Are you thinking of making your legs strong? Then you’ve come to the right place.
The 28 Bodyweight exercises for legs I’ll tell you about in this article are versatile and can be done at home, in the park, or anywhere you have some space.
You can target various leg muscles with these exercises, such as your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Additionally, they can improve your balance, flexibility, strength, and endurance.
So, make sure you stay around to learn better about these exercises:
Leg Muscle Anatomy
The leg is made up of several muscles, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. The quadriceps, or “quads,” are located on the front of the thigh and are responsible for extending the knee.
The hamstrings are located on the back of the thigh and are responsible for flexing the knee. The calves consist of two main muscles, the gastrocnemius and the soleus, which are responsible for plantar flexion (pointing the toes down).
Building strong leg muscles is important for overall strength and stability and for athletic performance in activities such as running, jumping, and lifting.
Importance Of Strong Legs
Strong legs are important for a variety of reasons. They help you perform everyday activities like walking, running, and climbing stairs and improve your balance, stability, and posture.
Plus, having strong legs can help prevent injuries and support a healthy, active lifestyle. So, don’t skip leg day!
Do Bodyweight Leg Exercises Work?
Absolutely! bodyweight leg exercises can be just as effective as using gym equipment. In fact, they can be even more challenging as you’re using your own body weight to create resistance.
With exercises like squats, lunges, and calf raises, you can target and strengthen all the major muscle groups in your legs. So, remember not to underestimate the power of bodyweight exercises!
Can bodyweight exercises build leg muscle?
Yes, you can definitely build leg muscle with bodyweight-only exercises! As you perform exercises like squats, lunges, and jump training, you’re engaging and strengthening the major muscle groups in your legs.
Over time, with consistency and progression, you can absolutely see an increase in muscle mass and definition. So, don’t think you need fancy equipment to get strong and toned legs!
How To Increase Resistance With Bodyweight Leg Exercises?
If you want to increase resistance with bodyweight leg exercises, then don’t just rely on your body weight. Instead, try to work out with dumbbells, barbells, or kettlebells. I know that not many of you have access to these things.
In that case, you can use any weight around you, such as a bag filled with books, a rock, a brick, or anything with weight. By carrying weight, you’ll be able to increase the resistance of your bodyweight exercises.
31 Bodyweight Leg Exercises
1. Bodyweight Squat
One of the best bodyweight leg exercises for beginners is the bodyweight squat.
Benefits:
- Strengthens quads, hamstrings, and glutes
- It’s one of the best lower body exercises.
How to Do?
- Hold your feet shoulder-width apart, pointing slightly outward with your toes
- Bend your knees and hips and keep your back straight as you lower your body
- When your thighs are parallel to the ground, stop
- By pushing through your heels, you can return to standing
2. Squat to Oblique Crunch
Benefits:
- Targets oblique muscles for a stronger core
- Increases overall lower body and core store
How to Do?
- Start in a squat position
- As you stand, lift one knee up to the opposite elbow and crunch
- On the other side, lower yourself into a squat and repeat
3. Jump Squat Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Benefits:
- Increases explosive power and athleticism
- Strengthens quads, hamstrings, and glutes
How to Do?
- Start in a squat position
- Explosively jump up, lifting your arms overhead
- Lower yourself into a squat after landing softly
4. Side Step to Squat Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Benefits:
- Targets inner and outer thighs, quads, and glutes
- Increases lower body strength and stability
How to Do?
- Start standing with feet together
- Lie on your back and squat down with one leg out to the side
- Recover to standing by pushing through the heel, then repeat on the other side
5. Squat to Curtsy Lunge
Benefits:
- Strengthens glutes, and quadriceps, and hamstrings
- Enhances coordination and balance
How to Do?
- Start by squatting
- In a curtsy lunge, step one foot behind the other
- On the other side, return to a squat and repeat
6. Sumo Squat Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Benefits:
- Targets inner thighs, quads, and glutes
- Increases overall lower body strength and power
How to Do?
