Leg workouts: 5 of the best bodyweight only leg workouts
1. Squats
It may not come as a surprise but squats are the king of leg workouts! Depending on experience level, you can increase or decrease the amount of sets and reps in order to achieve adequate work performed.
*Tip: Interlock your fingers and place behind your head. This position is known as the “prisoner” position. It allows you to keep your body upright and lungs open for breathing.
Step ups are almost as good as squats for leg workouts. They recruit stabilization muscles and mainly target the quadriceps with some hamstring and glute activation. Some may argue they are even better than leg extensions for isolating the quadriceps. Find an elevated surface and simply step.
*Tip: For a more intense time under tension, perform repetitions for one leg at a time, only touching your foot on the ground.
2. Step ups
3. Bulgarian Split Squat
This is another one of the great leg workouts that also recruits some stabilization. Resting one foot flat on an elevated surface and one foot on the ground, lower your body down and press back up.
*Tip: For a quad focused split squat, lean more forward and place foot closer to the elevated surface. For hamstring and glute focused, step farther away from the elevated surface, stay more upright and sitting back closer to the elevated surface.
With the inherent nature of the movement, there are many variations, making it an excellent exercise to perform multiple ways and experiencing a slightly different effect. Three of our favorite variations are: stationary lunges, reverse lunges and walking lunges.
*Tip: For an added difficulty, combine with step ups for an intense leg workout. Perform one step up and go straight back into a reverse lunge. Then straight back into the step up.
4. Lunges
5. Romanian deadlift (RDL)
RDLs are great at targeting the hamstrings and glutes. Hinging at the hips, leaning forward and allowing your hips to sit back, continue down until your hamstrings no longer allow you to go any further. Contract your glutes and allow that to drive you back to the starting position.
*Tip: For those who are more experienced, try them single leg. Doing so recruits stabilization muscles and is a much higher level of difficulty.
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