The 27 Best Home Leg Exercises of all time. No equipment, Bodyweight, Any level
Home » The 27 Best Home Leg Exercises of all time. No equipment, Bodyweight, Any level
By their very nature, leg workouts can be exhausting for the simple fact that they are decimating half of your entire body in one shot!
When training for leg strength, you have to make sure you keep your leg workouts simple and focus less on the number of leg exercises and more on the quality of the ones you perform. In this article, I listed 27 leg workouts that can help you to build lower body strength and power. These workouts are going to hit the hamstrings, glutes, quads and calves.
Leg workouts are:
1) TIP TOE SQUATS
Muscles involved: quadriceps, gluts
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet hips width distance apart and your hands on your hips
- Then stand on your toes and slowly make your body go straight down and up
Notes:
- Exhale when you come down and inhale when you come up
- Your upper body should always be kept straight
2) SIDE LEG CIRCLES LEFT
Muscles involved: gluts, quads, hamstrings
How to perform:
- Lie on your right side with your head resting on your right hand
- Lift your left leg and rotate your foot in circles
Notes:
- Keep good posture
- Slow and controlled movement
- Keep core engaged
3) SQUAT THRUST WITH TWIST
Muscles involved: quads, gluts, hamstrings
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your arms extended in front of you at shoulder height
- Squat down, bend your knees at 90 degree angle and twist your upper body to the left.
- Come up and repeat twist to the other side
Notes:
- Keep your weight in your heels and don’t allow your knees go over your toes
- Keep your knees facing forward as your chest and shoulders twist from side to side
4) LEFT LUNGE KNEE HOPS
Muscles involved: gluts, lower back, abdominals
How to perform:
- Stand straight up. Then step your left leg back and lower your body
- When you come up, raise your left knee as high as you can
- Go back to the start position, and repeat the exercise
Notes:
- Keep good posture: neck long, shoulders back, no slouching
5) WALL SIT
Muscles involved: hamstrings, quads, gluts, core
How to perform:
- Stand with your back and heels touching the wall
- Step one and a half feet forward, placing both feet shoulder width in front of you
- With back against the wall, gradually lower until legs are bent at a 90 degree angle
- Hold your position for the indicated time
Notes:
- Keep good posture: neck long, shoulders back, no slouching
- Knees should never extend past your ankle
- Make sure your feet are planted firmly on the floor
- Keep hands by your sides
6) ROUNDHOUSE SQUAT KICKS
Muscles involved: quadriceps, gluteus maximus
How to perform:
- Stand with feet shoulders width apart.
- Put your arms in front of your chest to keep your balance
- Then do a squat, and when you come up, kick your left leg to the side
- Repeat the exercise and then switch to the right leg
Notes:
- Exhale when you come down and inhale when you come up
- Your knees should be extended in line with your toes
7) SUMO SQUAT CALF RAISES
Muscles involved: calves, hamstrings, quads
How to perform:
- Stand with your hands on your hips and your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart
- Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor
- Lift your heels up and down
Notes:
8) SIDE-LYING LEG LIFT LEFT
Muscles involved: gluts
How to perform:
- Lie down on your side with your head rested on your right arm
- Lift your upper leg up and return to the start position
Notes:
- Make sure your left leg goes straight up and down during the exercise
9) PLIE SQUATS
Muscles involved: gluts, hamstrings, quads, lower back, core
How to perform:
- Stand straight with shoulders above hips, feet hip-width apart, toes at a 45 degree angle
- Drop hips back and down; keep knees behind toes at all times and hip and ankle in line so knees do not collapse inward
- Drop hips as low as possible
- Drive weight into heels to stand back up to start position
Notes:
- Keep neck long, shoulders back and down away from ears
- Keep back straight
- Flexibility improves with practice — try to squat deeper with each rep
- Keep abs engaged and extend arms in front of you to help balance
- To make easier, squat with feet wider apart
10) SIDE LEG CIRCLES RIGHT
Muscles involved: gluts, quads, hamstrings
How to perform:
- Lie on your left side with your head resting on your left hand
- Lift your right leg and rotate your foot in circles
Notes:
- Keep good posture
- Slow and controlled movement
- Keep core engaged
11) BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT LEFT
Muscles involved: gluts, hamstring, quadriceps, hip flexor, calves
How to perform:
- Stand several feet away from a bench. Rest your left foot on the bench behind you
- Lower your body until your back knee nearly touches the floor and your front thigh is parallel to the floor
- Go back to the start position and repeat the exercise
Notes:
- There should be enough space between your front foot and the bench so that your front knee does not go over your toes
- Keep your upper body straight
12) LUNGE TWIST
Muscles involved: quads, gluts, hamstrings
How to perform:
- Stand with feet shoulder width apart and arms stretched forward.
- Take a big step forward and lower your body until your front knee is at a 90 degree angle
- Then twist your upper body to the same side as your front leg and twist back.
