Leg days are usually the most demanding for lifters - and the most effective too. Because you're hitting some of the biggest muscles in your body, these workouts create the biggest hormonal response and send your testosterone levels through the roof. However, if you don't have access to a fully equipped gym - squats, barbell, plates, machines - you need to get creative. You may not be able to gain the kind of mass that does, for example, heavy squats and deadlifts, but you can get in great shape and build muscle with leg training at home.
For these reasons, it's useful to get along with what you have - even if it's just dumbbells and a bench. Most importantly, you are still exercising your lower body well, hard, and consistently. Try these home leg exercises on for size. Gather some gum because these are killers.
Squat dumbbell James Michelfelder
Training 1: German Body Comp
Equipment needed: A pair of light and heavy dumbbells and a medium tension resistance band.
Directions: Do as many trisets as you can in 40 minutes (if you can do 7 it is a good indicator of your overall fitness).
1A. Dumbbell Break Squat x 6 reps: Hold the heavy dumbbells at shoulder height and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly descend to the full depth of a squat (warm up properly so your hips are flexible). Stop at the bottom for 2 seconds, then return to the top position.
1B. Reverse lung x 12 reps per side: Hold the lighter dumbbells by your sides, then jump backwards so that both knees are at a 90-degree angle and your back knee is just above the floor. Go through the heel of the front leg to get up. Switch legs on each rep.
1C. Banded leg extensions x 25 reps: Get on all fours, then wrap a resistance band around the back of your knees and the loop ends around your wrists. Get into a bear pose by levitating your knees off the floor, then straightening your knees so your legs are straight, and work on contracting the quads to get the movement moving. Watch a video demonstration here.
James Michelfelder
Workout 2: Rear Chain Attack
Training required: Heavy kettlebell, medium or heavy dumbbells, and an exercise bench.
Directions: This workout deals with supersets and compound sets to optimally destroy your posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings).
1A. Kettlebell Swing x 25 reps
1B. Glute Bridge Walks x 10 repetitions per side: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Keep your arms by your sides and press your palms into the floor. Lift your hips off the floor by pushing through your heels. Step out one foot at a time and come across a long lever bridge. The feet are bent and the heels dig into the ground. Maintain a gentle bend in your knees (overstretching can lead to injury) and a backward tilt (the front of the pelvis rises) to protect your lower back. Move slowly. Watch a video demonstration here.
Perform a superset for 4 rounds. Rest 1 minute between rounds.
2A. Raised Split Back Leg Squats x 10 reps per side: Holding the dumbbells by your sides, put one foot back on a bench, and lace them up. Lower the front leg until it forms a 90-degree angle, then cycle through the heel to return to the start. Do all the repetitions on one side, then switch.
2 B. Kettlebell Single-Leg Deadlift x 10 reps per side: * Before adding weight, master it with just your body weight first. * Stand with your feet hip-width apart, then shift your weight onto one foot. Hang at your hips and send your bum back, straightening your back leg. Lower as far as possible while maintaining the alignment of the back leg with the hips, shoulders and head. Keep a gentle bend in your standing knee. Squeeze the gluteus on your standing leg to stand. Once this is known, hold a moderately heavy kettlebell in one hand across from your working leg (good if your hips tend to twist) or on the same side for a bigger core challenge. Hold a heavy kettlebell in both hands to train one-sided.
Perform a superset for 4 rounds. Rest 1 minute between rounds.
3. Copenhagen plank - Holds 3 x 30 seconds every side: Put a bench or stool next to your feet (you don't want them to be too high as you are doing a raised side plank from your elbow). Lie on your right side with your right forearm planted on the floor and your left foot on the bench. Lift your body off the floor and support your weight with your left foot and right forearm. Switch sides after every 3 sets.
Rest 1 minute between sets.
Duck Walk Jay Sullivan
Training 3: Quadzilla
Equipment needed: none
Directions: This bodyweight workout is designed to develop the front of your leg (also known as a quads). Do sets straight and complete all sets for each exercise before moving on to the next. Let rest 90 seconds between rounds.
1. Foot overs - 4 x 10 reps per side: Sit on the inside of your right foot with a kettlebell (or an object). Put your hands on the floor and spread this working leg apart. Activate your hip flexor and quad to lift your foot over the kettlebell. Do all the repetitions on one side, then switch. Watch a video demonstration here.
2. Shrimp Squats - 4 x 10 Repetitions on each side: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp one ankle as if you were doing a quad stretch. Extend your other arm to keep your balance. Suspend from your waist and lower yourself into a crouch until your back knee touches the floor. Go through your heel to stand. Do all the repetitions on one side, then switch. Watch a video demonstration here.
3. Invert rdic curls - 4 x 12 repetitions per side: Kneel on a mat (knees about hip-width apart for beginners, wider for advanced) with your hips pushed forward. Start the inverted curl by bending at your knees and leaning your torso back towards your heels. Keep your core and quads busy all the time to maintain hip extension. Lower until you can no longer maintain control, then push the quads to return to start. If you're heavier, use a resistance band to support a wider range of motion. Watch a video demonstration here.)
4. Duck walks - 4 x 20 meters: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hang a little at the hips and crouch as low as you can (work on getting deeper and deeper as you progress). Position your arms in front of you or behind your head for balance. Keep a proud chest and lower your weight into your heels as you slowly crouch down to the floor.
Squat mug James Michelfelder
Workout 4: Mid-Range Madness
Equipment needed: Heavy kettlebell, Swiss ball and a medium or heavy pair of dumbbells.