- Place your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and point your toes outward
- Reduce the intensity of your squat by keeping your back straight
- By pushing through your heels, you can return to standing
7. Eccentric Squat Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Benefits:
- Increases overall leg strength and power
- Targets eccentric (muscle-lengthening) portion of squat movement
How to Do?
- Place your feet in a squat position
- For a count of 5-10 seconds, slowly lower yourself down
- Explode back up to a standing position
8. Squat Walk to Jump
Benefits:
- Increases overall lower body strength and power
- Targets quads, hamstrings, and glutes
How to Do?
- Squat to begin
- Maintain a squat position while taking small steps forward
- After 3-4 steps, jump explosively up and then return to squat position to repeat
9. Glute Bridge March
Benefits:
- Targets glutes and hamstrings
- Improves hip mobility and stability
How to Do?
- Lie on your back with your knees bent, and your feet flat on the ground
- Lift hips up into a bridge position
- March one foot at a time while keeping hips lifted
10. Single-Leg Glute Bridge
Benefits:
- Strengthens glutes and improves hip stability
How to Do?
- Lying on your back and bent knees, place your feet flat on the ground
- Straighten one leg by lifting it off the ground
- In order to lift your hips, press through the heel of the foot that’s still on the ground
- On the other side, lower your hips back down and repeat
11. Side-Lying Inner Thigh Raise
Benefits:
- targets inner thigh muscles and improves hip mobility
How to Do?
- Straighten your legs while lying on your side
- Keep your top leg straight as you lift it up
- Repeat on the other side by lowering your leg back down.
12. Lateral Lunge Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Benefits?
- strengthens quads, hamstrings, and glutes while improving hip mobility.
How to Do?
- Place your hands on your hips and stand with your feet together.
- A big step to the right is taken, and the right knee is bent in order to lower into a lunge.
- Return to your starting position by pushing off your right leg.
- You can alternate legs or do all reps on one side.
13. Curtsy Lunge With Kick
Benefits:
- strengthens quads, hamstrings, and glutes while improving balance and coordination
How to Do?
- Stand with feet hip-width apart
- Cross your left leg behind your right and lower into a lunge
- Kick your left leg out to the side as you stand back up
- Then repeat the process on the other side
14. Tuck Jump Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Benefits:
- improves explosive power and leg strength.
How to Do?
- Separate your feet by hips
- Bring your knees up towards your chest and jump up
- Jump again as soon as you land softly
15. Reverse Lunge to Single-Leg Hop
Benefits:
- Strengthens quads, hamstrings, and glutes while improving balance and coordination
How to Do?
- Separate your feet by hips
- Lower your left foot into a lunge as you step back with your left foot
- Hop on your right foot when you stand back up
- Do the same on the other side
16. Split Squat Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Benefits:
- Quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings are strengthened.
How to Do?
- In a lunge position, stand with one foot forward and one foot back.
- You should lower your back knee to the ground while keeping your front knee in line with your ankle.
- Push back up through your front heel to return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.
17. Alternating Forward to Reverse Lunge
Benefits:
- Targets quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
How to Do?
- Return to your starting position after lunging forward with one foot.
- With the same foot, step back into a reverse lunge position, then return to your starting position. Then repeat the process on the other side.
18. Good Morning Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Benefits:
- Improves posture and spinal erector strength
How to Do?
- Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your feet hip-width apart.
- Keep your back straight and knees slightly bent while you hinge forward at the hips.
- Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings to return to the starting position.
19. Warrior Balance Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Benefits:
- Strengthens glutes, quads, and core
How to Do?
- Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and your feet hip-width apart.
- Reach your arms forward while lifting one leg behind you.
- Before returning to your starting position, hold for several breaths. Then repeat the process on the other side.
20. Plié Squat Calf Raises
Benefits:
- Targets quads, hamstrings, and calves
How to Do?
- Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart and toes turned out.
- Lower into a plié squat position, keeping your back straight and knees in line with your toes.
- Rise up onto the balls of your feet, then lower back down to starting position.
