Let's face it - quarantine was (and possibly still is) rough!
For many people, quarantine came with a major change of lifestyle - weekend brunches became late-night Zoom meeting happy hours, evening gym retreats became virtual workout classes. These things, the little perks that make our lives easy, seemed to be extremely underappreciated when things took on a different perspective. And I get it - I don't like it that much either.
If you are like me, you relied on yoga classes and the occasional run as a form of exercise and stress relief from everything that seems to put on that "not-so-fun" weight on our shoulders. So when life throws you a couple of lemons, it is time to get crafty...
There are many people, including myself, who miss their leg workouts most of all. You cannot blame us - It can take months, if not years to build your leg muscles. Lower-body workouts can be grueling and you don’t want to lose the progress you’ve made in the gym if you can only work out at home. If you’re stuck at home without much equipment, or if you want to start building your legs from the comfort of your own home, there is a lot more you can do then simply getting off your feet.
If you are curious on how to make an effective and equally rewarding leg workout at home, you've come to the right place! Here are our 7 Leg Workouts at Home To Keep You Meeting Your Goals :
1 - Goblet Step-Ups
All you need for this exercise is a chair or bench with a flat surface to step up on. It should be about mid-shin to knee-high. Once you have your chair, you can grab a weight. Kettlebells work well as do dumbbells. If you don’t have actual gym equipment, you can use a water jug or a heavy book as a weight.
How To - Stand in front of your chair or bench. Grab your weight and hold it at chest-height. Put one foot on top of the chair. Step up with the other leg so you’re standing on the chair. Step back down with the same leg. Repeat 10 times then switch legs. Perform three sets total.
2 - Walking Lunges
A hallway gives you plenty of space to do this exercise. If you don’t have a hallway, you can step outside quickly and use a sidewalk or driveway. To make it harder, hold weights like dumbbells by your sides.
How To: Start standing. Take a lunge, stepping forward with your left foot. Drop your right knee down to the ground, as close to the ground as you can get without touching it. Then, step up with your right foot to meet your left foot. Take a lunge forward with your right foot next. Repeat this sequence for 10 reps on each leg. Perform 3 sets.
3 - Hip Bridges
This booty-building exercise might seem too easy at first. If it does, switch to a single-leg variation where you keep one leg in the air and use the other leg to perform the movement. If you do the single-leg variation you should bend the knee in the air as much as possible.
How To : Lie on your back with your feet close to your butt, knees bent and feet planted on the ground. Lift your hips up as high as you can and squeeze your butt at the top. Then, lower your hips back down to complete one rep. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
4 - Lateral Lunge
Your hips will thank you for doing this exercise. Few lower-body exercises involve side-to-side movements, so it’s important to incorporate moves like this to balance things out.
How To: Start standing, then take a big step out to the right. Keep both feet pointed forward. Then, stick your butt back and squat down onto your right leg. Go as low as you can, then step back up to the center. Repeat on the left leg. Keep going until you’ve done 10 reps total on each leg. Complete three sets.
5 - Squat Jumps
This squat variation can build power and speed in your legs, as well as stimulate the muscles to grow. You can hold light dumbbells (10 pounds or less) as you jump to make it harder. If the impact is bothering your hips or knees, keep your feet on the ground and perform squats.
How To: Start standing with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Squat down and throw your arms down and back. Then, throw your arms up and jump as high as you can. Land with your knees soft and stick your butt back. Go straight into the next jump. Repeat this process for 15 jumps, then rest. Complete three sets.
6 - Mountain Climbers
This exercise is a combination of cardio and leg work. It might leave you breathless and make your legs burn.
How To: Start in a push up position. Lift one knee toward your chest, then hop to switch legs. Keep pumping your legs quickly until you’ve completed 20 reps per leg. Then, rest and complete 3 sets total.
7 - Single Legged Squat
The single-leg squat works your legs one at a time, which can help keep them balanced in terms of strength. The single-leg squat is tough to learn, however, so using this variation with the box is more realistic for beginners.
How To: Start standing in front of a box, chair or couch, back turned away. Lift one leg and keep it raised. Slowly and with control, sit down to the box with the other leg on the ground. Then, lean forward to stand back up. Complete 8 reps then switch legs. Complete 3 sets per leg.
And there you have it!
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-Patrick
