Bodyweight Leg Exercises You Can Do At Home

Whether you’re a gym guru or a fitness beginner, bodyweight moves are always an excellent choice. If you’re new to fitness, bodyweight exercises can help you learn how to work efficiently with your own body. And if you’re more advanced, they’re perfect for an active recovery day from pumping iron at the gym. Not to mention, if you need a quick and convenient workout while traveling—these moves have you covered. 

In this article, we’ll cover some of the best bodyweight exercises you can do at home or on the go to build strong, toned legs. 

But First—Why Bodyweight Exercises? 

Getting fit doesn’t have to be difficult. Simple bodyweight movements can be a great choice for achieving gains in strength, flexibility, and overall health. And the best part? They don’t cost a thing, and you can do them just about anywhere. Still not convinced? Keep reading to discover why bodyweight exercises should be a key component of your workout regime. 

Reason #1: It Builds Balance and Flexibility 

When you’re performing bodyweight exercise, your body is working extra hard to stabilize itself. This strengthens the muscles and stretches the tendons and ligaments that help you stay balanced while doing everyday activities like walking, going up the stairs, or picking things up around the house—but also when you’re running, biking, or performing other workout movements. 

Training your body this way can especially help in preventing injury. 

Reason #2: It Builds Cardio and Strength 

Bodyweight training relies on your own body weight in order to get you to the fitness level that you desire, but contrary to all belief—it doesn’t just mean strength training. Yes, using your own body weight to exercise does involve using your muscles to lift your own weight, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t insert a certain degree of heart-healthy cardiovascular training.

For instance, you can try doing some lunges and pushups, which would qualify as strength training, and in between those movements, you can do some burpees, high knees, or other quick bursts of cardio. Or you could add a jump to your lunge, or a few mountain climbers to your pushup to really get your heart pumping. In essence, you can create your own bodyweight circuit training routine that will both strengthen your muscles and train your cardio system. 

Reason #3: You’ll Never Get Bored

It can be really easy to get stuck in a workout rut of bicep curls, lat pull-down, bench presses, and treadmills. That’s why bodyweight training can be so refreshing—there are countless exercise variations that can spice up any workout routine. Working with a wide variety of exercises not only combats boredom but can also help break plateaus and spark further progress. 

Reason #4: There’s Never An Excuse To Not Workout 

Ask someone why they don’t work out, and chances are they have “not enough time in the day,” or it’s “totally inconvenient.” Luckily, bodyweight exercises eliminate those obstacles. When you only need a little space, it’s super easy to squeeze in effective workouts wherever you are. Working out without equipment can also be used as a powerful stress reliever whether you’re working at home or on the road. 

Reason #5: It’s Free 

Gym memberships and fancy boutique classes can quickly add up, burning a pretty big hole in your pocket—but bodyweight training is free. 

‘Nuff said. 

Best Bodyweight Exercises For Strong Legs 

Ready to build stronger legs? Here are some of the best bodyweight exercises you can do at home. To make these movements a little more challenging, we’ve added GEAR 1—a resistance training system from HYGEAR. This innovative system comes with two high-performance bands with adjusters and smart sensors, two ergonomic handles, wrist and ankle bands, a door anchor, and a carrying bag. That’s everything you need to perform tons of leg strengthening exercises from the comfort of your own home.

If you need to modify the movement, simply start without the band and add it in when you are ready!

Glute Kick Back 

1. Start by attaching your GEAR 1 to an anchor at the bottom of a sturdy door.
2. Facing the door, secure the ankle strap around your right foot and get down on all fours. 
3. Keep your abs engaged, inhale and drive your right knee in towards your chest. 
4. Exhale and fully extend your right leg back so that it’s parallel to the ground.
5. Repeat for ten to 15 reps and then switch legs.  

Seated Cross Leg Pull 

1. Begin by attaching your GEAR 1 to an anchor near the bottom of a sturdy door.
2. Sit with your right hip facing the door, roughly one to two feet away, and attach an ankle strap to your right ankle. 
3. Adjust your position far enough away from the door so that there’s a little tension. 
4. Place both of your hands on the floor underneath your shoulders for support. Sit tall and contract your abs.  
5. Inhale and lift your right leg off the ground, then exhale and bring it towards the other leg, squeezing your inner thigh as your legs come together. 
6. Inhale and slowly release back to start. 
7. Repeat for ten to 15 reps, and then switch to your left side.

Standing Calf Raise 

1. Attach your GEAR 1 band to the door anchor near the bottom of a sturdy door. 
2. Facing away, grab the handles, one in each hand, and stand with your feet hip-distance apart. 
3. Place your hands above your shoulders with your elbows pointed downward. Stand tall and keep your core engaged at all times. 
4. Take a deep breath and exhale. Then, raise both heels off the floor as you point your toes. 
5. Inhale and slowly return to the starting position. 
6. Repeat for 15 to 20 reps. 

Hamstring Curl

1. Like the other exercises, start by attaching your GEAR 1 to a low anchor point near the bottom of a sturdy door. 
2. Slap the ankle strap around your right ankle. 
3. Facing away from the door, lie down on your stomach with elbows resting on the floor. 
4. Relax both of your legs and keep your knees together. 
5. To begin the movement, take a deep breath, exhale and drive your right heel up towards your butt. 
6. Squeeze your glute and hold at the top of the movement, then inhale and slowly lower your right foot down to the starting position. 
7. Repeat for ten to 15 reps before switching sides. 

A Final Word 

When performing any exercise, be sure to pay close attention to the difference between muscle soreness and just outright pain. If you feel pain at any point throughout the movement, stop the exercise and try something else. If you're still experiencing pain, discontinue your workout and talk to your doc. Otherwise, get creative with the GEAR 1 resistance training system to add variety to your workouts. 

While gyms can be an awesome resource, there’s really no need to buy a fancy membership or expensive personal training sessions when HYGEAR’s in your corner.

Check out HYGEAR today, and start building strong legs tomorrow!

Sources:

Benefits of flexibility exercises | Harvard Health

Previous post Active Recovery Workouts: What to Do on Your Rest Day | NASM

Ligament vs. Tendon: What's the Difference? | Healthline.