Leg Workouts: Home & Travel-Friendly For Strength

Working out your legs at home is a great way to strengthen your lower body and improve everyday movements like walking, running, and jumping. You don't need a gym or any equipment to get a good leg workout. You can do bodyweight exercises such as squats, lunges, and single-leg deadlifts, or use everyday items like soup cans or a bottle of laundry detergent as weights. You can also use resistance bands or a stability ball to increase the challenge. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced athlete, there are plenty of leg workouts you can do at home to build strength and improve your fitness.

Squats

The lower muscles targeted by squats include your gluteus maximus, minimus, and medius (buttocks), quadriceps (front of the thigh), and hamstrings (back of the thigh). In addition to the lower body, squats also target your core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis, and erector spinae. If you do a back squat or overhead squat, you’ll also work the muscles in your shoulders, arms, chest, and back.

• Start with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes turned slightly out.
• Engage your core muscles by standing up tall and gently pulling your shoulders back while subtly lifting your chest. On an exhale, engage your deep abdominal muscles by imagining pulling your navel back into your spine.
• Keeping your upper body as straight as possible, hinge at your hips, bend your knees, and lower yourself into a squat. Try to keep a neutral spine by avoiding rounding your chest forward or arching backward.
• Lower yourself as far as you can comfortably go without leaning your upper body more than a few inches forward. If you have knee issues, do not go deeper than a 90-degree angle, with your thighs parallel to the floor.
• Push through your heels, engage your glutes, and straighten your legs to lift yourself back up to the starting position.

Perform 10–15 reps for 3 sets.

• Strengthens your core: Having strong core muscles can make everyday movements like turning, bending, and standing easier. It can also improve your balance, ease lower back pain, and help maintain good posture.
• Reduces the risk of injury: Strengthening the muscles in your lower body improves your ability to execute full-body movements with correct form, balance, mobility, and posture. Squats also help strengthen tendons, ligaments, and bones, further reducing the risk of injury.
• Boosts calorie burn: Performing high-intensity compound movements like squats can increase calorie burn and crush some serious calories.
• Strengthens the muscles of your lower body: Squats help strengthen and tone the muscles in your lower body, making movements like walking, bending, or exercising easier and more comfortable.
• Boosts athletic ability and strength: Adding jump squats to your workout may help develop explosive strength and speed, which can improve athletic performance.
• Variety helps with motivation: Once you master the basic squat, there are many variations you can try, such as back squats, overhead squats, and jump squats. Changing up your squats can help keep your workouts interesting and engaging.
• Can be done anywhere: Bodyweight squats require no equipment and can be done anytime, anywhere, making them a convenient and accessible exercise.

• Only lower yourself as far as you can comfortably go. Stop when you begin to feel discomfort in your hips or knees.
• Maintain a solid base by starting with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Using a narrower stance can decrease the stability of your base and put extra pressure on your knees.
• Keep your eyes forward to help maintain a neutral neck position.
• Keep your posture upright by avoiding rounding your shoulders or back. Focus on keeping your spine straight and in a neutral position.
• Only lift weights that you can handle with proper form. Executing the squat with correct form is more beneficial than lifting too much weight, which can strain your lower back, hips, and knees, leading to injuries.
• Activate your core throughout the entire movement to stabilize your spine and pelvis.

Lunges

To perform a basic forward lunge, start by standing up straight with your feet hip-width apart and flat on the ground. Relax your shoulders and allow your shoulder blades to sink down towards your hips. Take a big step forward with your right leg, placing your foot on the ground heel first. Lean your body forward so that about 70% of your weight is on your front foot. Keep your back and upper body straight and your knee above your ankle. Lower your body until your right knee is at a 90-degree angle and your left knee is also bent. Push yourself up with your right foot and return to the starting position. Repeat this movement with your left leg.

You can also perform reverse lunges, where you step backward with one leg and lower your body down until both knees are bent. Side lunges are another variation, where you step to the side with one leg and bend your knee, keeping your torso upright.

