Do you skip your leg days because you don’t enjoy the leg workouts done with the help of bulky workout equipment? Well, you don’t have to skip now! We have compiled powerful leg workouts that can be done anywhere without equipment.
In order to maintain your health, you have to incorporate leg workouts into your fitness routine. Every little daily movement requires leg strength. So, don’t skip a leg day.
How To Warm Up Before Doing Leg Workouts?
Workouts aren’t complete without an effective warm-up. Try to start every workout with a minimum of 5 minutes of light cardio. Warm-ups will help you increase your heart rate and blood flow. After, doing light cardio, do dynamic stretching to prepare your whole body including your legs for the workout.
5 Powerful Leg Workouts Without Equipment
After the warm-up, try these leg workouts and include them in your workout routine for maintaining your leg strength.
1. Jump Squats
Squats are one of the most effective and easy leg workouts that target your lower body. You can do squats anywhere without the use of any special equipment. If you are looking to improve your lower body including your legs, add squats to your workout routine.
Jump squats can help you strengthen your hip, knees, leg muscles, and lower and upper back.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart.
- Now, bend your knees and put your weight into your heels, and descend to a squat position.
- When you reach a position where your knees are parallel to the floor, engage your core and jump up.
- Once you land, lower your body again into the squat position.
- Repeat as many as you can in 30 seconds.
2. Walking Lunges
Walking lunges! An effective variation of static lunges and one of the best leg workouts. Walking lunges can help you strengthen your leg muscles along with your core, hips, and glutes. If you are a beginner, do some static lunges first. Once you perform static lunges in a proper form, you can do walking lunges easily.
How to do it:
- Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Put your hands either on your sides or on your hips.
- Step forward with the right leg and put the whole body weight on your heel.
- Now, bend your right knee and lower down so that your knee is parallel to the ground in a lunge position.
- Without moving your right leg, bring your left foot forward and repeat the same movement on the left side. Pause a little bit as your left leg is in a lunge position parallel to the ground.
- Continue walking lunges with your both legs for 30 seconds.
3. Leg Lifts
Leg lifts focus on strengthening the muscles of your legs and core. This leg workout helps you to slim and tone your leg muscles.
How to do it:
- To do this workout, lay on the floor with your back flat against the ground.
- Place your hands behind your head and lift both of your legs up off the ground.
- Engaging your waist muscles, slowly lift both legs up towards your chest before returning to the starting position.
- Repeat this small lifting motion 10 times or as many times as is comfortable for you.
4. Hip bridges
Do you want to challenge the entire backside of your legs? Then, this hip bridge is for you. it is one of the best leg workouts for beginners. Here’s how to do it:
How to do it:
- Lay on your back with your feet flat and knees bent on the floor.
- Now lift your hips.
- When your hips reach your top, put your weight on your toes and lift up your heels.
- Slowly lower back your hips to the ground.
- Do 12 to 15 reps.
5. Single-leg deadlifts
This hip hinge movement will strengthen your legs, core, and your back. It is a variation of the deadlift in which you have to lift your one leg off the ground and extend it behind you. This exercise is also beneficial for improving balance.
How to do it:
- Stand your left foot planted on the floor.
- Lean forward in your hips, shift your weight onto the left leg and engage your right leg by extending it behind you.
- reach your arms forward and push your right foot back as much as you can.
- Try to keep your hips and shoulder parallel.
- Gradually bring your extended right leg to the starting position. Repeat the same with your left leg.
- Do 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps on each leg.
FAQs
Which leg workouts are best for people with arthritis?
People with Arthritis might find it difficult to do any physical activity, especially high-impact exercises or workouts. There is a variety of low-impact workouts that can be beneficial for people with arthritis. Some of the low-impact exercises for people with arthritis include:
- Squats
- Walking
- Swimming
- Tai Chi
- Leg raise
- Heel raise
- Pillow squeeze
- Water aerobic
What are the benefits of leg workouts?
Leg workouts are not only good for toning your legs but are also helpful for maintaining balance and posture. Moreover, such workouts engage the major muscle groups of your entire body and support healthy movement patterns. Some of the leg workouts help you avoid injury and some chronic conditions like arthritis.
Is a leg workout important?
A leg workout is as essential as any other part of your body. Adding leg workouts to your workout routine will help you strengthen your leg muscles and tone them. It can also help you improve your body balance posture. It is essential to work all of your muscle groups for your well-being and overall health.