drops to knee height or a little lower.
Drive up through your whole foot, keeping your chest and hips rising together.
Cues
Knees follow your toes
Breathe and brace before every rep
Same depth every rep
Common mistakes
Cutting depth as the weight goes up: film one set from the side and keep the depth you had at lighter loads.
Hips shooting up first out of the bottom: lighten the bar and lead with your chest on the way up.
Swap for: Hack Squat, Leg Press, Goblet Squat
Hamstrings and glutes, hinge
Romanian Deadlift
Hamstrings, Glutes
It trains your hamstrings in a long, stretched position, which is where they respond well, and the glutes finish each rep.
How to do it
Stand tall holding the bar at your hips with an overhand grip just outside your thighs.
Soften your knees and keep that bend fixed for the whole set.
Push your hips straight back and let the bar slide down your thighs until you feel a strong hamstring stretch, usually just below your knees.
Squeeze your glutes to bring your hips forward and stand back up.
Cues
Hips back, not down
Bar stays in contact with your legs
Long spine from head to hips
Common mistakes
Turning it into a squat by bending your knees more as you lower: keep the knee angle fixed.
Rounding your back to reach the floor: stop the rep where your hips stop moving back.
Swap for: Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Stiff-Leg Deadlift, Good Morning
Machine squat, no balance needed
Leg Press
Quads, Glutes
The seat holds your back and the machine sets the path, so you can work your legs hard in week one without learning to balance a weight. That makes it the fastest leg exercise for a short session.
How to do it
Sit with your back and hips flat against the pad and your feet hip-width in the middle of the platform.
Release the safety handles and bend your knees, letting the platform come toward you under control.
Stop while your lower back is still flat against the pad.
Press through your whole foot until your legs are nearly straight, without snapping your knees locked.
Cues
Hips stay on the seat
Knees in line with your toes
Smooth turnaround at the bottom
Common mistakes
Going so deep your hips curl off the pad. Set your depth where your lower back stays flat.
Locking your knees hard at the top. Stop just short of straight.
Swap for: Goblet Squat, Hack Squat, 45-Degree Leg Press
Hamstrings, machine
Seated Leg Curl
Hamstrings
Squats and the leg press barely train the hamstrings, and the seated curl works them directly with almost no learning curve.
How to do it
Adjust the back pad so your knees line up with the machine's pivot point.
Set the leg pad just above your heels and lower the thigh pad onto your legs.
Curl your heels down and back as far as they go.
Let your legs straighten slowly to the start.
Cues
Knees on the pivot
Thigh pad snug
Slow on the way up
Common mistakes
Lifting your hips off the seat to finish reps. Tighten the thigh pad and lighten the stack.
Letting the weight snap back. Take two seconds to straighten your legs.
Swap for: Lying Leg Curl, Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Stability Ball Leg Curl
Calves
Standing Calf Raise
Calves
Calves rarely grow from squats and presses alone, so a few direct sets each week keep your lower legs from falling behind.
How to do it
Stand with the balls of your feet on the edge of the platform and your heels hanging off.
Keep your knees straight but not locked.
Lower your heels as far as they go and hold the stretch for a moment.
Rise as high as you can onto your toes, then lower slowly.
Cues
Pause in the stretch
Big toe pushes down
No bouncing
Common mistakes
Bouncing out of the bottom: pause for a full second before each rise.
Short reps with heavy weight: lower the load and use the full range.
The sled guides the path and supports your back, so you can push your quads close to failure through deep knee bends without balance or your lower back limiting the set.
How to do it
Stand on the platform with your back flat against the pad and your shoulders under the shoulder pads, feet about hip-width in the middle of the plate.
Unlock the safety handles, then bend your knees, letting them travel forward, until your thighs pass parallel to the platform.
Drive the sled back up through your whole foot until your knees are almost straight, then start the next rep.
Cues
Back glued to the pad
Deep, controlled bottom
Stop just short of lockout
Common mistakes
Bouncing out of the bottom. Lower in about two seconds and reverse smoothly.
Heels lifting. Move your feet a little higher on the platform.
Swap for: Leg Press, Barbell Back Squat, Smith Squat
Quads, isolated
Leg Extension
Quads
Squats barely grow the rectus femoris, the quad muscle that also crosses the hip. The leg extension trains it directly and lets you finish your quads with no load on your back.
How to do it
Line your knee joint up with the machine's pivot and set the pad on your lower shin.
Hold the handles and sit tall with your back on the pad.
Straighten your legs until your quads are fully squeezed.
Lower under control until your knees are bent past 90 degrees, then go again.
Cues
Squeeze hard at the top
Three seconds down
Hips stay in the seat
Common mistakes
Swinging the weight up with momentum. Pick a load you can lower slowly every rep.
Short reps near the top. Use the bottom half of the range too; that stretched part does the most work.
