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6 Lower Body Bodyweight Exercises to Add to Your Workout Routine
Humans have been training with the weight of our bodies for thousands of years, and for good reason: our bodies are always accessible and it's great for us.
Strength training is incredible for our bodies - it creates a foundation from which we can confidently take on everyday tasks like climbing stairs, lifting heavy objects, and even something as simple as bending over to pick up a dropped key ring. It is a particularly good tool to maintain our body feel youngpermanently.
Training also has a significant benefit for us Mental health, as it is linked to reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, better sleep, improvement in self-esteem, and more.
With these bodyweight leg workouts, you can build that foundation to keep your movements stronger, safer, and healthier!
1 | Bodyweight squats
Squats are one of the golden movements of bodyweight training because they mostly Work your quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and core require the support of your entire body to function. That's why you have to carry us as much as we do explain the correct form.
Stand up straight with your feet slightly wider than hip-width. The general idea is to bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor and stand back up. However, getting there safely requires much less physical strength.
Make sure your weight is always in your heels - it helps to keep your toes slightly off the ground during this movement. As you bend your knees, drive your hips back and make sure your knees bend straight forward. Never let your knees go before your toes (your knees won't thank you). Keep your chest and shoulders back and be careful not to hunch.
If you don't have those thighs parallel to the floor yet, that's still okay. A good way to start working on the squat is to find a bench or chair to sit on at the bottom of the movement before standing back up.
2 | Single leg squat alternative
This squat alternative for those who want more work is stunning and requires a lot of practice.
What you're going to do is take everything we just learned about squatting but do it on one leg. Try keeping your raised leg straight in front of you and floating off the ground - this will ensure you feel the burn!
Having a bench or chair to catch you is key here; It's much harder to maintain form and know when to get back on one leg. Start by sitting in the chair and getting up from the chair before thinking about giving it up. It helps to keep your arms further in front of you for balance, but don't let this pull your upper body down.
3 | Sumo squat
Surprise, surprise, another squat variation! (Really, squats are so good for your whole body.)
This variation targets the same muscles as a regular squat, as well as the inner thighs and with particular emphasis on the glutes.
To do a sumo squat, stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and pointed (about 45 degrees). Now follow the standard protocol of a normal squat: weight in your heels, knees moving toward your feet without going over your toes, chest up, and back engaged. Go down until your thighs are parallel to the floor and come back up.
4 | Lunge
Lunges are a great leg exercise because they not only require a lot of muscle strength, but also a lot of balance. This move trains you to move with more grace and power. There are diverse Variations of lunges, but we'll focus on the traditional lunge. Bodyweight quad exercises like these (they use all types of muscle but get those quads firing) are crucial to building a strong base for almost any physical activity.
Start with your feet together and take a large step forward with one leg. The foot comes heel first while you keep your torso nice and straight with your core. Place your weight in your front foot and bend at the knee until your front thigh and back shin are parallel to the floor. Just like with the squat, make sure your front knee doesn't extend past your toes. Press into the front heel to come back up and repeat on the other side.
5 | Step Ups
Step-ups are on the opposite side of the same coin as lunges, but instead of working downward, you work upward.
Get a chair or bench, place one foot forward on it, and step on it. It sounds easier than it is, and once you get your weight into your front foot and stop relying on jumping off your back foot to stand up, this movement becomes very difficult very quickly.
Like a lunge, step-ups require a lot of core strength and balance. So start with a lower step and work your way up!
6 | Romanian deadlifts
Don't let the name put you off. This step sounds much more difficult than it is.
In a regular deadlift, you place a barbell on the floor, reach down, pick it up, and put it back down. A Romanian deadlift is basically the same movement, but instead of starting the movement from the floor and lifting, you start standing, bending over, and coming back up.
A double-legged Romanian deadlift is easy: Stand with your hands behind your head and your elbows straight. Engage your core as you bend your torso forward, making sure to keep your back very straight until your back is almost parallel to the floor. Your knees should bend slightly, but not close to a squat. Now use the muscles in your hamstrings and glutes (in addition to these core muscles) to fold back up.
Put these lower body bodyweight exercises together and you've got a whole leg workout! Remember to keep it slow, focus on form, and have fun while exercising. You can try these lower body workouts atone of our locations. Or log iniChuze FitnessFind virtual bodyweight exercises to add to your routine!
And don't forget to stretch when you're done!