Pendulum lunges are a more challenging variation where you hold a weight or object in front of your chest and lunge forward with your right leg, keeping your left leg stationary. Push yourself up and immediately step into a reverse lunge with your right leg. Complete all reps on one side before switching legs.

If you want to add some extra strength training, you can hold a medicine ball or weights in your hands while performing forward lunges.

For a more advanced exercise, try the sliding lunge. Get into a split stance position with a paper plate under the back foot. Slide the back foot further back as you lower into a lunge, then pull it back in as you return to the starting position.

Single-leg deadlifts

To perform a single-leg deadlift, start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and parallel. Hold a kettlebell, a barbell, or two dumbbells in your hands, down in front of you. You can also hold your arms by your sides, close to your body, with your elbows bent so that your forearms are pointed straight out.

Lean forward in your hips, shifting your weight onto one leg, while the other leg engages and starts to extend straight behind you. Keep a slight bend in your standing leg.

Lift your extended leg and pitch your body forward until your body forms a "T" shape. Your arms should be hanging straight down, holding onto the weight.

Slowly bring your extended leg back in and return to the starting position. Repeat this movement with the other leg.

For an advanced version of this exercise, you can try adding a kick at the end of the movement. As you bring your leg back in, sweep it out to the side in a small kick, pointing your foot and balancing for a moment.

Wall sits

To perform a wall sit:

• Start with your back against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart, and placed about 2 feet from the wall.
• Engage your core and slowly lower your body down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
• Adjust your feet so your knees are above your ankles, not your toes. Maintaining this form is crucial to ensure you are targeting the correct muscle groups.
• Keep your back flat against the wall and hold this position for 20 to 60 seconds.
• Slowly slide back up the wall to a standing position.

Repeat this process three times, taking a 30-second break between each wall sit. As your strength improves, gradually increase the duration of your holds by five-second increments.

If you are a beginner or are looking for a greater challenge, you can modify wall sits to match your fitness level. For instance, you can use an exercise ball between your back and the wall or adjust the angle and hold time to make the exercise more accessible.

However, it is important to note that wall sits place most of the weight on your knees. If you have any existing knee injuries or conditions, consult with a medical professional before attempting this exercise.

Leg raises

Traditional Leg Raises

Difficulty level: Beginner and beyond

To perform a traditional leg raise, lie flat on the floor, a towel, or a yoga mat. Ensure your back is flat against the floor, with no space between the floor and your lower back. Squeeze your legs together, from thighs to ankles. Keep your feet and toes relaxed. Inhale as you slowly lift both legs, keeping them as straight as possible. Aim for your legs to be vertical, so your body forms a capital L. Exhale as you slowly lower your legs back down, until they are just a few inches from the floor. Pause, then repeat.

Alternating Leg Raises

Difficulty level: Beginner and beyond

For this variation, you will lift both legs until they are perpendicular to the floor, then lower them one at a time. You can bend your knees to make this exercise easier, or keep your legs straight for a greater challenge.

Side Leg Raises

Difficulty level: Beginner and beyond

Lie on your side for this exercise. You can bend your bottom arm and put it under your head. Raise your top leg, keeping it straight, so your body forms a Y. After 10 reps, switch sides. This exercise is a great way to target your gluteus medius, which stabilises your trunk and gait when you walk.

Reverse Leg Raises

Difficulty level: Advanced

Lie on your stomach for this variation. Stack your hands under your forehead. Raise one leg at a time, keeping it straight. Do 10 reps on one side, then switch.

Plank Leg Raises

Difficulty level: Advanced

For this challenging variation, get into a plank position. Engage your core to keep your body in a straight line. Lift one leg at a time. For an even greater challenge, hold a straight-arm plank position, with your palms on the floor.

Hanging Leg Raises

Difficulty level: Highly advanced

This advanced variation requires some equipment. Hang from a pull-up bar and lift your legs until they are parallel to the floor. You can also do this exercise with bent knees.

Frequently asked questions