Swap for: Single-Leg Leg Extension, Sissy Squat, Heels-Elevated Goblet Squat
Hamstrings, knee flexion
Lying Leg Curl
Hamstrings
Squats and Romanian deadlifts barely train the knee-bending job of your hamstrings, and the leg curl does it directly.
How to do it
Lie face down with your knees just off the end of the pad and the roller above your heels.
Hold the handles and press your hips into the bench.
Curl your heels toward your glutes as far as you can.
Lower slowly until your legs are almost straight.
Cues
Hips stay down
Squeeze at the top
Slow on the way down
Common mistakes
Hips lifting to finish reps: lighten the weight and keep your hips on the pad.
Dropping the weight: take about two seconds to lower it.
Swap for: Seated Leg Curl, Romanian Deadlift
Calves, bent knee
Seated Calf Raise
Calves
Bending the knee slackens the gastrocnemius and hands the work to the soleus underneath it. Training calves straight-knee and bent-knee covers the whole lower leg.
How to do it
Sit with the balls of your feet on the platform and the pad snug on your lower thighs.
Release the safety and let your heels sink as low as they go.
Press up onto your toes as high as you can and squeeze for a moment.
Lower slowly back into the full stretch.
Cues
Deep stretch every rep
Push through the big toe
Slow and steady
Common mistakes
Half reps at the top with heavy weight. Drop the load until every rep reaches a full stretch.
Rocking the torso to move the pad. Sit still and let only your ankles move.
It teaches you to bend at the hips with a flat back, the movement behind every deadlift and every time you pick something heavy off the floor. Dumbbells let you start light and stop exactly where your stretch ends.
How to do it
Stand with feet hip-width, a dumbbell in each hand resting against the front of your thighs.
Unlock your knees slightly and push your hips back as if closing a car door with your backside.
Slide the dumbbells down your thighs until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, usually around mid-shin.
Drive your hips forward to stand tall, squeezing your glutes at the top.
Cues
Hips back, not down
Dumbbells brush your legs
Long, flat back
Common mistakes
Squatting the weight down by bending your knees more. Keep the knee bend fixed and move only at the hips.
Rounding your back to reach lower. Stop where the stretch is, not at the floor.
Swap for: Romanian Deadlift, Dumbbell Glute Bridge, Seated Leg Curl
Single-leg strength
Step-Up
Quads, Glutes
One leg lifts your whole body, so dumbbells you would find light for squats are enough. Use a box or bench at about knee height.
How to do it
Stand facing a step or low bench, close enough to plant your whole foot on top.
Put one foot on the step and lean your chest slightly forward over it.
Press through that foot to stand up tall on the step, bringing the other foot up beside it.
Step down slowly with the trailing leg and repeat all reps on the same side before switching.
Cues
Whole foot on the step
Top leg does the work
Slow on the way down
Common mistakes
Pushing off the bottom foot. Keep it light, almost a toe touch.
A step so high your knee aches. Lower it and raise it again over the weeks.
Swap for: Kettlebell Step-Up, Dumbbell Split Squat, Leg Press
Calves
Dumbbell Standing Calf Raise
Calves
Most dumbbell plans skip calves. A slow, full-range raise on a step gets them growing with whatever dumbbells you have.
How to do it
Stand with the balls of your feet on a step or plate, heels hanging off, a dumbbell in one or both hands.
Lower your heels as far as they go and hold the stretch for a second.
Rise up as high as you can onto your toes.
Lower slowly back into the stretch.
Cues
Pause in the stretch
Big toe drives up
No bouncing
Common mistakes
Bouncing out of the bottom: hold the stretch one full second.
Short range on a flat floor: use a step so your heels can drop.
Save the leg press and hack squat at your gym as machines. A swap on the Watch then starts from that machine's own loads.
Match rest to the lift
Keep 3 minutes after squats and 60 to 90 seconds after curls and calves. On a busy day, take 15 seconds off from the rest screen instead of guessing.
Plates on the wrist
With Pro, the Watch shows the plates per side for the squat and the deadlift. Set your bar and plates once on the iPhone so it only shows loads your gym can make.
Two leg days
Run the full-gym day and the machine day in the same week, two to three days apart, for about twice the leg volume.
Questions
Does the Apple Watch track a leg workout?
The Workout app records time, heart rate and calories. To log the weight, reps and reps in reserve of every set you need a lifting app. RIRLift saves a session with any lifting in it to Apple Health as Traditional Strength Training.
Can I do leg day without my phone?
Yes. The workout runs on the Watch and each set is saved there as you log it, then syncs to the iPhone afterward.
What if the squat rack is taken?
Swap the squat on the Watch, or run the machine leg day above. A replacement you have never logged starts at a weight worked out from your squat, adjusted for the equipment.
How many sets should a leg workout have?
Two to four hard sets per exercise, 13 to 16 for the whole session, is what the plans here use. Stop each set 1 to 2 reps short of failure.