- Go back to the start position and switch to the other leg
Notes:
- Your upper body should always be kept straight
- Keep your knees facing forward as you twist
13) BACKWARD LUNGE WITH FRONT KICK LEFT
Muscles involved: gluts, hamstrings, quads
How to perform:
- Stand straight up
- Then step back with your left leg and lower your body
- When you come up, kick your left leg upward
- Go back to the start position, and repeat the exercise
Notes:
- Do not let front knee extend farther forward than toes
- Keep neck long, shoulders back and down away from ears and directly above hips
- Flexibility improves with practice, so aim to improve range of motion with each step
14) SIDE LUNGES
Muscles involved: gluts, hips, outer thigh, inner thigh
How to perform:
- Begin standing up straight with feet hip-width apart
- Step right foot out to right side keeping toes pointing forward and stay low
- Shift your weight toward the right foot, bending the right knee and pushing the hips back
- Drive weight into right heel to straighten leg and return to start position standing with feet together
Notes:
- Gently swing arms in front to help balance
- Keep neck long, shoulders back and down away from ears
- Do not let knee extend out farther than toes
15) BACKWARD LUNGE WITH FRONT KICK RIGHT
Muscles involved: gluts, hamstrings, quads
How to perform:
- Stand straight up
- Then step back with your right leg and lower your body
- When you come up, kick your right leg upward
- Go back to the start position, and repeat the exercise
Notes:
- Do not let front knee extend farther forward than toes
- Keep neck long, shoulders back and down away from ears and directly above hips
- Flexibility improves with practice, so aim to improve range of motion with each step
16) BOTTOM LEG LIFT LEFT
Muscles involved: gluts, hamstrings, quads
How to perform:
- Lie on your left side with your head resting on your left hand
- Then put your right foot forward on the floor
- Lift your left leg up and down
Notes:
- Keep your upper body straight
17) CURTSY LUNGES
Muscles involved: gluts, hips, outer thigh, inner thigh
How to perform:
- Stand straight up.
- Then step back with your left leg to the right and bend your knees at the same time
- Go back to the start position and switch to the other side
Notes:
- Keep neck long, shoulders back and down away from ears
18) BOTTOM LEG LIFT RIGHT
Muscles involved: glutes, hamstrings, quads
How to perform:
- Lie on your right side with your head resting on your right hand
- Then put your left foot forward on the floor
- Lift your right leg up and down
Notes:
- Keep your upper body straight
19) SIDE –LYING LEG LIFT RIGHT
Muscles involved: gluts
How to perform:
- Lie down on your side with your head rested on your left arm
- Lift your upper leg up and return to the start position
Notes:
- Make sure your right leg goes straight up and down during the exercise
20) SUMO SQUAT & LEG RAISES
Muscles involved: hamstrings, gluts, quadriceps, core
How to perform:
- Start with your feet apart wider than your shoulders
- Lower your body until your thighs are parallel with the floor
- Your knees should be extended in line with your toes
- When you come up, kick one leg to the side.
- Then repeat the exercise, switching to the other leg
Notes:
- Keep back straight
- Keep abs engaged and user arms for balance
- To make easier, squat with feet wider apart
21) SINGLE LEG CALF RAISES
Muscles involved: calves, gluts
How to perform:
- Balance on one leg with opposite foot lifted off floor at all times
- Press weight into balls of feet to stand up on toes and lift heels as high up as possible
- Contract calf at the top of the movement
- Slowly lower heel back to floor
Notes:
- Maintain good posture: chin up, chest open, shoulders directly above hips at all times
- Keep standing leg knee pointing forward at all times
- Hips and shoulders squared
- Hold arms out in front to help balance
22) SCISSORS
Muscles involved: obliques, rectus abdominis
How to perform:
- Lie on your back with arms at sides, palms down and legs extended
- Lift your legs and cross the right thigh over the left, then reverse the exercise
Notes:
- Make sure your back is always flat
23) SPLIT SQUAT LEFT
Muscles involved: gluts, hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexor, calves
How to perform:
- Take a big step forward with your left leg and keep your upper body straight
- Then make your body go straight down and up
Notes:
- Keep neck long, shoulders back and down away from ears
- Keep core engaged
24) BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT RIGHT
Muscles involved: gluts, hamstrings
How to perform:
- Stand several feet away from a bench.
- Rest your right foot on the bench behind you
- Lower your body until your back knee nearly touches the floor and your front thigh is parallel to the floor
- Then go back to the start position and repeat the exercise
Notes:
- There should be enough space between your front foot and the bench so that your front knee does not go over your toes
- Keep your upper body straight
25) RIGHT LUNGE KNEE HOPS
Muscles involved: gluts, lower back, abdominals
How to perform:
- Stand straight up. Then step your right leg back and lower your body
- When you come up, raise your right knee as high as you can
- Go back to the start position, and repeat the exercise
Notes:
- Keep good posture: neck long, shoulders back, no slouching
26) LUNGES
Muscles involved: quadriceps, hip flexors, gluts, core
How to perform:
- Stand feet shoulders width apart and your hands on your hips
- Take a step forward with your right leg and lower your body until your right thigh is parallel with the floor
- Then return and switch to the other leg.
Notes:
- Repeat upright, head neutral
- Keep chest open, shoulders back, hips square
- Bend back leg first to ensure hips are stacked over knees
27) SPLIT SQUAT RIGHT
Muscles involved: gluts, hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexor, calves
How to perform:
- Take a big step forward with your right leg and keep your upper body straight
- Then make your body go straight down and up
Notes:
- Keep neck long, shoulders back and down away from ears
- Keep core engaged
How to do the workout:
For a solid workout, choose any 5 workouts (remember to include alternate sides as one workout) and repeat each exercise for one minute, doing as many reps as possible. Then recover for 30 seconds. Complete five rounds and you’ll start to feel the burn.
As you get comfortable, you can reduce the rest time.
What are your favorite leg workouts for the strong legs? Leave a comment.
Originally published at fittym.com on October 20, 2017.