21. Single-Leg Calf Raises
Benefits:
- Improves ankle stability and balance
How to Do?
- Stand on one foot with your other foot lifted off the ground.
- Rise up onto the ball of your foot, then lower back down to starting position.
- Repeat for several reps before switching sides.
22. Pistol Squats Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Pistol squats can be one of the hardest bodyweight leg exercises for you. However, the more you do it, the better you’ll become at it.
Benefits:
- Targets quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core
How to Do:
- Stand on one leg with the other leg extended out in front of you.
- Lower down into a squat position, keeping your back straight and your knee in line with your toes.
- Push back up through your heel to return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
23. Jumping Lunge Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Jumping lunge is the best military bodyweight leg workout.
Benefits:
- Targets quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
How to Do?
- Begin in a lunge position with your front knee directly over your ankle and your back knee hovering just above the ground
- Push off explosively with both legs, jumping into the air
- Switch the position of your legs mid-air, landing softly with your opposite foot forward
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, alternating legs each time
24. Frog Pump Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Benefits:
- Targets the glutes and inner thighs
How to Do?
- On your back, bend your knees and place the soles of your feet together
- Keeping your feet together, lift your hips up towards the ceiling, squeezing your glutes and inner thighs
- Lower your hips back down to the ground, then repeat for the desired number of repetitions
25. Inverted Inner Thigh Openers
Benefits:
- Stretches and strengthens the inner thighs
How to Do?
- Begin on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips
- Lift one leg off the ground and extend it out to the side, with your knee and foot pointing towards the ceiling
- Lower your leg back down to the ground, then repeat for the desired number of repetitions before switching sides
26. Fire Hydrant Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Benefits:
- Targets the glutes and outer thighs
How to Do?
- Begin on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips
- Keeping your knee bent, lift one leg out to the side, with your knee and foot pointing towards the ceiling
- Lower your leg back down to the ground, then repeat for the desired number of repetitions before switching sides
27. Donkey Kick Bodyweight Exercises for Legs
Benefits:
- Targets the glutes and hamstrings
How to Do?
- Begin on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips
- Keeping your knee bent, lift one leg up towards the ceiling, keeping your foot flexed and your glutes engaged
- Lower your leg back down to the ground, then repeat for the desired number of repetitions before switching sides
28. Pop Squat With 180-Degree Turn
Benefits:
- Targets the lower body and cardiovascular system
How to Do?
- Begin standing with your feet shoulder-width apart
- Squat down, keeping your weight in your heels and your chest lifted
- Explode up into the air, turning 180 degrees mid-air
- Land softly in a squat position, then repeat for the desired number of repetitions
Programming These Exercises Into Your Routine
For programming all of the above-mentioned leg exercises in your routine, you have to be clear about your goal. Once you’re clear about your goal, you can then follow the below-mentioned table to program these exercises in your routine.
| Goal: | Ideal Sets and Reps: |
| Pure Strength | • 4-8 sets of 1-5 reps • Rest 2-3 minutes between sets |
| Power and Speed | • 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps (but it will depend on when your explosiveness starts to fail) • Rest at least 2 minutes between sets |
| General Purpose Strength | • 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps • Rest 90 seconds to 2 minutes between sets |
| Endurance | • 2-5 sets of 12-25 reps • Rest 60-90 seconds between sets |
FAQs
Warm-Up For Leg Workouts Without Weights
Some great warm-up exercises include lunges, leg swings, and jumping jacks. Start with 5-10 minutes of warm-up exercises to get your muscles ready for the workout.
When To Do Bodyweight Leg Exercises?
Bodyweight leg exercises can be done at any time, but it’s best to include them in your regular workout routine. They can be used as a warm-up or as a standalone workout. If you’re looking to build muscle, aim to do these exercises 2-3 times per week.
Conclusion
Now you know about the best bodyweight exercises for the legs!
By doing these exercises on a daily basis, you can get strong legs and also keep your overall body healthy. I hope everything related to the leg exercises has now been covered.
