At-Home Leg Workout To Strengthen Your Lower Body

Whether you work out at home regularly or you’re completely new to exercise, you can try this at-home leg workout to strengthen your lower body on leg day.

Your legs are made up of some of the biggest muscles in your body — your glutes, quads and hamstrings — so it’s important to keep them strong to support your movement in everyday life. Training your legs will help you walk, run and even sit down with greater ease. 

This workout will build muscle while simultaneously elevating your heart rate through a combination of strength and cardio exercises.

Get ready to feel the burn!

Leg exercises you can do anywhere, anytime

This leg workout has two circuits that target your quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves. All you need to get started is enough space for an exercise mat, a bench, and a set of dumbbells. 

If you don’t have access to equipment, you can easily substitute for a sturdy chair instead of a bench, or bottles filled with water or sand.

Starting with circuit one, do each exercise consecutively for the stated number of repetitions. Once you have completed all four exercises, take a short rest break and move on to circuit two, following the same pattern.

Circuit 1

Dumbbell stiff-legged deadlift — 15 reps

1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip (palms facing towards your body) in front of your legs, plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Draw your shoulder blades down and back to push your chest out slightly. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Bending from the hips only, allow the dumbbells to run along the length of your thighs and halfway down your shins, ensuring that you maintain a proud chest and that your head is an extension of your spine. You should feel tension in your hamstrings (back of your legs).

3. As you reach halfway down your shins, exhale. Push through your heels and, using your glutes and hamstrings, extend your knees and hips to return to the starting position. Ensure that the dumbbells remain in contact with your legs. Repeat for 15 repetitions.

Bulgarian split squat — 20 reps

1. With a bench placed horizontally behind you and holding a dumbbell in each hand, plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. Carefully step your right foot backwards, allowing the ball of your foot to rest on top of the bench. Carefully shuffle your left foot forward, if needed. Extend your arms by your sides to hold the dumbbells in a neutral grip (palms facing inwards). This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Bend both knees to approximately 90-degrees, ensuring that your weight is evenly distributed between both legs. When done correctly, your front knee will be aligned with your ankle.

3. Exhale. Push through the heel of your left foot and toe of your right foot to extend both legs and return to the starting position. Complete 10 repetitions on the same side, before completing the remaining 10 repetitions on the other side.

Rebound lunge — 20 reps

1. Plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder width apart. Carefully take a big step backward with your left foot. As you plant your left foot on the floor, bend both knees to approximately 90 degrees, ensuring that your weight is evenly distributed between both legs. If done correctly, your front knee should be aligned with your ankle and your back knee should be hovering just off of the floor.

2. Extend both knees and transfer your weight completely onto your right foot.

3. Take a big step forward with your left foot. As you plant your foot on the floor, bend both knees at approximately 90 degrees. Extend both knees and transfer your weight completely onto your right foot. Continue alternating between reverse lunge and forward lunge until you have completed 10 repetitions before completing the remaining 10 repetitions on the other leg.

Bench jump — 12 reps

1. Place a bench horizontally in front of you. Plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor. Ensure that your back remains within a 45-to90-degrees to your hips. This is called squat position.

3. Exhale. Propel your body upwards and forwards, drawing your knees into your chest, to land in squat position on top of the bench. Ensure that you maintain ‘soft’ knees to prevent injury.

4. Inhale. Push through your heels and extend your legs to find a standing position on top of the bench.

5. Exhale. Carefully step backwards off the bench, one foot at a time, to return to the starting position. Repeat for 12 repetitions.

Circuit 2

Bench hop — 20 reps

1. Place a bench vertically in front of you and position yourself on the right side. Firmly grip the bench on both sides, ensuring your fingers are facing outwards. This is your starting position.

2. Transfer your weight onto your hands and propel your feet up and over the bench, landing on the left side. Ensure that you tuck your knees into your chest as you jump and that you land with “soft” knees to prevent injury.

3. Keeping your weight on your hands, propel your feet up and over the bench to return to the starting position. Again, ensure that you tuck your knees into your chest as you jump and that you land with “soft” knees to prevent injury. Continue hopping over the bench for 20 repetitions.

Dumbbell lunge — 24 reps

1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, plant both feet on the floor in a split stance with your left leg forward and your right leg back, ensuring that your feet are shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Bend both knees to approximately 90 degrees. If done correctly, your front knee should be aligned with your ankle and your back knee should be hovering just off the floor.

3. Exhale. Extend both knees to return to the starting position. Complete 12 repetitions on the same side, before completing the remaining 12 repetitions on the other side.

X jump — 20 reps

1. Plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder width apart. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor. Lean your body forward slightly so that you are able to touch your left foot with your right hand.

2. Propel your body upwards into the air. Extend both your legs and your hips before landing back into squat position. When landing, ensure that you maintain ‘soft’ knees to prevent injury.

3. Lean your body forward slightly so that you are able to touch your right foot with your left hand.

4. Propel your body upwards into the air. Extend both your legs and your hips before landing back into squat position. Continue alternating between left and right for 20 repetitions.

Bodyweight squat — 15 reps

1. Plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor. Ensure that your back remains within a 45 to 90-degree angle to your hips.

3. Exhale. Push through your heels and extend your legs to return to the starting position. Repeat for 15 repetitions.

Get started with strengthening your legs

You might feel fatigued or sore after completing this leg workout, but there are things you can do to improve your recovery time and avoid a fitness hangover.

Always make sure to complete a warm-up and cool down before and after your workout. Foam rolling is a great tool to alleviate any tension in your legs.

If you enjoyed this leg workout, you can keep training at home with minimal equipment. Try bodyweight leg exercises, a jump rope workout for beginners or one of the options for training at home in the Sweat app.