Lower body exercises to make a well-shaped leg
Working out your lower body is important for the overall health and fitness of your body. It not only strengthens the muscles, but it also helps you stay in shape. Also, these exercises are easy to perform at home without any equipment. So if you want to know some leg strengthening exercises, keep reading!
Do these moves two to three days a week
Most of these moves are pretty easy to do, but if you’ve never done them before or aren’t sure how to do them properly, it’s best to consult a personal trainer.
Once you’ve got the form down, stick with two sets each of four exercises three days per week—for example: Monday, Wednesday, Friday—and see results in as little as six weeks. While it’s best not to work any muscle group every day (or even every other day), if your goal is more immediate results rather than long-term health benefits then consider following a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) plan instead.
Lunges
To do a lunge, stand with feet together and hold a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length next to your sides. Step forward with one foot and lower into a squat until your back knee is just above the floor.
- -Count: 10 repetitions per leg (20 total)
- -Muscles worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes
- -Modification: As you get stronger or are ready to increase the difficulty level, try doing this exercise without holding weights or using dumbbells; simply step forward with one foot while lowering yourself into position as much as possible. This will allow you to feel the burn more intensely while still giving your muscles an intense workout!
- Benefits: Lunges target both quads and hamstrings at once—and they’re great for strengthening balance skills too!
Glute bridges
How to do glute bridges?
- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
- Lift your glutes and lower back off the floor as high as you can without arching your back or lifting your hips too high (keeping them parallel to the ground).
- Hold for 1-3 seconds then slowly lower yourself back down and repeat 10-20 times.
Single-leg deadlifts
This is a great exercise for your lower body, as it engages all of the muscles in your legs and butt. It also challenges your balance and coordination, which makes it a great workout for anyone looking to improve their overall fitness.
- Stand on one leg with the other bent at 90-degrees and foot on the floor. Hold the weights close to your chest with shoulders back, core engaged and back straight.
- Lift up using both arms (left arm goes over head) until you are standing straight up; keep feet hip-width apart throughout movement. Lower down slowly until knee is almost touching floor (about 5 inches from ground), then repeat for set of 8-10 repetitions on each side.
Note: Don’t forget to do landmine exercises to make more impact on your muscles.
Step-ups
- Stand facing a bench or box and grab hold of it with both hands.
- Slowly step up onto the bench using one foot, then the other, until both feet are on top of the platform and your legs are straight.
- Slowly lower yourself back down to starting position without locking your knees when you step down.
Donkey kicks
Donkey kicks are a great way to strengthen your butt and thighs. First, place one hand on your hip and the other on the floor. Lift one leg out to the side while keeping your core tight at all times. Hold for a few seconds before lowering it back down, then repeat with the other leg. Do these moves two to three days a week and you’ll see results!
Squats
A squat is the most basic lower body exercise and is an essential part of any workout routine. The name refers to the way your hips are in relation to the ground when you do a squat. To do a squat, stand with feet shoulder-width apart, bend knees until thighs are parallel with the floor, and then rise back up again. You can do squats with weights or without them:
- Holding onto dumbbells while doing lunges will increase resistance on your legs and glutes while also working stabilizer muscles in your core and upper body.
- Holding onto kettle bells will also increase resistance on your legs and glutes while also working stabilizer muscles in your core and upper body.
If you’re new to this exercise or have knee problems that make it difficult for you to perform squats safely, try using elastic bands instead of weight plates or dumbbells at first until you get stronger—this will allow more flexibility than barbells would provide. If you are in good shape, it is time to switch to the powerful squat rack and strengthen your muscles in the best way.
Leg lifts
Leg lifts are great for building up your thighs. The best part is that you can do them anywhere, even if you don’t have access to any equipment.
- Lie on the floor or a mat with your knees bent and feet flat against the surface (as shown).
- Slowly lift one leg about two inches off the ground, keeping your hips level and parallel to each other as you do so (as shown). Hold for five seconds before lowering it back down again slowly until both feet are flat on the surface again. Repeat this 10 times with each leg before switching sides and repeating again for another 10 reps per side – 30 total reps per set!
Side Leg Raises
Lay on one side with your legs straight out in front of you, one on top of the other. Use your forearm to support your torso (as demonstrated) or place your torso flat on the mat.
Lift your upper leg slowly and steadily toward the ceiling. Always lift from the hip and butt rather than your lower back.
Back to the beginning
On the opposite side, repeat.
Leg-On-One Calf Raises
Place your feet hip-width apart as you stand.
Toes pointed, hands on hips or behind head, raise your left knee to hip level (whatever keeps you stable).
Holding onto the ball of your right foot, elevate your right heel as high off the floor as you can while maintaining a strong core.
After three seconds, release by bringing the heel back down. Continue.
Repeat on the opposite side until you have completed all of your reps.
Spinning Lunge
Place your feet shoulder-width apart as you stand.
Jump your left foot forward and your right foot back while keeping your core engaged. Then, bend both knees and lower yourself into a lunge.
Hop back to the starting point with both feet.
Next, bounce your right foot forward and your left foot back, then lunge to the opposite side.
Every time you land, keep jumping while switching your sides.
By changing feet midway and landing in a lunge each time, you may make this maneuver more difficult (so you will not hop your feet back together).
Lower body exercises can help improve your leg muscle strength and shape
Exercise is important to improve your health and fitness. Exercising regularly will help you to reach your fitness goals. Lower body exercises are a good way to train the muscles in your legs, which can help you achieve more toned and shapely legs.
Your lower body includes all of the muscles in your legs from top to bottom: hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and glutes (butt). You don’t need an expensive gym membership or expensive equipment for these exercises; all you need is some space in your home or workplace where you can move around freely.