Fast & Intense At-Home Tabata Leg Workout

Tabata workouts are a great option to build your health and fitness at home without the need for a gym membership or equipment. 

Tabata is a style of HIIT (high-intensity interval training), where you’re required to push yourself hard for 20 seconds then rest for 10 seconds for a total of eight rounds (four minutes) per exercise. While Tabata rounds are short, they’re intense, challenging and will get your heart pumping.

This Tabata-style leg workout is great for strengthening your lower body and targets your quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves. It uses short, high-intensity intervals, which means you will get an effective workout done in just a few minutes. 

All you need to complete this workout is enough space for an exercise mat (or a towel if you don’t have a mat), a pair of dumbbells and a chair or bench. If you don't have dumbbells, you can substitute for any household items of similar weight, or without any weights at all.

Tabata-style leg workout you can do at home

Next time you’re working out at home, give this Tabata leg workout a go. It’s fast and intense making it a great option as a standalone workout or as an extra challenge at the end of another session.

Do each leg exercise for 20 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds before moving on to the next exercise in the circuit. Repeat the whole circuit 6-8 times.

Bulgarian Split Squat

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. Switch legs and repeat for 20 seconds.

High Knees

1. Plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your weight on your left foot, bend your right leg to bring your knee into your chest.

2. Lower your right leg and plant your foot on the floor. Keeping your weight on your right leg, bend your left leg to bring your knee into your chest. Once you are comfortable with this movement, increase your speed so that you are hopping from one foot to the other. Continue alternating between right and left legs for 20 seconds.

Jump Lunges

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

2. Bend your knees slightly and propel your body up into the air. Land in a split stance with your left foot forward and your right leg back, ensuring that your feet remain shoulder-width apart. Immediately bend both knees to approximately 90-degrees. When done correctly, your front knee will be aligned with your ankle and your back knee will be hovering just off the floor.

3. Extend both knees and propel your body up into the air. Land in a split stance with your right foot forward and your left leg back, once again, ensuring that your feet remain shoulder-width apart. Immediately bend both knees to approximately 90-degrees.

4. Extend both knees to propel your body up into the air. Land in a split stance with your left leg forward and right leg back. Continue alternating between left and right for 20 seconds.

Star Jumps

1. With your arms by your sides, plant both feet together on the floor. This is your starting position.

2. Quickly jump both feet outwards so that they are wider than your hips. At the same time, raise your arms upwards and outwards from the sides of your body so that your hands almost meet directly above your head.

3. Quickly jump both of your feet inwards to lower your arms to return to the starting position. Repeat for 20 seconds.

Start working out at home with Tabata

Adding Tabata workouts to your at-home exercise regimen is a great way to build your health and fitness. While most Tabata workouts require little to no equipment, incorporating home gym equipment will allow you to add resistance to your workouts to make them more challenging.

If you’re looking for another free workout to kick-start your at-home fitness journey, try this HIIT workout for beginners. Chontel Duncan’s FIERCE programs on the Sweat app also have Tabata training in the workouts.

What other at-home training styles are you keen to try? Let us know in the comments!