Best Bodyweight Exercises for Strong Legs

If you want to increase your leg strength, one way to achieve this goal is use machines designed specifically for this muscle group. The seated leg press, leg extension, and leg curl machines can all give you stronger, more defined leg muscles. Another option is to engage in a lower body bodyweight workout.

What a Bodyweight Exercise Is

Just as the name sounds, "body weight exercises" are strength training exercises that use your body's weight to provide enough resistance to build muscle. This means that you do these movements without the use of a resistance band, weights, or other gym equipment.

By this definition, bodyweight leg exercises are exercises that give you strong legs using nothing more than your body's own weight. What are some advantages of this type of weight training?

Benefits of Bodyweight Training

Strength training with your own bodyweight enables you to get into better shape without having to purchase a lot of expensive equipment. It's also beneficial for anyone who can't afford a gym membership and, therefore, doesn't have access to these types of machines.

Plus, you can do bodyweight exercises anywhere. You don't have to go to a gym to get a good workout. This is helpful whether you prefer to exercise at home or if you travel a lot. And it doesn't require much space. Some of the movements are performed while standing, others while laying down. As long as you have enough room to place your body, you can do these leg exercises.

Bodyweight training is also a good way to build muscle and increase strength. But can you get the same type of results by using nothing more than your own body weight? According to research, the answer is yes.

Some studies have found that this type of workout provides comparable results to using machines. Other pieces of research note that following a bodyweight exercise program helps participants gain "statistically significant increases in the explosive strength of the lower extremities."

5 Bodyweight Exercises for Strong Legs

Which bodyweight exercises work best for building leg muscle? Here are five to consider adding to your current leg day routine.

Squat and Squat Variations

Some of the top bodybuilders increase the muscle in their legs by doing a squat with heavy weights. However, a bodyweight squat will also work the quads.

To get the most from your squat, hold the squat position for a few seconds before standing back up. Using slow and controlled movements engages the leg muscle more fully.

Varying your squat also provides a more comprehensive leg workout. A few squat variations that don't require the use of weights are:

• Shrimp squat. This bodyweight squat involves starting in a typical squat position. Lift your left foot behind you and grab it with your left hand. Slowly lower your body until your right knee touches the ground. Extend your right arm in front of you to keep your balance. Return to a standing position, drop your left foot to the floor, then lift your right foot. Lower your body again, until your left knee touches the ground. Return to a standing position.

• Pistol squat. Like the shrimp squat, the pistol squat also involves balancing on one leg. To do it, begin in a standing position. While lowering your body into a squat, extend your right leg in front of you. Keep your upper body straight and extend your arms in front of you to help you remain balanced. In a full squat position, your right foot should be a couple of inches off the ground. Return to a standing position, then lift your left leg and follow the same process.

• Split squat. A split squat is a lot like a lunge. The only difference is, instead of actively stepping forward or backward with one leg, the feet remain stationary. To perform this leg exercise, step forward with the right foot. Lower your body toward the floor, like with a traditional squat. Hold for a few seconds then return to a standing position. Do this move 10-12 times before switching to the opposite leg. (If you add weights to this squat, it is called a Bulgarian split squat.)

Lunge and Reverse Lunge

Lunges are also great bodyweight leg exercises. These movements target the hamstring, which is the muscle on the back of the upper leg.

To do a lunge, start by standing with your feet together. Next, step forward with your left foot, while lowering your body toward the floor. Your back should be straight and upper body upright. Get as low to the ground as you can while keeping good form. Hold, then return to a standing position, placing your feet together again. Next, step forward with your right leg and follow the same process.

If you also want to work your hip flexors and glutes, do a reverse lunge. This move involves stepping backward instead of forward. Like with the lunge, switch back and forth between stepping back with your right leg and left leg. Working both legs reduces the likelihood of developing a muscle imbalance.

Leg Raise

If your client has knee issues and finds it hard to do a squat or lunge, leg raises can help improve leg strength without causing further damage or pain. This exercise also helps build the hip flexors and abdominals.

To do a straight leg raise, lie on your left side with your legs fully extended. Slowly lift your right leg as high as you can, keeping your knee slightly bent. Hold when your right foot is at its highest point, then lower it back to the ground. Do 10-12 reps before switching to the other side. Lift your left leg the same amount of times.

This movement can be modified even further to better protect the knee, if necessary. Instead of keeping the legs primarily straight during the raise, bend the knees to a 90-degree angle. This reduces the pressure on the knee to keep the lifted leg straight.

Glute Bridge

Adding glute bridge exercises to your leg day workout also helps improve lower body strength. It does this primarily by building the glutes. But it also helps strengthen the hamstring, providing stronger leg muscles.

To perform this bodyweight exercise, lie on your back and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Hold this position for a few seconds to better engage the hamstring muscles. Lower your glutes back to the ground, rest for a few seconds and lift again.

Push-up

Push-ups are primarily known as a good way to build the muscle in your upper body. They work the chest, upper back, shoulders, and arms. However, this bodyweight exercise also helps strengthen the muscles within your legs. How?

Push-ups require your leg muscles to stabilize the body. So, even though you're not actively moving this muscle group while lifting and lowering your upper body, you're still building its strength.

If a traditional push-up is too hard, or if you have knee problems, bend your knees and place them on the floor. This reduces their load while performing the movement.

How to Increase Intensity in Your Bodyweight Exercises

If you are working out with weights, you increase your intensity by increasing the amount you lift, pull, or push. Since bodyweight exercises don't involve the use of barbells, dumbbells, or resistance bands, this approach doesn't work.

Yet, you can continue to progress with bodyweight exercises. You do this by making your movements more explosive. For example, when doing a squat, jump up as high as you can when returning to a standing position. Adding explosive movement requires more effort, pushing your leg muscles even more.

You can also increase the intensity of bodyweight leg exercises by adding an incline or decline to the movement. This increases the effort required by your leg muscles to lift or lower your body.

To learn more about how to help your clients develop more strength, the ISSA offers a Strength and Conditioning Coach certification. This class teaches you how to help your athletic clients reach a higher level of performance. You'll also learn how to develop a safe and effective strength training program for clients of all fitness levels.