10 Best Bodyweight Leg Exercises for Size and Strength

We’ve all listened to that man within the gymnasium who swears his leg workouts are as brutal as they arrive—how his hours of hamstring exercises, leg squats, and quad workouts depart him hobbling out of the gymnasium and crippled with soreness for days after.

There’s a spot for these workouts assured to construct brute strength and energy—should you’re into bodybuilding, masochism, or building quads that may solely be appreciated in a pair of brief shorts. But should you’re seeking to train your legs for strength, mobility, and purposeful motion, there’s no must torture your self with leg exercises made for Olympians.

In a sedentary world the place we spend a lot of our time sitting behind desks and steering wheels, the emphasis ought to be on opening up our tight hips and mimicking the actions of day by day life in an effort to forestall accidents and long-term illnesses. This method, you may create a stronger, extra highly effective decrease body utilizing simply your body weight as resistance.

With these 10 leg workouts utilizing body weight you can stroll higher, run sooner, and hit your subsequent large squat PR with out your normal hip clicks. Add these to your subsequent lower-body day or make the most of them on their very own the subsequent time you wish to ease off the heavy weight, you are in a time crunch, or touring.

Related: These At-Home Leg Workouts Prove You Don’t Need a Full Gym

Best Bodyweight Leg Exercises

1. Bodyweight Calf Raise

How to Do It

1. Stand along with your toes on a block or step and maintain onto one thing sturdy for assist.
2. Raise your heels to come back up on the balls of your toes, then decrease your heels till you are feeling a stretch in your calves.

2. Knee Hug

Why It Works 

This easy transfer stretches the hamstring and glute of your entrance leg, in addition to the hip flexor of your again leg. It’s an efficient stretch on the entrance of a lower-body exercise.

How to Do It

1. Clasp your palms just under your proper knee, to start. 
2. Pull your knee to your chest whereas squeezing your left glute. 
3. Return to the start place and repeat on the left facet. 
4. Continue alternating sides.
5. Performs 2 sets of 10 reps on both sides. 

3. Quadruped Rocking

Why It Works 

This transfer is a mix of two acquainted yoga poses—cow and youngster’s pose—and supplies a terrific stretch for the quads and hips.

How to Do It

1. Get down on all fours and let your decrease again sag, to start. 
2. Push your hips again so far as you’ll be able to, holding the lumbar arch. 
3. You ought to really feel a stretch in and across the hips. 
4. Return to the beginning place and repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps. 

4. Single-Leg Glute Bridge

How to Do It

1. Lie in your again on the ground and bend each knees in order that your toes relaxation on the ground near your butt.
2. Brace your abs and elevate one leg just under the purpose of your bent knee, straitening it along with your toes pointed up.
3. Squeeze your glutes, carry your hips up, and drive the heel of the opposite foot into the ground.
4. Bridge up till your body is in a straight line.

Related: How to Do a Cossack Squat for Improved Strength and Mobility

5. Wall Sit

Why It Works

Wall sits are one of many easiest, most deceptively difficult body weight exercises you are able to do. They rapidly and successfully problem your quads and hips.

How to Do It

1. Stand a foot in entrance of a wall and sit down, again flat, as should you had been sitting in an invisible chair.
2. Hold for wherever from 30 seconds to 2 minutes and repeat for 2 sets. 

6. Lateral Lunge

Why It Works 

Lateral motion is essential in sports activities and on a regular basis life, however too usually we ignore it when training. The lateral lunge hits not solely the quads and glutes however particularly targets your hamstrings.

How to Do It

1. Step out to the correct, retaining your toes pointed straight forward and toes flat, to start. 
2. Squat down as little as potential solely along with your proper leg, retaining your left leg straight. 
3. Hold for two seconds. 
4. Return to the beginning place and repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps on both sides. 

7. Pistol Squat

How to Do It

1. To start, stand tall along with your toes about hip-width aside.
2. Extend your arms and the free leg out in entrance of you.
3. Bend your working knee, hinging at hips, to decrease right into a squat.
4. Keeping your again straight and torso upright, as you attempt to contact your working hamstring to the calf.
5. Squeeze glutes and drive via heels to face. 
6. Repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps. 
7. As you progress, stand on a flat floor and repeat the above steps.

8. Lateral Bound

Why It Works 

This builds lateral energy in your legs and challenges the hamstrings otherwise than conventional stretching exercises.

How to Do It

1. Stand in your proper leg, along with your left foot off the bottom. 
2. Squat barely in your proper leg and use your leg and glute to leap laterally (to the left). 
3. Land on the alternative leg, sustaining stability. 
4. Hold for three seconds. 
5. Repeat on the opposite facet. 
6. Complete 2 sets of 10 reps on every leg. 

9. Jump Squat

How to Do It

1. To start, stand with toes shoulder-width aside and squat down till your thighs are about parallel to the ground however no deeper.
2. Jump as high as you’ll be able to.
3. Land with mushy knees and start the subsequent rep.
4. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps. 

10. Split Squat

Why It Works 

Split squats construct lower-body energy by rising stability and strength all through your legs.

How to Do It

1. Step out right into a lunge with palms at your sides, to start. 
2. Lower your hips by squatting again and down. 
3. Without letting your again knee contact the ground, drive your weight again up with the entrance leg.
4. Complete 2 sets of 10 reps on every leg. 

Related: Split Squat vs Lunge: Which Is Better for Gaining Size and Strength?

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