Stop Making These Common Leg-Day Errors for Better Results

If there's one workout that challenges both your body and your mind, it's leg day. Yet, it's also the session most prone to poor planning and misplaced zeal. Many hit the gym ready to crush it, but unknowingly make choices that sap energy, reduce strength, or raise the risk of injury, before the first squat even begins.

Celebrity fitness trainer Siddhartha Singh, who trains stars like Tamannaah Bhatia, recently broke down the biggest mistakes lifters make on leg day and how small changes can dramatically improve performance.

Mistake 1: Starting With Cardio

While warming up is non-negotiable, Singh cautions against logging miles on a treadmill or bike before touching a barbell. Long bouts of cardio can eat into your strength reserves, leaving your legs fatigued before the main workout begins.

For lower-body sessions, you need maximum explosiveness, whether you're squatting, lunging, or pushing through deadlifts. Beginning with heavy cardio shifts the body into an endurance mode, blunting the power you need for big lifts.

The smarter swap: Opt for mobility drills, activation exercises, or a short dynamic warm-up to increase blood flow without draining energy.

Mistake 2: Overloading Your Stomach Before You Load Your Legs

Fueling before a workout matters, but overeating does the opposite of what you intend. Singh explains that a heavy meal sits like a weight in your stomach, making you sluggish and uncomfortable, especially during compound movements that demand core stability and controlled breathing.

The performance upgrade: Choose a small, carb-rich snack 45–60 minutes before training. Think of a banana, oats, toast, or a light energy bar. Enough to power you, not enough to slow you down.

Mistake 3: Jumping Into Heavy Sets Too Soon

Many injuries stem not from bad form but from rushing into heavy weights. Singh underscores the importance of progressive warm-up sets. Your first set should never be your heaviest; it should prepare the joints, prime the muscles, and establish movement patterns.

The safe strategy: Gradually build intensity with lighter sets before approaching your working weight. This not only protects your knees and lower back but also sharpens your technique.

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