We’ve all been there… waking up feeling unmotivated, tired, and downright grumpy. Yesterday we told ourselves that we had to go to the gym because it’s leg day. We know deep down that exercise will give us the energy and confidence we crave each day, but the mere thought of getting out of bed makes us want to throw health and fitness related goals out the window and start again tomorrow (or next month).
The good news is, there are plenty of ways to do leg workouts at home. No need to spend money on a crowded gym, precious time in the car or on a bus, or energy lugging around a stinky bag of clothes. Stop, drop and do a convenient (and effective!) bodyweight workout.
1. Lunges
Targets the glutes, hamstrings, quads, calf, core, and back
How to:
Keeping the upper body straight (picture trying to balance a book on the top of your head), with shoulders back and relaxed and eyes straight ahead, engage the core
Step forward with one leg, then lower the hips until knees create 90-degree angles. Keep the front knee above the ankle and the other knee not quite touching the floor
Come straight up then repeat with the other leg leading
For more of a challenge, hold weights (or get creative with water bottles or cans) at your sides.
2. Dynamic Squats
Works the core, quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and abdominals
How to:
Stand straight with shoulders above hips, feet hip-width apart, toes turned out slightly
Quickly drop hips back and down below parallel with knees behind and hip and ankle in line, so knees don’t collapse inward
Drive weight into heels to explosively jump up to center and softly land back to start position
If you are new to squats or feel pain in your knees, do a standard squat without the jump.
Skater lunges
Tones the quads, glutes, calves, hamstrings, and obliques
How to:
Step the right leg behind the left so the legs are crossed at the thighs and there is a distance between each foot. The back foot’s toes will be touching the ground
Bring the right arm forward and the left arm behind
While switching the arms for momentum, hop sideways by stepping the right foot to the right and crossing the left leg behind the right
Repeat on the other side while keeping the core engaged
Is the jump too much? Do the same movement, but without the bounce.
3. 3-angle calf raises
Strengthen the calf muscles including the gastrocnemius, soleus and tibialis anterior
How to:
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides
Lift heels until on the balls of feet, lower to the floor, repeat
Invert toes to create a triangular shape with feet
Lift heels until on the balls of feet, lower to the floor, repeat
Place heels together and create a “V” shape
Lift heels until on the balls of feet, lower to floor, repeat
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