Health

Short on time? Try this no-equipment lower body workout

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Do you have a busy schedule that doesn’t allow you enough time for the gym or a long walk? Stress no more because trying a no-equipment workout at home is easy. Remember, nothing is better than using your own body weight to fire up those lower-body muscles!

 

Strong muscles are the pillars of a healthy body and even if you’re not training for a marathon, you need legs that are strong enough to keep you moving. From walking up a flight of stairs to lifting a heavy load of laundry, you need a strong lower body to move effortlessly.

Luckily, effective lower body workouts don’t have to be complicated and you need not spend hundreds of dollars on a gym membership. Add some bodyweight exercises to your workout routine and achieve your fitness goals at home.

So, gather up a lot of motivation and maybe a chair to put some burn in your thighs, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Here is a list of bodyweight exercises that can help you tone and strengthen your lower body muscles. Give them a shot and embrace the burn!

1- Squats

You can’t go wrong with the basic bodyweight squat. It’s a great way to tone your butt and strengthen your thighs. Stand with your feet about should width apart and stick out your butt into a squat. Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Push into your heels to come back up, squeeze your glutes together and tighten your core and you stand. Repeat.

2- Wall Sit

Can’t find a chair to sit? Let’s use the wall!

A wall-sit is an exercise that targets the quadriceps muscles. Slide your back down standing against a wall until the thighs are parallel to the ground. Imagine sitting in an invisible chair. Aim to achieve at least 60 seconds per set and you’ll find your legs turning to jelly! Add more fire by combining it with some bicep curls.

3- Side Lunges

Side lunges target your quads, glutes, and hamstrings and strengthen the inner and outer thighs. The side-to-side movement of this exercise helps maintain your balance and stability.

Just stand with your feet hip-width apart and take a big step out towards your right side. Bend your right knee and push back your butt while keeping the left leg straight. Repeat the same steps on the left side.

4- Reverse leg lifts

This is a great exercise for beginners which works fabulously for the lower back, core, leg, and arms. Each time you lift, you engage 3 gluteal muscles. Use it as an alternative to classic squats.

For reverse leg lifts, kneel down on the floor. Make sure your hands are directly under your shoulders and your knees are under your hips. Now raise one leg up bending it at the knee. Squeeze your buttock with each raise and lower it back slowly. Repeat the same movement with the other leg.

5- Side leg raises

This exercise is a great way to get your glutes into shape. Incorporate side leg raises with other lower-body exercises to get a shapely bottom in no time. It’s an easy exercise so it can even be done while you’re lying down or watching TV.

Start by adjusting your posture. Lie down on your side, with your body in a straight line. Now lift the top leg toward the ceiling and return to the starting position. Begin with 10-15 reps on one leg and turn over to perform the exercise with your other leg.

6- Bridge

This is an excellent exercise to tone those glute muscles while engaging your core, spine, and hamstrings at the same time. Just lie flat on your back with your knees bent. Now press your weight into both your feet as you raise your hips till your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. There are advanced bridge versions as well but start from the basic posture to build strength.

7- Curtsy lunges

As the name suggests, this exercise is derived from the basic act of curtsying. Stand up straight and step your left leg behind you towards the right side so that both your thighs cross. Now bend both knees as if you were curtsying. Make sure that your front knee doesn’t cross your front ankle. Return to the standing position and switch sides to complete one rep.

Conclusion:

To make your workout more effective, don’t forget to hydrate yourself and breathe deeply. Second, take control of your thoughts. Be conscious about your form and focus on your breathing pattern. Inhale and exhale with each push.

Staying alert and working out with dedication can help you tap into your hidden strength. The burn after a no-equipment workout might feel too much but remember that your muscles are working to show results. Be consistent with your workout as it will help you in finding your groove and reduce the muscle soreness with the passage of time.

Soon you’ll feel that your body has adapted itself to the workout and your fitness routine will evolve to a higher level. Once you’re there, step up the challenge and add some weights to these exercises to see even better results!

What are your all-time favorite lower body exercises? Share them with us in the comments below:

 

 

Author Bio

James Crook is a passionate blogger who loves to write on health and fitness related topics. Currently, he is a working as a blogger for a telemedicine app ‘Mend Family’. Follow @jamescrook911 for more updates.

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