BODYWEIGHT LEG EXERCISES: 10 DIFFERENT VARIATIONS
Most of us are familiar with popular bodyweight leg exercises such as the air squat, glute bridge, and single-leg romanian deadlift. But often our personal exercise library ends there.
To get the best results from bodyweight training you need to vary the exercises in your program. Thankfully, there are numerous ways you can load the leg muscles using your bodyweight alone. This blog will focus on 10 different variations of bodyweight leg exercises and cover three movement patterns: lunge, squat, and bend.
Whether you are looking to add variation to your training sessions or into your client’s program, these 10 different bodyweight leg exercises will give you new inspiration for your training program.
10 Bodyweight Leg Exercises that Can Be Done At Home
The Split Squat
How to:
Stand in the split position. Bend the front knee into a lunge until the thigh is parallel to the ground and the back knee lightly touches the floor. Keep the front knee behind the toes. Then straighten the front knee to return to the top of the split position.
Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
How to:
Stand in the split position with the front foot elevated on a plate or any other object. Bend the front knee into a lunge until the thigh is parallel to the ground and the back knee lightly touches the floor. Keep the front knee behind the toes. Then straighten the front knee to return to the top of the split position.
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
Stand in the split position with the back foot on a bench or box. Bend the front knee into a lunge until the thigh is parallel to the ground and the back knee lightly touches the floor. Keep the front knee behind the toes. Then straighten the front knee to return to the top of the split position.
Air Squat
How to:
Start in a standing position with your feet slightly outside of the shoulders. Break at the hips and lower your hips below your knees. Then squeeze your glutes to return to the standing position.
Side-Lying Leg Hold
How to:
Lie on your side with your bottom leg slightly bent, and the top leg locked out. Then raise the top leg toward the ceiling by activating your glute. Keep the glute active to hold the position.
Wall Sit
How to:
Start in a squat position, with your back against the wall and quads parallel to the floor. Maintain good posture and hold this static position for a set duration or until you cannot maintain the posture.
Glute Bridge:
How to:
Lie in a supine position, with legs at 90 degrees. Elevate your hips, keep the body in a straight line, and hold tension at the top. Hold the position for a set duration.
Hip Thrust
How to:
Start with your knees at a 90-degree position, hips on the floor, and in a supine position. Squeeze your glutes to lift your hips off the floor. Then lower your hips back to the floor.
Elevated Hip Thrust
How to:
Lie in a supine position, with your heels on an elevated surface. Elevate your hips keeping the body in a straight line, holding tension, at the top.
Frog Pump
How to:
Lie in a supine position with your knees on the floor pointing outward with feet together. Squeeze the glutes to lift your hips off the floor. Then lower your hips back to the floor.
Which Exercise is the Best?
When creating a training program it’s great to have a breadth of exercises to choose from. It adds variety to the program and exposes the muscles to different stimuli.
But how do you choose the best exercise for a training program? This depends on two factors: the goal of the session and the trainee’s abilities.
Most coaches skip understanding these important details. To change this and help fitness coaches like you we created the OPEX Assessment. This three-part assessment process provides you with detailed client information, preparing you to design effective training programs. Learn our method of assessment today by signing up for our free coaching course.