Must-Do Lower Body Bodyweight Workout

Must-Do Lower Body Bodyweight Workout

Bodyweight exercises do not require any machinery or equipment but can still be incredibly impactful. By using only your body weight for resistance, you can strengthen your muscles and tighten your body. Better yet, because there is no expensive equipment needed, you can easily get a full-body workout from home. Below we have shared one of our favorite must-do lower body bodyweight workout for you to try.

Warm-Up

1. Shoulder Rolls

Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your hands on your shoulders. Engage your core. Shift your shoulders forward, then roll them up and back until you feel resistance in your shoulder blades. Relax and repeat the movement in the opposite direction. Complete 10 repetitions. 

Shoulder Rolls 1 Shoulder Rolls 2 Shoulder Rolls 3

2. Arm Raises

Begin lower body bodyweight workout in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your arms at your sides. Engage your core and raise both arms overhead. Lower your arms to the starting position. Complete 10 repetitions.

Arm Raises 1 Arm Raises 2

3. Standing Twists

Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Bend your elbows out at your sides and clasp your hands together at chest height. Engage your core and twist your upper body to one side, keeping your hips locked in the forward position. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side. Complete 10 repetitions to properly execute the lower body bodyweight workout.

Standing Twists 1

Standing Twists 2

4. Semi-Squats

Begin in an upright standing position with your feet hip-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Bend your knees and hinge through your hips to lower your seat into a semi-squat position. Keep your knees behind your toes. Raise back up to an upright standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top position. Repeat the movement. Complete 10 repetitions.

Semi-Squats 1 Semi-Squats 2

Routine

1. Lateral Leg Lifts

For this exercise, use a chair or wall for support.

Begin in an upright standing position with your legs shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place one hand on the back of a chair for support and place your other hand on your hip. Engage your core and lift one leg out to the side. Lower your leg to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start this lower body bodyweight workout with 1 set of 10 repetitions on each side.

Lateral Leg Lifts 1 Lateral Leg Lifts 2

2. Bodyweight Squats

Begin in an upright standing position with your feet hip-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Bend your knees and hinge through your hips to lower your seat into a squat position. Keep your knees behind your toes. Raise back up to an upright standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top position. Repeat the movement to do lower body bodyweight workout correctly. Start with 10 repetitions.

Bodyweight Squats 1 Bodyweight Squats 2

3. Single Leg Deadlifts

Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place one hand on the back of a chair for support if needed. Engage your core, transfer all your weight onto one foot, and slightly bend your supporting knee. Hinge your hips and bend your upper body forward to be parallel to the floor while extending your opposite leg back. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.

Single Leg Deadlifts 1 Single Leg Deadlifts 2

4. Knee Drives

Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place one hand on the back of a chair for support if needed. Engage your core. Take a big step back with one leg, then drive your knee up towards your chest. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start this lower body bodyweight workout with 1 set of 10 repetitions on each side.

Knee Drives 1 Knee Drives 2
Knee Drives 3 Knee Drives 4

Cool Down

1. Quad Stretch

Begin in an upright sitting position on the front of your chair with your feet flat on the floor. Maintain good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Turn your body so that you are sitting on the front of the chair with only one half of your seat and place your hand on the back of the chair for support. Engage your core, bend your knee to bring your heel up against your seat, and hold onto your foot with your hand. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Quad Stretch

2. Figure 4

Begin in an upright sitting position with your feet flat on the floor, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Cross one ankle over your opposite knee. Engage your core and hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Figure 4

Bodyweight exercises are great for beginners because the easy movements can be done anytime from anywhere. But don’t be fooled – they are still incredibly effective. As your strength and physical ability improve, you can make this routine more challenging by increasing the number of repetitions you complete or increasing from one to two, to three sets of the exercises.

For even more bodyweight exercises designed to improve your cardio and increase your strength, you need to check out the Bodyweight Blender program. Click here to learn more.

Bodyweight Blender