Doing leg exercises at home is probably a lot easier than you realize. You don’t need a leg press machine or a stair climber, or a squat bar to fire up those lower-body muscles. All you need is your body weight, maybe a dumbbell, and the motivation to put some burn in your quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and inner thighs.
The bodyweight leg exercises below will help you build strength while also prepping your body to do more complex moves with weights. Give them a try, and embrace the killer leg workout.
1. Pistol Squat
Image Credits: Pistol Squat
Stand holding your arms straight out in front of your body at shoulder level, parallel to the floor.
Raise your right leg off the floor, and hold it there.
Push your hips back and lower your body as far as you can.
Pause, then push your body back to the starting position.
2. Dumbbell Split Jump
Image Credits: Dumbbell Split Jump
Hold a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length next to your sides, palms facing each other.
Stand in a staggered stance, your left foot in front of your right.
From a standing position, lower your body into a split squat.
Quickly switch directions and jump with enough force to propel both feet off the floor.
Repeat, alternating back and forth with each repetition.
3. Farmer’s Walk On Toes
Image Credits: Farmer’s Walk On Toes
Grab a pair of heavy dumbbells and hold them at your sides at arm’s length.
Raise your heels and walk forward (or in a circle) for 60 seconds.
4. Reverse Dumbbell Box Lunge With Forwarding Reach
Image Credits: Reverse Dumbbell Box Lunge With Forwarding Reach
Stand on a 6-inch box or step, holding a pair of light dumbbells at your sides.
Step backwards into a lunge with your right leg as you lean forward at your hips and reach toward your feet.
Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
5. Marching Hip Raise With Feet On A Swiss Ball
Image Credits: Marching Hip Raise With Feet On A Swiss Ball
Lie faceup on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on a Swiss Ball.
Raise your hips so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
Lift one knee to your chest, lower back to the start, and lift your other knee to your chest.
Continue to alternate back and forth.
6. Goblet Squat
Image Credits: Goblet Squat
Hold a dumbbell vertically next to your chest, with both hands cupping the dumbbell head.
Brace your abs, and lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
Pause, then push yourself back to the starting position.
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