Are you tired of doing the same old workout moves?
Many people get bored with their fitness routine and want to try something new. You might feel stuck doing the same exercises every day.
Did you know that changing your workout routine can boost your results by up to 30%? Your muscles adapt to the same movements over time. This makes your workouts less effective.
This guide shows you 10 amazing exercises that start with L. Each exercise targets different muscle groups and adds variety to your training.
You will learn proper form and discover new ways to challenge your body. Get ready to transform your workout routine.
Table of Contents
1. Lat Pulldown
Lat pulldowns build upper body strength and improve your posture. This exercise targets your back muscles, especially the latissimus dorsi.
- Find a cable machine with a lat pulldown bar attached.
- Sit on the seat and secure your knees under the pads.
- Grab the bar with hands wider than shoulder width apart.
- Keep your back straight and core tight.
- Pull the bar down toward your chest.
- Guide the movement with your elbows, not your hands.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the bottom.
- Slowly return the bar to the starting position.
- Maintain control throughout the exercise.
- Breathe out as you pull down, in as you release.
- This exercise helps develop grip strength while working your back.
- Regular lat pulldowns can fix poor posture from desk jobs.
2. Leg Press
Leg press machines help you build strong legs without putting strain on your spine. This resistance exercise targets your quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles for a complete lower body workout.
- Pick the right weight and fix the machine to match your height.
- Sit with your back flat against the backrest and place your feet on the footplate.
- Keep your feet shoulder-width apart for good balance.
- Line up your knees with your toes to avoid injury.
- Take off the safety locks before you start pushing.
- Push the platform away by extending your legs.
- Don’t lock your knees at full extension to protect your joints.
- Lower the weight back slowly with control.
- Use a full range of motion for best results.
- Do the right number of reps based on your fitness goals.
3. Lateral Raise
Lateral raises target your deltoid muscles for stronger, more defined shoulders. This simple exercise needs only a pair of dumbbells but delivers big results for your upper body strength.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding dumbbells at your sides.
- Keep your back straight and core tight during the entire movement.
- Lift the weights out to your sides until they reach shoulder height.
- Your arms should stay almost straight but not locked at the elbows.
- Hold the position briefly at the top of the movement.
- Lower the weights slowly back down to your sides.
- Breathe out as you lift and breathe in as you lower the weights.
- Start with lighter weights to master proper form before adding more resistance.
- Perform 10-12 reps for 3 sets as part of your shoulder workout routine.
- Focus on using your shoulder muscles rather than swinging the weights up.
4. Lying Leg Curls
Lying leg curls target your hamstrings with focused resistance training. This exercise helps build strength in the back of your thighs through controlled flexion movements.
- Find a leg curl machine and adjust it to match your body size.
- Position the pad at your Achilles tendon for proper alignment.
- Lie face down on the machine with your legs fully extended.
- Place the backs of your ankles against the padded roller.
- Grab the handles on the sides for stability during the movement.
- Bend your knees slowly to lift the weight toward your glutes.
- Squeeze your hamstrings at the top of the movement for maximum benefit.
- Pause briefly while maintaining the contraction in your muscles.
- Lower the weight back down in a controlled manner.
- Complete your desired number of repetitions with full range of motion.
The leg extension exercise works as an excellent complement to lying leg curls for balanced lower body development.
5. Lunge
Lunges work your legs and help you stay steady on your feet. This simple move targets your quads, hamstrings, and glutes while making you more stable.
- Start with your feet hip-width apart and keep your core tight.
- Take a big step forward with one foot.
- Keep your front knee right above your ankle, not pushed forward.
- Bend both knees and lower your body down.
- Make sure your back knee stays just above the floor.
- Your front leg should form a 90-degree angle at the knee.
- Push through your front heel to stand back up.
- Return to the start position.
- Switch legs and repeat the exercise.
- Add this move to your lower body workout for better balance.