Directions: This workout uses partial ranges of motion to aid the ingrain technique and give the lower body muscles double the pump for each repetition performed.
1A. Cup squat with 1.5 reps x 8 reps: Lower yourself to the bottom of a cup squat at full depth, then come halfway and pause for 1 count. Lower yourself to full depth again, and then stand up. This is a repetition. Watch a video demonstration here.
1B. Swiss Ball 2-1 Hamstring Curl x 8 repetitions per side: Lie down openly with your feet on the ball. Bend your knees 90 degrees, rolling the ball towards you by bending your knees. Then remove one leg and do a slow eccentric curl with the leg still resting on the ball. For your next rep, return to a two-legged position and repeat. Watch a video demonstration here. You don't have a Swiss ball? Put your feet on sliders or towels and work on a wood or tile floor.
Perform a superset for 4 rounds. Rest 90 seconds between rounds.
2A. Paused Rep Romanian Deadlift x 10 reps: Do a normal Romanian dumbbell deadlift, but add this twist: stop at knee level for 2 seconds on each rep. This increases the time under tension, forcing a straight spine and a tight core.
2 B. Pulsating lunges x 12 reps per side: Hold a kettlebell or two dumbbells and do a classic lunge, but before you take your next step, pulse twice. This doubles the quad and glute activity and leaves your legs on fire. Watch a video demonstration here.
Swiss ball hamstring curl James Michelfelder
Training 5: contrast training
Equipment needed: Heavy kettlebell and a pair of heavy dumbbells.
Directions: The goal of contrast training is to pair or group charged movement patterns with similar patterns that are uncharged and explosive. This effectively trains the rapidly twitching muscle fibers and increases strength and strength.
1A. Heavy Goblet Squat x 10 reps
1B. Bodyweight Squat Jump x 10 repetitions: Give these jumps all you have. Try to use all of your squat depth and vertical jumping ability on each rep, and land soft knees for the slow eccentric on your next jump.
Run as a contrast set for 5 laps. Rest 90 seconds between rounds.
2A. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift x 8 reps
2 B. Kettlebell Swing x 12 reps
2C. Standing long jump x 10 reps
Perform as a contrast triset for 4 rounds. Rest 90 seconds between rounds.
3A. Dumbbell split squat x 8 repetitions per side
3B. Jump-and-switch split squat x 8 repetitions per side
Run as a contrast set for 3 laps. Rest 90 seconds between rounds.
TRX Glute Bridge Per Bernal
Training 6: TRX + page level
Equipment needed: TRX or suspension trainer, medium dumbbells or kettlebells and training bench.
Directions: You train in the lateral plane and train from side to side and not just forwards and backwards. In this routine, you will complete supersets and even sentences.
1A. Cossack Squat x 8 repetitions per side: Stand with your feet very far apart and hold dumbbells or kettlebells by your shoulders. Rotate your left foot outward so the back of your heel is on the floor with the toe up. w crouch on your right leg and keep your right foot on the floor and your left leg absolutely straight. Do not lean forward. Make sure you open your hips to maximize mobility before doing this exercise. Watch a video demonstration here.
1B. TRX single-leg burpee x 8 repetitions per side: Start in a push-up position and place your left foot (lace down) in the harness of a TRX. Raise your right leg 10-12 inches off the floor. Do a push-up, then immediately slide your right leg toward your chest, pushing your hips forward, and putting your foot on the floor. Holding onto your right leg, stand up straight, then jump up and land gently. Bend back at your waist and reverse the movement. Jump back with your right leg, keeping your left off the floor, and prop yourself up as you hit the floor with both hands. Do all the repetitions on one side, then switch.
Perform a superset for 4 rounds. Rest 2 minutes between rounds.
2A. Elevated Kang Squat with Elevated Hindfoot x 8 reps per side: Stand it up like a raised split squat with your back foot holding two dumbbells by your sides. Perform a one-legged Romanian deadlift. At the end of the exercise, lower your knee into a traditional one-leg squat and slide the dumbbells back to your sides. Really emphasize the pronounced hip joint before descending into a split squat. The better you can segment this, the more you attack your rear chain. Watch a video demonstration here.
2 B. TRX Glute Bridge x 15 reps
Perform a superset for 4 rounds. Rest 90 seconds between rounds.
3rd dumbbell rotation step - 3 x 10 repetitions per side: At the end, hold a dumbbell against your chest and stand parallel to an exercise bench. Step on the bench with your right foot, and then rotate as you pass through the foot to stand. Reverse the movement and twist back to the starting position. Do all the repetitions on one side, then switch. Watch a video demonstration here.
rdic curl Justin Steele
Training 7: rdic Triset
Equipment needed: none (weight plate or dumbbell optional)
Directions: This three tier animal of a triset only needs body weight and a place to secure your feet. Stamp out 30 minutes and leave to rest as long as necessary after each triset. See how many rounds you can crack in 30 minutes. Aim for 6 laps.
1A. Eccentric rdic Curl x 8 reps: Kneel on a mat or pillow and use a bench to anchor your feet (or have a partner hold your heels). Engage your core and glutes, keeping your torso high and not arching your lower back as you slowly lower yourself to the floor, slowly and in a controlled manner until three. Press your hands into the floor to move back to the starting position.
1B. rdic Curl hip joint x 10 repetitions: From the setup position described above, optionally hold a weight plate against your chest. Lean forward at your knees to touch your hamstrings, then roll your torso toward the floor, with or without weight. Watch a video demonstration here.
1C. Reverse rdic Curl x 12 repetitions: Follow the instructions from Training 3.
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