6. Low Plank
The Low Plank is an effective isometric exercise that boosts core stability and muscle activation. You can master this exercise with proper form and consistent practice.
- Start by lying face down with your forearms on the ground.
- Place your elbows directly under your shoulders for proper support.
- Extend your legs straight behind you with toes tucked.
- Lift your body off the ground, forming a straight line from head to heels.
- Keep your core tight and avoid letting your hips sag or pike up.
- Focus on steady breathing while holding the position.
- Engage your abs, legs, and shoulders throughout the exercise.
- Hold the plank for at least 30 seconds to start.
- Add more time as your strength and endurance improve.
- Make sure your neck stays in line with your spine during the exercise.
- Look at a spot on the floor to help keep proper alignment.
- Stop if you feel pain in your lower back or shoulders.
7. L-Sit
The L-Sit is a powerful bodyweight exercise that builds excellent core strength. Your triceps, hip flexors, and abdominals all work together during this challenging move.
- Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you.
- Place your hands flat beside your hips with fingers pointing forward.
- Press down firmly through your palms to lift your body off the ground.
- Keep your arms straight and engage your triceps fully.
- Tighten your core muscles to help lift your legs parallel to the floor.
- Hold this position while forming an “L” shape with your body.
- Breathe steadily throughout the exercise to maintain stability.
- Start with 10-second holds and work up to longer times as you get stronger.
- Focus on good posture with a straight back during the entire movement.
- This exercise also improves your body control and flexibility.
8. Leg Extension
Leg extension is a popular isolation exercise. It directly targets your quadriceps muscles with no secondary muscle use.
- Leg extensions strengthen the quadriceps to improve lower body strength.
- Perform this exercise on a seated fitness machine made specifically for leg workouts.
- Adjust the seat and pad positions to align with your knees before starting.
- Sit straight and pull yourself down into the fitness machine’s seat for correct posture.
- Extend your legs fully, raising the padded bar upwards in a smooth and steady motion.
- Slowly lower your legs back down, controlling their movement throughout each repetition.
- Each rep requires only knee extension without engaging other muscle groups.
- Leg extensions isolate quadriceps better compared to multi-muscle exercises like squats or leg presses.
- You must have access to specific exercise equipment called a leg extension machine to perform this correctly.
9. Landmine Twists
After working your legs with extensions, it’s time to focus on your core with Landmine Twists. This rotational exercise targets your shoulders, core, and obliques while boosting torso mobility.
- Secure your barbell in a landmine attachment and add weight to one end for proper resistance training setup.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart while holding the barbell with both hands near the weighted end.
- Rotate your torso to one side while keeping the barbell close to your body for maximum torso engagement.
- Control the movement back to center position before rotating to the opposite side for complete body rotation.
- Perform 10-12 repetitions per side to build core strength and enhance your functional fitness routine.
- Keep your shoulders stable throughout the exercise while focusing on oblique exercises that target side muscles.
- Maintain proper form during each rep to maximize the benefits of this effective barbell workout for strength training.
10. Lateral Lunges
Lateral lunges work your inner and outer thighs, glutes, and hamstrings. This side-to-side movement builds lower body strength while making you more flexible.
- Start by standing upright with feet hip-width apart.
- Step sideways into a lunge, bending the knee on the stepping leg; keep the other leg straight.
- Sidestep wide enough to feel stretch but not strain.
- Push off your lunging foot firmly to return upright.
- Alternate sides to balance muscle effort evenly.
- Proper lateral steps boost hip mobility.
- Use this exercise during warmup to prevent injury.
- Perform 12–15 reps per side for effective strength training results.
- Regular sidestepping movements enhance lower body conditioning over time.
Conclusion
These L exercises can fit into any workout plan you create. You might pick just two or three to add to your routine today. Each move works different muscles and helps you get stronger in new ways.
Try adding one new L exercise each week to keep your workouts fresh. Your body will thank you for mixing up your fitness routine with these ten powerful moves!